Response: June 18, 2009

Today an email from Dr. Rusty Barceló was distributed by the dance office specialist to the dancemajors email listserv only:

Date: Thu, 18 Jun 2009 08:41:36 -0500
From: Jessica Crary
To: dancemajors@cla.umn.edu
Cc: Ananya Chatterjea ,
chapi001@umn.edu

Subject: [Dancemajors] From Dr. Rusty Barceló

Dear Dance Program Students,

Over the past few weeks, the Office for Equity and Diversity staff have had the opportunity to meet with various groups and individuals to discuss the THIS protest in the Dance Program. We also would like the opportunity to meet with a broader range of students in the Dance Program to gain your perspectives about any aspect of the protest and/or the Program.

I would like to invite you to participate in a meeting set for Friday, June 26, 2009 from 11:30 am - 1:00 pm in room 432 Morrill Hall. For those of you unable to attend in person, we are making it possible for you to participate via a conference call. Please contact Celest Miller by Wednesday, June 24th at 612-626-9836 or mill3761@umn.edu to set up a conference call connection.

We are aware that the timing of this is not ideal and not many students are on campus right now. However, we believe it is important to gain as many voices as possible in order to determine future directions. I hope that you will be able to participate on some level.


Dr. Rusty Barceló
Vice President and Vice Provost
Office for Equity and Diversity

Response: May 15, 2009

We received an email from the Office for Equity and Diversity, with the following text of the letter that was distributed today on all the dance (dance, dance majors, dance musicians, dance faculty, dance staff) and theater listservs. We will be commenting in our continually updated annotated timeline soon.

Sub: memo from VP Barceló and Dean Parente
Date: May 15, 2009 10:32AM

May 15, 2009


To: Students, staff, and faculty of U of M’s Dance Program and members of the larger community, both locally and nationally

From: Nancy “Rusty” Barceló
Vice President and Vice Provost, Office for Equity and Diversity

James A. Parente, Jr.
Dean, College of Liberal Arts

We are aware that broad-based grave concern exists for a positive resolution to the ongoing protest initiated by a coalition of students within the Dance Program at the University of Minnesota. We are also aware that there is concern that a lack of timely, decisive response has fueled suspicion that the issues raised are not being taken seriously and that a strategy of riding out the criticism until the end of the semester is being deployed by university administrators.

We write to let you know that this is not the case at any level of administration. To be sure, the issues being raised are enormously complex, sensitive, and painful for all involved. None of these are easily addressed or dismissed, and a real solution involves a sustained commitment to working on these issues together. The artistic, political, pedagogical and intellectual work of the Dance Program, and the dedication and commitment of several faculty members to such work, has helped to nurture and create a space where this kind of difficult student-led dialogue can begin. The Dance Program, the College of Liberal Arts, and the Office of Equity and Diversity are working towards a collaborative process that demonstrates commitment from all sides and which takes into account not only the institutional issues that need to be addressed (curricular reform, review of processes, department and institutional environment) but also the deeply emotional wounds experienced by all sides. The wounds that have resulted from the articulation of grievances not only speak to the recent incidences that gave rise to the protest, but they are also, unfortunately, part of the social legacy we all have inherited. In order to reform how we do our work to create a safe, nurturing, and inclusive environment committed to excellence, we need an integrated approach that takes into account all constituents’ needs and concerns. This is no easy task. We need patience and input from all parties involved so we can achieve meaningful and sustainable outcomes. We urge all parties to refrain from making hasty judgments or personalized attacks that might generate injury and pain, thereby undermining the possibilities for productively advancing this dialogue. If we can do this together, the protest and the institutional response can serve as a model for institutional reform.

In order to take steps in this direction, we announce some immediate first steps below. More importantly, we are committed to approaching the upcoming town hall meeting as a workshop that will identify a sustained process for addressing comprehensively all impediments to a healthy community and learning environment, one that is supportive and nurturing of inclusivity and diversity of opinion on complex social issues, including the inherent power dynamics embedded in an educational setting. The steps below are only first steps and not designed to address the range of issues raised by the protest. We ask that all parties involved approach the town hall in a reflective and thoughtful manner that can lead towards pragmatic solutions. While we understand that it may be difficult to refrain from personalizing the issues, we believe it is healthier to approach these challenges from a structural perspective that can lead to sustained change.

Here are actions raised by students, faculty and staff that we propose to act on immediately:

• Provide space for expressions of dissent within the department
• Initiate a process and establish a committee to re-think imagery/symbols on the walls of Barker to signify a commitment to a multi-ethnic dance heritage
• Establish staffed temporary safe zones within the department for students, faculty, staff and community members to express dissent, grievances, and dissatisfaction without fear of recrimination
• Invite the Student Conflict Resolution Center to continue to act as mediator
• Provide program advisors with a regularly updated, comprehensive list of CLA courses that typically have diverse racial/ethnic enrollment
• Provide department faculty with information and training about University policies on student confidentiality and privacy
• Make small-grant funds available to support the Peers and Student Dance Coalition to hold student-only meetings to discuss issues
• Continue to make students aware, on a regular basis, of campus resources to address eating disorders, depression, and other difficulties, etc.
• Make students aware of all the ways they can communicate grievances about the department and/or faculty
• Continue to have active student representation on faculty hiring committees
• Make available to students the departmental organizational chart and roles of the faculty and staff
• Disseminate agendas in advance of town hall meetings; establish a system for requesting agenda items and disseminate minutes to students, faculty, and staff after town hall meetings
• Share casting policies and timelines in writing with students before auditions
• Make a public statement in writing regarding the steps that the department is taking to build and sustain an ongoing dialogue about its policies and practices
• Communicate publicly about the next steps to be addressed after the May 19 workshop.

