INSIGHTS & IDEAS |
THE SPECTATOR |
| April 25, 2008 |
CEC: The Debate on SJI's Proposed Cultural Education CenterThe proposed Cultural Education Center, a separate building on the Hamilton College campus to house multicultural organizations, as well as serve as a "safe space" for students who are part of various underrepresented minorities, has stirred students to position themselves on either side of a controversial and often emotional issue. Despite the significance of the decision whether or not to construct the CEC, there has not yet been a forum where both sides of the issue are discussed. Here, the proponents and opponents of the Cultural Education Center's construction meet, with the objectives of informing the Hamilton student body, as well as the college's administration, and helping the community come to a consensus. Writing in favor of the CEC is Wai Lee Poon '11, and writing against it is Scott Bixby '11. More. . . |
Hamilton's "cultural diversity" goal, and what happened to itby Prof. Bonnie UrciuoliSince the Social Justice Initiative is working on a curriculum proposal for diversity-intensive courses, it is worth considering the end of Hamilton College's old "Goal 3: Cultural Diversity." I offer this history to provide some kind of institutional memory and possibly open a small window onto institutional operations. More. . . |
March to Tibet: What Now?by Matthew Gordon '09Some have said that no changes are actually taking place, that we haven't accomplished anything. After talking with a leader of Students for a Free Tibet India, one of the NGOs sponsoring the march, I have to disagree. The entire pre-Olympic strategy of the activists was to deliver a message: as China tries to show the world how stable and powerful they have become, we would try to show the world the underside, the discontent that exists under the communist regime. They have already accomplished that in the past two weeks. Whether or not these protests lead to a free Tibet, the world now knows that something continues to be wrong there. As I told this story to friends, many have felt inspired to join in protests around the world, from Scotland to Washington D.C. Many world leaders may be afraid to stand up to China, but many more are condemning China's use of violence against the protesters. More. . . |