EAU CLAIRE —  In the wake of last week’s attack on the United States, some members of our student body have been harassed. Some of our international students, as well as permanent United States residents from Southeast Asia and Middle Eastern countries, have experienced hostility and threats, unfair and inappropriate comments. These students represent many nations, all of which are allies of the United States.
       These threats and this hostility have taken place on and off our campus. None of this is tolerable.
       All students, faculty and staff at the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire are part of a single community, regardless of national origin or ethnicity. Among the many things that make America great are our tolerance, our openness and our willingness to embrace difference.
       Our international students are here for the same reason the United States students are here: to get an excellent education, to experience the culture of our university, and the culture of our nation. They value the American cultural experience. Please do not let them see an ugly side of American culture.
       We are committed, as a university, to the belief that an international experience actually works toward world peace. United States Sen. William Fulbright, in the aftermath of World War II, established the Fulbright Foundation in the belief that an understanding of foreign cultures will bring peoples of the world together. As such, it can mitigate hostility and help prevent war.
       We share that belief.
       In these sad and distressing times in our national history, I ask you to demonstrate your compassion, and the goodwill that our nation is known for, to those members of our campus community who, like you, are here for an education.
       Please also remember, these students are far from their homes in this stressful and frightening time. This is an opportunity we should embrace, to show the world that our open and democratic society is a shining example of our generosity, even in challenging times.

News Bureau  

Judy Berthiaume
UW-Eau Claire News Bureau
Schofield 201
(715) 836-4741
newsbur@uwec.edu

Updated: Sept. 19, 2001