No Voice Rally Part 4

PART 4--In the Spring of 2005 growing concerns amongst students about Chapman University's apathy toward hate crimes and lack of commitment to issues of diversity erupted. 200 students gathered on the Argyos Forum Patio for a rally and march that shut down the university's "Spring Sizzle" event. The group surrounded President Jim Doti demanding that he hold a public forum on campus to address growing discrimination problems. The "No Voice" student group attended the meeting well organized with 8 specific goals, the support of many faculty and staff members and the vision of a more just campus. Talks with Jim Doti, Dean Kertes, Saskia Knight and Ed Monge seemed to be productive until they quickly broke down after President Doti called an African American student racist when she said she would feel more comfortable talking with staff with whom she could identify say she were to be victim of a crime based in discrimination. The No Voice group continued to organize in the following 1 1/2 years and with the assistance of the faculty diversity committee saw many of its 8 original goals realized, but there is still much work to be done at the university on the issue of building a truly global, and thus multicultural, community, as is one of Chapman's stated goals.

Video was shot and edited by Jamelle Thomas.

Category:

People & Blogs

Tags:

• Chapman University
• Diversity
• Multicultural
• No Voice
• Jim Doti
• Orange County
• Spring Sizzle
• student organizing
• rally
• march
• racism
• sexism
• hate crime