Minorities Allege Campus Bias

“We encourage anyone who has experienced a bias-related issue to use the bias reporting system, where every case is followed up individually,” university spokeswoman Stacy Kerr wrote in an email.

The Black House collectively submitted the haunted house incident through the bias reporting system, after which they met with Director of the Center for Multicultural Equity and Access Dennis Williams and Vice President for Student Affairs Todd Olson.

Despite her grievances, Waller-Bey said she was pleasantly surprised and relieved by the positive response to her viewpoint from students, alumni and faculty.

 “Alums contacted me saying they’re happy there’s a specific account of these incidents to show these things are serious,” she said.

Ryan Wilson (COL ’12, LAW ’15) was among these supportive alumni.

“For so many people it was common knowledge and almost didn’t need to be read, while for other people it was a bolt of lightning,” Wilson said.

For real change to occur, Waller-Bey said, Georgetown will have to overcome what she sees as indifference to diversity issues.

“People … don’t really care. It’s often viewed as a black people problem, a minority problem. We’re often viewed to be hyper-sensitive,” she said.

Price emphasized that creating a more diverse community will take the work of all students, not just those in the minority.

“Georgetown needs to truly promote having a diverse community that is together, that is able to have these conversations, where people aren’t afraid to be uncomfortable. Because it’s going to take other people being uncomfortable, especially the majority being uncomfortable, for there to be diversity.”

Hoya Staff Writers Penny Hung and Eitan Sayag contributed reporting.