Racism and the College: At a heated BSU meeting, charges of insensitivity, intolerance
Dublin Core
Title
Racism and the College: At a heated BSU meeting, charges of insensitivity, intolerance
Subject
Debate at BSU meeting surrounding "the state of minorities, and particularly blacks, on campus." The meeting itself was attended by several deans, Provost Bruce Peterson, SGA President David Van Luven, and other administrators/ SGA members. This was prompted by a fight between two roommates, where the white roommate called the black roommate a racial slur.
Description
Volume 83, Number 4
Creator
Dwight Garner
Publisher
The Campus
Date
10/02/1987
Contributor
Erica Wonnacott- Dean of Students
Coverage
"At Thursday's meeting the black woman, along with other BSU members demanded that the administration 'do something to make the girl realize what she has done."
"BSU members spoke of 're-educating' the woman, Dean Erica Wonnacott suggested that the group themselves sounded like a 'lynch' mob."
"Although Wonnacott later said that she regretted the remark, which obviously offended many in the room, she also said that the meeting left her feeling 'sad' and 'scared.'"
"One concrete decision that was made at the BSU meeting was that the BSU will propose the inclusion, in the Student Handbook, of a racial harassment policy."
"Another proposal was that the racial harassment cases not be heard by the Judicial Council, as are sexual harassment cases, but by a special committee of ... 'two BSU members', one minority student, one Black Dean, a psychologist, and a student government member'... also to be included would be the chairman of the Judicial Council."
"BSU members spoke of 're-educating' the woman, Dean Erica Wonnacott suggested that the group themselves sounded like a 'lynch' mob."
"Although Wonnacott later said that she regretted the remark, which obviously offended many in the room, she also said that the meeting left her feeling 'sad' and 'scared.'"
"One concrete decision that was made at the BSU meeting was that the BSU will propose the inclusion, in the Student Handbook, of a racial harassment policy."
"Another proposal was that the racial harassment cases not be heard by the Judicial Council, as are sexual harassment cases, but by a special committee of ... 'two BSU members', one minority student, one Black Dean, a psychologist, and a student government member'... also to be included would be the chairman of the Judicial Council."
Hyperlink Item Type Metadata
URL
Collection
Citation
Dwight Garner, “Racism and the College: At a heated BSU meeting, charges of insensitivity, intolerance,” Archives of Anti-Racist Activism, accessed October 27, 2026, https://twilightprojectantiracistrecords.middcreate.net/items/show/374.