The murder of George Floyd by the police in Minneapolis and the outrage from not just the Black community but communities throughout the entire country have created an energetic moment for universities to do some serious transformations.
For too long, we’ve been satisfied with “not being racist.” We haven’t been focused on crushing racism. We are going back now and looking intently at everything we do. We’re rethinking how we’re structured and having conversations about how we are organized, how we make decisions.
Why is it that faculty search committees of three or four faculty members consistently don’t find ways to select people from diverse backgrounds? What is it about the way the institution works that continues the problem? We’re asking those questions here, and we all need to be asking those questions.
We’re looking back at why it is that we have been racially insensitive and have allowed racism to be pervasive at times within our own institution. It’s about facing it and looking at it square in the face.
We all need to understand that unless there are corrections and maturation and further movement, we will not realize our goal of equality and justice. And unless we can do that at the universities themselves, we won’t be able to do that anywhere.
There is a significant piece of work underway right now to modernize, to update and to address the weaknesses inherent in our own institutions. This will not be easy, and it will not be a quick fix. It will not be driven by one person or one group or one office. It must be pursued and challenged and felt throughout every aspect of the university.
We must commit to accelerate meaningful change. This is only a starting point, and we realize that, but the conversation is finally underway.
