Forum plans to promote diversity with student organization
>>Print ViewPublication Date: 11/17/2008
Ben Fahrbach | Staff Photographer
Students, faculty and community members gathered outside Triple XXX to listen to the owners' statement about the recent events that took place.
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Campus and community leaders inspired by the response to weekend diversity events laid out the framework for a new student organization Sunday night.
Approximately 30 people met in Lilly Hall of Life Sciences and brainstormed ideas regarding the promotion of diversity and equality.
Roshan Bliss, a senior in the College of Liberal Arts, said at the forum an organization would enact change.
"Administration listens to student organizations," Bliss said. "We have to establish some kind of clout."
At Sunday's open forum the audience developed goals for the new student organization and set the date for the next meeting for 5 p.m. Sunday in Lilly Hall of Life Sciences, Room 1105. The open forum followed a Saturday event in which more than 100 people marched across campus to promote diversity and equality in the Greater Lafayette area.
The march and the open forum addressed recent incidents of perceived discrimination in the community. In the first incident a window painted by members of the Queer Student Union for Homecoming was defaced. Another incident occurred at Triple XXX Family Restaurant when seven black patrons were asked to leave after an altercation with employees. Finally, Nov. 4, the tree between Class of 1950 Lecture Hall and Recitation Building was painted with a derogatory remark regarding President-elect Barack Obama.
Christopher Warren, a graduate student, filed a complaint against West Lafayette Police Department regarding the responding officers' treatment of the people involved in the Triple XXX incident. According to Jason Dombkowski, chief of police, the findings of the internal investigation will be released tomorrow.
Ronard Black, president of the Purdue branch of the NAACP, said open forums, rallies and marches move people away from focusing on the incidents and toward something positive.
"Our job is to make this campus (community) better," Black said at the forum.
The owners of Triple XXX, Greg and Carrie Ehresman, were invited to make a statement at the end of the march and were also asked to attend the open forum.
Saturday they informed the crowd about the restaurant's discrimination policy and their plans regarding employee diversity training. The Ehresmans also apologized to anyone who believed they were discriminated against.
"It's always our goal to make sure everyone feels welcome inside our restaurant. You are coming into our home," Greg said.
After the open forum, Carrie said they are focusing on how the restaurant could move forward in the future.
Meisha Waters, one of the patrons asked to leave Triple XXX, said at the forum that in order to move forward the new student organization needed to focus on more than campus issues.
"A lot of the community and businesses are part of Purdue even though they are not on campus," she said.
Ashley Scott, a senior in the College of Liberal Arts, said overall the march and open forum were positive signs for the future.
"(Speakers) made the point that even if a person isn't directly discriminated against it doesn't mean they can't or shouldn't stand up against discrimination in general. It affects everyone and reflects negatively on the entire community. We have to support each other."