Attendance:
Paul Wang
Anyi Sun
Kaya Patel
Mundo Ortiz Alvarez
Cash Reynolds
Zahren York
Elliott Ewell
Angelica Gordon
Temi Agunloye
Nyla Danzy
Ollie Tannahil
Timmy Ignacio
Sachin Maharaj
Brandon Lozano Garay
Eman Okyere
Abigail Martin
Danielle Lancaster
Alex Kruse
Sadie New
Alejandro Ramos
John Donoghue
Harper Stevenson
Melissa Su
Camila Eljuri
Eisa Rafat
Liliana Restrepo
President Zaki and Dean Lohmann were in attendance to speak with students. Many students outside of BSG joined.
- President Zaki said that she is generally against releasing statements. She finds them parsed and as though they don’t necessarily reflect the views of everyone/the institution
- Rather, she would like to create spaces for dialogue, support, and education among students
- Cash: How do we envision that space happening?
- Dean Lohmann: Things such as the teach-in today
- A student asked if students would be granted protection by the college if necessary during this time.
- Dean Lohmann – Yes, this is something we are actively discussing with safety and security
- Harper: Some acknowledgement, even if not a statement, may be appreciated by the student body
- Another student asked if protections will extend to faculty as well
- Yes
- A student expressed concern over media misinformation during this time
- Dean Lohmann: There are plans to have a talk on that
- Paul: What events would warrant a statement from you? What about issues such as abortion or affirmative action, for example?
- President Zaki: Would speak on SCOTUS striking down affirmative action because it relates to the core function of the institution
- Dean Lohmann: There are plans for other events such as a vigil organized by ResLife
- Cash: ResLife is organizing this vigil so as to shift the burden off from other groups; it is a meaningful way to express pain
- Students expressed the fact that Bowdoin holds a great amount of institutional power as a wealthy liberal arts college. Releasing a statement could be powerful and lead other institutions to follow suit
- Eisa: There is power behind your position, and I encourage you to lean into that
- Other students encouraged President Zaki to release something, even if just an acknowledgment of current events and a guide to some resources during this time
- Students expressed that this is not a time to be apolitical when these matters are inherently political
- Benje Douglas, Senior Vice President for Inclusion and Diversity, was in attendance. He discussed how dialogue can be a radical thing