PASSHE programs in danger, B1
ACT reveals quilt for justice, C1
Broadway closes until June 2021, D1
Former SU coach lands new job, E1
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Volume 64 No. 9
Diversity Week educates campus Noel Miller News Editor
The vision of a single student has become an entire week set aside each semester to celebrate the many cultures and aspects of diversity on the Shippensburg University campus. As a sophomore, Lance Hines-Butts wanted to see the SU campus community and the Shippensburg community come together to celebrate their diversity. While the very first Diversity Week was held during the COVID-19 coronavirus pandemic, Hines-Butts and Lucas Everidge worked with the SU administration, students, faculty and staff to make it happen. Each day covered a different aspect of diversity and had expert speakers from on and off campus leading the lectures and events. Students were also included in many of the panels to share their experience with the different types of diversity on campus. The first day, Oct. 12, celebrated gender and sexuality, Oct. 13 focused on racial diversity and Oct. 14 was about ability diversity. Oct. 15 was centered on political and religious diversity and Oct. 16 celebrated ethnic diversity. See “DIVERSITY,” A2
Tuesday, October 20, 2020
Officials announce anti-racism institute Erica Donohue Guest Contributor
Carmine Scicchitano/The Slate
Lance Hines-Butts, one of the Diversity Week visionaries, addresses the crowd at the diversity celebration event Saturday. The celebration had foodtrucks with dishes from diffrent cultures and a cultural music mix.
ShipVotes seeks to lift student absence penalties for election Noel Miller News Editor
As Election Day nears, students are looking for ways to get out to the polls. One campus group, ShipVotes, is campaigning to have professors lift absence penalties to further encourage students to vote. ShipVotes is a campus group that works to help get students registered and educated on the importance of voting. Siara Gutierrez, a ShipVotes student member, voiced concerns at the latest President’s Hour event about how some students may not be able to get to the polls if they will be penalized for missing classes. Gutierrez asked the panel at President’s Hour if the administration could require professors to lift absence penalties on Election Day. Students who work, have other obligations or have to drive home to vote may find it hard to get to the polls during a school day. Shippensburg University Chief Diversity Officer Stephanie Jirard said the administration would not instruct professors to lift their absence penalties because the university believes in academic freedom. Jirard explained the executive administration is “in no position to tell professors whether or not to excuse students.” According to Gutierrez, she feels the ad-
ministration did not take the proper time to consider the question and did not ask any questions about the idea. The panel at President’s Hour attended virtually and some students attended in person including Gutierrez. Students with questions had to type them into the Zoom chat and Gutierrez said she was not able to ask anything else after getting a response from the panel. Gutierrez hopes that the administration could encourage professors to lift penalties if they cannot require the removal of absence penalties. Administration officials said that a university can only cancel classes if the reason pertains to health and safety, according to Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education (PASSHE) requirements. Kim Garris, SU chief external relations officer said SU President Laurie Carter has reached out to the state system about allowing universities to have a day off on election days. “ShipVotes has done an amazing job of informing and educating students and the campus community regarding the importance of registering,” Garris said. Asking for the administration to require lifting penalties, was not the first effort ShipVotes has made to reach this goal. See “ELECTION,” A2
Shippensburg University officials announced the new Anti-Racism Institute at the university in a press release. Officials created the program to continue the conversation of the national racial awakening. Racism has become a topic of daily conversation throughout the country, and SU wanted a place to have this conversation. The Anti-Racism Institute (ARI) at Shippensburg University is focused on facilitating student engagement, scholarly research and academic enrichment regarding the subject of race, according the university press release. Several SU faculty members supported the idea. The initial directors of the project are Jamonn Campbell, professor of psychology; Alison Dagnes, a political science professor; Diane Jefferson, director of the Office of Multicultural Student Affairs (MSA); and Stephanie Jirard, chief diversity officer. The goals came from Carter’s vision to have one
central location to educate students, faculty and staff, Jirard said. Officials want to invite students to research, get scholarly publications and have students and faculty be able to go to conferences to present their work. “Shippensburg University has a long history of talking about race relations in America because government studies, state federal and local, show in every area of American life housing, education, healthcare, employment, criminal justice, there is a racial disparity. There is a difference of how people live based on race.” Jirard said SU plans to partner with other schools and historically Black colleges and universities aiming to end the racial divide and barriers in America. Officials want to provide students and faculty the ability to research issues. Jirard said they want to reach out and partner with others in the community, like Franklin and Cumberland counties to start that discussion. See “ANTI-RACISM,” A2
Glo Celebration ends Diversity Week activities
Carmine Scicchitano/The Slate
The final Diversity Week activity was “Glo Celebration featuring DJ Rictor,” which celebrated different backgrounds through dance and music. The goal of the event was to bring people together for a celebration and appreciation of musical and cultural diversity, according to ship.edu.