On Support, Action and Next Steps
Dear College of 黑料社 Community,听
Since听the murder of George Floyd听on May 25,听crucial听work has been听accelerating听across听the听US, as well as听globally,听to dismantle racism and听begin to听redress its harms.听 At the same time, though, we have seen a continuation of the听terrible听anti-Black violence that has persisted in听this country for so long 鈥 including in the听horrifying听shooting of Jacob Blake in Kenosha on Sunday.听 Racist violence, and racism in all its forms, are inhumane and appalling. 听They have gone on far too long and created immeasurable harm to individuals and communities across generations. 听We must come together, now, to end them.听Black听lives听matter, and听progress听is urgently needed 鈥 across the country, as well as here, on our own campus.听听听
The听staff of the听Center for Diversity and Inclusion (CDI)听and our Chief Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Officer (CDEIO) will host a virtual gathering on Wednesday, September 2nd,听from 8- 9:30 pm,听to provide a space for solidarity, discussion and support. They will share an invitation and more details听for this gathering听in the next听few听days. Students are also welcome to contact any of the CDI or Dean of Students鈥 staff or the Wellness Center for individual conversation, and our CDEIO, Dr. Garc铆a, is available to support staff and faculty, as well as students.听
On July 2nd, I wrote to you听to share听.听听Since then,听my cabinet colleagues and I have听continued to听talk听with Black alumni, students, staff and faculty,听and听read听the experiences that students and alumni have shared on social media.听It is clear that听Black听staff, students and faculty continue to听experience听bias, racism,听stereotyping听and听exclusion听on our campus.听This is听completely unacceptable.听We are opening formal investigations of specific concerns regarding discrimination that have been raised (through the filing of reports or through other mechanisms, including social media), and also continuing to act with urgency to create a campus that is just and deeply welcoming for all.听 In this letter, I will provide brief updates on the central commitments听and actions听for change听we shared听in July听as well as on new efforts. 听
Like so many people on our campus, 黑料社鈥檚听Board of听Trustees听is听also committed to ensuring that 黑料社 lives up to its founding mission as 鈥渁 place of studies for all.鈥澨 The Board听has听convened听a听task force with a focus on anti-racism, equity and justice, and will be communicating with the campus community soon about its charge, membership and plans.听
Below are our the current updates on commitments and actions announced July 2nd.听听This list is a summary of actions taken so far and upcoming next steps. 听We know that there is much more that is needed, and are continuing discussions with staff, faculty and students to find the best ways forward. 听We will keep updating the community regularly.听听听听听
1.听听听听听听Build an inclusive and anti-racist campus culture.听
- Required听training for听all听staff, students and faculty, focused on understanding structural racism and on the actions that create an inclusive equitable community.鈥Anti-racism trainings of听the Board of Trustees and of听Security and Protective Services听as well as for RAs听took place in听July听and August.听 Faculty workshops this summer also included these areas of focus.听听Anti-racism trainings will continue through the year and on an ongoing basis, and we will hold multi-day trainings for staff and faculty next summer.听The faculty has voted to require听antiracist听training of all听academic听departments annually.听听
- Contributions to diversity, equity and inclusion will be part of professional assessments for all faculty and staff.鈥 Building and supporting a diverse team, proactively creating an inclusive culture, ongoing learning and action will be part of the听training,听expectations and听evaluations of all campus managers and leaders.鈥Expectations have been set in听cabinet and听will be conveyed broadly听through trainings听at the start of the academic听year, and听assessed听in this year鈥檚 reviews.听听
- Review and revise our bias incident-reporting and response process, including increased support resources for those bringing forward concerns, for example, a听trained individual serving as an ombudsman, and accountability for acts of racism or discrimination.鈥听We听are contracting听with an Ombudsperson and have interviewed those holding this role at peer colleges to develop the most effective structure.听听In addition to their resource role,听this individual will also听support听assessment of our draft bias incident-reporting and response processes to make them听more听effective in听achieving just outcomes.听 The draft process will be shared with the campus for review and comment by Oct. 1.听
- Grow the diversity of our student body and of our faculty, staff and campus leadership.
