Today the results of the Campus Climate survey were presented. Sue Rankin presented the results of campus wide survey focusing on minority/majority issues. She described the four main challenges on campus as: “Racism, Elitism, Sexism, Heterosexism.”

Like many other students, my first reaction was “Well, duh.” It’s obvious that any institution like Carleton grapples with these issues. I walked away from the initial presentation wondering why the administration spends such exorbitant amounts of money for such forgone conclusions.

However, there was a Q and A session with Rankin tonight where a group of maybe 30 students discussed the results with Rankin and talked about where to go from here. This meeting was much straight-forward and ultimately more powerful.

“You can’t help but be racist because you grow up in a racist culture,” Rankin told the crowd of students, many of them leaders on campus. “Your behavior is shaped by the values instilled by you.”

One student pointed out that 45% of students surveyed said they have seen instances of harassment, but around 80% said they were “satisfied” or “highly satisfied” with the campus climate. What does this tell us? It’s good that a high percentage of students recognize harassment, but many of them don’t care or don’t think it’s effecting the campus climate.

Why do so many students of color and queer students are seriously consider leaving Carleton? Why do they describe a a difference in the image Admissions projects and the reality when they arrive on campus?

If you want to look at Elitism on campus, just look at who works campus jobs and who doesn’t. If you’re paying full price for Carleton, you don’t need to work a campus job because its not part of your scholarships.

How do we address these problems institutionally?

Rankin recommends a class for freshmen in which they read Critical Race Theory and books about white privilege. A class which can be a venue for these kinds of discussions to take place among the students who will be part the campus body for the next four years. (This point echoed the discussions Carleton has about its Recognition and Affirmation of Difference requirement.)

These are just a few scattered thoughts that came up, but the real question was, where do we go from here?

How do we address these problems individually?

Rankin urged those in the room to take the message into social circles. “You want to know the scary thing?” Rankin asked. “You’re doing it to yourselves,” meaning that harassment against students is carried out most often by students.

“Why discuss these issues at student groups where everyone already gets it?” Discussions of privilege and power are harder to ignore when trusted peers bring them up.

Rankin made an even clearer call to action against sexual violence. As Rankin said, “We have a rape culture on college campuses.” 34 students (2% of respondents) in the survey reported that they had been the victims of sexual assault.

Today I woke up to find the sidewalk covered in chalk denouncing the administration’s response to reported sexual violence. There are many groups on campus trying to raise the issue, but the concerns often fall on deaf ears. Students out partying don’t take the issue seriously.

It’s easy to speak sincerely about these issues but much harder to act on them. Today I was sitting in the lounge and a student who was exhausted after coming up the stairs said, “The stairs are racist against white people.” How am I supposed to respond to that? I didn’t say anything. I probably wouldn’t even have noticed it had it been said yesterday.

I feel like I’ve got a lot on my plate, but I plan to read as much as I can of the full report. Please visit the site and take a look at the summary.