If you are a University of Minnesota community member that believes you have experienced problems that need to be addressed the following resources are available to you:

• Administration of the Department of Theatre Arts and Dance and Dance Program
• Office of Equal Opportunity and Affirmative Action
• Student Conflict Resolution Center
• Office for Conflict Resolution
• Office of the Dean, College of Liberal Arts

We very much appreciate your willingness to participate in working collectively with us to address the necessary changes to ensure a mutually supportive and inclusive environment in the Dance Program.

Response: May 7, 2009

We received an email from a concerned dance student (who wished to remain anonymous) to inform us that they witnessed the dance program specialist removing the protest postings on the glass walls of the Barker even before the building officially opened. On multiple occasions the program specialist has confirmed this verbally as well, explaining that she is doing her job by enforcing the university policy on indoor posting.

Since the wholescale removal of the protest on April 5, protest postings have been removed five times, each time before or within minutes of the building officially opening at 8am. To date, there is still no administrative acknowledgment of any involvement in the removal of the protest materials.

We have updated our annotated timeline on the May 7 entry with our responses relating to this.

Response: May 5, 2009

The following email was sent from Carl Flink's email and cosigned by Carl Flink and Dr. Ananya Chatterjea to theater, dance, and faculty/staff listservs, and cc'd to Josh Casper, Dr. Louis Mendoza, Dr. Rickey Hall, Dr. Barceló, Dr. Jim Parente, Dr. Richa Nagar, and Dr. Ananya Chatterjea:

Sub: Update on May 19 Town Hall Meeting on Equity and Difference
Date: May 5, 2009 10:43 AM

Dear All:

The department faculty, CLA and OED understand that May 19 from 10-noon is not an optimal time for students, staff or faculty to meet but dates during the last week of classes also presented serious scheduling problems. We are going to go forward with the May 19 meeting. It is important for everyone to understand that this is simply a next step in this dialogue and that it will be followed by more steps laid out in an action plan for the department that this town hall meeting will help develop.

In order to facilitate as many voices from students, staff and faculty being heard in this process Josh Casper from the University Student Conflict Resolution Center will gather suggested agenda items and future action steps via e-mail at caspe052@umn.edu. He will redact any personal information from e-mails if the sender desires to remain anonymous. Josh has also graciously offered to meet in person with anyone who wants to provide input for the May 19 meeting, but is uncomfortable sending it through e-mail. So Josh can collate everything in preparation for the meeting, please send your comments by Monday, May 18 at 9 a.m. Comments and suggestions can also be sent directly to Ananya (ananya@umn.edu) and me (Carl Flink at flink003@umn.edu). We are also willing to meet with anyone who would like to talk in person.

In order to facilitate further posting of any documents related to these dialogues by US or anyone else who desires to do so on this subject and in order to to comply with University indoor posting procedure, a space will be created in both the Rarig Center and Barker Center for postings on an official bulletin board. Postings should have a date on them and be removed by the distributer of the posting seven days after posting date. For more information on the University procedure on indoor posting please go to the following link:

http://policy.umn.edu/groups/ppd/documents/Procedure/DistPubsProc.cfm#indoor

As stated in our previous e-mail about the May 19 town hall meeting:

Vice Provost Barcelo has also generously offered to meet directly with dance program full-time faculty, affiliate faculty members and students to identify specific issues these groups face and would like addressed. These meetings will be planned in the next three weeks or in fall semester if that timing makes more sense.

We look forward to seeing you on May 19 and working with you all in the coming months on these critical and sensitive issues. Because of our students, staff and faculty, we think our department is uniquely positioned to make great progress on these very important matters.

Sincerely,

Carl & Ananya

Click here to read full text and see images.

Response: April 30, 2009

The following email was sent out to the dance and theatre listservs, from Carl Flink's email, co-signed by both Carl Flink and Dr. Ananya Chatterjea.

Sub: Dialogues on Equity and Diversity
Date: April 30, 2009 4:40 PM

Dear TAD Department Faculty, Staff & Students:

On Tuesday morning, Ananya and I had a very positive and constructive conversation with Office for Equity and Diversity (OED) Vice President and Vice Provost Rusty Barcelo, Associate Vice Provost Louis Mendoza and Assistant Vice President Rickey Hall, as well as CLA Dean Jim Parenti and CLA Associate Dean of Faculty Affairs Richa Nagar. The discussion focused on next steps the dance program and our department might take in regards to the issues and suggestions raised by the THIS Protest and department students’ responses to it. We also discussed building on the department’s established and ongoing commitment and activities as a University leader on issues of equity, social justice and difference. We thank the leadership of OED and CLA for their commitment to supporting this process of reflection with their expertise, experience and possible resources if needed.

As the end of the semester is fast approaching and full to bursting with departmental activities, we understand the need to take concrete steps to demonstrate the department’s commitment to a collaborative approach that involves all stakeholders even as our time is somewhat limited. To advance this, we want to schedule some conversations that can help us identify a group of faculty, staff and students as a working group to develop an action plan for next fall and beyond.

After consultation with the OED staff, we will convene another department town hall meeting on Tuesday, May 19 from 10 – 12 p.m. Faculty, students and staffers from throughout the department are invited, however the meeting will be divided into two discussion groups: one will focus specifically on an action plan for the dance program, the second will focus on an action plan for the broader department. The purpose of two conversations is to provide a much needed space for the dance program community to convene to address its specific needs in this process while also facilitating a parallel and supporting dialogue for the department. These meetings will focus on where the program and department should go in the coming year and beyond. These meetings will be team-facilitated by department leaders and OED staff members.

We understand that May 19 is after the academic year has ended, but OED, CLA and we thought that it made more sense to schedule this meeting shortly after students, faculty and staff have completed the business of the academic year.

Vice Provost Barcelo has also generously offered to meet directly with dance program core faculty, affiliate faculty members and students to identify specific issues these groups face and would like addressed. These meetings will be planned in the next three weeks or in fall semester if that timing makes more sense.

We look forward to working with you all in the coming months on these critical and sensitive issues. Because of our students, staff and faculty, we think our department is uniquely positioned to make great progress on these very important matters.

