"I've been in many places where it wasn't okay to talk about what we are going to talk about tonight," Asst. Dean of Students Stephanie Goodell said in her introduction to Reflections on Complexions, a forum on race relations which took place Friday night in the Chemistry Auditorium.
For two hours, a racially diverse group of students, faculty and community members openly discussed a variety of race-related issues pertaining to the University.
The forum marked the third Reflections on Complexions at the University, as well as the beginning of Unity Week.
"We decided to put Reflections at the beginning of Unity Week because so often people go to debates and just vent," said Aisha Lloyd, a fourth year College student and co-founder of UNiTE, a group sponsoring part of the week. "By starting Unity Week with Reflections, we will allow people to vent, yet have the rest of the week to talk about solutions and challenge people's thoughts."
The forum opened with a parody of the problem of self-segregation at the University. Third-year College student Portman Wills portrayed television superstar Steve Irwin in a humorous spoof of "The Crocodile Hunter."
Instead of chasing wild animals, however, Wills hunted for different races that are found around the University. He found black males at Copeley, white fraternity members drinking alcohol on Rugby Road, and Asian-American students studying in Clemons Library.
The event then moved to a discussion, in the format of "Who Wants to be a Millionaire?," moderated by Wills and Gordon Braxton, a third-year Commerce student and member of Brothers United Celebrating Knowledge and Success.
Opinions were voiced on a variety of issues, including the meaning of race, the relationship between race and student activism, the role race plays in the honor system and The Cavalier Daily, and the role of race in student interactions.
Students also deliberated the role race should play in hiring faculty at the University.
"I want to learn from the best teacher possible, and it does not matter to me what their race is," said one participant.
Others felt that race should be considered as one of the factors in faculty hiring.
"If you don't have black teachers, that's not an education, that's only a Euro-centric" experience, said another audience member.
During the discussion, audience members also offered suggestions on how race relations can be improved at the University.
One student suggested holding monthly meetings to discuss race relations.
Another audience member said students hoping to attract more minorities to their Contract Independent Organizations could use the Black Student Alliance e-mail list as a way to inform the black community of their events.
"I recognize how much I still have to learn, but hearing everyone's opinions has me very excited to learn more," third-year College student and discussion participant Chantale Fiebig said.
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