Saint Anselm College seeks to double the enrollment of Hispanics, African-Americans, and other minorities, and to create a campus environment that welcomes students of other Christian denominations, religions, and different sexual orientations. Administrators say they want their school to be a more attractive place for racial and ethnic minorities.

“We need to be a place where everyone feels at home, not just some people,” said Father Jonathan DeFelice, president of the college. “What are the things we do that are unattractive and therefore keeping some people away? We’re asking that question ourselves. Are we doing enough so that people feel comfortable and at home here?”

The effort to be more inclusive of minorities has had a campus-wide impact, affecting course offerings, student organizations, admissions and faculty hiring.

Since 2005, the college has had the goal of doubling the enrollment of ethnic and racial minorities which constitute today barely more than 4 percent of the student body. But the effort to boost diversity has gained steam in the past year and a half.

In the spring of 2007, DeFelice formed the President’s Advisory Council on Inclusiveness for guidance on issues “related to the overarching goal of inclusiveness.” The college that year also launched a survey of attitudes among students, faculty, and staff and conducted an inventory of all its courses which were deemed inclusive.

The college recently created faculty positions for experts in African history, African-American and post-colonial literature, Chinese language and Asian religions. This semester, it is offering abou t a dozen “inclusive” courses on those topics and others, such as liberation theology and women and crime, according to its Web site.

Some students and alums say the college is at risk of compromising its identity as a liberal arts Catholic college in the Benedictine tradition.

“It could end up being like in the name of inclusiveness, the college will have to accept certain things that are contrary to the Catholic identity,” said Matthew Pietropaoli, a 2005 graduate.

“On the face of it, having a more diverse student body is a good idea. That has to be juxtaposed with a firm understanding of their Catholic identity.”

College administrators and professors, however, say the program is an affirmation of their Catholic identity. They say it is rooted in church and specifically Benedictine teachings on treating others with the same respect and dignity that they would Jesus Christ.

“Inclusiveness is inherent to Catholicism at its best,” said Pablo Garcia, an assistant professor for Spanish. “The very word implies it.”

It also fulfills the historical mission of Saint Anselm College, according to Denise Askin, a retired English professor hired this year as the assistant to the president for inclusiveness.

“Saint Anselm was founded to bring together the warring factions of the Canadian French and Irish,” Askin said. “It is part of our tradition, not a departure from it.” But Askin insisted that the college is not using quotas to achieve its goals for enrollment and more diversity.

“We don’t have quotas. We have aspirations,” she said. “We envision ourselves, if we grow, not larger but if we grow in inclusiveness, if we have an environment on this campus that makes this a first choice for minority students then we will have a higher percentage.”

Some alums and students worry the inclusiveness program nevertheless will resemble a quota system. Regina Federico, a sophomore from Massachusetts, said racial or ethnic background should not be a factor in admissions.

“I just think that no matter what school it is, that people who deserve to get into school should be allowed in,” Federico said. Alyssa McClure, a 2008 graduate, said she did not like the inclusiveness program because she thinks it is similar to affirmative action.

“I don’t see the point in having a program designed to bring minorities in,” McClure said. “We are the second most white state in the nation.”

Instead, she thought the college should focus on “academics and Catholic identity.” Askin was surprised to hear the alumni criticism. She said focus groups with alums had shown that they wanted more diversity at the college.

Matt St. John, a senior from Massachusetts, supports the initiative to the extent that it fosters respect and hospitality toward everyone on campus.

“But respecting everyone does not and cannot mean abandoning or watering down your beliefs so that everything is right and nothing is wrong, so that you can avoid offending anyone,” he said, adding that he trusted the college would remain vigilant upholding its identity.

Askin said the college would not be “watering down” its traditions. In her view, the college does not have to choose between being more inclusive and maintaining its traditions.

“I think it’s a false dichotomy,” she said.

Several professors said more diversity is a matter of academics as well. Philosophy professor Kevin Staley said having a more diverse student body engenders “cross-cultural understanding” and is “one of the things” and education is about.

Garcia agreed. “I believe it is important because as (a) higher education institution in the 21st century it is our job to prepare our students to be world-savvy, to broaden their perspective, in part by providing an environment which should include all manners of diversity.”

That made sense to Christopher Macedo, a junior from Milton, Mass., who is majoring in criminal justice. Macedo said when graduates of the college enter the workplace they would have to deal with different people.

The 8 percent target for minority enrollment was set in the college’s strategic plan for 2005 to 2009. Today minorities constitute only 4.3 percent of the student body, but they accounted for 5 percent of incoming freshmen, an increase of 2 to 3 percent over the past decade, according to Askin.

Nancy Griffin, the dean of admission, said the college aims to gain more minority applicants by reaching out to urban high schools in cities like Manchester and Nashua.

Saint Anselm also has sought a statewide grant to fund workshops on how to fill out applications and financial aid forms for students. The program could help Spanish-speaking families, according to Griffin.

On campus, the emphasis on inclusiveness and diversity is apparent in new student organizations, such as the Black Student Coalition and the Muslim Students Association, which have been formed with the last five years, according to LeBlanc.

For several years, the Muslim student group has held campuswide events to mark Ramadan, a month of fasting, repentance and good deeds.

The spirit of diversity was on full display earlier this year on a spring day that began with a recreation of a Native American pow-wow on campus. That evening, an event billed as “Manchester Goes Global” featured a West African fusion band, Sudanese dancers, a Senegalese musical combo and a re-enactment of a Turkish wedding.

Askin remembers leaving the pow-wow as the African dancers were arriving. “I still had that in my mind and then I saw carloads of people in African dress coming onto campus,” she said. “I’m saying ‘whoa,’ this is New Hampshire.”