Miami University To Offer Spring Workshops To Address National Political Climate

BY ALTHEA E. PERLEY
Miami University journalism student

Miami University will offer workshops this spring to encourage thoughtful conversation in reaction to the current national political climate.

The workshops will reflect the university's commitment to "maintaining and supporting an inclusive and welcoming environment for all students, faculty and staff," Phyllis Callahan, Miami provost and vice president for academic affairs, said in one of her weekly emails to faculty.

With plans still fluid, Callahan is inviting faculty to submit ideas. She is asking faculty to "develop session(s) that focus on timely, relevant national and global issues and how to analyze and facilitate the impact of those issues on our Miami communities."

Callahan's Dec. 1 email to faculty follows a university-wide message of Nov. 29 that stressed the importance of remembering Miami University's constitutional right and obligation to respect and uphold free speech, even if the "speech is hateful or hurtful." Sent in reaction to what was called an "unusual number of bias-related incidence" reported across the country and campuses, that email note was signed by Miami President Greg Crawford and other top administrators.

Conversations about free speech and political discourse have been nearly constant on campus this fall, ramping up after the election of Donald Trump as president-elect on Nov. 8.

Among the activities:

• The Office of Community Engagement and Service and Andrew Goodman Foundation held a discussion titled "Free Speech and Demonstrations on Campus" on Dec. 1. Students who attended learned about Miami's policies for freedom of speech and expression. They were also given examples of successful free speech demonstrations -- including one from 2002 related to National Coming Out Day. On Oct. 19 of that year, 12 Miami faculty, students and staff members who had listed themselves as "out" in a National Coming Out Day ad were recipients of a hate letter via e-mail. In response to this act of hate -- and a racially motivated cross-burning that had happened in Oxford the same weekend -- MU Solidarity, Spectrum and other groups came together on Oct. 22, 2002, for a No- Hate Rally that included a march through the streets of Oxford.
• The Women's Center held a "Growing a Garden of Love" event in the Shriver Center on Monday of this week, with community-building activities, crafts and spoken word to embrace and affirm all identities. The "Garden" event was staged at the same time Milo Yiannopoulos, a controversial editor for the so-called "alt-right" website Breitbart News, spoke to about 250 students in the Armstrong Student Center. The provocative gay British journalist -- introduced as "our most dangerous faggot" -- was met both negatively and positively by an animated crowd.

• In September, students protested outside of Shriver Center in reaction to remarks from anti-gay activists on the streets there. After the election, more than 400 students, faculty and staff signed a petition to make Miami a "sanctuary institution." And during Thanksgiving break, flyers with a white supremacy message -- which included a web address for The Right Stuff, a self-described “political and cultural blog” -- appeared around campus.

Provost Callahan's most recent message indicated that Miami will continue to encourage multiple view points, and protect the rights and freedoms of those who choose to express their views through peaceful demonstration.

“We all have a responsibility to ensure that every single member of our Miami family feels safe and respected; those who feel marginalized must be lifted by our compassion and support," she told faculty.