By Ryan D. Pittman
Daily Texan
April 19, 2001

A committee formed to investigate allegations of University of Texas-Austin police misconduct met this week for the first time, leaving UT President Larry Faulkner hopeful that an "unfortunate" incident could finally reach a resolution.

At the request of the Faculty Council, Faulkner created the five-member panel to "investigate the allegation that Professor Mia Carter was singled out by the campus police during the demonstrations concerning the display on the Gregory Gym mall."

At issue is a claim by Carter, interim director of the Center for Asian-American Studies, that a UT Police Department officer used unnecessary force when he tried to confiscate a bullhorn she was holding during a demonstration, injuring her neck and leaving a small cut over her left eye. She claims the police officer singled her out because she is a black female.

The use of amplified sound on campus other than in designated areas is not permitted under UT policy.

The incident in question occurred on Feb. 20 as a result of a controversial anti-abortion exhibit held on campus. The exhibit, sponsored by the UT student group Justice For All: Students for Bio-Ethical Justice in conjunction with the national Justice For All anti-abortion organization, included graphic images of aborted fetuses on a three-sided, 18-foot high display located outside Gregory Gym.

Committee members Edwin Dorn, dean of the LBJ School of Public Affairs, Desley Deacon, American Studies professor, Michael Granof, public affairs professor, Jan Summer, School of Law executive director and Barbara White, social work professor, will meet several times over the next few weeks and should present their findings to Faulkner by the end of the semester, Faulkner said.

"We'll be talking to as many relevant people who can shed light on the situation as we can," White said. "Whenever there is a faculty member who feels like she's been aggrieved in such a manner, our community should at least put forth some effort to determine the truth, if possible."

Carter said she sees the committee as a way to answer some of her lingering questions over what actually happened that day as well as the broader question of how the UTPD should handle similar situations in the future.

"This is not just a personal thing for me," Carter said. "More significant are the questions of the use of police force against nonviolent protests by faculty and students in the future. We need to know if the UTPD is there to intimidate us or to serve and protect us."

The UTPD declined to comment Wednesday.

Granof said the committee will look at the incident from all sides and make the appropriate judgment, whatever that may be.

"This is a sensitive matter, and we will handle it appropriately," he said.

Thursday night, Carter will lead a discussion on UT free speech policies in a forum titled, "Amplified Voices." The 6:30 p.m. forum at the Flawn Academic Center Auditorium is open to the public.