A day after The Daily Reveille reported the cancellation of a Salt ‘N’ Pepper event that an LSUPD officer said might attract Southern University students and cause a security problem, LSU and Southern responded with statements separating themselves from the opinions of the officer.
LSU and Southern chancellors and student governments issued official statements saying the opinions of the police officer do not reflect the views of the universities and advocating a strong future between Southern and LSU.
Southern’s Student Government will host a town hall meeting today in Stewart Hall, on its campus, at noon to discuss students’ thoughts on negative feelings from LSU.
The Daily Reveille reported Monday that an event scheduled as part of Salt ‘N’ Pepper — an event intended to bring together black and white greeks — had been cancelled.
The event was cancelled after one of its sponsors, Tau Kappa Epsilon, backed out. Tau Kappa Epsilon and Omega Psi Phi, a co-sponsor, met with LSUPD.
LSUPD Maj. Mark Shaw described the liabilities he thought the party would cause because of past problems on campus involving Southern students and told them there would be an increase in security costs.
LSU Chancellor Sean O’Keefe released a statement Monday that said Shaw’s comment was unfortunate and could not be taken as the opinion of the entire LSU community.
In the statement, O’Keefe said, “I regret any inference that Southern University students would be the cause of discord and apologize for any offense felt by our colleagues and friends.”
O’Keefe said he talked with Southern Chancellor Edward Jackson on Tuesday and that the two are “of like minds” on the issue and will continue to work toward positive progress on the relationship between the two schools.
LSU Student Government released a statement that said, “We are dismayed by LSUPD Maj. Mark Shaw’s statements, and want to assure the students at Southern University, and at LSU, that these comments and beliefs are not our own.”
“I’m surprised and disheartened by the comments that were made,” said Michelle Gieg, SG president.
Jackson issued a statement Tuesday commending O’Keefe and LSU Student Government for their responses.
Jackson also said that Southern and LSU will continue to strive for unity between the two schools and will not allow anyone to stop that progress.
O’Keefe said LSUPD Maj. Ricky Adams met with officials at Southern on Tuesday and described the meeting as “amicable, professional and reflective of the kind of attitudes we feel here at LSU and at the Police Department.”
Adams said the meeting was “very productive” and that the LSUPD fully supports the chancellor’s statement. He added that the comments made by Shaw were not those of the police department.
Adams also said that the LSUPD will continue to work with any organization that wants to hold an event on campus.
Gieg said she wants to work to change perceptions among some LSU students that Southern is somehow an enemy.
“It needs to come from within the student bodies at both institutions,” she said. “The best thing we can do as students is to build a network between students. Administrators will see we’re working together and do the same.”
Gieg said she has been working with Southern’s Student Government President Justin McCorkle and hopes to broaden the lines of communication between the two schools.
She said that while she is disappointed by Shaw’s comments, some good may come from them because students will begin to talk about important issues they often look past, such as race and segregation.
McCorkle said Southern’s Student Government is hosting the town hall meeting today to address the issues stemming from concerns about hostile feelings because the Springfest Greek Show — a show combining black greeks on both campuses — will be held on Southern’s campus this weekend.
“The Student Government feels that the statement was very appalling,” McCorkle said. “But we have an understanding that it was the view of one person and not the views of an entire organization, department or university.”