Enough is Enough
Chris Banyas
Editor-in-Chief
I received an email from the ISU Office of the President a little over a day ago, which expressed the feelings of President Arthur C. Vailas on the events surrounding the recent anti-Islamic actions taken and messages left against students of that religion at ISU and in Pocatello.
These are actions intended to incite fear, inflict pain, and communicate hate. In short, they are hate crimes, and must be addressed as such now, and not later. Directly, and not indirectly.
“As you know, the safety and security and wellbeing, both physical and mental, of our students are our preeminent focus.”
This is presumably why, among other things, Vailas himself “wrote” a letter to address the situation rather than appearing in person to do so.
I use quotations because it is my opinion that Vailas himself had little to nothing to do with the letter which wormed its way into my inbox.
I find the tactic of addressing the situation from a faceless letter cowardly, and totally in line with past actions the president has exhibited.
If, in “your words” you care so much about this situation and students in general, why was a press conference scheduled for NEXT MONDAY, especially when this chain of events has evolved since beginning and could very well escalate between now and then?
I also find it extremely insulting personally, and on behalf of my foreign classmates that the letter concludes with this: “Most importantly, please help us reach out to our international students, especially, our students from Kuwait and Saudi Arabia. Let them know that we want them to stay. In the ISU Student Handbook, I remarked that, ‘In addition to being scholars in the classroom and laboratories, our students are making a difference both here and abroad.’ Our international students will carry messages home about what America and Americans are like. Many will become important business and civic leaders who will influence others’ perceptions of America.”
So, again, rather than attempt to get out in front of this situation, Vailas does two things: 1) he places the responsibility upon students of ISU to make sure our foreign classmates feel welcome (which is something that the vast majority were already doing anyway), and 2) he is sure to point out that he made the extreme effort of including a passage in his student handbook about how much importance he attaches to these students, which in my opinion is a slimy way to dodge any responsibility that might come his way. And one that I refuse to let slide by without comment.
I find it ironic that, in Vailas’ own words, these students will “carry messages home about what America and Americans are like.” I can only imagine that one of the first things they will tell their friends and family upon returning home will be that the president of their university cared so much about them that he addressed hate crimes committed against them in a letter.
Has Vailas been seen taking the time to speak with any of our foreign students? Has he gone out of his way to personally reassure them that the university, and specifically himself, the figurehead of ISU, is actively engaged in working to protect them?
It does not appear that way.
Of course solidarity is important. Of course the actions of a few should be condemned. Of course we as students need to go out of our way to make sure that everyone feels welcome, safe, and valued. Of course the majority of students will work to help our foreign classmates.
It is a true shame that the person in perhaps the position of the most power to do the most good in this situation decided to “write a letter.”
This is perhaps the greatest crisis that Idaho State University has faced, at least in my time here and perhaps beyond, a crisis that demands direct management.
And certainly it is a difficult situation, but that does not excuse this flaccid response from the administration. Just because something is difficult should not be an excuse for mismanagement, especially in light of the compensation these people receive for the positions they hold.
President Vailas gets paid in excess of $300,000 a year, presumably to, in situations like this, address a crisis that could turn into an incident with global consequences, if it has not already.
And his response is something that could have been done without getting out of bed.
If you don’ want to get out of bed, don’t want to address the situation appropriately, don’t’ want to SHOW how much you care, then perhaps you should resign.
So do all you can, because in my opinion, you are embarking on a noble journey, and doing the right thing without the support of the president of your university, indeed despite the failings of the administration.
Many students have already begun planning events and activities to show their solidarity, rather than talk about it, and it is my opinion that this is one of the most important facets of this conversation: SHOW our foreign classmates that they are welcome, do not just talk about it. SHOW the bigots, racists, sexists and anyone who chooses to be intolerant that they have no place here.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VdeDCm3Xu3Q
Fast and Dead
Shelbie Harris
News Editor
Before Michael Levine wrote “Guerilla P.R. 2.0,” he spent a total of 25 years working undercover for four federal agencies. In his introductory public relations book used to teach students the essential skills for PR campaigns, he said two speeds exist in the world of today’s mass media – fast and dead.
In light of recent events that have occurred at ISU regarding our international student population, I am terribly disappointed and not the least bit surprised as the story continues to snowball. I feel bad for those who understand that we live in a highly technologically advanced society.
This society is global. It exists outside the walls of ISU, outside the limits of Pocatello and outside the borders of every continent.
Six months ago, The Bengal featured an article about Saudi Arabian and Kuwaiti students leaving ISU because of maltreatment. In that article, Former International Programs Office Director, Maria Fletcher, explained that Arabic students felt mistreated and were leaving to schools in California, Virginia and New York.
“There is a lack of understanding in the culture, not from students, but from faculty and staff,” she said.
I disagree with her statement and would go as far to say that the entire city of Pocatello was not prepared for the influx of international students from one particular region of the globe. The unpreparedness scaled the gamut including professors, students (both foreign and domestic), property owners, car dealerships, bars and restaurants.
Within weeks, Maria Fletcher no longer filled her previous capacity and following a brief stint in the Division of Health Sciences, she was no longer an employee of ISU at all.
ISU made national news with a front-page article in the New York Times on March 22 explaining the tumultuous relationship between the university and the Middle Eastern community. This relationship included claims of discrimination, accounts of cheating and terrorist accusations. Less than two weeks later, April 4, a slew of DVDs containing anti-Muslim propaganda littered the parking lots.
An article in The Bengal’s April 13 issue explained the situation in detail and ISU Marketing and Communications (MarComm) issued a response in the form of a press release followed by an official statement from the Office of The President at 6:38 that evening.
All the while, the Idaho State Journal is consistently speaking to individuals, writing stories and informing the public. Many people complained the Times framed a one-sided narrative. If I understand it right, a great public relations team has one option: work fast or die. I am not, by any means blaming MarComm.
This entire situation should have never evolved into the colossal nightmare that both ISU and Pocatello face together. I understand crisis like these are unpredictable, and it is an uphill battle when they do explode. However, I cannot fathom the idea that someone did not see this coming. Someone should have had the foresight to put some type of contingency plan in place.
Internally, ISU has a disenfranchised relationship between not only the faculty and administration, but I know many students share this relationship. Students come to learn, faculty come to teach or conduct research and the administration are supposed to be the ones who hold it all together. This is not how ISU operates and it is beyond frustrating as someone who loves this town and this school.
More importantly, Vailas and members of his administration, the people who should have the most concern for ISU, have disenfranchised the entire ISU community from the city of Pocatello. I know of countless groups that feel ostracized.
The issues ISU faces on a consistent basis, be it a presidents house, which I am fully aware how much MarComm knew of at the time, or a medical school, or a tuition-lock program, are because our leadership would rather be reactive than proactive. ISU is in dire need of a single breath of transparency and I feel that breath will come from someone who can stack the books and lead an institution.
I do not live in a college town. I live in a town with a college in it, and to many that college is second-rate compared to others in the state. Is there truth to that statement, possibly, but you would have to first find a metric to determine such comparisons.
I absolutely disagree. However, no matter the veracity of a situation if the perception of a situation exists, then does it really matter if that situation has truth to it or not?
How long will the media control the narrative? The media perpetuates a story once it hits the shelves, or goes online. It is not going away, there is no “taking it down.”
Firing those who decide to speak the truth, trying to suppress those who decide to expose the issues and responding to critical issues in the form of emailed communication and press releases is archaic. If something does not give, then eventually those who truly care and those who love ISU wholeheartedly, will eventually give up. Two speeds, fast and dead.
