What Comes Next: A Response to Public Safety Withholds 2015 Incident Reports

 

By: Atiya Irvin-Mitchell

In 1986 at Lehigh University a young woman named Jeanne Clery was raped and brutally murdered by a fellow student in her dorm room on a campus her parents say she adored. Jeanne Clery was the youngest of three children, she was a talented tennis player, she planned to study communications, and she never lived to be twenty.

Why is Jeanne Clery’s story important? In the aftermath upon discovering the university’s crime record and the negligence, they felt contributed to their daughter’s death her parents sued. The Clerys were ultimately awarded 2 million dollars, but that wasn’t enough.

They wanted more, they wanted campuses to be safer.

“Jeanne didn’t have a chance. She didn’t have a chance.” That’s what Connie Clery said about her daughter. Feeling that too many colleges cared more about money than the safety of their students the Clerys used the money awarded to found the Clery Center and lobbied for the Clery Act. As a result of this law every October universities both private and public are required to release a report of all crimes and incidents that took place on campus in the past three years.

When Chatham’s yearly report was released this fall, some students on campus were dubious of the numbers reported. So the Communique investigated. Despite a reporter asking for the 2015 records more than once this investigation only provided more questions than answers. Why doesn’t Public Safety know they were required to release the logbooks to any interested party within 48 hours? Why aren’t members of the Chatham administration clear on what crimes must be reported and what it takes to deem them unfounded?

This is deeply problematic and unfortunately, this isn’t the first time Chatham University has been criticized for its handling of such matters. Last Spring Chatham students expressed frustration with Public Safety’s delayed action in informing the student body about a number of sexual assaults that took place near the University of Pittsburgh’s campus. In October at the “We Are Steubenville,” theatrical performance during the audience participatory portion of the event several students texted in that they felt unsafe on Chatham’s campus and questioned how much the administration cared about victims of sexual violence.   

Parents and students look at Clery reports before choosing a university, they should never have reason to question the authenticity of the crime statistics. Jeanne Clery’s own parents said if they had known the true history of violence on Lehigh’s campus she would never have attended.  

Chatham can offer crime prevention classes. It can host Take Back The Night rallies. And pass out “It’s on Us,” stickers until there’s no tomorrow. But if the administration isn’t willing to follow through when it really matters all of this is lip service. And let’s be clear.  A bad date is being stood up. A bad date is spending hours with someone who won’t shut up about their ex. A bad date is something you’ll eventually be able to laugh about. Sexual assault, however, causes damage that can last for years. How can we deal with that damage while using outdated euphemisms and platitudes? So here are a few recommendations:

  1. Use the words: They’re ugly and awful because the crimes they describe are ugly and awful. Don’t downplay that.
  2. Release the logs: Seriously, the law says that you’re required to.
  3. Be transparent: In the absence of transparency, we can only assume the worst. See recommendations number two.

It would be pointless to speculate about the intentions of those involved without mindreading abilities and a time machine. But as the year has unfolded unfortunately it seems clear that many of those most responsible for enforcing the Clery Act on Chatham’s Campus lack a complete understanding of what is required of them. This is very dangerous. Chatham needs to do better. To do anything less would be a disgrace to Chatham University’s mission and Jeanne Clery’s memory.

For more information:https://clerycenter.org/policy-resources/

https://www2.ed.gov/admins/lead/safety/handbook.pdf

 

Science is Real!

Author: Maggie McGovney

After many a debate, I’ve said that I wish I could choose science as my religion.

That’s not to say science belongs in the same category as faith.  The good thing about science is that you don’t need to have faith in it; in fact, it wishes you wouldn’t.  It demands skepticism.  It says, “Please question me.  Please argue with me.  Please be as credulous as you can.  If you find something about me that isn’t right, let everyone know so that we can fix it.”  I want science to count as my religion because of the respect religion gets in our culture.

Contine reading

Should The World Flatter A Maniac?

