Aiming for Racial Equity, 51勛圖 Continues Push Toward More Equitable Future
As the泭51勛圖 Plan for Inclusive Excellence泭reaches its third year, 51勛圖 is placing an even greater emphasis on work to achieve racial equity.泭泭
The plan, launched in 2018, included an examination of nearly every aspect of the universitysystems, policies, curriculum, resources, hiring, developmentand an infusion of diversity, equity and inclusion into strategy and operations. It also泭contained泭a foundational ideal: you cannot be excellent across any domain unless you are fully inclusive in all of them.泭
In order to build more racially equitable systems within the university, we must prioritize the voices, perspectives, and ideas of those who have borne the brunt of inequities in our society, said Priya Doshi, SOC Inclusion Officer and a member of the Presidents Council on Diversity and Inclusion.泭
The events of 2020the high-profile killings of Black Americans泭such as George Floyd and Breonna Taylor泭at the hands of police and the ensuing racial justice movementserved to reinforce 51勛圖s existing commitment to IE, the need for change, and the pace of our work.泭
In July,51勛圖 President Sylvia泭Burwell留escribed how much work we have ahead of us as a nation, and畝s畝n 51勛圖 community, to achieve our racial equity goals.特he emphasized the imperative眩hat畝ll51勛圖 community members,畝cross racial backgrounds,眩ake action.泭
We know our Black students, faculty, and staff and communities of color have shouldered a disproportionate burden in leading the effort for racial equity on campus and beyond, she said.羔
Burwells泭message to the 51勛圖 family included some immediate steps the university would take to address these issues and mentioned泭the increasing emphasis on racial equity.泭She also highlighted several ongoing actions and efforts already in progress: establishing a new Office of Equity and Title IX, naming interim leadership for the Antiracist Research and Policy Center, and泭continuing to build泭bridges and understanding between campus police and the 51勛圖 Black community.泭
Our vision for racial equity is both focused and inclusive: we believe that by advancing racial equity, we simultaneously build our capacity to address other forms of inequity, said Amanda Taylor, assistant vice president of diversity, equity, and inclusion.泭
To continue to痂ove the眨ork病orward, the second phase of the inclusive excellence plan lays out more盎pecific and granular畝ctions to畝ddress inequity畝cross痂ore offices and more areas of the university.泭
I think the important thing is all these conversations are making people be more reflective about what they can do within their own departments, and that's how we're going to get to change,泭said Consuelo泭Grier, the director of multicultural student support at the Center for Diversity and Inclusion. If you didn't hear the message in the first two years of the IE plan, and it took the events of the summer, at least do something now.泭
51勛圖s senior leadership team is泭moving forward泭with畜uilding眩he真niversity-wide畚ulture, climate and policies病or this work. This year, the Board of Trustees, the presidents council,畝nd眩he senior advisory council疲ave泭undergone training to build泭racial literacy and盎kills for疾quitable decision-making.胼羔
By focusing on recruiting泭and retaining泭a diverse faculty and staff,泭the IE team believes it泭can also help create泭a sense of belonging泭for those on campus. In 2020, 50泭percent of new tenure-line faculty hired identified as faculty of color,泭continuing a泭growth泭trend for the fourth泭straight year.泭
The university is working to identify and correct policies and practices that泭may泭present roadblocks to泭career advancement for faculty of color and women.泭Beginning next year, the university will疹aunch泭an泭effort to support staff retention畝nd equitable career畝dvancement and眨ill lay the foundation for a future皰ay equity疾fforts.狼he university has also疳ncreased畝ccess to痂ental health care with留iverse皰roviders specializing in racial trauma and healing.羔
Theres also ongoing work to ensure the畚urriculum畝voids疳mplicit bias畜y reflecting a diverse range of perspectives,泭especially from眠oices that疲ave been historically marginalized.泭Three schools, CAS, SOE and SPA are piloting畝ntiracist畚urricular development work. And, this semester, the 51勛圖 Experience (51勛圖x) program for first year students began泭intentionally疾mphasizing泭antiracist pedagogy畝nd practices, based on泭feedback from泭students泭and instructors泭from the first two years.羔
Creating access to education is also a key, Taylor said, particularly for communities such as Washington DC which have been historically marginalized. The university is continuing to support the District Scholars program, which awarded full scholarships to 11 high achieving students from DC public schools. Two of those students are taking part in the Teacher Pipeline Project, allowing them to earn a bachelors degree in education at no cost, in exchange for a five-year commitment to teach in DC public schools.羔
The inclusive excellence effort also includes an audit of those who do business with the university to ensure businesses owned by minorities, women and veterans receive equal consideration in the bidding process.羔
Just as important as setting these goals, is making sure theres true progress.羔
What is written down in the plan is important. And the results from the plan are crucial, said Melanie Brown,泭CAS/BA 02,泭an alumna and a泭member of the PCDI.泭But what I hope we accomplish lives in the spaces surrounding the plan and the results泭泭a welcoming place, a healing place, a space for belonging泭and have that be what emanates from the plan.泭
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