The Student Government Association and The Office of African, Latino/a, Asian and Native American Affairs (ALANA) held a forum on the public safety of the campus based on recent violent events at the University of Massachusetts.

The event’s intended topic was student safety, though much of the discussion centered around UMass student Jason Vassell, who was involved in a violent altercation on Feb. 3, and has since then been arrested for his participation in a stabbing in Southwest.

The organizations provided handouts detailing what happened to Vassell and the other people involved in the incident. The first to speak was professor Michael Thelwell of the African American studies department.

Speaking to a room that was so full that people were standing in the back and on the sides, he began his remarks by saying, “Thank you all for being here. I take that as your sense of community.”

Thelwell stated the facts of the case, then followed up by talking about what students can do to make UMass a more secure place.

“We have to start the conversation that has to take place on this campus,” Thelwell said. “UMass is a community of students, it’s a community of faculty, it’s a community of administrators – of black and white.”

Another call for community learning to make UMass a safer campus came from Marianne Winters of the Everywoman’s Center.

“I was asked to come here to talk about some of the broader implications,” said Winters. “There is a lack of safety and a feeling of vulnerability in our community.”

Winters added that the best way to help a community is to know more about it and educate its members to not only prevent crime, but also to encourage people to report crime.

UMass student trustee Ruth Thompson addressed the audience about campus safety and an e-mail sent by Interim Chancellor Thomas Cole last week to all students.

“He’s calling on us to make this campus as safe as it should be,” said Thompson.

Even those not set to speak in the forum had their opportunity during the question and answer period. Amilcar Shabazz, chairman of the African American studies department, spoke about a few things to help get the campus aware of safety issues.

“We must be more engaged in the question of violence and what violence can do to a community,” said Shabazz. “We ought to be more proactive, more engaged.”

Much of the audience was there to be involved with the Vassell case.

“I could never see him in a violent, life-altering situation like this,” said Tracy Kelley. “I was just like, ‘I have to do something, I have to fix this.’ This is an issue that needs to be addressed.”

“This is the last person I would expect to be in this situation,” added Mishy Leiblum.

The room was full of faculty, students and others who came to hear about Vassell’s situation and learn about campus safety.

“I’m an ally of Student Bridges, where Jason worked,” said Vilay Senthep. “I’m also an alum, so issues of diversity and making this campus a welcome and inclusive environment is still important to me.”

“My ultimate goal is to get these charges reconsidered because they are extensive,” said Kelley. “In the long term, I want to change the violent climate at UMass.”

Freshman Tishani Tyler attended with her class. She expected the forum to be mostly about student safety.

“I think that it was getting outside of the subject at hand,” said Tyler.

Emily Reynolds can be reached at [email protected].