Author: Jamie Wiggan

So far diplomacy has not proven to be a strength for President Trump. This should not come as a surprise given his blueprint for diplomacy derives from his self-acclaimed command in aggressive deal-making. Nevertheless, since taking office less than a month ago the President has already managed to antagonize Beijing by muddling in its sensitive relation to Taiwan, and upset Australia’s Prime Minister in what appears to have been a thoroughly unproductive, shortened exchange. Similarly his first telephone conversation with Mexico’s President was cut short amidst inflammatory discussion over his proposed wall. These are just the highlights.

Contine reading

Movie Review: Moonlight (2016)

Author: Iyanna Armwood

“Moonlight,” is a film that all moviegoers should see. Released in 2016 and written and directed by Barry Jenkins “Moonlight,” is an excellent exploration of race, sexuality and isolation that gives face to American harsh realities. The coming-of-age drama follows Chiron, the main character, through three stages of his life as he tries to figure out his identity while fighting the expectations of Miami and the world at large. Chiron is played by Alex R. Hibbert as a child, Ashton Sanders as a teenager and Trevante Rhodes as an adult.

Contine reading

In Response to Steelers as SVU Characters

Author: Kaitlyn Shirey

Recently I saw a video in my feed of the “Law and Order SVU,” intro where the characters were replaced with players for the Pittsburgh Steelers.  It was meant to be a fun watch for fans, seeing our city’s football stars compared to the often triumphant police officers and detectives depicted in the television show.  Those images of big beefy men in costume-like suits were also meant to be intimidating, the sepia harkening back to old Hollywood detective aesthetic.  A well-made video for a city that loves its team…

Contine reading

The Case for Thanksgiving

Author: Ross Hsu

Thanksgiving is complicated. In its modern form, the holiday is almost entirely secular, and pretty indistinguishable from other harvest festivals around the world, aside from the distinctly American food and football. Thanksgiving is also a historical account, and an amalgam of different holidays and traditions, and, on the whole, is a myth. But it’s a good myth.

Contine reading

Fox’s New “Rocky Horror” Can’t Compare to the Original

Author: Atiya Irvin-Mitchell

In the 1970s “The Rocky Horror Picture Show” timewarped it’s way into the hearts of eccentrics and musical enthusiasts all over the world. The wonderfully weird tale of seemingly picture-perfect couple Janet Weiss and Brad Major’s night of misadventure in the Transylvanian inhabited castle would continue to inspire dedication for generations to come. On, Thursday October 20, continuing its tradition of broadcasting musicals, Fox aired “The Rocky Horror Picture Show: Let’s Do the Time Warp Again”.

Contine reading

OPINION: Donald Trump gave me back my dignity.

Photo: Matt A.J. through WhoWhatWhy Candidates
Author
: Dr. Jennie Sweet-Cushman

 

I know, an odd proclamation, right? Hang in there with me, though, because there is a story here.

 

For me, politics has been my whole life, well, my whole life. I began attempting to sway voters to see my point of view at the grocery store with my mom when I was three years old. Later, at age four, I briefly refused to accept the results of the 1980 election when my candidate lost his presidential bid, emphatically telling everyone I met: “Ronald Reagan is not my president.”

Contine reading

Chatham skimps on Black History Month for 2016

As February comes to a close, Chatham students can’t help but notice the lack of events celebrating Black History Month.

The month stems from “Negro History Week” that took place in the second week of February, to include the birthday of Abraham Lincoln and Fredrick Douglass. It was created in 1926 by Carter G. Woodson, a black historian, and the Association for the Study of Negro Life and History. Black community’s in 1940’s West Virginia began celebrating the full month, but it wasn’t until after the events of the 1960’s that the association was asked to officially make it a full celebratory month. In 1976, fifty years after the first celebration, the Association used its influence to institutionalize the shifts from Negro History week to Black History Month.*

Forty years later as Black History Month for 2016 rolls around again, students on Chatham’s campus have begun to question where the celebratory events are. Last school year, Step Afrika! was brought to the campus and there were tickets available to students for the annual Steel City Step Show, a celebration put on by Pitt to recognize historically black Greek letter organizations in Pittsburgh. The year before that, Zapology, a reggae singer, came. Even in the 90’s, legendary leaders such as Coretta Scott King came and spoke in the chapel.

