It is no secret that it is a particularly precarious time at the College right now. Only two weeks ago, classes were canceled in response to campus uproar following the verbal harassment of a number of students online, the first time that classes have been canceled for this kind of reason since 1986. The exchanges and discussions that took place in the days after a protest of the Dimensions welcome show went a long way toward fostering meaningful change on campus. But while students' understanding and respect for one another has grown, a whole series of questions are still unanswered. One is what exactly qualifies as violating the Principles of Community; another is whether it is appropriate for one group of students to prevent another group from planning an event simply because the proposed event makes them feel uncomfortable. This is a problem that has come up in years past, and resurfaced last week.
Nearly a month ago, while discussing possible summer events for my fraternity, someone brought up the idea of a luau. During the 1990s, our house had been known for co-hosting a similar party with a sorority every summer, and current brothers thought that it would be fun to bring back this tradition. Upon hearing this, however, a brother who was familiar with the fraternity's history explained that the party had been canceled at the request of a student who felt that the party was "a vile act of incivility." This student sent an email to a number of students and administrators, claiming that the party was unacceptable and represented an act of "bigotry" and "racism." The student's actions ultimately led to the cancellation of the party, an apology to the student who was offended and the organization of a community forum on the issue.
A similar situation nearly occurred this past Sunday, when a sorority was scheduled to host a pre-rush event for first-year students. The event, the theme of which had been decided upon before a date was assigned, was planned to include stereotypically Latin American foods, including chips, guacamole and virgin margaritas. The pre-rush event was scheduled for May 5, the same day as the Mexican-American holiday of Cinco de Mayo. Prior to the event, some students complained that the event was offensive, prompting organizers to change the theme.
In both of these cases, the Principles of Community were utilized to ensure that community members were sensitive to fellow students' interests. In many respects, the fact that members of the Dartmouth community are protected by these principles is incredibly valuable. It is critical that all students feel welcome and willing to share their experiences and opinions with one another.
While the comfort level of all individuals at Dartmouth should be highly valued, we must also make sure that we do not build an environment that primarily responds to the calls of a few students. It is always possible that our actions may offend at least one other person on campus. While we should respect those students who may be offended, we also need to realize that even rational, sensible actions may offend some. There needs to be a more stringent enforcement standard for the Principles of Community than simply whether a small group of students takes offense to something.
Furthermore, culturally themed events are not inherently disrespectful. Such events can be celebrated in a respectful manner, as they often are. All around the world, people take classes in Brazilian and Caribbean dance, even if they are from different backgrounds. Others celebrate events, like the marriage of Prince William and Kate Middleton, by hosting culturally themed parties, such as tea parties.
None of these examples are meant to demean the culture that is the focus of the event. But if presented in the wrong way, exactly that could happen. So instead of responding to such events as the luau in the late 1990's and the sorority pre-rush event just last week by cancelling them because of their ignorance, we ought to have a discussion about how to ensure that such events are respectful of those whose cultures are being celebrated. Only then will we be able to appreciate the many different backgrounds and perspectives present on campus.
