In summer 2020, the Academic Affairs Racial Equities Task Force was charged with developing and recommending to the Academic Affairs Cabinet a vision statement and key principles to guide efforts to achieve racial equity across the offices that report to the vice provost for academic affairs.
The task force specifically focused on inequities experienced by African Americans, with the recognition that this focus is one step in a longer journey toward a more diverse, equitable and inclusive work environment. The task force considered areas for improvement within Academic Affairs, as well as how Academic Affairs can assist the broader university in supporting the goal of racial equity. Key areas for consideration included hiring practices, diversity training, micro-aggressions and professional development.
Academic Affairs acknowledges our university’s collective responsibility to combat all forms of racism, and to be an anti-racist* institution. We affirm the humanity of our Black and African American faculty and staff members and attend to their wholeness for the benefit of our students. Academic Affairs will recruit, retain, and engage Black and African American talent across all of its reporting areas. In doing so, our policies and practices will be informed by a racially equitable and diverse community, advancing academic excellence for all. We aim to create, implement, and maintain both short and long-term strategies and practices that affirm a culture of inclusion where our Black and African American faculty, staff, and students can reach their highest potential.
*Anti-racism is a multi-dimensional set of actions, values and beliefs. Being anti-racist is fighting against racism, resulting from a conscious decision to make frequent, consistent, equitable choices daily. As an institution, we expect excellence in academics, research and citizenship. We expect nothing less than excellence as we journey together in becoming an anti-racist community.