If walls could talk...

As students filed into Woodburn 100 Monday and Tuesday, first day icebreakers and step-by-step instructions of the syllabus were put aside in place of a discussion on the controversial Thomas Hart Benton mural that adorns the walls of the room.\nThis discussion is preceded by a nine-minute long video explaining the mural. This was one of three primary initiatives set forth by Chancellor Sharon Brehm. In March, Brehm announced the controversial mural would stay put in Woodburn Hall after complaints by the Black Student Union and others on campus because of the portrayal of the Ku Klux Klan in one of the painting's panels.\nThe BSU urged the University to take action concerning the situation, saying the mural could be considered offensive to some students.\nRather than removing the mural, Brehm decided to leave the panel in the classroom, but made efforts to make sure IU's students became educated about the painting.\nBrehm proposed three committees to educate students about the mural at the beginning of the semester and during orientation. She is also encouraging the increase of multicultural art around campus, and pushed for the hiring of more diverse faculty.\nDean of Students Richard McKaig headed the committee in charge of educating students during orientation.\n"The committee met in May and June and designed a program presented at each orientation session throughout the summer to inform students about campus diversity," McKaig said. \nMcKaig said there were contests and different activities during orientation, which attempted to engage freshmen in learning more about diversity at IU.\n"The students I talked to who had gone through the experience thought it was fun," McKaig said. \nAlong with diversity education, a video was made for all students, who have class in the room, to watch. The video was produced by a committee headed by Dean of Faculties Moya Andrews.\n"We've been working all summer preparing the education," Andrews said.\nThe video contains four main sections -- the history of the mural, reactions and perspectives from students and faculty and an address from Brehm and the President of the Black Student Union Gerald Mitchell.\nAndrews' committee also developed a Web site and a brochure concerning the mural.\nAndrews said every IU professor was invited to watch a premier showing of the video before the school year began.\n"After it was over, they all broke out in applause," Andrews said.\nProfessor James Madison, who teaches U.S. history in Woodburn 100, said he thought the short video was well done.\n"I think the video presents a very short but excellent window into a very large and complicated controversy," Madison said. "They packed a lot into the nine minutes."\nImmediately following the video, students were handed index cards to write down what they think about the mural and are urged to speak in class about the controversy.\nMadison said his students were eager to speak out in his class after they showed the video.\n"Here's a chance to take something that makes some people uncomfortable and learn from it," Madison said.\nAfter seeing the video for the first time, freshman Eric Eickhoff said he thought the video and the mural helped create good discussion.\n"I understand where people get offended and how, but they also need to understand it's Indiana's history," Eickhoff said. "If (the University) doesn't talk about it to people, it's going to get worse."\nEickhoff said he thought the video was very helpful for new students.\n"It helped just by giving the history of the painting and not just that it's about the Ku Klux Klan," he said.\nThe third goal of Brehm's plan was to increase and improve diversity on campus through more multicultural art. Vice President for Student Development and Diversity Charlie Nelms was appointed to head the "One for Diversity" art project.\nNelms said his committee is working toward collecting an inventory of multicultural campus art. The committee then plans to invite African-American writers to campus to speak to students about the art. \nNelms said there are plans to publish the multicultural art the University owns and to create a walking tour for people to observe them.\nWith all of the new initiatives set into place, Nelms said he thought the entire process has gone very well.\n"There has been a proactive approach to understand the context of the Benton mural and its historic and social significance," Nelms said. "All of the feedback I have has been very, very positive"