College Makes Changes to BIPR System and Civil Discourse Page
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THE PublishedC by the StudentsOLBY of Colby College since 1877 October 10, 2019 Volume CXXXXII, ENo. 4 CHO Waterville, Maine College makes changes to BIPR system and Civil Discourse page BY DOMINIC GIARDINI relayed to students in a rent needs of our com- In viewing the ar- WordPress page, which course is best when con- News Reporter Sept. 27 email from Stu- munity. This is simply a chived posts, which can has no additional state- tributors embrace open reminder to encourage be accessed via the Civil ments available to the conversation, sharing of Over the course of the individuals to participate Discourse page, one can poster. However, when concerns, and respectful past few months, chang- in a more impactful and find multiple instances the post has already been dialogue. As you devel- es were made to two Bur- thoughtful way.” of highly sensitive mo- op your post, please en- Colby web pages, Civil No other major struc- ments or posts that might sure it is accurate and Discourse and the Bias rell-McRae tural change to Civil be deemed inappropriate “Civil Discourse factual, [and] consider Incident Prevention Re- concludes Discourse post writing for the platform. These is best when its possible effects on sponse (BIPR), that are has not taken place with- include comments that our community.” contributors em- often the topic of im- the message in the last three years. attack an individual’s Following this are passioned discussion Prior to the change, character instead of the brace open con- questions that the post- amongst students. by promising community members argument, posts that may versation, shar- ers are encouraged to ask In late June, Dean were not given any kind have been better off on themselves when draft- Karlene Burrell-McRae to implement of warning before mak- the “Lost/Found” page, ing of concerns, ing their message, in- `94 sent an email to the the recom- ing contributions. and quickly-made accu- and respectful cluding whether or not student body addressing This update comes af- sations from student to dialogue.” its content aligns with changes spearheaded by mendations ter the intense discus- student under hypersen- the Colby affirmation, if the BIPR team to “ensure sions and arguments sitive circumstances. the post would be better that we support each that the team that took place on the The Echo recently Civil Discourse Page conveyed directly to the other as valued mem- provided in Civil Discourse page in made a test post on the subject of the post, or if bers of the community a turbulent 2018-19 aca- Civil Discourse site, it contains hate speech and create an environ- evaluating demic year that included which has yet to be used (“hate speech” is then ment where everyone can the outing of an under- this year, in order to published, a lengthy no- explicitly defined). thrive and succeed.” the current ground fraternity, the observe what commu- tice appears above the It is unclear whether The changes were state of the resignation of SGA pres- nity members are now text box if one decides to the notice appears imme- brought about by, as the idents, and the contin- prompted with. When make an edit. diately when comment- full Review Report reads, BIPR system. ued appearance of swas- one chooses to post, The opening state- ing rather than starting an effort to more ade- tikas on campus. they are redirected to a ment reads, “Civil Dis- a post. quately challenge events like the “particularly dent Government Asso- damaging bias incident ciation President Mathew in the fall semester 2018.” Garza `20 and Vice Pres- This statement likely ident Thomas LaJoie `20. references the “Akon Day” The message ex- party, for which students plained that “guidelines dressed up in costumes and questions” now ap- appropriating incarcerat- pear when a communi- ed African-Americans in ty member decides to reference to Akon’s nick- make a post, specifying name “Konvict.” that contributors must Burrell-McRae con- be conscious to remain cluded the message by “in responsible relation- promising to implement ship with one another.” the recommendations The email continued to that the team provided answer frequently asked in evaluating the cur- questions (FAQs), clear- rent state of the BIPR ing up any confusion on system. The system in- whether content in posts cludes web page edits, may be vetted, filtered, improved communica- or restricted (they will tion with the community not be). regarding bias incident One FAQ in particu- procedures and respons- lar was presented: “Why es, and amendments to is this happening now?” the Student Handbook Unlike the BIPR team so bias incident protocol report, which cites a is more clearly defined specific incident for the (e.g. defining and sepa- change, the FAQ response Claire Cahill | The