Carl Flink
Chair, Theatre Arts & Dance

Ananya Chatterjea
Director of Dance

Click here to read full text and see images.

Response: April 24, 2009

We were sent an email from Josh Casper, the Ombudsman we have been in communication with, saying he'd been asked if we would be willing to post the the following announcement for a Students of Color meeting to our blog. Since we have been told it is a public announcement that has been sent to the peer advisers to distribute on the dance and theater list serves, we consider it an official university (but not dance program-driven) response, and publish it here as such.

To Students of Color in the Dance Program:

The Multicultural Center for Academic Excellence (MCAE) has been following with interest the “This” protest and its multifaceted range of issues. MCAE is prepared to assist in any constructive way.

We write today to offer a service stemming from one of the issues raised in the second open letter. In the letter it states, “Students of Color and other minority identities should be acknowledged as having to deal with a continual additional burden of being a minority in an unsafe system, and should be provided space where they can safely speak about their experiences, without the burden of assuaging anyone’s guilt, or educating anyone’s ignorance, or being held responsible for generating solutions.”

We would like to provide a space for students to speak to what has been occurring, their experiences, etc. An MCAE staff member will be facilitating a discussion for students of color on Tuesday, April 28th at 3:45 p.m. in 215 Blegen Hall. We know that not all students of color will be able to meet during this time and would be open to identifying additional opportunities if needed.

The meeting isn’t about MCAE supporting or not supporting the protesters. We are aware that some students of color are supportive of the protest and others are not. Instead, this meeting is about creating a space for students of color to talk about their experiences on a predominately white campus. If you have any questions or concerns please feel free to direct those to Josh Casper at caspe052@umn.edu.

Click here to read full text and see images.

Responses: April 20, 2009

We received permission to post the following email, which is a response to our Open Letter to the Office for Equity and Diversity from Dr. Nancy “Rusty” Barceló, Vice President and Vice Provost for Equity and Diversity at the University of Minnesota:

Sub: Re: An Open Letter to the Office for Equity and Diversity
Date: 4/20/2009 7:08 PM

Dear us:

I have been watching with interest the events unfolding within the U of M Dance Program. I, and others on my staff, attended the town hall meeting and offered the services of our office as soon we became aware of the concerns. I am pleased that you have requested our assistance and we stand ready to help in any way we can.

I spoke by phone with Associate Dean for Faculty Affairs Richa Nagar on Friday morning, April 17, 2009 to discuss ideas I had about addressing the complex array of concerns raised by "THIS" protest.

The mission of the Office for Equity and Diversity is to support and enrich the experience of students, staff and faculty on campus by fostering mutual understanding and respect that builds on the strengths and synergy resulting from diverse experiences and perspectives. These values will guide us in our work with all members of the Dance Program.

I believe the most important first-step our office can take is to work with the students, staff, and faculty of the Dance Program to develop a constructive, intentional, and systematic process to address the concerns raised. The multifaceted range of issues that have been identified, including concerns with climate, policies, practices, communication, and governance, require a long-term commitment. Meaningful change requires patience and sustained engagement, the ability to listen and the will to act. I see the potential for our work together to serve as a model that can be used across campus for turning difficult dialogues into an opportunity for creative transformation.

Having said this, I also want to make my office accessible to you in a way that you feel will be most effective to resolve these issues, so I want to work with you to determine where to begin and what direction to take. I suggest we meet (or dialogue in an alternative format of your choosing) as soon as possible to explore how we can best begin the work. I am available Tuesday evening, April 21 or Wednesday, April 22 [time redacted]. I can speak with you alone, or, with two of my colleagues, Louis Mendoza and Rickey Hall, who are also available during those times and either of them could be included in our discussion at your discretion.

If one of the above times would work, please respond to this email. If these times do not work for you, or you wish to propose an alternative form of communication that respects your anonymity, I would ask you to contact, Celest Miller at 626-9836 or mill3761@umn.edu to determine another time for our meeting.

I appreciate that you contacted me directly and that you have taken what you feel is a risk to do so. Please know that we take your concerns very seriously and we will do everything we can to support an outcome that is meaningful and constructive for everyone.

Sincerely,

Nancy “Rusty” Barceló
Vice President and Vice Provost

cc: Josh Casper
Ananya Chatterjea
Carl Flink
Richa Nagar

Response: April 19, 2009

Tonight Carl Flink sent out to the dance majors and theatre list serves an email jointly signed by him and Dr. Ananya Chatterjea.
We have updated our annotated timeline with the pertinent quotes and our responses to them.

Sub: Ongoing Departmental Dialogue Updates
Date: 4/19/2009 9:55 PM

Dear Department Students, Staff & Faculty:

We want to update you on the steps that we are taking at a departmental level to address the questions of institutional power, privilege and prejudice that have been raised by the THIS Project and some other students within the department in recent months. We also want to update you on conversations around the status of the departmental peers for next year.

In terms of student input on the first matter above, we are currently waiting for the peers/ombudsmen's office-driven dialogue that has had two conversations facilitated by Ombudsmen Office representative Josh Casper to develop a roster of suggested actions for the department to consider for raising awareness and understanding on these important issues within the department. We also congratulate the students who organized and participated in the recent training on white privilege led by University Faculty member Lisa Albrecht.

At the departmental level, Ananya and I are currently working with College of Liberal Arts Associate Dean of Faculty Affairs Richa Nagar to develop a dialogue with the University's Office of Equity and Diversity's Vice Provost Rusty Barcelo to identify how the Office and the CLA administration can best facilitate and support these ongoing dialogues. We hope that these conversations will bear some fruit in the coming weeks.

In terms of the status of the departmental peers, the department faculty has considered whether it is necessary to continue these positions as paid in the face of the impending budget cuts our department will need to address this summer. Over the past two weeks I have engaged in multiple thoughtful conversations with the Peers, Jasmine Rush of the X Board and a number of concerned BA students, as well as, department faculty and staff on how the department can move forward with the peers and still responsibly meet the budget reductions it is facing. I hope to have a final resolution in regards to the peers as early as this coming Friday. Students, if you have questions or input about this subject, I strongly encourage you to contact the Peers.

