(CAMPUSREFORM) — Cornell University Dean of Students candidate Vijay Pendakur came under fire for asserting that he would consider all students when making decisions as dean.
“If I say ‘The dean’s area of focus is diversity and inclusion,’ the unspoken thought in response often is ‘Oh, so he’s here for only the marginalized students,’” Pendakur observed during an open forum last Friday. “So we need to undo that, because that is a deeply problematic framework. If we’re going to make progress, it needs to be everyone’s conversation.”
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Julia Montejo, Vice President for Diversity and Inclusion for Cornell’s student assembly, was offended that Pendakur would concern himself with students that do not belong to groups that are considered to be underrepresented or marginalized.
