Fitchburg State College has taken the community lead on issues of race, diversity, and hate crime during the past calendar year. In spring 1999, we sponsored a Hate Crime Panel featuring former Nazi Skinhead, Frank Meeink. Other members of the panel included members of the Governor s Council on Hate Crime, representatives of the city and campus police forces and the campus counseling services. Over 300 participants from the college and community attended.
We followed that panel with a day devoted to racism and diversity on October 4, 1999. Featured speakers were Dr. Bertice Berry (Fox TV), Robert Lewis Jr. (City Year in Boston), community leaders, faculty, and students. A discussion of feelings, questions, and solutions followed. This panel preceded the beginning of a Study Circles Program in the city.
This March, various departments and offices sponsored the speaking engagement of Judy Shepard, mother of slain gay student Mathew Shepard. An overflow audience of town and college individuals attended.
In summation the campus has developed a promising practice that has gone beyond the boundaries of the college, into the community to make the issue of hate crime and intolerance one that can be openly discussed. The Boston Globe has agreed to assist us in locating more speakers for future programs.
