The DePauw University faculty met to discuss hate groups and their potential interactions with DePauw at Monday’s faculty meeting.
“We must activate ourselves as stewards of our campus,” said Anne Harris, vice president for academic affairs. Harris and Alan Hill, vice president of student academic life, moderated the meeting. They brought up multiple discussion points, such as what administrators’ roles are in response to hate groups and how to sustain the conversation about these incidents.
Harris introduced two organizations that provide case studies and information about how college campuses should respond to discriminatory threats on campus: Southern Poverty Law Center and Anti-Defamation League. However, argument arose concerning how to inform students of these resources. Some faculty members identified that without training, professors and administrators are not competent enough to facilitate discussions with students on how to create effective strategies against hate groups. Many agreed these “effective” strategies must be more clearly defined.
Harris emphasized that both education and action are essential to assure DePauw is prepared to react to hate groups.