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Report: SCSU lacks credibility
An Equal Employment Opportunity Commission report released on Monday states that SCSU "suffers from a severe lack of credibility" on diversity issues as a result of "many years of complacency" in dealing with these issues.
The findings also state that certain "faculty members and staff believe that systematic and institutionalized bias, sexism, and racism and anti-Semitism exist at the university," and that no one is "ever reprimanded for engaging in discrimination."
The EEOC began its investigation of SCSU last April, at the request of President Roy Saigo and former Minnesota State Colleges and Universities (MnSCU) Chancellor Morris Anderson. President Saigo said the goal of the investigation was to address the "serious allegations of systematic anti-Semitism and other forms of discrimination that were being leveled at the university."
Testimony and evidence, in the form of signed affidavits from about 70 current and former SCSU students, faculty, staff and administrators forms the basis for the EEOC's investigation.
"I take this report and its contents very seriously," Saigo said Monday.
In response to the report's findings that SCSU lacks credibility to deal with diversity issues, Saigo said, "I am reaffirming my personal commitment to rebuild that credibility."
Saigo was not exempt from the EEOC's investigations. The report faults him as being inaccessible and using administrators and "special assistants" to "isolate himself from the campus community." According to the EEOC, Saigo needs to become more involved in the affirmative action appeals process.
The EEOC report commended the positive steps the school has taken so far, including diversity education courses for students and faculty, revisions in the school's non-discrimination statement, increased recognition of Jewish holidays, as well as religious dietary needs in campus food service and the hiring of outside consulting firms to assess SCSU's cultural climate.
Saigo met with MnSCU chancellor James McCormick and Chester Bailey, district director for the EEOC, Tuesday to discuss the report's findings and recommendations, as well as the implementation of these recommendations.
There were seven recommendations in all, including forming task forces to assess bias and perceived bias, opening dialogue between faculty and community leaders and improving the complaint process.
The University Affirmative Action office was singled out by EEOC as being ineffective, untrustworthy and understaffed. Again citing faculty, staff and student testimony, as well as signed affidavits, the EEOC said evidence supported a conclusion that the "Affirmative Action Office...is ineffective in its ability to either initiate, investigate or redress employment discrimination complaints."
The EEOC report does not say whether any actual cases of bias, racism, sexism and anti-Semitism have been found, nor does it state that the Affirmative Action office's apparent shortcomings have led to any real discrimination. The report states that while evidence gathered in individual cases would be considered, it would be as part of a greater overall picture.
"There is a difference between the perception of bias and actual cases of discrimination," said Laurel Allen, SCSU affirmative action officer. "The report obviously shows that there are people here who are perceiving bias, and that is something that we need to work on. But perception is one thing and reality is another. I think the university needs to look a little deeper at the sources of evidence and testimony that the report is citing."
According to Lisa Foss, director of communications for SCSU, Saigo is taking all seven recommendations to be valid, and will seek to implement all of them without question.
"Part of the president's meeting (on Tuesday) was to discuss the ways we will implement all of the recommendations completely," Foss said.
While the EEOC report goes to great lengths to illuminate necessary changes in the way the Affirmative Action Office handles complaints, Allen said that EEOC investigators interviewed her only once during the nearly ten months of investigation.
She added that the report criticizes her office for not making proper decisions in redressing complaints, even though MnSCU rules state the decision-making is to be left to officials from outside her office.
The report recommends that the Affirmative Action Office staff, which is comprised solely of Allen and program assistant Sue Handley, be revamped with additional support, and structurally changed to better handle complaints.
In addition to the EEOC investigation, SCSU has commissioned Nichols and Associates to conduct a study of SCSU's diversity issues, which is expected to be out by March.
The student body has also contracted Sue Rankin and Associates to do a similar study, while the Jewish Community Relations Council (JCRC) of Minnesota and the Dakotas finished an investigation in July of 2001. The JCRC report revealed "a strong perception of anti-Semitism on campus."
Copies of the EEOC report can be obtained by contacting Director of University Communications Lisa Foss.
Jake Zisla can be reached at: [email protected]
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