Page 018 |
Previous | 18 of 569 | Next |
|
|
This page
All
|
Campus Climate
and Diversity
California State University, Fresno is not
immune to issues of racial and gender
intolerance that have surfaced across the
country. These issues are very important
to us and we are committed to improving
our university climate.
As a university community, we have taken
steps to become more sensitive to issues
of race and gender. We must continue
to be vigilant and not tolerate improper
behavior that is motivated and directed at
individuals or groups based solely on these
criteria. I would like to underscore the
fact that this type of wrongful behavior
will not be tolerated on our campus. Any
instance of this kind, or any that intends
to abridge the rights of anyone on campus,
will be investigated and the appropriate
action taken, including legal action when
necessary.
As a university, we have the clear obliga-tion
to ensure equal access and oppor-tunity
for all to participate in education
and university life, whether as students,
faculty, or staff. We need everyone’s
participation in our efforts to promote
an atmosphere of understanding and
cooperation that is free from bigotry and
intolerance.
In closing, let me direct your attention
to the statement in the next column that
I fully endorse.
John D. Welty, President
The California State University reflects
California’s rich cultural diversity. The
varied backgrounds of students, faculty,
and staff enrich the university’s intellectual
life and create its unique community.
While the university views diversity as a
great source of its strength, some people
on campus, as elsewhere in society, feel
threatened by those who are different and
act in disregard of the personal dignity
and rights of others. Discrimination and
harassment have no place in a university
community. They limit the educational
aspirations of students, interfere with
the performance of faculty and staff, and
damage the environment of tolerance
and mutual regard that must prevail for a
university to fulfill its mission.
The university is therefore committed to
maintaining an environment free from
discrimination and harassment. To fulfill
this commitment, the university will work to
prevent discrimination from occurring and
will ensure that federal and state laws as
well as university regulations prohibiting
discrimination are fully enforced.
Demeaning and gratuitously offensive
conduct sometimes takes expressive
forms that, although repugnant, cannot
be prohibited or punished. Both the First
Amendment to the Constitution of the
United States and Article I, Section 2 of
the California Constitution restrict the
university’s power to limit free speech.
To do so, even in the case of speech
that is offensive and demeaning, would
undermine basic principles of discourse
fundamental to any university.
As an educational institution, the university
will use its intellectual and persuasive
powers to discourage offensive and
harassing speech from occurring and to
encourage civil exchange. The university
will attempt to teach its students and
employees to listen as well as to speak,
and to do both with an open mind. This
is consistent with the university’s mission
to foster dialogue that educates students
and prepares them for effective citizenship.
The mission requires respect for differing
viewpoints, but does not give license
for demeaning language and harassing
behavior that stifle free exchange of
ideas and compromise the university’s
educational goals.
Respect throughout the university for the
dignity and rights of others, including the
right to be free from discrimination and
harassment and the right to speak freely,
is essential to creating and maintaining an
environment conducive to learning.
— From Campus Climate: Toward Appreciating
Diversity, a report prepared for the CSU, 1990.
California State University Fresno named
Ashley DeFranco, a criminology student,
as 2008 President Medalist. DeFranco,
who represents the College of Social
Science, earned her B.S. in Criminology
and a minor in philosophy with a 4.0
grade point average.
Every semester since she started college,
DeFranco has been on the President’s
List. A hard-working and bright student,
DeFranco is a founding member of the
Criminology Honors Program. Recently,
she was elected president for both Phi
Alpha Delta, a law fraternity, and the
Political Science Association.
The President’s Medal winner, one of two
that designate the university’s top students,
is selected from the nine undergraduate
Dean’s Medalists who represent the
academic colleges and schools and the
Division of Student Affairs.
Diversity
18 2009-2010 California State University, Fresno General Catalog
Object Description
| Title | 2009-10 General Catalog |
| Creator | California State University, Fresno |
| Format | PDF Document |
| Date of publication | 2009-05 |
| Subjects | California State University, Fresno. Curricula. Catalogs |
| Object type | Document |
| Location | Fresno, California |
| Language | eng |
Description
| Title | Page 018 |
| Full Text Search | Campus Climate and Diversity California State University, Fresno is not immune to issues of racial and gender intolerance that have surfaced across the country. These issues are very important to us and we are committed to improving our university climate. As a university community, we have taken steps to become more sensitive to issues of race and gender. We must continue to be vigilant and not tolerate improper behavior that is motivated and directed at individuals or groups based solely on these criteria. I would like to underscore the fact that this type of wrongful behavior will not be tolerated on our campus. Any instance of this kind, or any that intends to abridge the rights of anyone on campus, will be investigated and the appropriate action taken, including legal action when necessary. As a university, we have the clear obliga-tion to ensure equal access and oppor-tunity for all to participate in education and university life, whether as students, faculty, or staff. We need everyone’s participation in our efforts to promote an atmosphere of understanding and cooperation that is free from bigotry and intolerance. In closing, let me direct your attention to the statement in the next column that I fully endorse. John D. Welty, President The California State University reflects California’s rich cultural diversity. The varied backgrounds of students, faculty, and staff enrich the university’s intellectual life and create its unique community. While the university views diversity as a great source of its strength, some people on campus, as elsewhere in society, feel threatened by those who are different and act in disregard of the personal dignity and rights of others. Discrimination and harassment have no place in a university community. They limit the educational aspirations of students, interfere with the performance of faculty and staff, and damage the environment of tolerance and mutual regard that must prevail for a university to fulfill its mission. The university is therefore committed to maintaining an environment free from discrimination and harassment. To fulfill this commitment, the university will work to prevent discrimination from occurring and will ensure that federal and state laws as well as university regulations prohibiting discrimination are fully enforced. Demeaning and gratuitously offensive conduct sometimes takes expressive forms that, although repugnant, cannot be prohibited or punished. Both the First Amendment to the Constitution of the United States and Article I, Section 2 of the California Constitution restrict the university’s power to limit free speech. To do so, even in the case of speech that is offensive and demeaning, would undermine basic principles of discourse fundamental to any university. As an educational institution, the university will use its intellectual and persuasive powers to discourage offensive and harassing speech from occurring and to encourage civil exchange. The university will attempt to teach its students and employees to listen as well as to speak, and to do both with an open mind. This is consistent with the university’s mission to foster dialogue that educates students and prepares them for effective citizenship. The mission requires respect for differing viewpoints, but does not give license for demeaning language and harassing behavior that stifle free exchange of ideas and compromise the university’s educational goals. Respect throughout the university for the dignity and rights of others, including the right to be free from discrimination and harassment and the right to speak freely, is essential to creating and maintaining an environment conducive to learning. — From Campus Climate: Toward Appreciating Diversity, a report prepared for the CSU, 1990. California State University Fresno named Ashley DeFranco, a criminology student, as 2008 President Medalist. DeFranco, who represents the College of Social Science, earned her B.S. in Criminology and a minor in philosophy with a 4.0 grade point average. Every semester since she started college, DeFranco has been on the President’s List. A hard-working and bright student, DeFranco is a founding member of the Criminology Honors Program. Recently, she was elected president for both Phi Alpha Delta, a law fraternity, and the Political Science Association. The President’s Medal winner, one of two that designate the university’s top students, is selected from the nine undergraduate Dean’s Medalists who represent the academic colleges and schools and the Division of Student Affairs. Diversity 18 2009-2010 California State University, Fresno General Catalog |
