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Decolonized Commons

06/17/2015

LOOK WHAT WE JUST GOT IN THE MAIL. IF YOU WANTED TO CHANGE THINGS YOU WOULD HAVE DROP THE GRIEVANCE AGAINST AMY WHICH IS RACIST, NOT HAVE FILED COMPLAINTS ON EVERYONE ADVOCATING FOR RACIAL EQUALITY, HONORED YOUR COMMITMENT TO AMY WHICH YOU NEVER RESPONDED TO (THREE WEEKS AND COUNTING PRESIDENT), WOULD HAVE NEVER VIOLATED FERPA AND LIKEWISE ACKNOWLEDGED THE HUNGER STRIKE THAT LASTED FOR EIGHT DAYS. WE STAND BY AND FOR JUSTICE, UNLIKE YOU NAROPA.

THANK YOU FOR YOUR CONTINUED HYPOCRISY.

SINCERELY,

REJ

Dear Students for Racial Justice and Equality and Jeff, Matt, Amy, Sopa, and Kenny

Naropa’s leadership, including the Dean of Students, the Interim Director of Diversity and Inclusion, the Provost and I, have met to discuss the best way to hold a container for the Summer Writing Program, while respecting the rights and dignity of all concerned, including your protest against what you view as institutional racism at Naropa.

Per our letter on June 3, 2015, we’d like to reiterate that Naropa University’s campuses are home to many constituents, and, at this time, is primarily dedicated to hosting its annual Summer Writing Program (SWP). As stated in our earlier communication, it is our institutional responsibility to maintain an educational environment that allows SWP participants to be free from intimidation and disruption. In order to uphold these standards, we request your cooperation in the following:

· Refrain from engaging any Summer Writing Program faculty, staff, or students directly, through third parties, or via electronic or other forms of communication (including written signs). You may, of course, engage with your friends and colleagues who are a part of SWP and you may attend events on campus which are open to the public, but under the same non-engagement conditions.

· During the Summer Writing Program, consider the “Naropa Green” a learning environment/outdoor classroom. Engagement on the green with the Summer Writing Program is considered a disruption of the learning-teaching environment.

Failure to comply with this directive will result in disciplinary action, including but not limited to interim suspension from the University, (or in non-students being barred from our campuses) pending the outcome of investigation.

Please note that these requests are not only to maintain the integrity of the Summer Writing Program, but are also intended to protect you from further violations of the student code of conduct while investigations are pending.

Issues of race and racism are extremely important to the university. This is not an attempt to silence voices or render those voices irrelevant to the university and its mission, and, in fact, considerable work is underway. The commitment to creating a summer task force to make progress on many fronts regarding diversity is underway, and student voices are invited and welcomed. The faculty is meeting its commitment to carefully review curriculum in order to assess areas where more diverse perspectives are lacking and to make specific recommendations for improvement. And a number of trainings are being scheduled for staff and faculty starting this summer. At the same time, we are committed to providing an environment conducive to the Summer Writing Program while simultaneously doing this other important work.

Thank you,

President, Chuck Lief