Colby Echo rating bias incident ver- states that “it is import- sus conduct incident). ant to periodically revisit Before submitting a post on the Civil Discourse page, users will now be presented with a series of questions asking them to reflect on what they are posting. Further, changes to the and make changes or ad- Civil Discourse page were ditions based on the cur- Lovejoy award honors journalists who sacrificed their lives in 2018 BY BIA MALASPINA of giving out this award,” footsteps, including those his position as a jour- several newspapers in with David Shribman, News Reporter Greene said. “As they we honor today who lost nalist and the events Saudi Arabia. He always vice president and for- considered nominees, the their lives because they which ultimately led to leaned towards doing his mer executive director of Each year, the College Lovejoy selection com- insisted on exposing the his assassination. individual journalism, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, awards the Elijah Parish mittee, which is a group injustices around them.” “[Khashoggi] was very but within the confines and Rick Hutzell, editor Lovejoy Award to a jour- of truly distinguished The panel consisted much a product of the of the regime for so of the Capital Gazette in nalist for making coura- journalists from around of Hala Al-Dosari, the Saudi system,” Al-Dosa- many years. He worked Annapolis, Maryland. geous contributions to the country, were struck Washington Post’s inau- also as a consultant and The conversation was journalism. This year, how- by the unprecedented gural Jamal Khashoggi spokesperson for em- moderated by Martin ever, the College decided to number of reporters and Fellow, and Martin Smith, “We see bassies, and throughout Kaiser, editor and for- give the award to journal- journalists who were a filmmaker and journal- his career he created a mer senior vice pres- ists around the world who killed in 2018[...]We see ist who works with PBS journalists civil network of corre- ident of Milwaukee were killed in 2018. journalists under attack Frontline. The panel was under attack spondents. But he had Journal Sentinel. Both The Goldfarb Center all around the world, and moderated by Quil Law- this gentle personality. Shribman and Hutzell for Public Affairs held we certainly see it here rence, a National Public all around I think what happened discussed the tragedies several events last week in this country. So I’m Radio correspondent. in Saudi Arabia with the that happened in their in conjunction with really grateful for the Lawrence began by dis- the world, rise of the Crown Prince communities and the the award ceremony, selection committee in cussing the list of jour- since 2015, it pushed effect it has on their including the screen- making this important nalists displayed on the and we cer- him out. These media own press. ing of Frontline’s film issue something that we screen above him. tainly see it circles in Saudi Arabia On Oct. 27, 2018 the “The Crown Prince of consider today.” “Some of these people became more aggressive mass shooting at the Saudi Arabia” and two Greene also empha- were killed in car bombs,” here in this and ultra-nationalist.” Tree of Life Synagogue panelist discussions. sized the importance Lawrence said. “They The panelists also in Pittsburgh, Pennsyl- During the Lovejoy of honoring the legacy were casualties, but not country. ” showed clips from “The vania changed Shrib- Award ceremony, Pres- of Elijah Parish Love- targeted. But over half Crown Prince of Saudi man’s life and the work ident David Greene in- joy, for whom the award were targeted for murder, David Greene Arabia” and further dis- he does. When describ- troduced the group of is named. some of them by state President of the College cussed the contributions ing the impact the trag- panelists and also spoke “We owe a profound actors. And that’s why of Khashoggi and sacri- edy has had on his well to the important chang- debt to Lovejoy for mov- we’re focusing among fices made by other mar- being Shribman said, es the selection commit- ing our country toward all those on the list on ri said. “Someone who tyr journalists. “I’m far more sensitive tee had made this year. the abolition of human Jamal Khashoggi.” has been sponsored and Apart from the cere- to gun violence. I’m “This year is different bondage,” Greene said. Al-Dosari, who had embraced by Saudi Ara- mony, the Goldfarb Cen- from anything that we’ve “And we owe gratitude to known and worked with bia for decades. He was ter also hosted a panel- CONTINUED ON PAGE 1 ever done in the 67 years those who follow in his Khashoggi, spoke about an independent chief of ist discussion and lunch MaineCare covers Jewish High Holi- Student artist fea- Accountability of Football loses home- transgender health- days cause reflection elected officials coming game care ture: Chris Mellen p.