The “Not Here, Not Now, Not Ever!” campaign — UNL’s focused campus-wide campaign aimed at reducing disrespectful language and behavior — is off to a good start, Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs Juan Franco told university students this week.
“Our student population is growing in diversity, and that presents opportunities for broadening our appreciation for a global citizenry,” Franco wrote in a message in the Next@Nebraska student e-newsletter. In the message, he shared the campaign framework and discussed what programs that are already in place to achieve its goals.
The campaign officially kicked off Nov. 25 with a gathering at the Nebraska Union. Speakers, including Chancellor Harvey Perlman, ASUN president Eric Reznicek, Jackie Gaughan Multicultural Center Director Andre Fortune, Franco and student Shams Al-Badry, exhorted students to help build up UNL’s environment of tolerance.
Several meetings also have taken place to bring cohesion to the campaign and development of new programs geared to addressing diversity and climate issues.
The campaign framework (available here in PDF format ) identifies many of the programs already in place on campus. It also lists programs and projects in the planning stages and long-term programs that are under consideration.
“UNL provides many opportunities for students to connect with students from backgrounds and cultures different from their own,” Franco wrote. “It is also a place where issues related to diversity can be discussed in open and frank ways. While the list of programs and activities that are already in place is long, recent events dictate that more needs to be done.”
Some activities that are already being planned include:
• Educational workshops;
• Enhanced incident reporting process;
• Enhancement of the NSE multicultural education for new students; and
• Meetings with small groups to further refine campaign goals and to begin the process of implementing new programs.
“As we begin our dialogue with the phrase ‘Not Here, Not Now, Not Ever!’ as a statement that demands an end to disrespectful language and conduct, it is my hope that we can elevate all that is positive about embracing our differences as a critical element of becoming citizens of the world,” Franco said.
