Chapter XXI
_____________________________________Meeting Notes
The Administration
Date: Fall 2011
[Initial Call to Order, Rollcall, & Approval of Last Minutes (Omitted]
President (“Pres”): Now, we’ve reached the Open Issues point of today’s meeting. Dean Williams, you have the floor.
Dean Williams (“DW”): Thank you, Mr. President. Folks, I cannot begin to express the tension currently on campus, enough. Ever since the mysterious egging of the MLK Center, and the Young Conservatives’ display of hatred...
Dean Dúmás (“DD”): Excuse me?! Hatred?
Pres.: Now Dean Dúmás, Dean Williams has the floor. You may have it after her time is up. Continue.
DW: As I was saying, before I was so rudely interrupted, The Campus is presently dealing with some tough racial issues. Black, White, Brown, & every spectrum of color in between is struggling to understand how they can assist in rebuilding campus relations.
That is why, Heman Marion Sweatt Trial Team (“HMS”) Trial Team Proposal submitted by Gorgeous, must be enacted as soon as possible; and be granted the funding necessary for the team to form and compete in the exact same manner The University’s team competes.
Pres.: I don’t mean to cut you off, but funding? I was under the impression the funds were already raised by the proposed team.
DW: Mr. President, how can a team not yet formed, raise funds for anything?
Pres.: I see. Well, we already have a team, why don’t the HMS Gang, join that cause as a show of unity?
DW: I believe you said I have the floor.
Pres.: You do.
DW: May I continue, and ask that everyone agree to hold questions until after myself and Dean Dumba...
DD: ITS Dúmás!
DW: My apologies.
Pres.: We all agree. Correct gentlemen?
Dr. Pioneer J.D. (“DP”): Agreed.
Dr. Calagee (“DC”): Agreed.
DD: Begrudgingly, agreed.
DW: Thank you gentlemen. Now, in the proposal, Gorgeous expressed interest in securing funding. As my mentee, and based on her ability to raise more at the Date Auction than any other student in the past 4 years, I assured her I would seek the funding her project so desperately needs. Additionally, I informed her money was tight, and she was prepared to enact other plans to secure funding.
Gorgeous is a tough young woman. She hails from 3rd Ward, and while the area’s reputation isn’t spotless, Gorgeous is. She constantly goes above & beyond in her efforts to assist The University in whatever way possible. These are the few of many reasons; she deserves to lead HMS Trial Team from inception, through birth, on into its future adulthood. Thank you.
Pres.: Thank you Dean Williams. Dean D, you’re up.
DD: Well, in the interest of time, I’ll make a similar speech, but for an alternative view. We are all, very busy, so I’ll attempt to address each of Dean Williams’ speech points in the order they were presented.
The main difference between my speech and hers, is that I believe Carter should lead HMS Trial Team from inception, to birth, and in his capable hands, the team could actually reach adulthood.
• Tension is high on this campus. Carter is a Poli. Sci. Major, and therefore understands the tender nature that rebuilding with various backgrounds will require. Gorgeous, wants to go to law school, we all know what sort of people go there. No offense Dr. Pioneer.
• Carter hails from OakCliff. A tough area full of roughnecks that can handle the task of building an all-black or all-minority team to carry the HMS torch.
• Finally, Gorgeous is Dean Williams’ mentee, but it doesn’t stop at that. She promised her funding for a project that wasn’t even talked about until this meeting. Carter and myself have no relationship up to this point. He has my vote, based on his actual merit. Nothing more.
Pres.: Thank you Dr. The floor is now open for questions. I’ll kick it off with some of my own.
• Dean D, great point on the mentor/mentee relationship. That could be problematic for the team’s existence. I also think it was a good point to mention the situation's need for a Poli. Sci. Major. I couldn’t agree more.
DC: I find this entire proposal interesting, however, how many tries are we willing to give to have a crack at this? In my opinion, this should be a one-year trial run. Anything beyond that could prove wasteful.
Pres.: Agreed. Does the proposal offer a time element?
DW: No sir. It was merely a proposal at the moment it was submitted.
Pres.: I see.
DP: As the only J.D. in the room, I believe it is important to point out the abysmal numbers for minorities, specifically, African-Americans, both men and women. So, I believe the proposal needs to be done, regardless of sex.
Pres.: Thank you Dr. P. Okay, we need to vote on this; any last words? Dean Williams, you haven’t looked up once during this discussion. Do you have anything else you’d like to add?
DW: I do!
Pres.: Proceed...
DW: As the only Black, and the only woman, in this room, I would urge this group to reconsider those facts, before we vote. Its hard enough dealing with the pompous & ignorant sitting here; I can only imagine how Gorgeous would feel, after placing her heart & soul in this proposal, & us deciding to hand it over, to a man. That is, categorically, unfair, and I implore you all to not crush her spirit in the way this entire meeting, has nearly crushed mines.
DP: I concur, my wife is Afro-Latina, and she would kick my behind if I let something like this happen today.
DC: I also concur, not with the being a minority part or having the honor of being married to one, but if we want to build real unity, we will have to be as progressive as possible. Gorgeous, embodies all of those things.
Pres.: Dean D, any last words?
DD: None, whatsoever.
Pres.: Okay, with that said, let’s put it to a vote...
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