Days after the September 11 attacks, as the nation was trying to get to terms with the "whats and whys," a group of faculty, students, and staff members met to share in the response of the campus community.
"In a spontaneous way it was initiated as one of the responses to start something positive," said Donald Moore, director of Humanities and Social Sciences external communications. The 9-11 Open Response Committee was born out of the belief that the university’s role in tremulous times is the freedom it offers for the exchange of ideas, even when these ideas are unpopular. Since then, the committee has held various open forums to discuss the events, civil liberties, religion, and racial profiling.
"Whenever there is a traumatic event in the public life of diverse people there are more questions than answers," said Moore. The forum gives the students the chance to speak and express their opinions, ideas, and emotions after the attacks. Kim Fortun, who is the assistant dean of H&SS, director of the Center for Ethics and Complex Systems, and, one of the founders of the committee, said that Rensselaer’s diversity, unlike that of many liberal arts schools, makes it more imperative to provide the students with the space and structure to interact and learn more about that diversity.
Last week the president released a statement to the effect that Rensselaer will remain a place where open dialogue and diversity are celebrated. This affirmation was welcomed by the committee. "On every college campus, students and faculty are asked to do more than before; we all make a contribution to that effort" said Moore.
The provost’s office is also working closely with the committee on some of the projects to promote global citizenship on campus.
The 9-11 Open Response Committee holds meetings every week and holds open discussions.
Today, the committee holding a public forum from 2-4 pm in Greene Building Second Floor Gallery, with panelists from the Civil Liberties Union, the Muslim community, and an immigration lawyer.
