University of Virginia Library

Harassment

But there is a second aspect to
racism. This aspect is the obvious
acts of bigotry and prejudice. It is
the harassment of black students by
University and city police. It is the
waving of a Confederate flag
despite one's knowledge of that
symbol's connotative meaning to
blacks and indeed, to many whites.
It is the ejection of black students
from fraternity parties.

There are some members of the
community that will point out that
the University has already
attempted to deal with this aspect
of racism. After all, they say, the
alleged harassment of blacks by
University police was investigated
and found to be fallacious. And the
incident at a fraternity was, in some
student's opinions, handled
adequately by a slap on the wrist to
the fraternity involved.

But there is something
inherently unjust in these
procedures. Take a good look at the
methods of investigation and
punishment. Who investigated and
judged the alleged harassment of
blacks by the Department of
Security? It was the Director of
Security, Wad Bromwell. And
what body investigated, judged and
punished an incident of blatant
racism in a fraternity? The
Inter-Fraternity-Council. Indeed, it
is the worst type of injustice to
allow accused persons or groups to
investigate, judge, and even punish
themselves. Even if these
investigations and punishments
were fair, who would believe it?
Certainly not the black students.
And who can blame them when
after an incident at a fraternity
house, the house is judged guilty
by other fraternities and then only
made to apologize, close one rush
party, and perform one community
service project.

It would seem that the purpose
in allowing the Security
Department to investigate
complains made against it and in
allowing the IFC to investigate and
punish its own members is in the
interest of autonomy. But in this
case, autonomy must take
second-place to the interest of
promoting understanding and trust
in Mr. Jefferson's community.

To attain this goal of
understanding, it is necessary to
establish an impartial board of
investigators composed of an equal
number of administrators, faculty
members and students. It is this
body which should have the
authority to investigate reported
incidents of racism if just and
impartial decisions are to be
reached and, just as important, if
these decisions are to be perceived
as just.