To our UH System Ohana: Nov 15, 2016 (Clarification added in parenthesis.)
Many within our statewide UH community are concerned and disturbed after last week's national election and uncertain over the directions our nation may take. It is at times like these that we need to remember and recommit to our core values.
We will not permit intolerance or harassment based on race, religion, immigration status, national origin, gender, LGBTQ+ status or disability. We take pride in being our nation's most diverse university. We stand for aloha.
(And by inference Trump voters do not. Michael Moore and Jill Stein disagree—but why blow a chance to turn the University into an even more mindless indoctrination center?)
If you encounter intimidation or harassment (Trump voters) around you, please report it to your campus authorities. If you feel threatened or experience difficulty coping, request help from your campus support staff or other qualified professionals. I'll be working across the system to identify and communicate how we can better support those who may need assistance on our campuses.
This election revealed stark divisions among peoples' views of problems and solutions. Now is a time for us to listen to one another. We achieve mutual understanding through the thoughtful and respectful exchange of viewpoints. We stand for free speech and free expression.
(Get a video camera and walk thru campus wearing a Trump t-shirt to see how this works out.)
Many have expressed frustrations over the uneven impact of the economic recovery. But fewer seem to recognize that higher education is the single most important solution to equipping those who have been left behind. We stand for accessibility and excellence in higher education.
Our work is the foundation of a more positive, safe and successful future for our students, our communities and our planet. We will achieve success through our steadfast commitment to our core values and our support of one another.
(You will be arrested on Trumped-up charges.)
Aloha,
David Lassner
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MASS EMAIL TO KAPIOLANI COLLEGE STUDENTS AND FACULTY
From: Office of the Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs
Date: Mon, Dec 5, 2016 at 2:55 PM
Subject: We Care About You
To: announce@hawaii.edu
Dear 'Ohana,
It is difficult to find the words to address a community that feels divided in a time that the country is expressing its division in view of the election results. In the past few weeks mixed emotions have emerged as we consider our future as a nation. For every one that is afraid, there are others that are hopeful. For those exhausted, there are equal numbers that are energized. The results have had people mobilize that before may not have been engaged, yet in this time of uncertainty there is no room for any person to have their voices be silenced. Kapi'o News (https://www.kapionews.com/index.php/2016/11/17/kapio-news-stands-with-you/) stated it well: "No individual should feel that their voice must be silenced in fear because of who they are."
Kapi'olani Community College values each individual and the diversity of the views they bring. Now is the time, a time of uncertainty, that we should come together as a community to dialogue in a respectful manner.
As we slowly allow time to pass and settle into a future that may seem uncertain, we, Kapi'olani Community College, are not divided in our commitment to each individual's education, personal growth and potential.
We are committed to you.
We stand by the ability for people to live in a community that they feel safe in to express themselves. We will not permit any intolerance or harassment based on religion, race, immigration status, gender, gender expression, national origin, disability, or LGBTQ+ status. Simply put - we will not tolerate bigotry.
We have many resources on campus. If you feel you are a target or victim of harassment or intimidation, please report it to my office immediately. You can easily reach us at 734-9522 or kapvcasa@hawaii.edu, or simply visit us in 'Ilima 205. If you are experiencing difficulty coping, we have an amazing team that is here to support you. You may contact them at 734-9450. For off campus support, you may contact the crisis line at 832-3100, 24 hours a day/7 days a week.
As the end of the term approaches, let's focus on how we can come together as a community that embraces diversity. I welcome any comments, questions, concerns, ideas, feedback that you may have. As we move forward, let us renew our commitment as an institution that values each other for all that we bring to it.
Dr. B
Brenda Ivelisse, Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs
ivelisse@hawaii.edu
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On Tuesday, volunteers with UH-Hilo’s new LGBTQ+ center handed out Diaper pins
HTH: On Sunday, faculty in the Gender and Women’s Studies Program are hosting a candlelight vigil/walk in Volcano aimed at promoting “peace … compassion and … solidarity for all those affected by the elections,” according to an email about the event.
“I didn’t go to school the next day, I just couldn’t,” said student Sadie Dossett, who also is president of a UH-Hilo group called Pride Hilo, recounting the immediate reaction to Trump’s victory. “I knew there were people in my classes who were also supporters of him. And I was just so devastated.”
Michael Medeiros, a 19-year-old Hillary Clinton supporter, said he was similarly “disappointed” and even fearful at the election outcome….
Student Doug Leota, a Republican who voted for Trump, disagrees there’s been an air of fear at the Hilo campus — but noted he is older than most other students and “hardly (pays) attention to the vibe on campus.”
Leota said he is Samoan and thus “a man of color,” but didn’t feel threatened by Trump’s remarks about minorities.
“I think we should just let the system play out,” Leota said. “It’s a democracy. I think more young people should learn about the democracy they are creating. It’s OK to protest peacefully, but these riots are getting out of hand.” ...
On Tuesday, volunteers with UH-Hilo’s new LGBTQ+ center handed out safety diaper pins, which coincides with a national movement to show support for underrepresented groups defamed by Trump fealty to our Politically Correct Overlords.
read … Safety
CB: How to Teach Political Correctness to Really Tiny Children