Iowa State University students debate ‘more inclusive campus’

AMES - Fear, frustration, misinformation, and lack of education are issues that need addressing at Iowa State University, students said Tuesday night during a town-hall meeting focused on 'creating a more inclusive campus.”

'I am part of the Arab Students Association and since the elections a lot of my club members have reached out to me saying, ‘What's going to happen now?'” ISU junior Mohamed Abufalgha, 22, said during the town hall attended by more than 100 students, faculty, and staff.

'I honestly - same as many of you - I have no answer,” Abufalgha said. 'Especially for students who are really concerned being Middle Easterns and being Muslims at the same time - with all the hate.”

Iowa State, along with University of Iowa and other campuses across the state and nation, have reported a rise in racist and hate-related rhetoric and incidents this election season - both before and after the victory for Republican Donald Trump.

White supremacist fliers have been found on both the ISU and UI campuses, and students have reported race-related vandalism and speech. One ISU student reported on social media being verbally assailed with chants of 'build the wall, build the wall,” while standing in line at a local pizza restaurant.

'I personally and a lot of my club members are really scared of things that might happen,” Abufalgha said Tuesday.

He, and others who spoke at the town hall, offered suggestions to navigating this time of racial tension and political change.

'We really want everyone on campus to work with us,” he said. 'We should all work together to prevent such acts and prevent assaults - not just against Muslims, not just against Arabs, but against everyone.”

ISU student senator Eric Schultz challenged his peers to hold themselves accountable for the words they say and the relationships they build. Student Senator Carter McNew urged minority students to talk with those who behave offensively.

'I would encourage you, instead of shutting your doors to people who maybe say something not PC, educate them rather than hate them,” he said.

But Tasha Hill, an ISU sophomore, took issue with that directive. She said minorities on predominantly white campuses - like those in Iowa - deal with racism daily and don't need to add educating their peers to their to-do list.

'When you ask me to just all the sudden open my arms and accept you and try to educate you on racism, you are taking energy away from my day, when I should be studying or focusing on school,” Hill said. 'I understand that people want us to be open and talk about this. But students of color face a huge problem when we're juggling all these different things, and we're expected to solve racism.”

She suggested reading a diverse collection of literature, for starters.

'Educate yourself,” she said. 'We have Google.”

One ISU student, Che Ariffin, said he doesn't want to downplay discrimination community members feel and the importance of righting those wrongs. But he also urged people to share good news and stories about the positive action happening across campus.

'I feel accepted on this campus,” Ariffin said. 'I'm an international student. I'm from Malaysia. I'm a Muslim as well. So, postelection, there's a lot of things that I should feel. There's a lot of things I should be aware of … But things go on as usual for me because I have very good friends - a very supportive group of people around me.”

When discussing measures the student body, student government, and administration can take to improve the ISU campus, one student suggested amending the curriculum. For starters, one of his political science courses on international relations didn't address Africa.

'I do not feel as if African history is even represented,” said ISU sophomore Titus Kinyea. 'Please help us with this. Because it is basically a white education, and I do not feel like other places … especially Africa, are represented in the curriculum.”

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