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BLOOMINGTON, Ind. -- Indiana University officials at the Bloomington campus say that they have
received few reports of harassment of international students in the wake of
Tuesday's terrorist attacks on the East Coast.
Pam Freeman, IU associate dean of students and director of student ethics and
anti-harassment programs, said the reports that her office has received have
generally involved remarks that may have been malicious, or only thoughtless.
Freeman said she has talked to some Muslim students and friends of Muslim
students who have cited such incidents.
"Even what may seem to be just a side comment from the person making it can
still instill fear in the minds of students who feel they are being targeted,"
Freeman said. "It is not a joke to them."
"At a time when things are very tense, we are urging people to address these
issues in a very calm, compassionate way. We do not want to create a climate of
fear for any of our students," Freeman said. "It is certainly understandable
that some people are angry about the events that have happened. But they should
not direct that anger at their fellow students."
IU Dean of Students Richard McKaig agreed that while there have been a few
isolated incidents and understandable anxiety among some international students,
there has been no sign of any collective effort targeting students because of
their race or ethnicity.
Freeman encouraged students who believe they have been harassed because of
their race or nationality to contact her office by e-mailing
reportit@indiana.edu .
(Susan Dillman, 812-855-0850, sdillman@indiana.edu )