The defacing of three posters for the Muslim Student Association at Shoreline Community College is reinforcing the drive for a campus-wide effort on respect and support for everyone on campus.
“It is our core value that everyone who comes to this campus feels respected and supported,” President Cheryl Roberts said. “Shoreline is committed to equity, inclusion and respect for the rights of all persons. When one of us is diminished at our college, we are all diminished. As a college, we respect each individual. This value speaks to the character of our college and gets to the heart of who we are.”
The defaced posters were discovered by students and reported to campus officials on Monday, Jan. 12, 2015. The Muslim Student Association is a student body association-sponsored club with a faculty advisor.
In November, 2014, several posters the Queer Film Festival were defaced. The event was hosted by Project Pride, a student body association-sponsored club. Roberts quickly drew together college officials, faculty and students who then convened public discussion event. Roberts has said that campus engagement must continue.
“This conversation is a step in the process that can bring us to a community standard around respect and support, a common language and experience that we share,” Roberts said.
Vice President for Academic and Student Affairs Bob Francis said the Muslim Student Association incidents come as that campus conversation is about to begin.
“This does bring urgency to our work to organize a work team to address the campus environment that came out of the last poster defacement,” Francis said. “We must intentionally create an atmosphere of respect within difference where all feel that they can pursue their education in a safe learning environment.”
Roberts is scheduling a work team to address these issues and design an approach that supports community learning around these important values of diversity and inclusiveness.
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