APA Community Sends Strong Letter to WSU Pres.
OCA and other API groups sent a strongly worded letter to Washington State University President V. Lane Rawlins in late March complaining of the mistreatment of Asian American and other students of color at that institution. The letter centered on a perceived racial harassment case directed at Asian American students, demands from a student group to reduce racial discrimination and harassment, and the intransigent response from the university's administration over that incident
From late fall to February this year, four white male students - including two-basketball players- regularly walked by the Multicultural Center at Washington State University in Pullman. At least twice a week, they would knock on the window and door, taunting an Asian American female, making “animal noises,” dancing around and making “minstrel” type movements. On one occasion, one of the white male students made a slanting of the eye gesture. On another occasion they were heard talking about “Asians taking all the jobs.” One of the victims, a Korean American student, complained of the “racist” acts. One of the basketball players admitted the acts to campus police, adding that he did not think the acts were annoying, harassment or that there was anything wrong with them.
Subsequently, some 150 students - Asian and Pacific Islanders, Hispanic, African Americans, as well as white students held a rally on campus protesting the racism and discrimination there, and presented the WSU President Rawlins with a list of demands including: the expulsion of the basketball players and the other perpetrators, autonomy and funding for a “safe place for marginalized communities,” increase diversity in student admissions and senior-level administration staff, a diversity proficiency requirement, and establishment of an oversight committee on race and ethnicity.
In early March, the two basketball players were cleared of any wrongdoing by the Student Conduct Board. President Rawlins met with the students in late March, but has not made any commitments to their demands. A scheduled meeting between Rawlins and Ellen Abellera, executive director of the Commission on Asian Pacific American Affairs, never occurred. The state Democratic Party voted to do an investigation into the matter, and Senator Margarita Prentice and Representative Bob Hasagawa and other state elected office holders have sent inquiries to WSU on this issue. President Rawlins has asked to meet with OCA and other Asian American groups about the racial climate at that university.
© 2005 OCA-Greater Seattle
OCA - GREATER SEATTLE CHAPTER