West Chester University President Chris Fiorentino held a fireside chat on Monday night with students who participated in the “DNA Discussion Project,” discussing their stories and gaining insight to the impact of the project.
Gathered out on the back porch of Tanglewood, the president’s estate, the president’s family hosted about a dozen students and faculty members to cider and s’mores as they shared the results of their DNA study and how it has impacted their sense of personal and racial identity.
The president listened as the students shared the intimate findings and how their families reacted; some were open to the concept of their racial origin being different than previously thought while others seemed closed minded to the new revelations.
Susan Fiorentino, the “first lady” of WCU, joined the conversation by sharing in part the results of her DNA test which revealed that she was only about three-quarters Italian as opposed to what she grew up thinking.
As the conversation continued, it gradually shifted from a light-hearted discussion to a more serious one as the president opened the floor to general comments surrounding the state of the university.
Several of the students in attendance voiced concern for the atmosphere between people of color and public safety officers, citing instances where BLGC organizations are extensively monitored when hosting events on campus in venues such as the Purple Gym.
The president expressed concern, stating that he was currently in the midst of looking for a new head of public safety that has a “community policing” mindset. A resource offered by the U.S. Department of Justice discusses community policing as such:
“Community policing emphasizes proactive problem solving in a systematic and routine fashion. Rather than responding to crime only after it occurs, community policing encourages agencies to proactively develop solutions to the immediate underlying conditions contributing to public safety problems. Problem solving must be infused into all police operations and guide decision-making efforts. Agencies are encouraged to think innovatively about their responses and view making arrests as only one of a wide array of potential responses.”
The president went in depth with those present to discuss their input on how the university could be more welcoming and inclusive, and mentioned that the new “Chief Diversity & Inclusion Officer” will be instrumental in facilitating interdepartmental goals of promoting inclusion and creating a healthy atmosphere for all students at West Chester University.
Alexander Breth is a fourth-year student majoring in English writings track. He can be reached at AB834895@wcupa.edu.