Sincerely,

Carl Flink Ananya Chatterjea
Chair, Theatre Arts & Dance Director, Dance Program

Click here to read full text and see images.

responses: April 6, 2009

Carl Flink sent the following email cosigned by him and Dr. Ananya Chatterjea. See the April 6 entry in the annotated timeline for our responses to pertinent quotes from this email.

Subject: [Dance] Today's Peers Brown Bag Lunch - Please Attend

Date: April 6, 2009 9:39 AMTo: THEATRE-L@LISTS.UMN.EDU , 'Dance list serve', dancemajors@cla.umn.edu
CC: 'Ananya Chatterjea', 'sos', 'TAD FacStaff Mailing List'

Dear Theatre Arts & Dance Students:

We want to thank the department peers for taking on the task of continuing the discussions going on among students around race, privilege and power dynamics within our department in an open and public manner. We encourage as many of you to attend this brown bag lunch as possible, especially inlight of the changes made by another group of individuals to the THIS materials at the Barker last night that we were unaware of until earlier this morning.

We're not certain if it has been made clear that the peers asked Josh Casper from the U of MN Ombudsmen's Office to facilitate this brown bag. Josh has been a real asset during the discussions around THIS and we think his presence at this meeting can only be a benefit. We look forward to hearing back from the peers after today's brown bag lunch.

We strongly hope that both dance and theatre arts students will come together to join in this discussion. These are difficult and multifacted conversations, but we also think they present an opportunity to bridge the gaps that stubbornly continue to separate many of the programs in our department as we look for next constructive steps in this process.

Our Sincere Best Wishes,
Carl & Ananya

Carl Flink Ananya Chatterjea
Theatre Arts & Dance Chair Dance Program Director

Click here to read full text and see images.

Responses: April 5, 2009

Tonight a group of all White students and alumni tore down the materials of the protest. They acknowledge their actions and identify themselves on our blog comments here (where you may scroll down to continue reading others' comments in response to the destruction of our protest).

[details and photos to be added to this post at a later date.]

Responses: March 30, 2009

The Peer Advisors sent an email announcement to the theatre and dance listservs about a student meeting they are organizing.

Subject: Brown Bag Lunch- What do students wish to see come from THIS?

Date: March 30, 2009 9:32 AM
To: Carl Flink, crar0009@umn.edu, Dance Listserv, Theatre Listserv

Brown Bag Lunch- What do students wish to see come from THIS?
Mon. April 6th @ 11:40-12:20
BBCD 301

The Peers invite you to come to what we hope will be the first of a series of Brown Bag Lunches that will focus on the steps students would like to
take in the wake of discussions surrounding THIS.

These Brown Bag Lunches will focus on brainstorming concrete steps that our program can take in order to grow and become an program that supports ALL
students of every race, gender, sex, body type, class, etc. We want these discussions to be positive and forward thinking, focusing on what we can do
to make our program better, rather than focusing on the events that have occurred and the feelings that we have felt (not that these cannot inform
our ideas!) The Peers will also be bringing faculty suggestions to place on the table for students to think about.

At this time we are opening this discussion to students. Please bring your lunch, you ideas and suggestions, and your thinking cap.

Click here to read full text and see images.

Media: March 23, 2009

The Minnesota Daily, the official daily newspaper of the University of Minnesota - Twin Cities published an article today, which may be found at:

http://www.mndaily.com/2009/03/23/students-protest-racial-issues-dance-program

Full text of article with photos posted below:

Students protest racial issues in dance program

The anonymous protesters have been putting up posters and sending e-mails.



Marija Majerle
A student walks past a statement of protest Monday in the Barbara Barker Center for Dance. The statement is part of “THIS,” a more than month long protest by anonymous students who feel institutional racism is an existing problem in the dance program.

BY Briana Bierschbach & Isaiah Potts
PUBLISHED: 03/23/2009

Until last week, a letter taped to the glass windows in the University of Minnesota’s Barbara Barker Center for Dance greeted visitors with a declaration of protest.

The letter, along with other photographs, articles and quotes, is part of “THIS,” an ongoing protest at the dance center by anonymous students who said they feel institutional racism is a problem in the program.

The protest, which has been going on since mid-February, began with a few photos and quotes posted in a stairwell, and has escalated to a full statement of protest and postings all around the dance center. The protest included an open letter to the dance department that stated the University’s faculty has failed to create an atmosphere free from prejudice.

It is unknown how many students are actually involved in the protest.

The protestors, who wish to remain anonymous, said they wanted to raise awareness of racial issues in the program and plan to continue protesting in a direct, but nonviolent way. The protestors would only respond via e-mail to protect anonymity.

There has been little exposure University-wide about the protest, but recently, several meetings were held by the dance department to address the issue.

The casting of Missa Brevis , a production in the dance program, has been acknowledged by faculty, staff and students as a catalyst of the protest.

During the casting two students of color were not selected, but felt that they should have been, said Ananya Chatterjea, professor and director in the University’s dance program.

Chatterjea said the students felt it was because of their race.

Despite the protest, Chatterjea said she feels the department promotes diversity.

“In our department, we have gone out of our way to make sure we are not only casting blonde, blue-eyed dancers, which has been the ideal of the dance world outside,” she said.

Chatterjea said she believes the University’s program is one of the most progressive she has seen.

Of the eight faculty members in the University’s dance department, four are faculty of color, Chatterjea said.

But protesters said the casting was only one example of many mishandled discussions.

Thus far, the faculty and staff at the dance center have not removed the protesters’ signs. However, some people have taken down the posters and added their own signs to oppose the original protest.

Erin McIntire, a first-year student of color, posted a series of responses, titled “THAT.”

