Thursday, February 18, 2010

Feb. 18, 2010

Students have held a theme party at UC San Diego that mocked Black History month. Here is a link to the Los Angeles Times story.

From the story:

History professor Danny Widener, who directs the university's African American studies program, said he was outraged but not surprised by the party. He said African American students comprise less than 2% of undergraduates at UC San Diego, which he described as inhospitable to them.

"The campus climate is one in which you are constantly regarded as a statistical anomaly at best," he said.

Widener also criticized [UC San Diego Chancellor Marye Anne] Fox's response as "tepid" and urged strong action against the party organizers, including expulsion if they are found to have used UC computers or facilities to send the invitation.

Chris Strudwick-Turner, vice president of the Los Angeles Urban League, also urged a tough response.

"If campus climate is important, a message needs to be sent that this is not acceptable," she said.

In Sacramento, Assemblyman Isadore Hall III (D-Compton) said leaders of the Legislature's black, Latino, Asian Pacific Islander, gay and women's caucuses would gather outside the Capitol on Thursday to condemn the party.

No comments: