AU Committed to Strengthening Diversity, Tolerance

["President's Office" <auemail@mail.auburn.edu>]

Deam Members of the Auburn Community:

This afternoon I have released the following statement to the press and
I am sharing it also with you.  It addresses the initiatives that Auburn
is taking with respect to the value of tolerance and diversity.  These
issues have been central to many discussions at Auburn during the past
half year and I believe the programming that we have established will
help us to change the culture of our campus in a positive way.

Sincerely,

William F. Walker
Interim President
Auburn University


5/17/02			Janet L. McCoy (mccoyjl@auburn.edu)

(This news release can also be accessed through the World Wide Web at
http://www.auburn.edu/news.html)

OPINION: AU COMMITTED TO STRENGTHENING DIVERSITY, TOLERANCE

By William F. Walker
Interim President
	
	Last fall as a part of Halloween related activities, students
and student groups at a number of colleges and universities, including
Auburn, engaged in activities that many, including the administration at
Auburn, considered offensive.  
	The fallout from the activities caused Auburn to closely look at
the circumstances that gave rise to the activities and the reaction.  It
was clear that the activities reflected a lack of sensitivity and
understanding. The University and the national fraternities to which the
local chapters belong agreed that the behavior was inappropriate and the
University supported the national chapters' decision to take remedial
action.
	The University also began to examine the educational environment
that existed on campus to determine what, if any, deficiencies existed.
While the University did have certain programs, policies and activities
in place, the University believed it was important to take some
additional immediate steps to strengthen its commitment to tolerance and
diversity. Those steps include:

	1.	A series of workshops has begun, conducted cooperatively
with Russell Corp., to provide diversity education to all sectors of
Auburn University.

	2.	A Diversity Leadership Council has been formed that will
put together a diversity plan for the entire institution.

	3.	All segments of the University have been mandated to
establish or accelerate programs aimed at promoting and nurturing
diversity and tolerance.

	4.	The Multicultural Diversity Commission has been named a
standing University committee.

	5.	A Center for Diversity and Race Relations has been
established and funded.

	6.	Existing course offerings have been examined and more
than 400 have been identified that incorporate some element of diversity
and/or tolerance with respect to race, disability, gender and sexual
preference.  A comprehensive web site is being developed that will
outline these courses so that students can explore these offerings.

	7.	A project titled "Programs Emphasizing Acceptance,
Change and Education" (PEACE) has been implemented by Student Affairs. 
It has sponsored a variety of events and activities on campus that are
aimed at diversity.

	The work is not done, however.  The University Diversity
Leadership Council noted above will bring together representatives from
all segments of the campus community to look at what other steps should
be taken.  
	The University is also creating another working group to examine
and respond to incidents involving members of the university community
and the local community.  The leadership of the City of Auburn and the
Chamber of Commerce has pledged to work with the University to examine
these issues and work to resolve them.
	The national organization of one of the involved fraternities
has subsequently decided to allow the local chapter to reestablish
normal relationships. The decision to restore its status was a result of
the activities that the group has or will undertake. Based upon the
national organization's decision, the fraternity also requested that
Auburn restore their prior status. 
	While the University does not approve of the offensive
activities that took place and has made its position very clear, public
university campuses nevertheless are places where the free flow of ideas
is a hallmark of inquiry and learning. The expression of ideas, even
controversial and offensive ones, may be protected by the First
Amendment.  
	As Justice Hugo Black of the United States Supreme Court said:
"Freedoms of speech, press, petition and assembly guaranteed by the
First Amendment must be accorded to the ideas we hate or sooner or later
they will be denied to the ideas we cherish."  
	Given Constitutional guarantees, the best remedy for bad speech
is good speech. As a leading educational institution in the state and
region, Auburn University has the resources and expertise to lead the
educational effort and the fraternity has agreed to participate in that
endeavor.  Accordingly, we have resolved all outstanding issues
concerning the status of this fraternity.
	The issues Auburn will address are not unique to Auburn, as
illustrated by the actions at other universities.  What is unique about
Auburn is that Auburn and the fraternity took this unfortunate incident
and are using it to try and make a permanent change in the educational
experience for all Auburn students and student organizations.
	Out of pain and sorrow can grow tolerance and understanding.
Auburn will work to make sure that such growth can take place here.
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