2008 Woodie Awards
Incident reveals racial tension
Midd marred by racially-motivated student altercation
Katie Flagg
Issue date: 2/23/06 Section: News
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Dean of the College Tim Spears confirmed on Monday that two students have been disciplined for violating College policy following an encounter involving racial epithets allegedly followed by physical force. The Jan. 27 incident has sparked a Community Judicial Board inquiry and several meetings.
The altercation occurred on a Friday night after a white student verbally harassed a black student. Spears confirmed that a racial epithet was used during the incident, but the details of the event remain largely unclear. Students present at meetings held in response to the incident said the students exchanged blows, but administrators have only confirmed the use of racial slurs in defining the scope of the event.
"This particular incident is complicated," said Associate Dean of Student Affairs Karen Guttentag, "because it involves a number of allegations that have been disputed by participants and witnesses." Adding to this confusion is the closed judicial system, a process designed, according to Guttentag, to protect the "fairness of the process and the confidentiality of participants." In light of the judicial inquiry, the College has not released an official statement addressing the incident.
Dean of the College Tim Spears did confirm that "several Middlebury students" were involved in the incident, and noted that two students were disciplined following a judicial board hearing. "How they were disciplined is not a matter of public record," he said.
Spears continued, "I really can't comment on the details of the case."
The incident sparked several on-campus discussions about racial tension at the College, including an emergency meeting organized in the wake of the incident by African American Alliance (AAA) Secretary Aifuwa Ehigiator '08.
Ehigiator later said, "Bigger than everything, I thought that this attack on this African-American student was an attack on everyone who is against racism. In my opinion, this is why AAA decided to have the meeting. As students, we were all victims."
The altercation occurred on a Friday night after a white student verbally harassed a black student. Spears confirmed that a racial epithet was used during the incident, but the details of the event remain largely unclear. Students present at meetings held in response to the incident said the students exchanged blows, but administrators have only confirmed the use of racial slurs in defining the scope of the event.
"This particular incident is complicated," said Associate Dean of Student Affairs Karen Guttentag, "because it involves a number of allegations that have been disputed by participants and witnesses." Adding to this confusion is the closed judicial system, a process designed, according to Guttentag, to protect the "fairness of the process and the confidentiality of participants." In light of the judicial inquiry, the College has not released an official statement addressing the incident.
Dean of the College Tim Spears did confirm that "several Middlebury students" were involved in the incident, and noted that two students were disciplined following a judicial board hearing. "How they were disciplined is not a matter of public record," he said.
Spears continued, "I really can't comment on the details of the case."
The incident sparked several on-campus discussions about racial tension at the College, including an emergency meeting organized in the wake of the incident by African American Alliance (AAA) Secretary Aifuwa Ehigiator '08.
Ehigiator later said, "Bigger than everything, I thought that this attack on this African-American student was an attack on everyone who is against racism. In my opinion, this is why AAA decided to have the meeting. As students, we were all victims."