June Update: WSU Harassment Incident
Background: After months of repeated harassment of three Asian women by a group of four male students (including university basketball players) the female students had become frightened for their safety and complained to the police. In January the students were observed and identified by the police.
WSU student protests were met with counter protests and student requests went without response. OCA and several other API organizations wrote a letter to the dean condemning the inadequate response. In the state legislature Asian American congress people have took up the issue.
Progress to-date: The students have filed an injunction against the male students identified. On March 28 a commission representative met with the three female students. The students report repeated heckling, prank telephone calls in the evenings, being forced to withdraw from classes, and press intrusions into their private lives. They are hurt and afraid. The Governor's office asked the Commission on Asian Pacific American Affairs (CAPAA) to look into the WSU racial harassment incidents.
On April 2, 2005 the Washington State Democratic Central Committee met in Pasco and passed a resolution calling upon our state elected officials to hold a legislative hearing in Olympia citing:
20 such incidents in the last 10 years that were inadequately addressed,
Demands by Students of Equity and Diversity (SED) at WSU Pullman for remedies,
Criticism of the complaining of students by WSU President Rawlins for their protests, and
The Asian Pacific American Islander Community organizations wrote a joint letter expressing their concerns.
The Coalition met with Dr. Tate on April 8 and had a long discussion. They asked questions about the Student Conduct Process and what the University is doing to correct the incident and prevent repetition. It was clear to them that work needs to be done. Dr. Tate reported that he has asked for a process review by the Washington State Human Rights Commission.
On April 12 the CAPAA reported to the governor that the API counselor for API students at WSU, Mr. Stephen Bischoff, had already requested CAPAA's assistance in addressing the issue. (Mr. Tate has also asked for the Human Resource Commission's assistance in refining their student conduct code.) The report indicated that: the university's student conduct process was not followed; the university justified its dismissal of the case by regarding the behaviors as “adolescent behavior,” the behavior of the male students fits the definition of harassment as specified by Washington code; the psychological/human needs of the female students have not been addressed (while the university attends to the needs for comforting of the male students); and there is no “immediate plan for action to start the healing process on both sides, more so on the part of the female students.”
On May 19 a “dozen Asian Pacific American community groups met with Washington State University President Lane V. Rawlins; the V-P for Equity and Diversity, Michael Tate; and three members of the Board of Regents over the controversy surrounding racial harassment incidents and unfair treatment of Asian Pacific Americans at the Pullman campus.” The community representatives were highly critical of the University administration. President Rawlins admitted that the perception that there was no discrimination at WSU created difficulties.
The group is awaiting a report from the Washington State Human Rights Commission task force looking into the situation at WSU. The report is expected to contain recommendations, and the community group has been asked to review it. The report is due June 15.
© 2005 OCA-Greater Seattle
OCA - GREATER SEATTLE CHAPTER