A sign McIntire posted read, “THAT is a protest to the passive aggressive behavior of ‘THIS’ toward the faculty and staff of the University of Minnesota Dance program, regardless of ‘color’ or race.”

But the protest has been getting support from other student groups. Chardae Kimber, a junior and member of the Black Motivated Women student group , received and e-mail from “THIS” informing the group of an upcoming meeting to address the protest.

She said she feels issues of racial discrimination need to be addressed.

“I think there is a lack of faculty encouragement when it comes to students of color,” she said.

Carl Flink, director of the University’s theater arts program, said he hopes to meet with the student protestors and have an open discussion on how to address their concerns.

To come up with a solution for the concerns, Flink also said the department plans on working with the Office of the Vice President and Vice Provost for Equity and Diversity .

Click here to read full text and see images.

Media: March 22, 2009

Today an article was published on the TC Daily Planet website. The article can be found at:

http://www.tcdailyplanet.net/article/2009/03/21/anonymous-protest-institutional-racism-and-white-privilege-u-m-dance-depart

Full text with photos below:

Anonymous protest attacks "institutional racism and white privilege" at U of M dance program

Photos by Sheila Regan

By Sheila Regan , TC Daily Planet

March 22, 2009

Currently there is a silent protest installation on display at the Barbara Barker Center for Dance, home of the University of Minnesota Dance Program. The installation, called This, features found images and messages about racism and body image. Among magazine pages featuring images of a diverse population, there are white pieces of paper displaying words such as this, privilege, and status quo on display throughout the building. The creators of the exhibit are anonymous, and in addition to the installation have created a blog about the piece.

Christopher LePlant, a U of M dance student who said he was not involved in creating the installation, said that it was his understanding that the silent protest erupted as a result of casting issues within the department. Last fall, the dance department brought in a guest choreographer, Sarah Stockhouse, from José Limón Dance Company, an internationally acclaimed dance company founded by Mexican-born choreographer José Limón.

The piece, entitled Missa Brevis, was performed at the beginning of February as part of a program called Dance Revolutions. Some of the students originally cast in the piece were eventually cut, and a few of those cut were dancers of color.

Yui Kanzawa, an Asian-American dancer who was among those cut from the piece but said she was not part of the protest, said she didn’t feel that her race had anything to do with the fact that she was cut from the final cast. “There were too many people,” she said. “I felt like I didn’t get the style down, I didn’t get the technique.”

The creators of the exhibit said anonymously via e-mail that they did not wish to discuss the casting situation with Missa Brevis, because This is not a protest of that event. They did, however, write that the post-show discussion following Missa Brevis was one of “the ways in which conversations about institutional racism and white privilege have been mishandled and silenced within the department.”

The anonymous silent protesters further wrote: “We are not pointing fingers at individual faculty members involved in a casting process. We are saying that the program as a whole needs to be more safe for discussions around institutional racism and white privilege to take place.” In an anonymous letter that the protesters posted on the wall and on their blog, they wrote: “We cannot have productive discussions about racism when you have a need to assure everyone that their voices are equally important. The pain of our fellow White students confronting their privilege and guilt about racism is not the same as the pain of students of Color dealing with the sometimes numbingly routine, sometimes shockingly unexpected experiences of being a visible minority.”

Carl Flink, chair of theater arts and dance, said that race and body image had nothing to do with casting for Missa Brevis. “It’s interesting,” Flink said in a telephone interview, “because José Limón is made up of 70 to 80 percent persons of color…and has a decades-long commitment of having a diverse company.”

Flink continued, “As you can imagine, I’m deeply concerned for finding communication with my students.” He said the department has to figure out a way to address the hard feelings, which is difficult when the protesters are anonymous. “I don’t want to negate any of the students’ pain,” he said. “That is a real thing.”

Ananya Chatterjea, director of the dance program, has spent many years as an activist for anti-racism and social justice. “It’s interesting,” Chatterjea said in a telephone interview. “For ten years I have had students that were mad at me that we have to study race, gender, and class. I have looked forward for the moment forever that students would join this work.” She said that when the installation first appeared, people assumed that the students were doing it as an assignment for her class.

“When the protest first started, I was so happy, said Chatterjea. “I thought I might be doing something right.” She said she felt the problem with the protest is the public shaming aspect, and a lack of a list of demands. “Anger can be a very powerful tool to reveal injustice, but I have learned anger is not always effective in leadership. If you want to effect change, anger won’t get you there, it is strategy.”

Since the silent protest was first installed, it has morphed through several transformations. On March 10, the protesters posted an open letter accusing the faculty of having a “profound disconnect” between the theories they teach and the actions they practice. On March 17, the day before the first day of the American College Dance Festival, which the University hosts, the open letter was moved by the faculty to the second floor, and several of the messages were moved or were taken down. On March 18, three students removed the hard copy of the letter.

Dance students’ reactions to This have been mixed. There have been both negative and positive comments on the “Thisbyus” blog. A Facebook page about the protest was also created.

Erin Jorich, a fifth year dance student, said that initially she thought it was great that the space had been converted, but she felt the open letter “took a really aggressive and hostile stance.” She said she was upset by the anonymity of the protesters.

Molly Stoltz, a fourth year dance student, said her feelings have been mixed throughout the process. “Right now, I think everyone was glad it was put up,” she said. “I appreciate it, I’ve learned a lot from the artist, and as far as the quotes, I’ve appreciated [them] because some of the teachers have had conversations about race and how it affects us as artists. That’s been really interesting.”

Jesse Mandell McClinton, a monitor (of African and European descent) at the Barker, said “I never thought a passive approach toward race accomplishes much.”

Carl Flink said he wasn’t sure when the exhibit will be taken down, or archived. “We’re really working hard to have a conversation about this,” he said. “But there’s never been a list of wants given. One of the challenge points that we have is how do we respond if we don’t know what is asked for?” Flink said that the department is thinking about having a series of dialogues. “One thing I can really say is that the faculty of the dance program all have intense experiences with social justice and antiracism; when something like this comes up, we take it very seriously.”

