It is clear that the onus of salvaging UVM's integrity has been dumped on the shoulders of ALANA people while the Administration aims to absolve itself of accountability. We really find it incredulous and sincerely racist that Salmon can conscientiously stand up and profess that it does not take protests to get administrative attention. Protest has been the SINE QUA NON for gaining the most minimal amount of University attention on these issues!!
The 1987 Waterman Takeover was the precedent for developing discourse and action on so called "diversity" and "multiculturalism" in this past decade. 1991, 1992, 1995, 1996-- basically all years since the initial Takeover have been characterized by protests against consistent resistance by administrators and the Board of Trustees in implimenting an unambiguous, effective and needed anti-racist policy/curriculum. To say that it does not take veritable "arm-twisting" to make the University attentive is entirely false and ahistorical. If not for the Waterman Takeovers, the endless resistance of ALANA people, and numerous hunger strikes the University would not have the meager "diversity" plan that it so shamelessly lauds and waves in the face of its critics. The Administration would not have an impulse in their heads on the matter of addressing the long history of racism and divisiveness at UVM without being guided.
Salmon and the Board of Trustees have tried very hard to take credit for the few successes of the official "diversity" plan (up until recently the Commission on Racial Justice was the cornerstone of their monument to themselves) while pinningthe numerous failures on ALANA-led initiatives. Let us be clear and candid: the divisiveness and separatism which Salmon referred to in his recent communication are the manifestation of not only decades of administrative refusal to do anything about racism at UVM, but more importantly they are the reaction of the community to the superficial and arbitrary actions of the Administration. The peremptory dismissal of the Commission on Racial Justice by Low and Salmon is a beautiful example of the Administration´s ability to foster divisiveness and censorship on campus. The ardency of the Administration on dictating policy without accountability or community involvement has left many to believe that the University is 100% insincere in its professions and efforts-- the University merely uses the rhetoric of a philosophy and mission that it is unwilling and unprepared to support. The pitiful effect of the Administration´s actions to date has been to erect a contrived setting where serious and candid discourse, scholarship, and change cannot reside.
When the Graduate Student Coalition for Racial Justice/UVM Alumni first contacted the Administration in August 1995 President Salmon pleasantly refused to entertain our concerns and suggestions. At the ime, our organization was comprised of less than a dozen UVM Alumni, who all shared the common thread of being committed to careers in higher education. Now our ranks have swelled to over 50, of which 40 are UVM Alumni! Up until August 1995, EACH of our Alumni members were contributers to UVM. Just this past Fall UVM contacted many of us asking for contributions-- we refused.
We cannot stress enough how seriously we view the dilemma at UVM and how sincerely disgusted we are with an institution which uses our money, our work, and our resources unwisely and ungratefully. Worse yet is to observe from the periphery how UVM treats those who are paying gross amounts of money for an educational promise yet to be fulfilled. Salmon and his administration are truly mistaken if they believe Maneshkona´s protest to be a singular act of insignificance. We suppose then that the Administration can add to Maneshkona´s action at least 40 "insignificant" occasions where UVM lost money and allegiance from its Alumni-- and the number is growing. You do the math President Salmon and reason whether or not UVM can afford to progress like this. After all, the welfare of the University obviously means more to you than the welfare of human life.
The sentiment is spreading-- BOYCOTT your contributions to UVM until it humbles itself to the painstaking work of dismantling white supremacy on its campus and in its offices.
Eric Takayama, class of '93
Rafael Mares, class of '94
Daren Mooko, class of '95
Mondana Nikoukari, class of '95
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Graduate Student Coalition for Racial Justice/UVM Alumni
c/o Rafael Mares
1860 California St., NW
Apartment # 105
Washington, D.C. 20009
e-mail: eriku@hawaii.edu
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