Predictions: What will the meeting between the BSU and U-M officials result in?

[777Blue77]

<p>Hello,</p>

<p>On Friday, U-M Officials and members of the BSU will meet to discuss the demands. </p>

<p>[U-M&lt;/a&gt; officials, Black Student Union to discuss diversity demands Friday | Detroit Free Press | freep.com](<a href=“http://www.freep.com/article/20140123/NEWS06/301230077/U-M-administration-Black-Student-Union-to-discuss-diversity-demands-Friday]U-M”>http://www.freep.com/article/20140123/NEWS06/301230077/U-M-administration-Black-Student-Union-to-discuss-diversity-demands-Friday)</p>

<p>What are your predictions?</p>

[MathisAmazing]

<p>It will be interesting. The University would be taking a huge risk if they give them the same old “We are listening” responses that they always have been. On the other hand, most of the demands pushed for were pretty ridiculous and untenable (10% enrollment, emergency scholarships, mandatory race classes). Of course, the University could deflect all the flack to the BSU by forcing them to come up with a legal and doable plan that will meet their demands. For the most part, that’s impossible (race-based financial aid, racial quotas, etc can’t be implemented). </p>

<p>The best thing that could come out of the meeting would be the University supporting the mission of the BSU and the campaign- to combat the racism, microaggressions, and indignities the Black students face on the campus. You can’t make someone not be ignorant, racist, or culturally insensitive, so the University or the BSU won’t be able to completely eliminate these things on campus, but the University backing the effort to try to do so would go along way. This is probably what will happen.</p>

[Gator88NE]

<p>

microaggressions

</p>

<p>I didn’t even know this was a “thing”. I had to google it…</p>

<p>

Microaggression is the idea that specific interactions between those of different races, cultures, or genders can be interpreted as small acts of mostly non-physical aggression; the term was coined by Chester M. Pierce

</p>

<p>

Microaggressions can take a number of different forms,[9] for example, questioning the existence of racial-cultural issues, making stereotypic assumptions, and cultural insensitivity. Some other types of microaggressions that have been identified include Colorblindness (e.g., “I don’t think of you as Black. You are just a normal person”), Denial of personal bias (e.g., “I’m not homophobic; I even have gay friends.”), and Minimization of racial-cultural issues (e.g., “Just because you feel alone in this group doesn’t mean that there’s a racial issue involved.”). “Colorblindness” in particular has been associated with higher levels of racism and lower levels of empathy.

</p>

<p>Egads! Talk about striding through a minefield. And folks wonder way other folks don’t want to talk about racial issues…</p>