Hundreds Gather for Community Meeting to Speak About Racism on Campus

By Jocelyn Grzeszczak and Eileen Pomeroy
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Originally posted in The Collegian

Several students shared their experiences Thursday evening at a community meeting called in response to the recent racist incidents on campus, as well as what many called a “long-running culture” of racism fostered both within the University of Richmond and the U.S. 

Around 450 students, faculty members and staff members gathered at 6 p.m. in the Alice Haynes Room in Tyler Haynes Commons for the event, formally titled “No Room for Hate.” More than 200 others gathered in overflow spaces in the Commons to watch the event, which was also livestreamed, said University President Ronald A. Crutcher, who called for Thursday’s meeting. 

“I want you to know, how — and my wife will get upset with me if I use an expletive — but I’m really angry. I’m mad as hell,” Crutcher said. “Because we’ve been working really, really hard at this university to assure that everyone who comes here, regardless of what country they come from, what part of this country they come from, what their race is, what their sexual orientation is — whatever — that everyone can thrive here at the University of Richmond.

“When things like this happen, it makes me realize how much more work we have to do.”

Students raise their hands to indicate that there are available seats near them before the start of the community meeting on Jan. 30. Photo by Caroline Fernandez of The Collegian

Campus leaders such as Keith McIntosh, vice president for Information Services and chief information officer; Glyn Hughes, director of the Office of Common Ground; Mia Reinoso Genoni, dean of Westhampton College; and Patricia Herrera, a theater professor and member of the Interim Coordinating Council for Thriving, Inclusion, Diversity and Equity, helped moderate the discussion.

The leaders stressed that they wanted to hear from students only, even asking faculty members and staff members to move back and let students take the front rows instead.

“I’m here with my facilitators, and we want to say something right now, very clearly,” Genoni said. “We know that we have failed, and that we have to do better, and that is why we are here tonight.” 

Students shared their stories in two-minute increments, calling for action from the administration and student body. 

Many students discussed how they thought that UR’s marketing had encouraged them to attend the university by promising that diverse and welcoming communities had been established on campus. 

But when they actually arrived, they found a different reality.

“Why is it that we are being treated as an add-on, instead of an important, and integrated, part of this campus?” said first-year Elijah Michel. “I am sick and tired of being tokenized. I’m sick and tired of being marketed on the website of Richmond so that we can get more people of color to come to our school so we can fill our racial quotas.”