Protests, media frenzy spur campus-wide racism debate

Rumors, accusations and even threats have flown in the wake of last week's uproar over the Sigma Chi fraternity's "Halloween in the Hood" party, as a debate evolves out of the controversy over whether or not the incident was symptomatic of a deeper undercurrent of institutional racism on campus.

As the flurry of media attention that descended around the incident begins to settle down, and the University outlines its agenda for easing simmering racial sensitivities on campus, a tense back-and-forth has begun to take shape over the Black Student Union's (BSU) reaction and allegations that the party was indeed "racist."

BSU President Christina Chapman, a senior, and University President William Brody have denied that the growing argument over whether or not the party was racist is even an issue, and both say they have moved on to concentrating on the broader issue of how to promote diversity on campus.

At a forum on Monday that was both less animated and less attended than the first, Brody reiterated his initial reaction of a week ago that he was "personally appalled," and

confirmed the University's position that the party was indeed "offensive" and an "appeal to racial stereotypes."

He unequivocally rejected the claim by some students that racism is not an issue on campus, and that the party was merely an isolated incident that has been exaggerated by both the BSU and local media.

"It doesn't help to debate," he said after the forum. "There's a divide in the way people are treated."

In response to what was possibly the most predominant issue of the night -- a back-and-forth over whether the root cause of the controversy was overt, intentional racism or merely ignorance -- Brody took a fairly straightforward tack.

"We have a lot of students that are very bright, but very ignorant," he said. "We have to teach people that there's a different way of thinking about these things."

Chapman agreed that arguing over the specifics of the incident was a useless exercise, and that her focus now was on resolving some of the issues BSU has been demonstrating over for almost 40 years.

"What happened is significant, but it was significant in the whole scheme of things, of things that happen and have happened at Hopkins for a long time," she said. "The issues at hand are the issues at hand, and it's the issues the BSU has been fighting for since 1968."

As for the ensuing media spectacle and the backlash it has stirred among some students, Chapman admitted that "the media has misconstrued some things on both sides," but that concentrating on that aspect of the controversy is "missing the entire point."

"I don't want to spend my time addressing other people's opinions on the issue when I think there are primary issues about the incident that are brought forth," she said. "Students don't understand what things people found were offensive. A lot of students don't understand why certain diversity initiatives are important for everyone, and I think for a lot of things they just need to come and ask."

Junior Justin Park, who initially posted an advertisement on Facebook that many claim invoked derogatory racial stereotypes and who has since been expelled from the Sigma Chi fraternity, maintained that his intent was not to inflame racial tensions on campus, and that any lingering issues with diversity at Hopkins should be resolved independent of the ongoing controversy.

"If it is an issue, I haven't noticed it," he said. "If other people feel it's an issue, it should be addressed."

He maintained that the content of the advertisement included "nothing that points to a single cultural or ethnic background," but was nonetheless "apologetic for any offense or hurt" it may have caused.

According to Dorothy Sheppard, associate dean of students and lead administrator on both Park's and the fraternity's disciplinary proceedings, a conduct hearing initially scheduled for today was postponed indefinitely due to a request by members of the fraternity.

According to documents provided by Park and sent to him by University administrators, the conduct hearing will focus on whether or not Park violated any of five specific charges:

Failing to respect the rights of others and to refrain from behavior that impairs the University's purpose or its reputation in the community;

b7 Conduct in violation of the University's anti-harassment policy;

b7 Failure to comply with the directions of a University administrator;

b7 Conduct or a pattern of conduct that harasses a person or a group

b7 Intimidation of any person, which results in limiting her/his full access to all aspects of life at the University.