Op-eds, open forums, class discussions and direct participation in rallies and protests are only a few of the ways that Washington University community members are responding to the recent events in Ferguson, Mo.

On Aug. 9, police officer Darren Wilson shot and killed 18-year-old Michael Brown in Ferguson, a city in St. Louis County located about 20 minutes north of campus. The death of Brown, a black, unarmed teenager, sparked daily rallies near campus, with Ferguson home to a series of police confrontations where protesters have been bombarded with tear gas and police forces have barricaded themselves behind riot gear. After violence between the police forces and protesters escalated, Missouri Governor Nixon declared a state of emergency and later ordered the National Guard into Ferguson.

University administration responses to the nearby unrest have been varied in their visibility and nature. Chancellor Mark Wrighton sent out an email response to the events to many students, though not to the entire Washington University community.

Rob Wild, Vice Chancellor for Students and Dean of the First Year Center, said that because the University is a part of the St. Louis community, he expected students to consider what role they should play in the aftermath of the shooting.

“What’s happening in Ferguson is affecting us and it will continue to affect us,” Wild said. “We are part of St. Louis…this is deeply painful for Washington University. We have to think about what is our role in the community, what is our response, how do our students be involved.”

“One of the questions that has come up a lot with the RAs and WUSAs is should we tell people not to leave campus? What I told the WUSAs and RAs is that this is the wrong time to be sending that message,” Wild added. “In fact, this is probably as good of a time as ever to strengthen what we’re doing in the St. Louis community.”

Several professors from departments including education, English and law, penned opinion pieces about the events that were published in various newspapers. Clarissa Rile Hayward, an associate professor of political science, felt that context was the key to understanding the situation.

“There is an understandable tendency to try to focus on individuals…but I also think we need to think about the larger background, and specifically the institutional context that tends to perpetuate racial inequality and racial injustices,” Hayward said.

Gerald Early, the Merle Kling Professor of Modern Letters and a professor of English and of African and African-American Studies, wanted to direct focus towards the relationship Washington University has with the city of St. Louis.

In his opinion piece, “Why Ferguson Was Ready to Explode,” published in Time Magazine, Early argued that the long-standing racial divide in St. Louis has become hyper-segregated, with tensions between races becoming more strained over time. This strain, he wrote, led to the outburst in Ferguson’s community after Michael Brown’s murder.

“I think people need to be informed. [They need to] learn the history of St. Louis, and particularly the history of race relations…start finding out the nature of the city,” Early said.

University professors Rebecca Wanzo and Jeffrey McCune approached the situation differently, planning a panel discussion to take place on Aug. 28 to encourage dialogue between the Washington University and St. Louis communities.

Like Early, Wanzo said that University students are generally unfamiliar with the history of race relations in St. Louis, and she and McCune wanted to facilitate a discussion about it so they could better understand the protests.

“The idea is to really have a broad university-focused cross-school dialogue about the events because it brings up so many issues that one expert in one field can’t handle,” Wanzo said.

Wanzo felt that dialogue was important for starting the response to the events in Ferguson, but encouraged members of the University community to do more.

“We should really make sure we respond to what the community says it needs. Sometimes intellectuals or outsiders go into communities and try to tell them what they should be doing, but there are a lot of activists on the ground who have very clear ideas about what needs to happen in terms of helping the community,” she said.

Several Washington University students have already gone out to rallies and protests to support the Ferguson community. Junior Charlie Beard, who has been posting online and attending rallies near campus, felt that it was something he simply couldn’t ignore, and wants to continue his involvement after classes begin.

“It just seems like something people should get involved in. It’s a local thing…there’s no reason not to,” Beard said. “Once classes start, I’ll stay posted. I know there are students who are involved in making a statement as Wash. U. students, and I want to be a part of that, plus I want to go to Ferguson at some point as well.”

Brittany Packnett, a 2006 Washington University graduate, has been very involved in the Ferguson community since Michael Brown’s death. Packnett has been involved in protests nearly every night and was tear gassed at one event.

“I’ve just been trying to bear witness to what’s happening and make sure that people don’t forget what’s happening in Ferguson,” she said.

“The fact of the matter is that this happened to Mike Brown and this reinforces the fears that a lot of our African American young people are walking around with every day,” Packnett added. “I talked to an 8 year old the other day and when I asked him what he thinks when he sees the police, he said ‘run.’ If you’re 8 and you’re already thinking that the police are not there to serve and protect, you can imagine how you feel about law enforcement when you are 18.”

Packnett hoped that Washington University students and administrators could find a way to get involved, but noted that protesting in Ferguson was not the only way to contribute.

“I think it’s up to people at Wash. U. to decide where they can best add value and that may look different from what other students and organizations [choose to do]” Packnett said. “Do the people of Ferguson need more people to stand with them in peaceful protest? Absolutely. Does it make a difference if those people are coming from Wash. U.? Absolutely. Because Wash. U. students have a level of credibility and privilege. That privilege should be used to benefit other people,” Packnett said.

“It’s a choice everyone has to make for themselves. Being tear gassed is not fun. It’s not easy being out there every night, however you end up contributing to the movement, if it’s writing an op-ed or standing out there in a march or working with students to process what they’re feeling about this, or if it’s opening up a dialogue with people who might not understand [what’s going on in] Ferguson,” Packnett said. “None of those things are easy all of the time.”