by The Cowl Editor on November 12, 2020
Letters to the Editor
Dear Students, Faculty, Staff, and Administration,
The faculty and staff in the departments, programs, and offices listed below write this letter in support of students, faculty, staff, and members of the local community who were offended and hurt by the Safety Advisory sent to the entire campus on Thursday, September 10. The Safety Advisory contained wording/language and tone that lacked sensitivity and profiles speakers of Spanish as potential criminals.
We are also concerned that this Advisory contributes to a climate in which Spanish speakers in our community may be subject to harassment and other potential harm. In addition, the impact of this Advisory perpetuates the White, English-speaking hegemony in our society that many on campus are doing good work to address and dismantle. Students, faculty, and staff from underrepresented communities of color at PC have shared incidents in which they have been mistreated, and the Safety Advisory in question affirms these feelings of mistreatment. Placed in this broader context, the Safety Advisory provides another example of insensitivity and intolerance that runs counter to the institution’s mission and message of love and peace — in an attempt to build the “Beloved Community.”
We hope that actions taken by students, faculty, staff, and the administration will bring about change this community needs, and we welcome the opportunity to meet with anyone who wants to work towards building a community in which everyone feels safe and included to reach their full potential.
Black Studies Program
Center for Global Education
Department of Foreign Language Studies
Department of Global Studies
Latin American & Latinx Studies Program
Master of Education in Urban Teaching Program
Master of Global Education & TESOL Program
Office of Institutional Diversity, Equity & Inclusion
Editor’s Note: At the request of the writers of this Letter to the Editor, a Spanish translation of the letter, provided by its writers, is included to the right of the English text.
A la comunidad universitaria de Providence College:
Por medio del presente comunicado, el personal académico y administrativo de los departamentos, programas y unidades abajo firmantes expresan su apoyo y solidaridad a los estudiantes, profesores, trabajadores y miembros de la comunidad que fueron ofendidos y agraviados por la Alerta de Seguridad distribuida oficialmente a toda la universidad el día 10 de septiembre del año en curso. Dicha alerta recurrió a expresiones discriminatorias que promueven la criminalización del español y atentan contra la dignidad de sus hablantes.
Nos preocupa sobremanera que alertas de esta naturaleza contribuyan a fomentar un clima en el que la comunidad hispanohablante de Providence College se sienta amenazada y acosada. Creemos, además, que este lenguaje intolerante perpetúa el estatus del inglés como lengua hegemónica y desacredita los esfuerzos de muchos miembros de la comunidad universitaria por desmantelar estructuras que oprimen a grupos minoritarios. Esta alerta confirma el maltrato del que llevan siendo objeto estudiantes, profesores y trabajadores de color. En un contexto más amplio, esta alerta representa un ejemplo más de intolerancia y falta de sensibilidad y atenta contra la misión institucional y el mensaje de amor y paz que Providence College trata de promover en su intento por crear una “Comunidad amada.”
Confiamos en que las medidas que surjan del diálogo entre estudiantes, personal académico y administrativo, en conjunto con la directiva universitaria, puedan generar los cambios que esta comunidad necesita. Estamos dispuestos y comprometidos a trabajar con todos aquellos que deseen contribuir a la formación de una comunidad más inclusiva en la que todos sus miembros se sientan seguros y respetados.
Black Studies Program
Center for Global Education
Department of Foreign Language Studies
Department of Global Studies
Latin American & Latinx Studies Program
Master of Education in Urban Teaching Program
Master of Global Education & TESOL Program
Office of Institutional Diversity, Equity & Inclusion