The AUSA Senate voted last night to hold a “Discrimination and Racism” panel to increase awareness and facilitate discussion about the problem on campus.

The panel, to be held on May 14, will include Professors Alan Gilbert of International Studies and Tony Bandele of Professional Psychology, Marge Taniwake, and students Vincent Handing and Thomas Ware. Ware will be the facilitator. The location of the panel is yet to be announced. Each professor will speak about their knowledge of and experience with discrimination and racism.

The Senate wanted to support this panel because it feels there is a need to educate students on campus and to show that the Senate is concerned about race issues.

Ware, a graduate student who has voiced concerns about being a victim of discrimination on campus, spoke about his role in the discussion. He said his job would be to introduce panelists, state why they were there, keep track of speaking time, open discussion to the audience and to facilitate audience and discussion.

Some Senators voiced concern that Ware would bring a biased voice to the panel. Ware stated that he feels he could take a neutral stance and facilitate the group.

“There would be no time for me to interject my own personal beliefs and what happened to me. I wouldn’t do that and I would highlight all the people I have collected for the panel because I feel what they have to say about their collective experiences would be far more important than what happened to me in the library,” said Ware.

Ware said he wants to keep the panel on a theoretical level because the purpose is to raise awareness.

“There are many people in a predominantly white school who feel that racism and discrimination don’t exist,” he said.

See also Page 1 story on the Chancellor’s Roundtable.