Dr. Thomas P. Salmon, President
The University of Vermont
Waterman Building
Burlington, Vermon 05405-0160
Dear Dr. Salmon:
The Executive Committee of The National Council for Black Studies met on March 9th and 19th, 1996 and reviewed information regarding recent events on your campus involving Ms. Maneshkona-Shontae Praileau, and communications between you and Dr. Raymond Winbush, a member of our Board.
After extensive discussions on developments on your campus the Committee decided that NCBS should seek to lend its good offices toward a peaceful, just and concillatory resolution of the situation, and help the university create an atmosphere of inclusive multiculturalism. To that end, The Executive Committee appointed Dr. Josiah Cobbah, Dr. Raymond Winbush, and Ms. Carolyn Leonard to work with the university to resolve the problems at hand.
Dr. Cobbah is the Interim Executive Officer of The Center for African American Educational Excellence at California State University, Dominquez Hills, and Ms. Leonard is the Administrator for Multicultural and Multiethnic Studies for the Portland Public School System. Dr. Raymond Winbush, who has already communicated with your office, is the Benjamin Hooks Professor of Social Justice and Director of the Race Relations Institute at Fisk University. The Committee asked these individuals to be available to work with members of your University community as appropriate, to achieve the desired goal of peaceful and just coexistence.
The Executive Committee and the Board of Directors of NCBS remain committed to the development of campus environments that are open fair and hospitable for all and especially for non-European people who have traditionally suffered injustice on university campuses. It is our hope that the University of Vermont will avail itself of the resources and good offices of NCBS as needed, and especially to resolve the present difficulties on the campus.
Please feel free to contact me if necessary.
Sincerely,
Dr. William A. Little, Ph.D.
President, National Council for Black Studies
Chair, African Studies Department
California State University, Dominquez Hills