This year has seen a campaign for #blacklivesmatter where students, faculty, and staff were able to give a quote and a photograph that would be put on a poster, online, and around campus. The campaign was also accompanied by the “All Lives Matter vs. Black Lives Matter” discussion being held Monday the 29th.

Chatham’s campaign is in response to the Hashtag movement started in 2013 by Alicia Garza, Patrisse Cullors, and Opal Tometi after the acquittal of George Zimmerman in the fatal shooting of Trayvon Martin. The movement picked up again in the summer of 2015 as it became more of a political statement.

Some students of color on campus are concerned that the campaign is turning the hashtag into a fad, and is silencing the work and meaning behind the statement.

Odera Igwe, a black sophomore student, believes that the #blacklivesmatter campaign on campus was started “too late and with extreme hesitance” and lacked education about the movement’s origins.

“Yes, this movement is still happening. However, because of the hesitation, there was no ‘hype.’ It was just thrown together.” Said Igwe. “I still appreciate that it was done, whether it was in honor of black history month or not, but I believe that there should have been a more timely response to [Black Lives Matter] just like anything else that happens in the world and [off] campus. I think because it was so nonchalantly put together, [fewer] people cared, and that is the opposite of what we want.”

Last Week, the Black Student Union (BSU) put on “BSU Week.” It was kicked off with a dinner in Anderson, consisted of deep conversations about privilege and the experience at Chatham for black students, and concluded with the traditional BSU showcase. BSU collaborated with Pyramid Pittsburgh for the final event, which is described as an artistic celebration showcasing black creativity, history, nowstory, pride, peace, and love. All the events were open to the community and had diverse audiences.

However, at the Real Talk about privilege earlier that week, one white student even commented on the limited attendance of Chatham students, especially the students who make up the Predominately White Institution (PWI) that Chatham is.

When asked about the presence of Black History Month on Chatham’s campus, BSU president Lauren Brown said, “For all the years that I’ve been here, if BSU was not around, nothing would be done to celebrate African American History Month.” She went on to say that she can’t recall any dinners, performances, or events put together around Black History Month.

“There’s always something for Hispanic heritage month. They have the churros. Or [for] the Chinese New Year they had a nice lunch at Anderson, as well as [for] Mardi Gras.” Brown continued, “When it comes to African American History Month, if there were no black students here to really mobilize [and] throw any type of event, [there would not be an event] and that really makes me feel some type of way. I feel like there’s a lack of support for African Americans here on Chatham’s campus.”

Brown says she received a message from a friend who was given the opportunity to ask Chatham’s own president, Esther Barazzone, how she was supporting African Americans and other minorities. Brown called the president’s answer a “shame.”

“All she could say [was] ‘oh there’s a black student union, they do a really great job of throwing events’ and that was it. [President Barazzone] had nothing to say outside of that.”

It was also stated in the Real Talk that if the BSU hadn’t approached the dining hall about having the Black History dinner, the meal and the decorations hanging in Anderson that highlight people in black history would have been non-exist. For celebratory months such as Hispanic Heritage Month and Pacific Islander Month, it was mentioned that Student Affairs and Student Activities pulled together funds “without student input or involvement” leaving no excuses for lack of recognition for Black History Month.

Though Black History Month happens once a year, the support of students of color is expected to happen year round. In a time where there are debates on equity, white privilege, police brutality, and how much the lives of black people are valued, Chatham’s support of black students, or lack thereof, is telling.

For students who want to get more involved, BSU holds monthly Real Talks that are open to every race, ethnicity, and nationality. Lauren Brown, BSU president, says the goal is to help “kill curiosities” about black people and culture.

For more information about the Black Student Union and what can be done to show support, please email BSU president Lauren Brown at LBrown1@Chatham.edu .

 

*Credit given to Daryl Michael Scott for ASALH at www.asalh for black history information.