Posted by the San Jose Mercury News Dec. 6, 2013.
If San Jose State University President Mo Qayoumi wanted a task force that would sweep racial conflicts under the dormitory rug, he made a huge mistake in appointing retired Judge LaDoris Cordell to head it.
Cordell’s outspoken nature is of legendary proportion. Most recently, she authored a column on these pages urging felony charges against the white freshmen accused of hate crimes for tormenting their African-American roommate — the incident that prompted Qayoumi to create the task force. And she has dealt with university challenges as vice provost at Stanford. By naming her, Qayoumi signals a determination to confront and overcome this trauma. It’s a very good choice.