At our February meeting, our members resolved to communicate to you and to the University Board of Trustees our deepest concerns regarding incidents last month at University Park which appear to indicate an increase in racial intolerance at the University.

To date, the members of our particular chapter from throughout the central part of the state have become aware of a range of problems or incidents, including the distribution on the campus of a series of racist and intimidating pieces of literature, a number of assaults on or acts of intimidation of African-Americans, and of the renewal of intimidating pieces of literature, and of the renewal of student demands for institutional changes that would help to improve the living and learning climate both for African-Americans and for others at Penn State.

In this latter area of concern, it is our understanding that some of the current student demands were, in fact, already made nearly one year ago, at the time when students saw it necessary to occupy a University Park building so as to have their voices heard.

We are urging the Penn State administration and Board of Trustees to take serious and long-range actions -- a) to address legitimate student demands and grievances; b) to institute appropriate educational and awareness programs so that community members can begin to grapple with and eradicate prejudices and discriminatory behaviors; c) to make the day-to-day atmosphere and life for all members of the community safe and free of all acts of intolerance, physical or otherwise.

Members of our regional, state-wide and national organizations have been concerned with the situation at Penn State for some time now. We will continue to monitor future events.

We are encouraged by some of your public responses so far, but hope that the public image being projected of a concerned administration will be matched by real structural and institutional changes so that these recent, deplorable incidents and the atmosphere that fosters them will become things of the past.