[301] in Discussion of MIT-community interests
last evening
daemon@ATHENA.MIT.EDU (Robert M. Randolph)
Sat Apr 28 19:37:09 2001
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Date: Sat, 28 Apr 2001 19:32:56 -0400
To: mit-talk@MIT.EDU
From: "Robert M. Randolph" <randolph@MIT.EDU>
President Vest has asked that I post this to this list on his behalf:
<fontfamily><param>Times</param><bigger><bigger>April 28, 2001
Yesterday an ugly and totally inexcusable incident occurred on our
campus. It both angers and saddens me, and it will not be tolerated.
Totally offensive racial epithets were reliably reported to have been
shouted at visitors to our campus from the roof of the Alpha Tau Omega
house on Amherst Alley. A serious incident of physical scuffling
followed. Professional work by our campus police as well as
intervention by others prevented this from becoming an even more
damaging matter.
Our community draws strength and joy from its diversity in many
dimensions, including that of race. But mean-spirited behavior such as
that which precipitated this incident can invade our collective soul
and destroy our ability to pursue our mission of learning, growth and
leadership. No one at MIT, and certainly no one visiting us, should
ever be subjected to such virulent and thoughtless abuse.
Race in America remains a troubling matter, but we look to the
leadership and good will of talented young men and women who are
privileged to be part of great institutions like MIT to move us beyond
this and improve our world. It therefore is doubly disturbing that
such behavior would occur among us. We must be a place of tolerance
and community.
MIT's administrative, faculty and student governance systems will deal
swiftly and fairly with those responsible for this event. But we all
must move equally swiftly to pull together, to learn the lessons of
this matter, and to work together in mutual respect and common purpose
to live up to our potential as friends, colleagues and leaders.
--Charles M. Vest
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------------------
Dr.Robert M. Randolph
Sr. Associate Dean
Office of the Dean of Students and Undergraduate Education
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Bldg. 4-110
77 Massachusetts Avenue
Cambridge, MA 02139
voice: (617) 253-4052
fax: (617) 258-0799
Housemaster: Bexley Hall
(617-225-8160)