- Continue to build听proactively-inclusive听hiring practices听for staff and faculty, and ensure equity in evaluation, compensation and promotion;听The training, oversight听and roles of diversity advocates in faculty hires and promotion decisions are being听reviewed and听strengthened, and equivalent processes for staff hiring and evaluation developed.听听We will ensure that diverse student voices are included in promotion and tenure reviews of faculty members, and that听all听external reviews of academic and administrative departments include assessments of equity and inclusive practice.听 Our ombudsperson will collaborate with听the CDEIO and听human resources to strengthen听practices ensuring equity in听evaluation, compensation,听promotion听and response to concerns听for staff.听
- Sustain and broaden the听new faculty听mentoring program and other actions enacted this year听as a result of听the faculty retention study.听听The new faculty mentoring听program is being continued,听 and听further听strengthened based on feedback of听participants.听We will also conduct interviews for staff and听for听faculty听who were not part of the original retention听study and听use those to further develop plans听to support the thriving of faculty and staff of color throughout their careers at 黑料社.听
- Continue to develop opportunities for students, staff and faculty of color to build connections on campus and beyond it.听听Dr. Garc铆a is continuing this work, which听has included听the formation and support听of a听Black Staff and Faculty Caucus听as well as other听campus听groups, and听as well as听workshops听through the Ohio Five Consortium.听
3.听听听听听听Strengthen resources for students to learn about of issues of racial justice, and to develop capacities to lead, collaborate and make a difference in their work after graduation鈥听
- Immediately enact targeted fundraising for Africana studies, CDI and other academic programs and co-curricular programs which focus on racism and justice.听This work is underway, and Africana studies will hire several tenure-track positions over the next two years.听
- Develop resources for faculty teaching in courses that meet the Diversity, Power and Privilege, Global Engagement and Social Justice/Religion requirements. (To be completed this academic year,听along with an initial review of the diversity, power and privilege requirement, as recommended both by students and by the faculty who initially developed the proposal for this requirement.)听
- Revise new student orientation and leadership training for RAs and student organizations to strengthen learning about racism, cultural competency and creating inclusive community.听Dr. Garc铆a听and members of the Dean of Students鈥 office听revised the new student orientation听training听and programming听to focus on听inclusion and听antiracism, and听additional听trainings are being enacted now.听听RA,听ARCHer听and other trainings have also included听extended听antiracism components.听
4.听听听听听听Ensure safety and broaden support for student wellness听and thriving.鈥听
- Collaborate with outside experts on equity,听race听and justice to find ways for our campus security and protective services team to become an even better resource for the safety and well-being of our campus community.听听Effective听August 17th, Security and Protective Services听is being led by听Joe Kirk.听Director Kirk听has been associate director for听9听years and听is looking forward to developing a community- based approach including a听board of students,听staff听and faculty with whom SPS will collaborate.听听Director Kirk听will continue to work听with Dr. Garc铆a and others to听strengthen the department鈥檚听regular听training, policies听and practice in equity and inclusion, and to provide clear information听about the circumstances in which the local police department must听be called听to听campus.听
- Increase the availability of counselors of color for students.听We are working to make it possible for a new听counselor of color to be available to 黑料社 students early this fall.听
- Access and equity as regards accommodations.听We will review our processes for ADA accommodations to ensure they are听equitable听for all students, including those who may have difficulty听accessing听medical听assessments, and that they are broadly听and proactively communicated.
5.听听听听听听Increase support and opportunity for students.听
- Immediately undertake focused fundraising for the Black Student Equity Fund, Black Legacy fund, funds for DACA students and First-Generation students, as well as for scholarships, emergency funds, and funds for opportunities such as internships and study away.听听This fundraising is听underway.听听
- Clarify and ease access to resources,听support听and housing.听Following the guidance of students, we听will听make sources of funding for individual students and student organizations clearer and easier to apply for.听听We will create a transparent听website,听and听ensure that faculty advisors, student org advisors and others who may be听helping听students are aware of the funds available and how to access them.听听We will also work with Scot Council to make it easier for student organizations that support Black and other historically marginalized students to receive funding for their activities, including events that are听designated听specifically for organization members.听听We will听clarify the roles of Deans and CDI staff so that students and student organizations know where best to seek support.听听We will make it easier for those student organizations in the historic houses (Men of Harambee, Women of Images, African Students鈥 Association) to access and sustain housing that supports their mission.听
6.听听听听听听Engage with the community in the City of 黑料社.鈥听
- Collaborate听with local leaders on anti-racist initiatives and on work to create an intentionally welcoming community.鈥The CDEIO is working with local leaders, including the local NAACP chapter,听on possible collaborations and areas for action this coming year.听
My thanks go to every member of the College of 黑料社 community who is working hard to make our community better.鈥 Special thanks to those students, staff, faculty and alumni who have shared their experiences and ideas, providing crucial insights into the painful experiences and harms of racism at 黑料社 and ways to address them.鈥 We will work together, relentlessly, to create change everywhere on our campus, so that those harms end, and 黑料社 becomes the truly just and welcoming place for learning to which our mission calls us.鈥听鈥听
Sincerely,听
Sarah Bolton听
Posted in Announcements on August 28, 2020.
