After attending a very disappointing community forum yesterday, one issue has emerged that is more urgent than all others: Wesleyan MUST hire an outside mediator to facilitate dialogue on this campus. What has been shown beyond doubt is that the students and the administration at Wesleyan are utterly incapable of responsibly facilitating and engaging in constructive dialogue.
The students have failed just as miserably as the administration has at this task. I propose two solutions: first, the Wesleyan administration should provide the funds to hire an outside mediator (or organization) that will responsibly and respectfully facilitate discussions and negotiations on campus. Second, President Bennet and all of his senior staff should provide a time when a committee of students can meet on a regular (bi-monthly) basis to touch-base, providing a direct and regular line of communication between senior administrators and students. I demand that the administration show its support for open dialogue by providing funds for a third-party to get involved in leading discussions on campus, as well as by providing a regular meeting time with all senior administrators.
I also urge the students to take the lead in creating a committee that will meet with the senior administrators regularly. Yesterday’s meeting was a disaster, and I hold the administration and the students equally accountable, but this can, and must, be fixed immediately.
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