Rutgers Black Student Union rep. talks at DuBois

A representative from the Rutgers University Black Student Union spoke at a forum sponsored by the Black Student League last night. BSL officers barred staff members from The Daily Pennsylvanian from entering the multi-purpose room of the W.E.B. DuBois College House, where the Rutgers student was speaking. According to students who attended, one reason the function was held was to discuss with University students the controversy currently enveloping Rutgers. Many members of the Rutgers community are outraged at recently published remarks made in by Rutgers President Francis L. Lawrence. In a November speech about Scholastic Aptitude Test scores and race to the American Association of University Professors, Lawrence said "?or do we deal with a disadvantaged population that doesn't have that genetic hereditary background to have a higher average." The statement's release January 31 incited Rutgers students to call for Lawrence's resignation. Some students protested Lawrence's remarks by interrupting the Rutgers-University of Massachusetts basketball game February 7 with a sit-in. The other primary goal of last night's function at DuBois -- which was attended by about 35 students -- was to brainstorm ways that University students could help improve the situation at Rutgers, according to BSL President and College senior Robyn Kent. Such ideas included investigating "the exact reasoning the [New Jersey] Board of Governors gave in supporting [Lawrence]," College senior and BSL member Jorge Fernandez said. "That may lead to information that we do not know," he said. "We just want to know their opinion and why they chose to support him." Students also discussed holding a peaceful gathering, "possibly to represent the feelings we feel about what was said and to express to the academic community that if something is done wrong at one institution that it affects many institutions," Fernandez said. At the beginning of the function, BSL leaders held a vote on whether participants wanted members of the press to be present, Kent said. "The consensus was that they didn't want anyone from the DP there," she said. After the DP was barred from the meeting, Assistant Vice Provost for University Life Barbara Cassel was called about a possible infraction of the University's Guidelines on Open Expression. "Unless designated as public, meetings are considered to be private," the policy states. "Events are considered to be public." BSL leaders asserted that although flyers advertised the gathering to the "Penn Community," the discussion was a private meeting, which would allow them to bar the press from attending, Kent said last night. During the meeting, Cassel spoke with BSL advisor and Director of Academic Support Programs Terri White, a University-designated Open Expression Monitor. By the time Cassel spoke with White and White officially warned Kent about a possible violation -- which might have granted the press access -- the meeting had already adjourned. "Terri White warned that there conceivably would be a violation of open expression and then the meeting broke up, so that was it," Cassel said. Cassel said that the biggest impediment to interpreting the Open Expression Guidelines in this instance is the definition of "meeting." "That's subject to interpretation. I guess this has never really been tested," Cassel said. Kent, however, said the event was a "closed meeting" and that she did not want anything to "hinder" the meeting's goals of exploring "how Penn and the Penn community could help the students at Rutgers." "There's still a feeling of mistrust between BSL and the DP, as much as both sides have tried to bridge the gap," Kent said. "The DP coming in would have prevented any progress." DP Executive Editor Charles Ornstein said he hopes to work with the BSL leaders to iron out a protocol for future events. "We believe events which are open to all members of the University community should be open to the press," said the College junior. "At the same time, we look forward to a productive dialogue with the BSL to keep the lines of communication open." At the forum, the BSL executive board decided to hold a closed meeting with the leaders of Rutgers' BSU.

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