alestle RACISM & HAZING
THE
Southern Illinois University Edwardsville
the student voice since 1960
Minor selected to become next chancellor
Archeology students’ mock excavation educates campus
Get to know the head coach of women’s basketball
PAGE 2
PAGE 4
PAGE 8
Thursday, December 2, 2021 Vol. 75 No. 13
QUESTIONS ABOUT STUDENT CODE OF CONDUCT ADMINISTRATION CRITICIZED
ALEX AULTMAN editor-in-chief GABRIEL BRADY lifestyles editor
It has been about a month and a half since sophomore construction major Arluan Van Hook initially filed a report against the Kappa Sigma fraternity on campus. Van Hook said the group used homophobic and racist slurs against him and engaged in hazing. STATUS OF THE INVESTIGATIONS There are two separate investigations of the incident according to Chancellor Randall Pembrook. Vice Chancellor of Student Affairs Jeffrey Waple and his staff are investigating the hazing, and the Office of Equal Opportunity, Access and Title IX Coordination is investigating the racist and homophobic slurs. Waple said the Student Affairs investigation should be finished very soon. “I believe the hazing investigation will be done [this] week at some point. I’m not sure when the racial slur and homophobic slur investigation will be done, but I’m hoping that’s [this] week too,” Waple said. “And then hopefully, whatever the resolution is, we have it before we leave for finals, that would be my goal.” Waple said he believes his portion of the investigation went quickly. “Actually, a month to interview all those folks is quick. Because there’s a lot more going on, institutionally. But, we’ve taken this very seriously from the beginning,” Waple said. “I think that’s one of the frustrating things for people who are not familiar with this due process, and that’s the nature of the beast. We have information that has been shared; we’re trying to verify the details, the accuracy of that information, and that takes time.” In Section IV of SIUE’s Code of Student Rights and Conduct, specific rules are outlined regarding the process when charges are brought up against a student for breaking its rules. The Van Hook family believes the investigation is being slowed and that it should have concluded due to the 5-20 day rule outlined in the Student Code of Conduct. Waple said this is not the case because no one has been charged. “So, when a student or student organization is charged, … then the whole conduct process that’s in the code starts to take place. And then we stick to that,”
follow the alestle
Waple said. “It’s 20 days after a student or student organization is charged, but no one has been charged. We are still in the investigation stage, and no one has been charged yet.” THURSDAY, NOV 18, AND THE UNIVERSITY’S RESPONSE During a meeting between the Van Hook family and Vice Chancellor of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Jessica Harris on Thursday, Nov. 18, Harris said she was unaware of the investigation until recently. According to Waple, this may
plementing more diversity training for faculty, staff and students.” Waple said training for all organizations, but also specifically for organization leaders on campus, is something that he, Harris and Provost Denise Cobb are pursuing. Waple said student organization leaders requested this training. “The peer-to-peer communication accountability is difficult. Mind you, these are student orgs, with student leaders, who are handling conversations and things that may be coming across that
Reisa Van Hook, mother of Arluan Van Hook, waits with students gathered in support for her son to finish his meeting with university administration. | Jihun Han / The Alestle
have been because of the Bias Incident Response Team at SIUE moving departments this year. Pembrook agreed and said the Bias Incident Response Team could always use improvement. “I think that’s something that we’ll be working on more in terms of how BIRT can be involved right from the beginning, regardless of circumstances. I also think that this reminds us that there’s always an importance on emphasizing training so that people think about diversity issues,” Pembrook said. “And so, we will be im-
@alestlelive
@TheAlestle
their members are doing or not doing,” Waple said. “It just can’t be the checkbox that you did it, and it can’t be the oneoff thing … We have to make it part of our culture.” More diversity training is something that Van Hook said would be helpful. However, Van Hook also said the university is taking credit for something he asked them to do. “That was something that should have been happening already,” Van Hook said. “Even now the institution is making it as if they’re the ones who request-
@Online Editor Alestle
@thealestle
ed that/implemented that, but that is not the case. That is one of the things that I requested.” Pembrook said he was off campus on Thursday when Van Hook and his parents met with Harris, but, since then, there has been a meeting between himself, the Van Hook family, Harris and Senior SIU System Counsel Phyleccia Cole. Pembrook also said he was happy to be at that meeting. “I think any time you have a chance to communicate in a situation like this, it’s good,” Pembrook said. “I think I have a better understanding based on the conversation. We had a chance to talk about some of the action steps that they would like to see SIUE implement in the future to try to create an equitable and anti-racist learning environment. … we’re going to continue to think through the things that we talked about and probably talk again in the future.” FRIDAY, NOV. 19, THE CAMPUS CONSTITUENCY STATEMENT A constituency of organizations on campus released a statement through The Alestle on Friday, Nov. 19. The statement called for the university to create on-campus resources for people who file claims from the BIRT, a minimum of annual reports to the public from the BIRT and called on Student Affairs to diversify its staff. The statement was signed by the Black Faculty and Staff Association, the Faculty Senate, Student Government, the Graduate Council, the Faculty Association, the Non-Tenure Track Faculty Association, the Professional Staff Association and Safe Zone. Waple said diversifying Student Affairs is something that he wants to do. “We’re always looking to do that … Our division had a diverse array of programs and services ... About a year ago, that included [the Center for Student Diversity and Inclusion], which is now the Hub, [the office of Student Opportunities and Resources] and ACCESS. To make better alignment to support students, those three units moved to [Equity, Disee INVESTIGATION on page 7
See you on the Internet!