Not Just Here, But Everywhere: Whose Voice Dominates Campus Culture?

Memo to the Reed College community from Lisa Moore, assistant dean for multicultural affairs
Posted by The Oregonian November 07, 2007 19:32PM

Dear Reed College Students, Faculty, and Staff:

What is happening to our campus? This semester Multicultural Affairs has been unusually busy addressing the responses of individuals representing a variety of constituencies who have been disappointed and disturbed by violent and sexist party-posters, racially tinged graffiti on the Edifice Complex display, and now the Halloween display of figures hanging from nooses. Students at Reed frequently and proudly talk about how open and liberal the campus is, yet when it comes to addressing issues that many would call racist, sexist, homophobic, or anti-Semitic I just as frequently hear stories about how people are scared to challenge others for fear of being disrespected. As a black woman who is personally and professionally invested in Reed being successful around becoming a diverse campus, my position shapes the perspective I bring to this conversation. I appreciated the leadership taken by Senate, the President, feminist student union and individual staff and faculty on countering the intended or unintended actions of a few, but more of us need to be thinking about and addressing whose voice dominates campus culture.

What seems to be affecting people as much as these offensive expressions is how others respond during casual conversations in ways that are condescending and dismissive to opposing points of view. As the Assistant Dean of Multicultural Affairs, I have for the first time felt it was necessary to send out a letter to the campus community. The cumulative events of this semester, combined with the individual concerns that have been expressed to me, as well as, Daymond Glenn and Serilda Summers in the MRC, from students, faculty, and staff about the climate make me very concerned about the current direction of campus culture. I decided it was important to share my thoughts with everyone.


For the complete letter -- it is very worth reading -- click on the title of this post above.