Sheila Regan is a theater artist based in Minneapolis. When not performing or writing, she serves as educational coordinator for Teatro del Pueblo.

Click here to read full text and see images.

Responses: March 16, 2009 first day of Spring Break

Someone anonymously added penciled commentary on a posting on the 2nd floor Men's Locker Room.

Also in the 2nd floor Men's Locker Room someone (also anonymous) re-placed a posting that read "Your penis?" above the urinal (where we had originally placed it). It was an answer to the question, "What are you ashamed of?" that was posted on the door of the locker room.

From Responses part 11?

It reads, "shut the fuck up - you sound like an idiot":

From Responses part 11?

Click here to read full text and see images.

Responses: March 16, 2009 - first day of Spring Break

Today an email was sent out to the dance and theatre list-serves from Carl Flink's email address, but signed by both Dr. Ananya Chatterjea and Carl Flink.

Sub: THIS Discussion Tomorrow at the Barker Center

Date: 3/16/2009 3:12 PM

Dear Theatre Arts and Dance Department Staff, Students and Faculty:

Ananya and I will hold a conversation tomorrow Tuesday, March 17 from 11 am - Noon to discuss next actions steps in terms of the postings by THIS in the Barker Center. We invite any and all interested from the department to attend. With the ACDFA conference starting on Wednesday, we want to make intelligent and respectful decisions about the THIS postings ongoing status in consultation with anyone interested from the department. We believe there is reason to maintain a presence for THIS, but that it is also time to consider and practical steps needed to do so. We understand that time is short, but this is the best we can do given the short timing after our Friday discussion.

We look forward to seeing anyone interested in talking with us tomorrow.

Sincerely,
Carl & Ananya

If you would like to share your thoughts about our protest with the department, but are unable to attend the discussion tomorrow, we suggest that you email the official student Peer Advisors at peers@umn.edu.

We can also forward to the Peers any anonymous or pseudonymous comments left to this entry, or emailed to us at thisbyus@gmail.com. We promise not to edit any comments or emails in any way, nor reveal any identifying information unless given explicit permission to do so.

Click here to read full text and see images.

Responses: March 15, 2009

So far, there has been no official reaction or response to the Town Hall meeting that happened on March 13, 2009.

Some time on March 15, various important pieces of our protest were taken down by anonymous person/s.
Our Open Letter on the window-walls was taken down.
Our Statement on White Walls on the office door was taken down.
Both the anonymous questions someone posted on the front doors to the Barker, and our signed response to those questions were taken down.
The statement "You are now entering a space of privilege and power" on the back entrance door was taken down.

We do not know if the removed material has been stored, or thrown away.
We have not been contacted by anyone about the removal.

Responses: March 12, 2009

We were anonymously forwarded an email that Dr. Ananya Chatterjea had sent out to multiple faculty members not only outside the program but outside the university, calling for an "urgent request for support":

Subject: urgent request for support
Date: Thu, 12 Mar 2009 12:59:08 -0500
From: Ananya Chatterjea
To: [recipient names redacted]

Dear Colleagues,

Hope this finds you well. I am writing with an urgent request. Recently, we have witnessed an incredible exhibit taking over the Barker: the "This" protest project. it began with a back stairwell exhibit on "white privilege" at which point I sent out an email to the student body, assuming it was them, congratulating them and hoping that it would spark more vibrant conversations about raced bodies among our student body. This has lead to more and more mushrooming of this exhibit and while some amazing things have happened --like the covering up of the pictures of all white choreographers and dancers in the classroom and studio 300-- and some troubling questions have come up.

For instance, since no one will assume responsibility for this exhibit, and this is happening in an entirely guerilla way, we have to assume to that students have somehow been able to access a master key to the building, or are working with custodial staff, in order to get inside the faculty bathroom, the studios etc all of which are locked by 10 pm. we have heard that some students have been seen on ladders at 2:30 am. Now, because they are putting posters up on really hard to reach places, issues of insurance are coming up as well as those of safety.

Moreover, we believe that much of this is related to an issue about casting around a contested piece for our last concert, which is much more complicated than it seems to be. Interestingly, I do not see any of my students of color clamoring to be part of my dance company of women of color doing social justice work, or work with the choreographers of color we have steadily brought in. They are angry because they did not get to participate in a mainstream dance piece. I do not mean to trivialize their struggle, but am baffled by their lack of self-examination.

On Monday, perhaps because they could not get us to be angry, they posted a scathing "open letter" to the Dance Program, lashing out at everybody and classifying the work done by faculty of color as "failures" when of course our steady work over at least the past 10 years for me, and thereafter for others, has produced so much change. Honestly if what Diyah, Cindy, Maija, and I teach is not anti-racist, I dont know what that might be. But more troubling is that while some of the quotes (about intersectionality) are directly from what I teach, a lot of the pictures and quotes they have put up remind of the old project of multicultural diversity, not really difference.

This has now escalated to a point beyond my ability at least to stomach, also because the 3 faculty of color who are in the BBCD, Diyah, Toni, and I, feel specifically targeted, and openly called out as being "complicit with bureaucracy." Also, Dance has been moving along for sure through the work we have been doing, the faculty went through an anti-racist workshop and training program 2 years ago, that then caused us to ask more questions. Many of these are reflected in curricular shifts, one of these I am implementing as my first major change as Director: introduction of a multi-level track in African dance in the main curriculum. There are other changes as well including considerations of a collaboration with African American and African Studies next year, so we are able to bring in several black choreographers to work with students.

Anyways, tomorrow (fri) from 1:30-3:30 I have called a Town Hall in Barker 100, largely because these anonymous protesters have performed their attacks, but not proposed any desired outcomes. Catherine Squires has kindly kindly kindly agreed to moderate this. Thank you Catherine!! However, because of the outreach these students (i have just learned that this includes possibly 2 students of color and 2 white) have done, the issue is totally spectacularized, and the Barker seems irredeemable, and its faculty totally ineffective.

