Andrew Millin
All over social media Emory University students who responded in pain to “Trump” written in chalk around their campus are being labeled as crybabies, obsessive with safe spaces, and oversensitive. Students were not the only ones criticized for their responses. One article wrote how campus authority figures “of course, were more than willing to coddle them.” Statements like those insult the work of student affairs practitioners. While Trump has said that he does not affirm the actions of any hate groups, including White supremacists, one study has shown that, during one week earlier this year, 62 percent of the people Trump re-tweeted follow multiple White supremacist accounts.
On top of this, he even condoned the beating of a #BlackLivesMatter protester, saying, “Maybe [the protester] should have been roughed up. It was absolutely disgusting what he was doing.” Trump through his actions, despite his words, has shown affirmation of both the opinions of White supremacists and of assault on people of color, especially when they protest. Microaggressions, defined as brief behaviors, intentional or unintentional, that communicate insults that have a harmful psychological impact, according to the American Psychological Association, are linked to depression, substance abuse, running away, and prostitution. Regardless of the intentions of those who wrote the graffiti, they caused pain to people of color through their microaggressions, which is no laughing matter.
From the beginning of the student affairs profession the needs of the whole student have been embedded in the core values, philosophy, and literature. Based on their work, here are two ways those who work with students—especially higher education administrators—can counsel students who are traumatized by microaggressions to work to respond with maturity:
Through these steps with patience and understanding, campus climates can be positively assessed at colleges and universities. Instead of students, alumni, faculty, and staff pitting themselves against one another, they can work together to promote a culture of advocacy and empathy.
Andrew Millin is pursuing his M.S.Ed. in Higher Education at the University of Pennsylvania. At Penn he serves as a Research Assistant at the Institute for Research on Higher Education.
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