Students criticize administrators for limited, delayed response to grand jury decisions (Columbia Spectator - 12/12/14) #HarlemEd: Columbia University in the City of New York, Barnard College, Columbia Law School, Columbia University Black Students Organization EXCERPT: Three weeks after a Ferguson grand jury’s decision sparked national outcry about police brutality, Columbia and Barnard administrators held forums this week to discuss the trauma some students have felt in light of recent events. But after the two discussions this week, students criticized the lag time between the start of the national protests and Columbia’s response to the issue. Between the days immediately following the grand jury decision in the Michael Brown case and the announcements of the two discussions, response from undergraduate administrators was limited to one email sent on Nov. 25 to all students in Columbia College and School of Engineering and Applied Science, and two additional emails to an Office of Multicultural Affairs student listserv on Dec. 3 and Dec. 8, which included a list of resources including open hours in the Intercultural Resource Center and in the Office of Multicultural Affairs. The Nov. 25 email, which was sent by the Office of Undergraduate Student Life, announced a conversation to be held that evening focused on the personal impact of the non-indictment in the Michael Brown case. That meeting, which was scheduled at the same time as dozens of Columbia students joined the city-wide protests, was attended by about 10 students. Attendees made posters with colored paper and pipe cleaners with headings like “#blacklivesmatter” and “How are you feeling?” Students at the Law School were among the first to reach out to their school’s administrators to request concrete responses to the grand jury decisions and ensuing activism. Last week, the Columbia Law School Coalition of Concerned Students of Color sent a letter asking Law School administrators to offer exam extensions to students dealing with trauma related to the recent grand jury decisions. “In being asked to prepare for and take our exams in this moment, we are being asked to perform incredible acts of disassociation that have led us to question our place in this school community and the legal community at large,” the letter said. Law School administrators ultimately informed students on Saturday that they could make accommodations to take their exams at a later date in light of recent events. The Law School also brought in a trauma specialist to speak with students, and announced that they were planning an open forum about the issues. After seeing the Law School’s response, Columbia College Student Council members reached out to Columbia College Dean James Valentini on Dec. 8 to advocate that similar resources be made available for students. “I think it’s overwhelming for people to be taking finals when they’re going through some extreme pain, so we spoke to Valentini, and said pretty unequivocally that we believe the accommodations made at the Law School needed to be provided here,” CCSC Vice President of Policy Sejal Singh, CC ’15, said. “There needs to be community discussions about these issues, accommodations of those issues.” [CLICK BELOW TO CONTINUE READING.]
Posted on: Sat, 13 Dec 2014 15:31:51 +0000
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