I’m willing to bet that the majority of students have something they would like to fix on campus. I hear students endlessly complain about things they don’t like. How many times have you heard someone criticize the food on campus, or the temperature in the residence halls, or the student organizations?
I admit, I’ve had times where I’ve been more concerned about the temperature in Battelle than I should have been, but recent events have led me to question what issues we’re fighting and what issues we’re ignoring.
Sure, students are quick to complain about the minor issues that directly affect them, but what about the larger issues that affect our fellow students and our campus as a whole?
We pride ourselves on being the “Cap family,” but what does that actually mean? Does being part of this family mean you can bully another student, or does it mean that we accept each other regardless of individual beliefs?
At this point we need to realize that we are all human beings and all equally deserve respect, regardless of anything else.
The Human Dignity Policy outlines the respect each student is entitled to.
“The members of our campus community must respect all persons regardless of race, ethnic origin, gender, age, religion, disability or sexual orientation. While we realize that that acts of intolerance may be the result of ignorance and that a significant part of our mission is to confront ignorance with education, we cannot allow these acts to harm another person.
“Capital University regards as unacceptable conduct on the part of its students, faculty, and staff, words or actions that are intended to be, or that are reasonably foreseeable to be threatening, intimidating, or harassing to any member of the university community including guests and contracted service employees on the basis of race, gender, sexual orientation, national or ethnic origin, age, religion or handicapping condition.”
I know for a fact that there are students at Capital that deal with discrimination and bullying on an almost daily basis because of sexual orientation, race, ethnicity and clothing choices among other things. It is our job as a part of the Cap family to make our school a safe and accepting environment for everyone.
Every student has the obligation to speak up if he or she sees an act of discrimination, hears hate speech or witnesses another student being bullied.
Each student is just one part of the larger picture, and individually we need to make sure that we are allowing our peers to have a safe and accepting learning environment.
If any student that feels as though they have been bullied, harassed or discriminated against, there are numerous people around campus that can help.
Resident Assistants, the counselors in the Center for Health and Wellness, Public Safety, the staff in the Student and Community Engagement Office and Jennie Smith, director of Residential and Commuter Life, are just some of the people that can help.
I think we all have to ask ourselves if we are willing to look past personal beliefs and treat each other as equals. If you witness a hate crime, are you willing to say something or will you just ignore it?
ccarr2@capital.edu
