Anti-racism Committee (ARC)

Anti-Racism Committee Charge

In November 2020, the University of Redlands’ faculty, staff, and Trustees issued a statement affirming the University’s rejection of racism in all forms and expressing its commitment to creating an anti-racism action plan. While the University has been engaged in addressing diversity, equity, and inclusion issues, it is crucial that we honestly and directly address the issue of racism in our community. We realize that anti-racism must necessarily include attention to intersectionality and that this work is needed to ensure equality for all members of our University community. We also recognize that this work impacts individuals personally and appreciate the work that our campus community has already done, by individuals and through multiple groups, to address these issues and improve our community.

To actualize our commitment as stated in our Anti-Racist Statement, the Anti-Racism Committee (ARC) is hereby established with the following goals and charges. The ARC will identify, evaluate, and make recommendations regarding any University systems that fail to promote best practices of diversity, equity, and inclusion, including those that may have a potential disparate impact on historically excluded populations. The ARC will also monitor the implementation of its recommended policies and practices, developing further recommendations or revisions as needed to improve effectiveness. Given the goal of advancing the knowledge of all on this critical issue that has a profound impact on our University and our country, we must commit to this work. This work is conducted not only for our current students, faculty, and staff but also for future generations.

The ARC will collaborate with the Board of Trustees DEI Committee and the University’s senior leadership to identify, better understand, and address any inequities (current or historic) faced by Black, Indigenous, Latino/a/x, and other people of color. The ARC will aid in ensuring that the University is not engaging in any practices that have a disparate, unintended impact on those populations while also recommending next steps to address the effects of those practices on our constituencies. This work is done with an understanding of the University’s longstanding history of promoting diversity, equity, and inclusion and acknowledging that the University has a strong commitment to continuously improving our work to promote inclusive excellence. The ARC will also review policies and practices to identify needed improvements to promote diversity, equity, and inclusion of all racial groups. The ARC will build upon the foundation set forth in the University’s Anti-Racist Statement and develop a proposed anti-racism action plan to be embedded into the goals and objectives of the University’s Strategic Plan.

The work of the ARC will be based upon the central tenet that we are all responsible for removing institutional barriers that inhibit student success and providing each member of the university community with the consideration, justice, respect, opportunities, and support to engender success.

To accomplish this charge, the ARC will evaluate and make recommendations[1] regarding:

  • The development of key metrics related to diversity, equity, and inclusion in collaboration with Institutional Excellence. These metrics will be reviewed, shared, and evaluated to understand better where the University has made progress and where work is needed.
  • Recruiting, hiring, and onboarding processes to provide greater racial representation at all levels of the University: senior leaders, faculty, staff, and graduate and undergraduate students, with the understanding that the Board of Trustees is committed to further diversification of its membership.
  • Ability of all students, particularly historically underrepresented students, to access the University’s programs of distinction, including honor programs and societies, scholarship selection, and competitive degree programs.
  • The diversity of programs and speakers who present on campus.
  • Setting expectations for how each person will treat, respect, and include people of color.
  • Policies, procedures, and practices that are identified as potentially having a disproportionate and negative impact on Black, Indigenous, Latino/a/x, and people of color.
  • How to improve University processes, procedures, or financial priorities to promote student success and academic excellence for all students on an equivalent basis, regardless of race or ethnicity.
  • Curricula and pedagogy to promote educational equality and ensure that the University provides an education inclusive of the history, accomplishments, culture, perspectives, and the challenges facing people of color. These recommendations should include ways to make race and the history of racism more central to our curricula and educate all students on these critical issues.
  • Ways to promote the faculty’s professional development in pedagogical practices that engage students of color and address discriminatory conduct (such as microaggressions) to ensure an inclusive classroom experience for all students across all programs.
  • The recently conducted campus climate surveys and how to improve the campus climate for people of color, including when and how to conduct future campus climate surveys.
  • The representation of diversity in the naming and iconography across the campus and recommend opportunities to make improvements and/or provide historical context.
  • Safety on campus and how to ensure that students feel safe when interacting with campus Public Safety or local police, balanced with the need to ensure Public Safety can keep our campus safe and respond to campus crises.
  • Ensuring adequate and equally accessible support services for students while also ensuring that these resources are equipped to respond to and assist students who are suffering from the effects of a society impacted by historic and systemic racism.
  • Education/training/professional development for our faculty, staff, students, and the broader community on anti-racism.
  • How to best address issues of intersectionality and the more significant impact those issues may have on Black, Indigenous, Latino/a/x, and people of color.

ARC will be mindful of diversity and inclusion work occurring on campus through other committees and groups and will collaborate and communicate with these groups to integrate their work with the charges and purposes of these different groups. ARC will provide regular reports to the President, the President’s Cabinet, and the Board of Trustees DEI Committee, including their recommendations on the issues set forth herein. The President and the President’s Cabinet will decide which recommendations to accept, decline, or modify and report those decisions to the campus community when ARC provides their regular updates. The President, President’s Cabinet, and DEI Committee will ensure that recommendations that require decisions or policies by the Board of Trustees will be raised to the Board for consideration through the Board’s DEI Committee.

ARC will not take on the work of the Title IX and Equity Office and thus will not hear, investigate, adjudicate, hear on appeal, or otherwise respond to any claims or allegations of discrimination or individual claims or complaints regarding equity and inclusion. However, recommendations from this committee may inform the work of the Title IX and Equity Office or the policies or processes that guide this office.

In coordination with the President and President’s Cabinet, the ARC will provide an annual report to the campus community and host an annual forum to communicate and engage in dialogue. In addition, ARC will provide an update at least once between annual reports on its work. The updates will include information on the adoption of its recommendations and the outcomes and efficacy of those recommendations that are implemented.

The ARC will be co-chaired by the University’s Senior Diversity and Inclusion Officer and a Faculty Member and its inaugural composition of representation will be:

  • Senior Diversity & Inclusion Officer, Christopher Jones (Co-chair)
  • Faculty Member, Dr. Adriana Alvarado (Co-chair)
  • Associate Provost, Professional Development and Engaged Learning, Kelly Dries
  • Dean of the School of Education, Mario Martinez
  • Native Student Programs Director, Nora Pulskamp
  • Assistant Director of Enrollment, School of Education, Kay Thomas
  • Faculty Representative
  • Student Representative
  • Alumni Representative
  • BSFSAA Representative
  • UCIC Representative

 

[1] See “A Framework for Advancing Anti-Racism Strategy on Campus,” National Association of Diversity Officers in Higher Education (2021).