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Dear UMKC community:
We are now three weeks out from the tragic death of George Floyd, an inflection point in our national saga of police brutality and systemic racism. His name, and others we now know by heart, including Ahmaud Arbery, Breonna Taylor and Michael Brown, have become a mantra for change.
And though we are #RoosUnited in solidarity with the Black Lives Matter movement, we know solidarity is not enough. If the sustained protests of recent weeks are truly to be a turning point, we must all act to create lasting change.
That includes all of us at UMKC.
Our university has embraced a mission of making UMKC a welcoming place for all. Our UMKC Statement of Values clearly states our aspiration: that UMKC will be a place where all individuals are valued for their unique contributions to our community of learning, regardless of race, social or cultural identities. Our commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion is woven into the fabric of our learning, research and daily work in our UMKC Strategic Plan and our UMKC Inclusive Excellence Plan.
Still, in this moment of national crisis, we must do more. Our commitment to diversity, inclusion and equity demands it. Our commitment to make everyone on our campus safe and free from oppression so they can fully participate in our multicultural community demands it. Our students, faculty and staff – and our community – demand it.
That’s why, today, we’re announcing Roos Advocate for Community Change, a comprehensive effort to ensure that UMKC drives thoughtful action for change on our campus and in partnership with our greater Kansas City community. These efforts also will build on our campus work and on the strong, engaged relationships the university has with alumni, trustees, volunteers and community advisory boards.
Components of this effort include:
Professional Development. UMKC commits to provide training for all faculty and staff by year’s end to recognize and address microagressions and implicit bias. The Chancellor’s Executive Council and Deans will go first, and complete the training by the end of summer. Trainings on additional topics will follow.
Minority Student Leadership Task Force. The leaders of UMKC minority student organizations will come together to develop and address some of the most pressing questions for students. Their first meeting will be this week with a specific focus on issues related to our Black students.
Community Discussions Series. UMKC will convene regional leaders for some of the tough conversations our community needs to have about race. The first session, open to the public via Zoom, will be a July 8 panel discussion on Systemic Racism in the Workforce. Invitation coming soon. The series will continue monthly.
Recruiting and Retention Task Force. UMKC has instituted many policies and practices aimed at better recruiting and retaining minority faculty, staff and students. This group will review progress and practices to ensure that our campus is reflective of the Kansas City community. Are we seeing results? Are there additional improvements to be made?
Review of Policies. The Chancellor has initiated reviews of hiring and recruitment policies to ensure that they meet national standards and encourage diversity. Similarly, all policies and procedures of the UMKC Police Department are under review to ensure the highest standards.
Building and Scholarship Naming Task Force. This group will review and offer recommendations on building and scholarship naming practices, including evaluating the Miller Nichols Library name and context around the naming of the library.
In addition, work has begun on a UMKC Inventory of all the programs, initiatives and research that we have in place to aid and support our diverse communities. And we will establish a UMKC Virtual Resource Center, an outward-facing resource that our regional communities can access to help answer questions or solve challenges around diversity, equity and inclusion.
We often tell the story of how UMKC was founded during the Great Depression when leaders knew we needed a great university to become a great city. When UMKC opened its doors in 1933, the early founders’ vision did not extend to people of color. And for many years, UMKC along with many institutions in our nation remained largely white institutions that weren’t always welcoming to people who didn’t look like them.
In the 21st century, UMKC leadership has actively sought to create a place of welcome, where people from all backgrounds and experiences can thrive. As with any human endeavor, our journey has been an imperfect one. But we strive on, intent on doing more, doing better.
This commitment of our amazing, diverse university family means we feel even more keenly the events of recent weeks. Those feelings must serve as a call to action to our collective conscience and a catalyst for change. Yes, we have been and are committed to equity and diversity for all our students, faculty and staff. However, we hear the pain and outcry from our Black students, faculty and staff – as a response to the events of both the past three weeks, and the past four centuries. As any family would, we must not only listen, we must act.
Sincerely,
C. Mauli Agrawal, Ph.D.
Chancellor
Jenny Lundgren, Ph.D.
Provost and Executive Vice Chancellor
Susan B. Wilson,Ph.D.
Vice Chancellor, Division of Diversity and Inclusion
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