Author:
Dear Editor,
Recently a series of anonymous accusations of racism have been leveled at Campus Safety Chief Sean Kennedy. Because such accusations strike at the heart of our community, I want to make it clear that they are completely unjustified. The allegations appear to be based on two incidents reported in The Clause, the student newspaper at Azusa Pacific University, Sean’s previous employer. The first, involving the temporary detention of an APU student by campus officers and Azusa city police in October 2012, is apparently regarded as an example of racial profiling. However, the student who was detained, Adam O’Sullivan Walls, is not a student of color. The second involved allegations that in March 2012 Latino APU students and their guests were denied access to APU’s campus trolley system. Sean had no connection with this incident, even indirectly. The trolley system was and is run by APU’s Office of Transportation Services, not the Department of Campus Safety.
Like other administrators on campus, I welcome the recent calls for a renewal of the conversation about diversity at Occidental. Excellence and equity are central to the College’s mission. Neither is possible without the other. As an institution that teaches critical thinking, we can only welcome the application of those skills, particularly on such an important issue. But unfounded accusations that unfairly malign a member of the community cannot go unchallenged.
Sincerely,
Timothy Chang
Associate Dean of Students
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Dear Editor,
I read a recent article by Christian Morales about the “lack of respect” for the Johnson Wall, and I found his writing to be unneeded, silly and trivial. A great deal of my dissatisfaction stems from him writing that the doodles on a dry-erasable wall constitute “vandalism.” However, Mr. Morales did manage to convince me that “the Occidental community should make a concerted effort to prevent individuals from writing unneeded, silly and trivial messages.”
Unfortunately, neither Mr. Morales’s nor my opinions are currently enforceable, as we have yet to instate a Thought Police on campus. Such an officer would no doubt educate us as to what constitutes “useful and relevant” expression of self. Our campus has been blighted by humor and creativity for far too long, and I hope to provide a cure. I would hereby like to nominate myself for the job. Please contact me if you are interested in supporting me in my forthcoming campaign.
Envisioning a world free of silliness,
Franklin Maharaj
(Senior, Biochemistry)
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