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Dear UCI Students and Community: UC Irvine has a long tradition of programmatic initiatives and social engagements that allow members of our community to connect with friends, promote a particular cause and/or celebrate a special holiday or seasonal events. While those social endeavors are important rituals of individual and group interaction, they have, on occasion, served as a catalyst for disappointment, offensive speech, anger, hurt, emotional pain and group tensions. These are usually instigated by individuals or groups making decisions to plan and host theme parties where culturally different groups and women are portrayed in stereotypical, biased, degrading or unflattering ways. Recent and past experiences have taught us that these incidents are particularly offensive to our intellectual and emotional sensibilities by appropriating cultural traditions and causing substantial discomfort and pain. They also stand in sharp contrast to the principles of community that our campus embraces. As Halloween season rolls around and our interests turn to festive and celebratory engagement, let us all try and remember to make responsible decisions in our social activity and avoid theme parties and costumes that might prove offensive to members of our UCI family. Thomas A. Parham, Ph.D. Lydia Natoolo Michelle Chan |