Wesleyan has a long-standing history of prejudice and discriminatory actions. Even with the current boards and committees in place there has been no action or atonement for their behavior which has led to the current racial climate on campus.
Wesleyan’s administrative body, including faculty and staff, are not ready to address the conversation that they have forced the school’s racial reconciliation upon the students. By giving the students menial power that has little influence to change the policy on campus that would truly promote change at Wesleyan. We have reached a point where words mean nothing and actions will be the only thing to rectify the situation.
Here is the action you can take to committing to settling the debt they owe to the student body:
-
We need a Wesleyan community meeting (preferably held at convocation time) where students can voice their fears, issues, and opinions on the current tensions at Wesleyan. With the technology available this can also be implemented as a Zoom call that coincides with CDC guidelines and social distancing regulations.
-
We, as a student body, require open and honest transparency from the administration body of the school, despite their reluctance to do so. Not only with the conversations, but the diversity of the people having those conversations.
-
There should be an elected student body to openly communicate with faculty and staff to reiterate student concerns during these monthly meetings.
-
The person elected should be a direct representation of the student body’s concerns and conveyed to the faculty directly.
-
We demand all students be held to the same standard. It’s unimaginable that a senior prank (that involved a certain photograph of a photoshopped pregnant celebrity) incites a public apology and other sanctions, as opposed to someone who posted alleged racist content and depicted racist imagery has virtually no public consequences.
We are firm believers that the apology should be just as loud as the disrespect committed.
Students and alumni alike, will one day wear their Wesleyan colors with unwavering pride. Today is not that day. We will not let this be swept under the rug. The damage and pain this incident caused to the Wesleyan community is not something we take lightly. The student body will not let this rest until we see change from the core. We will not be bullied into silence.
We eagerly await a reply from the administrative bodies of the college.