I am fully aware that this is the day before spring break and it is ridiculous to ask you for even more of your time. But if you could show some support by showing up at the town hall, i would so so so appreciate it. I really need your support, as do the other faculty of color in this program!

Regards

Ananya

Click here to read full text and see images.

Responses: March 10, 2009

Below are photos of the changes that someone (not us) made to our word posts in the 2nd floor Men's locker room/bathroom as photographed on March 10. They added the word "Proud" above "ashamed" over the question, "What are you ashamed of?" that we posted.

In the second photo, all the posts they relocated were placed above the hand towel dispenser.

From response - march 10

From response - march 10

For the complete album of March 10 Responses, click below:

response - march 8 and 10, 2009

Click here to read full text and see images.

Reponses: March 8 and March 10, 2009

The following posts were made on Monday, March 8 by people not us, as a response to our Open Letter to the Dance Program (http://thisbyus.blogspot.com/2009/03/part-9-march-9-2009.html):

On the first door of the main entrance someone (unidentified with a name or pseudonym) posted some questions to consider.

From response - march 10

Text reads:

MIGHT IT MAKE ANY SENSE AT ALL TO INVESTIGATE THE KINDS OF ANTI-RACIST AND ORGANIZING WORK OUR TEACHERS AND COLLEAGUES HAVE DONE? IS THERE ANY WAY TO DISMANTLE AND TRANSFORM? OR IS IT ENOUGH TO DEMOLISH?


We considered, then responded in a post next to it.

From response - march 10

The text of our posting reads:

“A PLACE THAT IS UNEQUIVOCALLY A PLACE OF PRIVILEGE AND PREJUDICE SHOULD BE REJECTED, NO?”

Oppression should be unequivocally rejected. It is not the burden of the people being silenced to reject the place in which it happens, in this case the Barbara Barker Center for Dance. Oppressors do not have more ownership of or entitlement to the space where the oppression happens. “Unequivocal” simply means “clear and unambiguous”. We do see the building clearly being a place of privilege and prejudice, just as we see the world outside as clearly being the same. We don’t, however, see it as being unalterably or unforgivably so.

“PEOPLE SHOULD NOT TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THE NICE FLOORS, OR PERFORMANCE OPPORTUNITIES EITHER, RIGHT?”

Students do not “take advantage” of the resources that they are paying a very large amount of money for. They are entitled to them, and to voice their grievance if those resources fail to meet their needs.

“OR ARE WE ANTI-RACIST ONLY WHEN WE NEED TO ADDRESS A PERSONAL GRIEVANCE??”

You are trivializing the issue of the violence of racism and abuse of privilege by equating it with a “personal grievance”. Many people choose to fight a battle only when it arrives at their doorstep. Not every survivor can or should be an activist. We are not making it personal—we have spent five weeks cultivating the idea of institutional racism and privilege, and one of the reasons we remain anonymous is so that the focus is on the issues, not the personalities.


The second posting on the inside door of the main entrance - written in the same style as the last.

From response - march 10

Text reads:

A PLACE THAT IS UNEQUIVOCALLY A PLACE OF PRIVILEGE AND PREJUDICE SHOULD BE REJECTED, NO? PEOPLE SHOULD NOT TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THE NICE FLOORS, OR PERFORMANCE OPPORTUNITIES EITHER, RIGHT? OR ARE WE ANTI-RACIST ONLY WHEN WE NEED TO ADDRESS A PERSONAL GRIEVANCE??

We responded some more.

From response - march 10

The text of our response reads:

“MIGHT IT MAKE ANY SENSE AT ALL TO INVESTIGATE THE KINDS OF ANTI-RACIST AND ORGANIZING WORK OUR TEACHERS AND COLLEAGUES HAVE DONE?”

We agree it is very important to investigate the anti-racist work our teachers here have done, which we have respect and admiration for. Our criticism of faculty actions and inaction does not negate the anti-racist work they have done, and likewise, their anti-racist work does not automatically negate the issues we have brought out in the open about the mishandling of racism in this program. Additionally, if you expect us as students to be informed about all the anti-racist work that the faculty has done, the faculty should be expected to educate each other with it. The faculty’s anti-racist work has not made the department free of racism.

“IS THERE ANY WAY TO DISMANTLE AND TRANSFORM?”

Yes, there are many ways to dismantle and transform. None of them are easy, and all of them are complex and long-term. If the University is committed to promoting racial equality and justice, it must work rigorously and consistently to implement these solutions.

“OR IS IT ENOUGH TO DEMOLISH?”

Is it enough to demolish what? White privilege? Institutional racism? Bigotry and prejudice based on any kind of identity? Demolishing any one of those would not just be enough, but miraculous and utopian. Unless you mean is it enough to demolish the pretense that everything is fine and no one feels silenced... in which case, no, it is not enough, but it is enough of a start. We are not sure what else it is you think we are demolishing, besides the white pallor of the walls.

-- us, March 11, 2009 (http://thisbyus.blogspot.com)


Erin F. McIntyre, freshman, also posted twice next to our Open Letter (in handwriting)

From response - march 10

close up - top posting

From response - march 10

text reads:
THAT [with arrow]
is a protest to the passive aggressive behavior of THIS towards the students and faculty of the University of Minnesota dance program, regardless of "color" or race.
Sincerely,
Erin F. McIntyre, freshman class, student of "color"


close up - bottom posting

From response - march 10

text reads:
part of a protest is acknowledging that some people will openly disagree with you...


our response to the top post

From response - march 10

text reads:

We think we are more constructively and passionately aggressive, rather than passively, but we support your right to protest our protest, and would like to reassure you that we do not assume that we speak for any students—of any race—besides ourselves.

