President Clements Catering to Minority and Fringe Groups as their Demands Intensify
President James P. Clements, Ph.D. announced to the Clemson Family last Thursday, April 14, 2016 that the University would welcome a new Chief Diversity Officer, Mr. Lee Gill, on Monday, April 18 “to assist us in our efforts to move forward.” He added: “I want the entire campus community to know I remain committed to improving the efforts of diversity and inclusion at this university.”
President Clements announced a weeklong recognition of PRIDE week activities that prompted a response from a Greenville Attorney.
Nathan A. Earle, Attorney at Law wrote: “With all due respect, you are mistaken if you believe that all South Carolinians share the values that ‘PRIDE’ week represents. As a taxpayer, a parent and a Clemson student, I find that school sponsorship of such propaganda events sends the message to conservative students that their presence on campus is not welcome and that there is only one ‘approved’ point of view at Clemson. That is especially unfortunate given that Clemson is a public institution funded by taxpayers who still largely believe that the biological family unit is the surest protection for children and the best foundation for society.”
In his letter to the Clemson President, Mr. Earle said: “What a shame that the administration is not instead using its influence to discourage risky behavior – need I mention the epidemic of student alcohol abuse? How tragic that there should be multiple preventable alcohol-related student fatalities each year and not even the hint of an effort on the part of the administration to curb the behavior that ends so many young lives.
“If you truly cared about diversity, you would not promote a radical sexual-social agenda shared by few of your students and fewer of their parents.”
President Clements announced the increases in “people of color” among faculty and administrators on the same day that a group of students marched and demonstrated alleging racism on campus.
“My Executive Leadership Team now includes two African-Americans and one person from western Asia. Between 2013 and 2015, the proportion of minority (non-white) faculty has increased from 15.1 percent to 18.8 percent of the total. Funding for programs aimed at recruiting faculty of color has increased by more than $350,000 per year with further increases being planned.”
More than $100,000 per year is being provided to fund travel and special events involving “minority students or student organizations whose primary constituencies are under-represented groups.”
Since 2013, Clemson has experienced an increase of nearly 13 percent in African-American undergraduate enrollment and an increase of nearly 31 percent in Hispanic undergraduate enrollment. African-American enrollment in graduate school increased by 7 percent and Hispanic enrollment increased by 36 percent.
Funding or scholarships “aimed at diverse student recruitment has increased by $2.2 million since 2013-2014.”
Last week, a newspaper featured front page articles and photos of students protesting alleged racism at Clemson and the administration not making enough progress on racial matters. President Clements addressed the protesters urging them to do their part in solving problems.
Ron Barnett has reported that last Wednesday’s protest was actually part of a national “call to action organized by the Black Liberation Collective on college campuses across the country.”
Racial groups are continuing to demand that Tillman Hall be renamed. Such a decision would require action by the state legislature.