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Administration Responds to Student Concerns About Cultural Support

University administrators say existing programs meet most demands of a student-faculty group calling for more resources for minorities

 

Responding to demands by a student-faculty group for additional attention and resources for Latino, Asian-American and Native American cultures, university administrators have pledged to provide regular progress reports and emphasized that many of the group's requests could be met through existing efforts.

In a memorandum signed Tuesday by President Nannerl O. Keohane, Provost Peter Lange, Vice President for Student Affairs Larry Moneta and Vice Provost for Undergraduate Affairs William Chafe, the administrators affirmed they share the group's goals of "an inclusive community at Duke" and strong communication among community members.

The demands presented by the community group included regular meetings with administrators; the creation of new cultural student programs; new scholarship programs for minorities; minority faculty and administrator hiring initiatives; and focused efforts to eliminate "hate crimes" and offensive theme parties on campus.

The concerns, formally presented to Keohane on Oct. 1, arose in the wake of a Sept. 13 party sponsored by the Sigma Chi fraternity which some community members found offensive in its depiction of Mexican culture. The fraternity apologized, but some students took the incident to be indicative of wider cultural misunderstandings on campus.

Tuesday's memo stated that many of these requests were already covered by ongoing programs. For example, the university's new faculty diversity initiative is aimed at strengthening the recruiting and retention of minorities and women. A similar initiative is ongoing for the hiring of senior administrators.

And several academic programs or centers already oversee Latino, Asian American and Native American issues, the memo notes.

It is not possible to fulfill all of the group's requests, the memo states. For instance, a recent U.S. Supreme Court ruling in a case involving the University of Michigan discourages the establishment of scholarship programs targeted at minorities.

The administrators said the university does not have rules concerning "hate crimes." Harmful behaviors are punishable, they noted, but "verbal expressions and other forms of expression, however offensive, are not likely to be actionable under our Community Standard nor our published Rules and Regulations."

On the other hand, they agreed to clarify language in the Community Standard -- the university's honor code -- to emphasize respect for others.

In addition, a group of administrative and student leaders will issue twice-a-semester progress reports on these issues.

While acknowledging the administration's commitment to discussing the issues raised, senior Sandra Sanchez said she is frustrated with the university's pace of change.

"If they are going forward with these initiatives, then where are the results?" asked Sanchez, one of the students who helped draft the list of concerns. In particular, she pointed to the university's Latino studies program, which she said is understaffed.

by James Todd