-- us, March 11, 2009 (http://thisbyus.blogspot.com)


our response to the bottom posting

From response - march 10

From response - march 10

text reads:

We not only acknowledge it, but we also acknowledge the many who have silently made visible their displeasure about us.

-- us, March 11, 2009 (http://thisbyus.blogspot.com)


To view complete album, click below:

response - march 8 and 10, 2009

There were also changes to the 2nd floor Men's bathroom. Photos and update to come.

Click here to read full text and see images.

Responses: March 10 and 11, 2009

This is the first official response from someone besides Dr Ananya Chatterjea: it is an email sent by Carl Flink, the chair of the Theatre Arts and Dance department. Although the email is dated March 10th, it is time-stamped 2:33AM, meaning that it was sent out before anyone saw Part 9, which went up on March 9. The email was sent to the dance program list serve, and also to the theatre list serve, making it the first official mention of our protest outside the program.

Sub: [Dance] THIS - The Protest Project at the Barker Center
Date: 3/10/2009 2:33 AM

Dear Rarig Center Department Faculty, Staff & Students:

I would like to make you all aware of a spontaneous non-dance program directed happening which has been taking place for the past few weeks at the Barker Center. An exhibit of words and images called THIS - The Protest Project has been expanding thoughout the stairwells, halls and other surfaces of the Barker transforming the building into a vibrant space of protest and questioning of the privilege, prejudice and impacts of institutional power that exist in even a presumed "liberal" space such as the Barker Center and I might add the university as a whole. The project is driven by an anonymous group of dance program students who have invested an incredible amount of personal time and resources in creating this exhibit.
In the words of Director of Dance Ananya Chatterjea the project raises questions such as "What indeed is privilege and how does it play out in institutions like academia? How do our everyday practices reflect ingrained social prejudices?" Professor Chatterjea also points out that the exhibit raises even more complex observations and questions like "No space is
uniform, because no population/community is uniform. What transformative possibilities exist in this building, or can be eked out from the practices that reside here? What ways might there be to dismantle such prejudice as exist here? How can we build on the energy generated through this exhibit and reflect on our practices?"

This past Saturday night I spent an hour wandering through the Barker with my partner Emilie experiencing this dynamic event. I found it an incredible journey.

I encourage you to take the time to stop by the Barker and witness THIS - The Protest Project.

Sincerely,
Carl

The following email was sent out only to the theatre arts department list-serve, by the department peer advisers. They have also linked to our blog from their website with the following text:

THIS: The Protest Project at the BBCD Click here to visit the blog about the project- And go see it NOW!

Sub: CALLING ALL RARIGIANS! PLEASE OPEN (this concerns YOU).
Date: 3/10/2009 12:45 PM

Dear Peoples of Rarig,

Have you been to the Barker recently? If you haven't, please go right now. Read the writings on the walls: they are everywhere and they are blatantly protesting this department and this institution while simultaneously creating a space of unavoidable conversations about the issues raised. Next week hundreds of dance academics from across the country will be at the Barker for the ACDFA conference and they will see this. They will see how stundents within our department are reacting to their education and place within this department. We can not stress this enough: THESE ARE RARIG'S ISSUES TOO! While theatre and dance are housed in different buildings, we are under the same governing body of faculty. Do not convince yourself that this has nothing to do with you: it absolutely does.

GO THERE NOW.
ENGAGE WITH WHAT'S HAPPENING. START HAVING CONVERSATIONS ABOUT THIS.
MAKE THEM HEARD.

How will Rarig respond to this? We hope it will not be through isolation, inaction and silence. Barker is a block away: time constraints and "no reason to go there" are not excuses. This e-mail is a reason to go there. Don't tell yourself you're too busy. Everybody is too busy. MAKE THE TIME. There will be a town hall concerning this protest on Friday at 1:30 in the Barker, we hope to see many of you there.

Don't let apathy rule your life,
The Peers

Notes: The event referred to in the email is the North Central Regional American College Dance Festival Association Conference, which will be hosted by the University of Minnesota-Twin Cities from March 18 to 22.

There were at least two physical responses to our open letter posted on the walls of the Barker; we will add documentation as we are able.

The final official response from the faculty was another email from Carl Flink, time stamped just after midnight, so technically sent on March 11. This email was sent to the peers, the theatre department list serve, the dance majors student list serve, the dance program list serve, and the dance faculty list serve (which means a lot of people must have got it twice.)

Sub: [Dance] THIS - The Protest Project
Date: 3/11/2009 12:10 AM

Dear Department of Theatre Arts & Dance Faculty, Staff and Students:

Below are e-mails sent from myself and Director of Dance Ananya Chatterjea in which we both expressed strong personal support for the activities of THIS and encouraging department members to experience it. Please take the time to read them as well so you understand that the dance program and the department are fundamentally engaged in this dialogue and that there are multiple perspectives on this happening.

The town hall this Friday was called by Ananya and the dance faculty because we want to talk about the issues raised by THIS. It was meant to be a dance program event, but if more attend from the larger department we'll look forward to having your presence in the Barker too. Unfortunately, I will arrive 30 minutes late for this event because of a residency commitment at a Mpls. Public school.

Many dance faculty chose to not hold class today, Tuesday, so that the entire program and department could be focused on THIS and the open letter that was added to it. The faculty did not simply leave the building but stayed in the lobby talking with students or just being present in order to signal our connection to this happening and the commitment we feel to this program and its evolution. Many students gathered in the Barker studios to carry-on student driven discussions on this subject.

The department has and always will be deeply committed to supporting the free expression of our students, faculty and staff. The ongoing presence of THIS on the surfaces of the Barker is a testimony to that in and of itself.
As we move forward with these conversations, I encourage multiple perspectives and voices to come forward and be heard on the issues raised by THIS and the growing responses to it.

Sincerely,
Carl

Note: The email then quotes the entirety of Carl Flink's previous email of March 10, Dr. Ananya Chatterjea's email of March 9, and the Peers' email of March 10.

Click here to read full text and see images.