To Help Combat Racism, Kansas State U. Will Cancel Classes (for 2 Hours)

Kansas State U.

Kansas State University has seen such a steady stream of racially charged incidents this semester that administrators are taking the unprecedented step of canceling all classes and closing campus offices for two hours on Tuesday to encourage people to attend an event promoting diversity.

Administrators said they wanted to do something positive, to take control of the conversation. Participants will first take part in a Unity Walk to Anderson Hall, the main administrative building, and then participate in KSUnite, a diversity program to discuss inclusion, race, and race relations.

“We want to lead the narrative,” said Jeffery B. Morris, vice president for communications and marketing. “We want to come out and say this drip, drip, drip of attacks is wearing us down, and we’re going to stand up and say we’re going to push back as a community and as a campus. We’re not going to let other people define our values.”

This year a noose was found hanging on the campus and racist fliers were posted. This week the Riley County Police Department reported that a parked car near the campus had been painted by its owner with racial slurs and was a hoax, not a genuine racist incident.

One specific incident did not prompt the diversity event, Mr. Morris said. Administrators just wanted to make a statement in the hope of preventing more racial incidents on the campus, and to give the community a chance to reflect on past incidents.

The last time classes were canceled for reasons unrelated to inclement weather was in 1916, for a university field day, Mr. Morris said.

Other colleges have sought to organize in opposition to white-supremacist rhetoric and speakers. When Richard B. Spencer, a prominent white supremacist, spoke at Texas A&M University at College Station and at the University of Florida, those institutions hosted similar events to promote diversity and inclusion. But administrators at Kansas State didn’t want to wait for a controversial speaker or another hate incident to hold the diversity event, Mr. Morris said.

Brian Lindshield, an associate professor in the department of food, nutrition, dietetics, and health, and president of the Faculty Senate, said tension had risen on the campus over the series of hate incidents. Next week’s event sends a message to members of the campus community that “we’re better than this,” he said.

Despite interference with their classes, faculty members largely support the event, Mr. Lindshield said.

“Part of what faculty are excited about this event is that it’s proactive, you know, rather than waiting to have to react to something negative, and these negative type of events are happening across the country,” he said.

The student-body president and the president of the Black Student Union will host the event, and Richard B. Myers, the university’s president, will speak about how the campus and community can be more united.

Jack Ayres, the student-body president, said he hoped students would leave the event with a new sense of community and awareness. He wants students, particularly those who have not been affected by the racist incidents, to be inspired to speak up for their fellow students.

Fernanda Zamudio-Suaréz is a breaking-news reporter. Follow her on Twitter @FernandaZamudio, or email her at fzamudiosuarez@chronicle.com.