Speaker Advocates Reaction Not Words

Colleges and universities must be major influences in the fight to end racism, said J. (Penny) Saffold in last night's keynote address kicking off Actively Working Against Racism and Ethnocentrism (AWARE) Week.

In an hour-long speech titled "Infiltration: Planned Action for Change," Saffold, dean of student affairs at San Francisco State University, spoke to an audience of about 30 on the roles members of university communities must assume in order to combat racism.

Using the theme of AWARE Week, "Colleges: Windmills of Change for an Evolving Society," Saffold said university faculty, staff, and administrators are the "life force that generate the power to change."

Right now, she said, "Colleges are in complete denial of acts and incidents of racism."

Defining "racism" as "white supremacy," Saffold said, "In order for racism to be eradicated, we must first come to know what it really is."

Saffold urged students to "become infiltrators with planned action for change," expressing disdain for stu dent demonstrations.

"If the college or university does not and will not meet your needs, take your money...and your relatives' money and leave," Saffold said. "If you have an exodus, they will respond."

Saffold also said her "colleagues of-color have the hardest job of all."

"We must continually prove that we are worthy enough to be here, and our research must be 10 times as good as that of our white colleagues," she said.

Saffold said the Black community is in a "tug-of-war to reclaim [its] intelligence."

"We have been relying too long on others," Saffold said, though she said she was "not absolving others of their roles in the fight."

Colleges have a responsibility, she said, "to not only hire, but tenure and promote non-white faculty, and not only enroll, but retain and graduate non-white students."

She said that at San Francisco State University, she and other officials have urged faculty members to eliminate the word "black" when used in a negative context, like "black storm," from their teaching.

"This way," Saffold said, "we are helping our institutions change as infiltrators." The speech was sponsored by the Office of Race Relations and Minority Affairs

"If the college or university does not and will not meet your needs, take your money...and your relatives' money and leave," Saffold said. "If you have an exodus, they will respond."

Saffold also said her "colleagues of-color have the hardest job of all."

"We must continually prove that we are worthy enough to be here, and our research must be 10 times as good as that of our white colleagues," she said.

Saffold said the Black community is in a "tug-of-war to reclaim [its] intelligence."

"We have been relying too long on others," Saffold said, though she said she was "not absolving others of their roles in the fight."

Colleges have a responsibility, she said, "to not only hire, but tenure and promote non-white faculty, and not only enroll, but retain and graduate non-white students."

She said that at San Francisco State University, she and other officials have urged faculty members to eliminate the word "black" when used in a negative context, like "black storm," from their teaching.

"This way," Saffold said, "we are helping our institutions change as infiltrators." The speech was sponsored by the Office of Race Relations and Minority Affairs