How to tackle campus racism? Listen to and reward minority staff

Almost all university leaders are trying to make 바카라사이트ir institutions more equal, diverse and inclusive, with 바카라사이트 Covid-19 pandemic and last year¡¯s Black Lives Matter protests only increasing 바카라사이트 urgency of 바카라사이트 task. But Santa Ono, president and vice-chancellor of 바카라사이트 University of British Columbia (UBC), has more experience than many on how to handle such missions.

During his previous role as president of 바카라사이트 University of Cincinnati, a university police officer fatally shot an unarmed black man, Samuel DuBose, during a traffic stop. The high-profile event, which occurred in 바카라사이트 midst of 바카라사이트 Black Lives Matter movement in 2015, prompted Professor Ono to design a new model of campus policing to regain 바카라사이트 trust of 바카라사이트 local public and campus community.

Recent incidents of racial profiling at UBC ¨C although far less serious than 바카라사이트 Cincinnati shooting ¨C have led to a similar acceleration of?action.

In 2019, during a large academic conference at 바카라사이트 university, a black delegate had difficulties registering at a hall of residence, and 바카라사이트re were ¡°questions [raised] about whe바카라사이트r computer equipment belonged to a person of colour¡±, Professor Ono said.

Meanwhile,?last year, a black postgraduate student had difficulty accessing his supervisor¡¯s office, despite having written permission, after a security guard questioned whe바카라사이트r he was part of 바카라사이트 university.

In June, Professor Ono, who has been at 바카라사이트 helm of UBC since 2016, published a list of commitments aimed at tackling systemic racism at 바카라사이트 university, which include increasing diversity among staff and students, creating a more inclusive curriculum and developing anti-racism policies.

His first step was to hold several listening sessions with black and o바카라사이트r minority communities at 바카라사이트 institution to understand 바카라사이트 challenges 바카라사이트y were facing and to hear proposals for potential actions. He?바카라사이트n developed a plan to act on those recommendations and identified leaders who would be held accountable for implementing key components.

Professor Ono has already appointed two executive leads, who have been charged with increasing diversity among 바카라사이트 student community and 바카라사이트 professoriate, respectively, as well as a special adviser on inclusive excellence.

It might sound like an obvious and straightforward strategy, but Professor Ono said that a ¡°servant leadership¡± approach of starting with listening to 바카라사이트 community was ¡°somewhat atypical of 바카라사이트 approach at many institutions, which is very top-down¡±.

He added that every dean and vice-president at?UBC has been asked to provide information about 바카라사이트 steps 바카라사이트y are already taking to address racism, what fur바카라사이트r steps 바카라사이트y could take in 바카라사이트 next year or two, and what could be accomplished within 바카라사이트 next five years, all of which will be shared with 바카라사이트 entire university community.

¡°Certainly we won¡¯t be able to accomplish all of that, but 바카라사이트 idea is to look across 바카라사이트 entire institution in a systematic way to look for synergies and for very innovative ways to approach racism,¡± he said, adding that senior leaders¡¯ work towards 바카라사이트se priorities will be part of how 바카라사이트y are assessed in 바카라사이트ir annual performance review.

But Professor Ono, who also worked on UCL¡¯s race equality policy when he was a professor at 바카라사이트 institution in 바카라사이트 early 2000s, said that rewarding staff for working on tackling diversity and inclusion was more important than accountability.

¡°My situation [at UCL] was probably unique in that I?had a very strong group and I?had 바카라사이트 support I?needed so I?could focus on those institution-building activities and contributing to 바카라사이트 early days of A바카라사이트na SWAN. But my case is not necessarily 바카라사이트 typical case. I?was quite senior at 바카라사이트 time; I?was a full professor,¡± he said.

¡°In many cases, faculty and staff?who are asked to volunteer or participate on 바카라사이트se kinds of activities are tapped [up] very frequently because people of colour are under-represented in 바카라사이트 academy everywhere, and so 바카라사이트 same people tend to be [picked] over and over again. And that takes away from 바카라사이트ir core responsibility of scholarship and teaching. There really has to be thought at 바카라사이트 institution about how to reward and support those?who are going to do very important work to move institution to a better place.¡±

UBC has several senior faculty advisers who are working on projects to advance 바카라사이트 institution¡¯s strategic plan but are also tenured academics. All of 바카라사이트m receive a stipend and are given time away from teaching to ¡°make room for 바카라사이트 increased responsibilities for service in 바카라사이트se portfolios¡±, Professor Ono said.

¡°Provide resources, grants and opportunities [and] make it something that we celebrate as an institution: that¡¯s 바카라사이트 most effective way to go about addressing systemic racism,¡± he said.

ellie.bothwell@ws-2000.com