Students, staff respond to racial slur incident
Editor’s Note: This article was written as a follow-up for a story that came out on Monday, January 27, which can be found here.
Two USC Aiken staff members have also given official statements about the incident. These are located below the article on this page.
One university employee’s use of a racial slur at a Diversity Initiatives roundtable event garnered responses from students, faculty and staff last week.
The event in question was centered around education on racial epithets and slurs against other minority groups, as well as discussion on appropriate contexts for using the words.
During the event, a white university employee named Maureen Quinn asked a question that included explicit use of the n-word. Though responses at the event were mixed, many members of the campus later commented through social media and other means.
Ryan Booker, a senior exercise sports science major, attended the event with his girlfriend, Ashlyn Calliham. Both students felt that Quinn’s use of the word was inappropriate.
Booker said Quinn’s question made him feel “uncomfortable” and that he felt “targeted, since [he] was getting looked at directly.”
Diversity Coordinator, Travis Hardee, who facilitated the event, stated that Quinn was speaking to him when she asked her question. Booker, however, believes that the question which used the n-word was directed at him.
“I felt like she was speaking directly to me,” he continued. “She could have stayed looking at Travis and asked the same question or like I said, blanked out the word to begin with.”
Calliham said that while Quinn’s first comment, which she said used the term ‘n-word’ rather than the full slur, was directed at Hardee, she then turned to Booker and used the word itself.
Booker confirmed that Quinn first asked Hardee who he allowed to call him “the n-word,” and then asked Booker, “How would you feel if I called you a ni**er?”
“I just feel like you [Quinn] are old enough to realize,” he said, regarding Quinn’s intentions. “We know how much hurt comes behind it…I just feel like she kind of took advantage of [it].”
“No one else said any kind of slur,” added Calliham. “Whenever we talked about the k-word that’s offensive to Jewish people, she said ‘the k-word’ instead of saying the full word ‘k*ke.’ If you didn’t say any of the other ones, why would you choose to say the n-word?”
Though many ideas about what happened after Quinn spoke at the event have been circulating, Booker and Calliham believe that many of the responses were understandable.
“I feel like everyone in the room kind of had the same reaction,” said Calliham, shifting uncomfortably in her chair. “Shocked, confused, angry.”
Booker said that though everyone’s response was different, he believes that reactions depend on personality.
“If you’re an outspoken person, then you’re going to respond faster when something happens,” he said. “I feel like everyone was quiet because a lot of people are kind of restrained.”
During the event and after, many people- including Quinn herself- have defended that particular usage of the word.
“Why not say the word, if the context is not being used to directly insult someone,” wrote Quinn in a follow-up email with News Editor Noelle Kriegel.
USC Aiken student, Andrew Hutto, commented on the discussion via the USCA Student Life Facebook page.
“The event was about preventing discrimination and showing that using racial slurs is bad right? Then y’all throw a big fit when the word is used in an example, not even towards anyone.”
Booker noted that this context of the word’s use did not change his view.
“It’s not OK to say the word within you discussing the topic,” he said heatedly. “It’s not OK if something is not done about the situation. It just hits home, whether you’re discussing it or just saying it out of hate.”
He continued, stating that while his response that day was “conservative,” he may not have responded the same in a non-academic setting.
“It wouldn’t have been so polite,” he said, mentioning the stereotype that seems to follow black Americans, labeling them as “angry” or “defensive.”
“If he would have reacted in a way that was angry or aggressive…people would focus more on his response and shame him for [it],” added Calliham.
When asked what he would say to Quinn about the situation, Booker responded, “Nothing. I wouldn’t want to talk to her. Point blank, to be honest. I feel like you’re old enough and you can comprehend that whether you’re in an academic setting…I feel like you just took advantage. So now, my perception of you is different.”
Some students have commented that the incident should have been handled privately by administrators.
“…while this woman did say the n word [sic], these articles do nothing to help the issue and instead seem to deliberately try to make situations worse,” said Mo Pruiett, an alumnus of USCA. “Y’all try to turn teachable moments into scandals.”
When mentioned, Booker asked how those who criticized the publication expected to “be informed about a racial slur being thrown around in an ICE event?”
“You shouldn’t be mad at the story. You should be mad at the people within the story,” he said.
Though university officials have responded publicly, they have not yet elucidated what course of action—if any—will be taken. Booker said he believes a response is necessary in order to continue having events like the diversity roundtables, which he believes “help [raise] awareness of things that are going on.”
“I feel like what needs to be done is…she needs to be let go, because you just know better,” he said, stating that the justification that has been used by Quinn, and others in her defense, is irrelevant to him.
“There’s no ‘oh, I’m sorry’ or ’we were in an academic setting and discussing the word, why can’t the word be said?’ The presentation stated why! Because it is hurtful, even in an example.”
Student Government President Q’Ladrin Qourters responded via email about the incident, mentioning that while she was not there for the event and does not “feel personally attacked,” she did note that many students she spoke with said that they “were offended by the use of the N word [sic] being said within the event, whether it was for educational purposes or not.”
“I am not clear on what the staff member's initial intent behind her statement,” cautioned Qourters, “but I feel that given how many students were obviously upset by her comment, she should formally apologize.”
Travis Hardee, Coordinator of Diversity Initiatives
“The USC Aiken Office of Diversity Initiatives routinely hosts Diversity Roundtable discussions, which provide students, faculty, and staff the opportunity to talk frankly and respectfully about controversial subjects. The objective is to increase understanding in an educational environment that permits the free exchange of ideas and perspectives.
We are committed to the safety and security of our students and members of the campus community. We expect all attendees to uphold the university’s core values as they actively listen and participate in discussions.
To date, these Diversity Roundtable discussions have resulted in productive educational dialogue that we hope has helped increase understanding among all segments of the campus community.
The Office of Diversity Initiatives will continue to provide a safe learning environment for all its programs, where students and members of the campus community can exchange ideas in a judgement-free space.
To that end, we will continue to ask that any participants in our program uphold the rules of engagement, which are expressed at the beginning of each event.”
Ahmed Samaha, Vice Chancellor of Student Affairs
"The university setting offers a unique opportunity to have important discussions about issues that shape our world today.
In his opinion on a case regarding free speech on college campuses, a former United States supreme court justice spoke of the need to preserve universities as the “marketplace for ideas.”
I hope the university is a place where we make a space for discussion and the sharing of differing ideas.
Our university has a history of providing outstanding experiences that educate about issues of inclusion and diversity.
We will continue to seek ways to actively engage students and members of the community to help unite us to make a better future.”
