2008 Woodie Awards
Recipient of anonymous letter comes forward to promote issue of diversity
Michele Brittany
Issue date: 5/5/05 Section: Campus News
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Prompted by Chancellor Patricia Spakes' email sent out on Saturday, April 23, master of art's student Sharon Thomas dropped her formal complaint and came forward as the person who received the recent anonymous letter.
Thomas received the demeaning and hateful letter on Thursday, April 14 via regular postal mail in the campus's copier center where she used to work.
Campus Safety was informed and Thomas was advised to speak with Assistant Chancellor for Student Affairs Dan Garcia and Director, Diversity and Minority Affairs Glenna Chang, whom she met with the following Monday. A formal complaint was filed and she met with Chancellor Spakes.
"We can agree to disagree," said Thomas regarding the letter's unknown author. "I have an idea who wrote the letter and the person who wrote the letter knows they wrote the letter and it's between them and God."
"We see respect for differences, and we see people actively engaged in building a culture that values open dialogue and communication that fosters a positive learning environment for everyone," Chancellor Spakes' email read. "Unfortunately, we also see an occasional reminder that we all need to work hard to maintain a campus culture of tolerance and open discourse and to build a community of trust."
After reading those words, Thomas decided she could instead use the letter as a tool to educate for diversity. By withdrawing her complaint, the letter could be used as a scenario for teaching and promoting diversity on campus.
"Chancellor Spakes did a wonderful job reminding the campus community that we do have values and they include respecting each other and their choices," said Garcia.
"I am glad to know that Sharon is interested in using the letter as an educational tool to discuss ways in which we are able (or not able) to tolerate others despite differences. More importantly, she will hopefully use the letter to discuss ways to engage in civil discourse," Chang said. "Chancellor Spakes message was an especially good reminder that we need to be vigilantly committed to a community that deals with its diversity in positive and open ways."
"We are all here to get an education," Thomas said. "I didn't feel like retaliating because I'm bigger person than that."
Thomas received the demeaning and hateful letter on Thursday, April 14 via regular postal mail in the campus's copier center where she used to work.
 Media Credit: Michele Brittany Sharon Thomas, recently appointed ASUWT vice-president, was the recipient of the recent anonymous inflammatory letter. |
Campus Safety was informed and Thomas was advised to speak with Assistant Chancellor for Student Affairs Dan Garcia and Director, Diversity and Minority Affairs Glenna Chang, whom she met with the following Monday. A formal complaint was filed and she met with Chancellor Spakes.
"We can agree to disagree," said Thomas regarding the letter's unknown author. "I have an idea who wrote the letter and the person who wrote the letter knows they wrote the letter and it's between them and God."
"We see respect for differences, and we see people actively engaged in building a culture that values open dialogue and communication that fosters a positive learning environment for everyone," Chancellor Spakes' email read. "Unfortunately, we also see an occasional reminder that we all need to work hard to maintain a campus culture of tolerance and open discourse and to build a community of trust."
After reading those words, Thomas decided she could instead use the letter as a tool to educate for diversity. By withdrawing her complaint, the letter could be used as a scenario for teaching and promoting diversity on campus.
"Chancellor Spakes did a wonderful job reminding the campus community that we do have values and they include respecting each other and their choices," said Garcia.
"I am glad to know that Sharon is interested in using the letter as an educational tool to discuss ways in which we are able (or not able) to tolerate others despite differences. More importantly, she will hopefully use the letter to discuss ways to engage in civil discourse," Chang said. "Chancellor Spakes message was an especially good reminder that we need to be vigilantly committed to a community that deals with its diversity in positive and open ways."
"We are all here to get an education," Thomas said. "I didn't feel like retaliating because I'm bigger person than that."