The University of Colorado at Boulder has sent emails to students on campus advising them to avoid offensive costumes on Halloween.

Although CU-Boulder will not be taking action against offensive costumes, the school is making an effort to raise awareness about the issue. This is the first year the university has done something like this, said Bronson Hilliard, assistant vice chancellor for strategic media relations, in an email. Other universities that have worked to spread similar messages include the University of Minnesota and Northwestern University.

“Costumes that play up stereotypes based on race, class, national origin or gender, can — even if not intended to — be hurtful to real people in our community based on their backgrounds,” Hilliard said.

The university would discourage students from dressing up in Native American costumes or blackface, for example, said Randy McCrillis, director of the Center for Multicultural Affairs at CU-Boulder. The initiative was meant to educate students about certain costumes that may be offensive to others, he said.

“The goal was to raise awareness and educate our students about how to create a safe and inclusive community for all, and to make people aware — when they may not have been in the past — about certain stereotypical costumes, and how they are perceived by other students,” he said.

McCrillis and Hilliard both clarified this is simply a request for students to think twice before picking a stereotypical or racist costume, and not an official rule that will be implemented on campus.

“There are no student conduct violations at play here, and there is no threat of punishing students at any level,” Hilliard said.

Throughout this campaign, Hilliard said, students have had a mixed reaction to the school’s suggestions. But he explained that support from students, faculty, staff and alumni has encouraged to the university to continue the campaign.

McCrillis said there has been a lot of dialogue on campus. He added that students have reacted positively to the campaign, as it raises issues students were unaware of before.

Hilliard said the university is planning to continue the campaign next year. He also said he hopes communication about social complexities within the university’s diverse community will continue.

“As for the future, we know our goals will be the same: to create an inclusive campus that is welcoming to all people,” Hilliard said.

McCrillis and Hilliard said they both want students to educate themselves and think before putting on an offensive costume.

McCrillis also said he hopes that during Halloween “students choose a costume that might celebrate and highlight someone’s culture, instead of stereotyping it.”

Published on October 31, 2013 at 3:04 am