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December 07, 2004
Professor ignoring diversity, students
To the administration, professors, and student body:
Hamline University promises its students “a foundation of knowledge to keep pace with a changing world.
Your professors are devoted to bringing you the finest education there is every day, year after year č sharing their enthusiasm, knowledge, and passion for teaching.”
Conversations with students about courses that fulfill the Hamline Plan “Cultural Breadth” requirements have led us to believe that Hamline University and its professors are doing a disservice to its students by not allowing students to voice their concerns about courses and lack thereof.
In this particular case, the course that we are referring to is Racial and Cultural Minorities, taught by Professor Martin Markowitz in the sociology department.
As concerned students who have made attempts to meet with him to discuss concerns about the course, he was unwilling to meet with us. He blatantly stated that the meeting would be unproductive and that he was unwilling to discuss and answer our questions.
In a letter to Markowitz, a student writes, “On numerous occasions, you seem to want to avoid discussing racism and other difficult issues ,and you prevent students of color from making connections between these topics and reading assignments. Recently the conversation in class turned to the Student of Color
Orientation when a white student stated that it was unfair that students of color have their own orientation and that she felt uncomfortable with that. You shifted the conversation away from students of color, discrimination, and racism, in my opinion. In doing so, you did not give me the opportunity to voice my opinions to my fellow classmates, and I was silenced and ignored.
The fact that you were unwilling to even listen or schedule an appointment with me to discuss my concerns is unfair, insensitive, and dismissive. As a professor, I feel that it is part of your responsibility to provide a forum where students are able to discuss their opinions and concerns with you openly, whether it be during your office hours or in class.
Because this is an important class to me and my studies, I respect you enough to directly discuss my concerns with you. However, not being given this opportunity to do so, I have been forced to write this letter to you instead, even though this is not the most effective or beneficial form of communication.
However, I will attempt to meet with you again regarding the issues I have discussed in this letter. I am hopeful that this letter will lead to a more open form of communication and that you will be willing to meet me halfway so that we both can be heard and respected.”
After this letter was given to Martin Markowitz last Wednesday, Nov. 24, another attempt to meet with him was made during his office hours. Once again, we were ignored and dismissed from his office.
Maisue Xiong
Colin R. Smith
CLA Students
Posted by msveum at December 7, 2004 11:13 AM