Students object to diversity initiative
By Kara Rowland | September 16, 2003Charging University administrators of stifling free thought with the possible imposition of a diversity training exercise, the newly-formed Individual Rights Coalition unveiled itself yesterday under the auspices of protecting freedom of speech on Grounds. Started by a group of four students, the coalition used flyers and its Web site, www.freeuva.com, to announce its formation and advocate a "Petition Against Thought Reform at U.Va." Vice President for Student Affairs Pat Lampkin addressed the IRC's grievances by pointing out that plans for the diversity training exercise have yet to be finalized. "They're responding to something that hasn't even been developed," Lampkin said, adding that it is unclear at this point whether the exercise will be mandatory. "We do want all students to be exposed to it," she said. A self-proclaimed non-partisan organization, the IRC also tabled the Lawn yesterday to promote student scrutiny of University policies dealing with speech and diversity. The IRC was formed initially in response to the University Board of Visitors' announcement in May that it planned to discuss the implementation of a Web-based diversity training system that all students would be required to complete prior to class registration. "We felt that there wasn't any organization on Grounds that would pursue this issue -
