Because of a practice known as racial profiling, minorities tend to be disproportionaly stopped by law enforcement officers, predicated on nothing but the color of their skin.
As part of Black History Month, Kevin Stokes, a third-year College student, organized a panel to discuss this issue.
"A lot of people do not realize that racial profiling is a reality and that it does violate citizens' rights," said Consuelo Kendall, a second-year College student and panel facilitator.
Iota Phi Theta, the Black Student Alliance and the Griot Society, a racial awareness group, sponsored the panel, "Driving While Black: A Symposium on Racial Profiling," held last night before a packed auditorium in Minor Hall.
"Racial profiling, the notion that police make decisions ... on the basis of race, has become a huge political issue," said M. Rick Turner, panelist and African-American Affairs dean. "Racial profiling is a common phenomenon in the streets, highways, cities and airports of America. Blacks, Hispanics and other people of color are often targeted simply because of the color of their skin."
Turner said he is unaware of any major issues involving racial profiling at the University. But he said he would be naive to think it has not occurred here.
Racial spotlighting is sometimes seen as common sense because some groups commit certain violations more often than others, said Pablo Davis, panelist and assistant dean of students. Davis cited that Latin Americans are commonly associated with drug production and consumption as an example.
"The problem is wider than simply explicit systems of racial profiling," he said. "It has to do with the whole ordering of our society."
Dean of Students Penny Rue, who also served as a panelist, said she became aware of racial profiling when she experienced it in 1975. While driving with two black friends, Rue's car was pulled over under the pretext of a bent license plate. The officer asked her who she was traveling with, where she was going and why.
"It was an extremely insulting and invasive experience," she said.
She added that racial spotlighting has come to her attention at the University, most recently in reports of disproportionate numbers of honor investigations of minority students.
The University Police Department addresses racial profiling with policy, diversity and ethnic training, said Capt. Michael Coleman, a panelist.
"There is no approach from a bureaucratic standpoint that is ever going to completely solve this problem," Coleman said.
The audience responded positively to the discussion.
"I thought it was a great forum, and it provided students with options," said William W. Harmon, University vice president for student affairs.
But Mike Costa, fourth-year College student and BSA president, said he was disappointed with the number of students who left during the middle of the panel.
"I think that's representative of a larger issue that too many people think that it's not a problem, that it doesn't effect them," he said.
Other panelists included University Police Capt. Quenton Trice and College Republicans Chairman Josh Abrams.
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