The Social Justice Initiative Statement November 6 2007

The Social Justice Initiative Statement

The Social Justice Initiative is a coalition of students dedicated to improving the experience, treatment, and interaction of marginalized groups and individuals on campus. The Initiative promotes interaction and awareness among all Hamilton College students. The ten organizations listed on the back of this page are represented in the Initiative. We need your help, administrators and professors, to implement change. Please join our mission in cultivating, enhancing, and enriching our shared campus community with improvements within its climate.

We charge the College to live up to its stated purpose and goals: “Above all, students should develop respect for intellectual and cultural diversity because such respect promotes free and open inquiry, independent thought and mutual understanding” (Course Catalogue 5). These words must be validated through their immediate application. Hamilton must strengthen its commitment to diversity in the following three areas: curriculum, institution, and structure. The Social Justice Initiative has formed committees to address these issues.

Curriculum: Contact: Corinne Bancroft
1. Hamilton’s curriculum should better reflect the diversity of its student body and of foreign cultures. As an institution that dedicates itself to the “intellectual and personal development of students,” Hamilton should reevaluate the distribution of courses to ensure that students have insight into anything outside of the western tradition (Course Catalogue 5). College 130, for example, is a step in the right direction. A Diversity Intensive Requirement (which would work like a writing intensive requirement) is necessary. This requirement would give students freedom to learn about diversity in whichever department they feel most comfortable. A large number of courses that would fulfill this requirement already exists.
2. A diversity/ deconstructing privilege component needs to be added to the agenda of the freshman orientation.

Institution: Contact: Kate Hails
1. The hiring and retaining of diverse faculty and staff is essential to students’ “respect for intellectual and cultural diversity.”
2. The definition of hate crimes and hate speech need clarification. Many students are unaware of these occurrences and the significance of these words and actions. Therefore, we need a Grievance Committee to address such incidents.
3. Both student leaders and professors should receive some level of diversity/ sensitivity training.

Structure: Contact: Stephanie Tafur
1. Legitimate Cultural Center— as outlined in a proposal given to Nancy Thompson, this space would physically demonstrate Hamilton’s commitment to diversity. Since the buildings and spaces at Hamilton reflect the men that funded them, they perpetuate the exclusive stereotype of rich white men. A cultural center will celebrate diversity and cultures that are currently underrepresented on campus. This space will offer students of all colors and backgrounds a forum to learn about and recognize unacknowledged histories and will be more inviting to students who do not necessarily fit the previously mentioned dominant Hamilton image.
2. The Afro-Latin Cultural Center: immediate renovation is necessary to satisfy the needs of current cultural organizations and students while the new space is being constructed.

For more information please contact the coordinating committee of the Social Justice Initiative:

Stephanie Tafur 2010
Robyn Gibson 2010
Corinne Bancroft 2010
Young Kwon 2010
Alex Benkhart 2010
Melissa Young 2009
Sakhile Matlhare 2010
Kate Hails 2010
Kye Lippold 2010

Black Student Union: contact: Byron Johnson
On behalf of the Black Student Union, we are in full support of the Social Justice Initiative Committee. Many of the goals outlined by SJI (e.g. renovating the ALCC to kept its historical significance alive and have adequate computers upstairs, a multicultural building, etc.) would specifically affect BSU and many organizations. I believe what we want, as a student body, is not a burden. It should not be a burden. There should not be any reasons as to why we pay all this money to go here and a building that is used beyond what the norm wants to believe, is not supported with adequate computers from Hamilton.


La Vanguardia: contact: Stephanie Tafur

The Brothers:

Rainbow Alliance: contact: Kristy Colombine
The members of the Hamilton College Rainbow Alliance support the efforts of the Social Justice Initiative, and appreciate the attention that they are bringing to the issues of diversity and acceptance on campus. Members of Rainbow regularly participate in SJI meetings and activities and support the organization's actions.

Womyn’s Center: contact: Grace Dobbyn
The Womyn's Center is one of Hamilton's oldest activist organizations, and its members support the actions and ideals of the Social Justice Initiative. SJI addresses concerns that are relevant and pertain to all members of the college community and we are glad that this organization is bringing attention to the issues of diversity and acceptance at Hamilton.

West Indian African Association:

Asian Cultural Society: contact: Ranga Kotani

Muslim Student Union: contact: Abdelwahab Abdelghany (aabdelgh@hamilton.edu)
As President of the Muslim Student Association, I support and agree with SJI’s goals. As a representative in SJI, I will work closely to make sure that SJI’s goals are ultimately carried out for the betterment of the Hamilton community as a whole.

International Students Association:

Multicultural Student Ambassador Program: contact: Abdelwahab Abdelghany
My name is Abdelwahab Abdelghany; I am the head of the Multicultural Student ambassador program. I am writing to make clear that the student ambassadors as well as the admission office agree, support, and believe that all of SJI’s goals should be carried out in order to make the Ambassador program stronger.