If students believe the college has the power to wipe out all vestiges of racism in the hearts of people, they re missing the point. The point is to look within, and then speak out. Lafayette is an institution that operates on the principle of shared governance. Students have a role in shared governance also, through Student Government and student membership on Faculty and Board of Trustee committees, and in having primary responsibility for the social environment on campus. The President cannot mandate, or dictate, change.
Shared governance is a community principle.
I have a leadership role in moving us ahead in developing constructive and realistic initiatives, as do the Provost and the Dean of Students. But we can do little unless students, faculty, and staff also make the commitment. I must say, too, that we are not at the beginning of the journey. Tuesday night I met with members of our black community in the newly renovated David A. Portlock Black Cultural Center. We have a new Dean of Intercultural Development position at the College.