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Report draws varied reactions
A federal report released earlier this month stating that SCSU lacks credibility in dealing with bias and discrimination has given rise to strong reactions from SCSU faculty, staff and students.
Arie Zmora, a former SCSU history professor who filed a suit of discrimination against the school last fall, is apprehensive that the report by the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission will cause any significant change at SCSU.
"I think the report is wonderful," Zmora said. "It brings to light things that the university has ignored. But it doesn't get to the heart of the issue, which is that there are still perpetrators of anti-Semitism and discrimination at SCSU."
Zmora is concerned that the report will not change the administration's mode of operation.
"Change only occurs at St. Cloud when there is outside pressure," he said. "There is an attempt to stifle dissent, and now it is exposed."
Robbi Hoy, a senior at SCSU, joined Zmora and two SCSU professors in filing the suit against the school last fall, claiming she had a grade taken away after speaking out on behalf of Zmora and Laurinda Stryker. She, too, was apprehensive about the report.
"I saw the report, and it is a positive step, but there are still people at SCSU who are practicing discrimination, and that is the real problem," she said.
Affirmative Actions Officer Laurel Allen has been the brunt of a good deal of criticism from Zmora, Hoy and the EEOC report itself.
"I understand that there is a perception of bias," she said. "That is something we need to deal with. There is a difference, however, between perceptions and actual discrimination."
Saigo's response to the report has been a wholehearted acceptance of its recommendations, with a pledge to implement all of them.
"I take these recommendations very seriously," he said two weeks ago. "I am reaffirming my commitment to rebuild (SCSU's) credibility."
But according to Zmora and African Student Association president Eamonn Thorpe, that credibility is already damaged.
"He (Saigo) says a lot of things, but it is all a public relations exercise," Zmora said. "No real change is made."
"I see the same things happening again that were happening before," Thorpe said.
SCSU students have had a variety of reactions to the report. Sophomore Melanie Anderson said that she feels the administration is trying to sweep many things under the rug.
"There are a lot of things that we just don't know about," Anderson said. "And then they focus on just one issue, like the mascot thing, and they don't talk about anything else."
Meteorology major Mike Jones, a senior, is worried that there might be many undue concerns raised by the report.
"From what I read (in University Chronicle), it seems like a lot of this is based on perceptions," he said. "I didn't really see any cases of real discrimination in the report."
But SCSU seems to be headed for more trouble now with the sacking of African professor Christopher Ngassam. Members of the ASA are up in arms over Ngassam's sacking and have threatened to "take it to the next level" if the real estate professor is not reinstated.
Thorpe said that the EEOC report was accurate in describing the situation at SCSU, and that Ngassam's case was the latest example of the administration's inability to deal with discrimination.
"I think the report was good, but all the same behavior is happening again," Thorpe said. "I think he (Saigo) is just going to blow this off."
SCSU administrators, however, refused to comment on Ngassam's case.
"We have a policy of not commenting on any personnel member while their case is under investigation," said Lisa Foss, SCSU director of marketing and communications.
Jake Zisla can be reached at: [email protected]
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