KALAMAZOO, MI — A required class that focuses on the history of systemic racism, a third-party audit that addresses the ways institutional racism operates within all departments and a systematic review of campus police.
These are among a longer list of collective demands put forth by more than a dozen student organizations at Western Michigan University this week, and presented to university leadership in a call for swift and meaningful action.
“I think that the climate in the country doesn’t allow them to put this on the back burner anymore,” said Jerjuan Howard, president of WMU’s Black Student Union, one of 14 student organizations behind the list of demands.
Howard, a senior from Detroit, said he has heard his share of empty promises from the university when it comes to issues of race. But he is hopeful the university can understand where students are coming from, and that extra steps will be taken at this time.
Giving Howard and others some semblance of hope was a call for collective action initiated by WMU President Edward Montgomery in a letter to the student body on June 8.
Montgomery, who is Black, discussed in his call to action feeling the “sting of racism and the impact of discrimination” as he grew up. He touched on being harassed by the police, and addressed receiving racist letters while the sitting president of the university.
“We cannot rest or let this moment pass without trying to make genuine lasting progress,” he wrote.
“As we shine the light on others, we also need to shine the light on ourselves and ask the questions: ‘Have I done enough? Am I truly a part of the solution or the problem? What can WMU do better?‘”
The president asked for open dialogue, saying the university “must be willing to listen to some hard truths from those who have experienced our university in very different ways” and work to create a culture “where racist behavior is fully rejected.”
The authors of the letter from WMU student organizations referenced Montgomery’s challenge, writing, “Such an outspoken commitment to student engagement, inclusion, and diversity necessitates follow through.”
To achieve that end, Howard said, a different approach to education needs to be taken.
“Before anything, change happens in your mind,” the college senior said. “People don’t view racism as they should because it isn’t present in their everyday life or in the classroom.
“If you’re being taught that America is all good, all powerful and morally intact then it’s hard to understand and empathize and sympathize with why people are out there marching and saying they are tired. They are like, ‘What are you tired for? We were taught that the Civil Rights Act of 1968 gave you all the same rights as us.‘ But this is what the book teaches them. It teaches them that everything is equal, fair and just when in turn, that’s not the reality of the situation.”
Howard said part of the problem is Black American history is not currently required learning.
“What we really want Western to do is talk about these things and how they affect everyday life,” Howard said.
To do that, the student organizations are demanding “all undergraduate and graduate curriculum to incorporate a deeper understanding of how racism pervades all systems and institutions in our society” and to require a course across all departments focusing on systemic racism.
Also high on the list of demands is one seeking a third-party audit that examines and addresses the ways institutional racism operates within each of WMU’s colleges and departments — to be conducted prior to the beginning of the 2021-22 school year.
“If you really want change, you’ve got to look in the mirror,” Howard said. “It’s important for us to actually know what we’re dealing with. It may be a timely task but when Western cares about something, they really care about it and it gets done.
“It’s just a matter of do they care enough to get these things done.”
Caring, to Howard, would also mean focusing on the issue of retaining Black students.
Black students, he said, come back to school if they are economically sound, socially comfortable, succeeding academically and involved on campus. While student involvement is up to the student, Howard said the university has failed at everything else.
“I haven’t heard of one policy that Western plans to implement that will affect these four things,” Howard said. “I really want them to dig deeper.”
One way they can do that, he said, is to help Black students find scholarships that will help them be able to afford to stay on campus.
Though not exhaustive, here are some of the other demands of WMU’s administration from the group of student organizations:
• Modify all undergraduate and graduate curriculum to incorporate a deeper understanding of how racism pervades all systems and institutions in our society. By spring 2021, require a class across departments on systemic racism for all undergraduate and graduate students.
• Conduct a systematic review of WMU Police citation, arrest and use of force incidents. Organize a panel that mandates, performs, and makes public the constant review of WMU Police behavior including incidents of misconduct.
• Conduct a third-party audit to be completed by fall 2021 that examines and addresses the ways institutional racism operates within each WMU College and Department at all levels.
• Prioritize relationships and contract with Black-owned businesses.
• Require implicit bias and systemic racism training for all search, hiring and promotion committees. As well, conduct annual audits of the number of Black, Indigenous and Latin faculty, staff and administrators at every level in every program, university-wide. These demographics should reflect the diversity of the nation by spring 2025.
• Provide resources for advanced training, professional development, mentorship, tenure and promotion to Black faculty, staff, and administrators of color.
• Reallocate money and resources to support retention of Black students and other students of color at the undergraduate and graduate levels.
• Establish accountability measures for faculty pertaining to racial bias and discrimination in the classroom by Spring 2021.
• Financially and logistically support research of racism by the Lewis Walker Institute for the Study of Race and Ethnic Relations by fall 2021.
• Financially and logistically support systemic racism training by summer 2021.
• Financially and logistically support the Racial Justice Advisory Board created by Montgomery and led by Vice President for Diversity and Inclusion Candy McCorkle, comprised of faculty, staff, alumni, graduate and undergraduate students.
In response to the demands, WMU spokeswoman Paula Davis issued the following statement on the university’s behalf:
“We are in the process of reviewing the letter received yesterday, and plan to, as requested, continue the dialogue before the end of this month. We appreciate this groundswell of advocacy for collective action to stamp out systemic racism.
“WMU leaders are well aware that good intentions and a desire for change are not enough. President Montgomery’s request for action is also part of our effort to examine how we can individually and collectively act to eradicate institutional racism on our campus. The multi-faceted response sent to leaders yesterday was comprehensive, well thought out and the outcomes sought are worthy of serious consideration for how we can envision our University’s growth and change. We look forward to continuing the dialogue.”
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