- Joined
- Jan 16, 2021
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This is a blanket email I just received from the acting presidents office at my school (South Alabama). Not only are our tax dollars going to new positions such as “minister of diversity and inclusion” They are going to be putting 250k to the side to ensure “underrepresented” students are able to pass and graduate. They are giving out renewable scholarships to “underrepresented students” wtf does that even mean? I know what it means, but come the fuck on! Sick and fucking tired of this bullshit education system. And that is exactly why I’m putting myself through this crap, so I can one day try to do my part to fix this.
Dear USA Students, Faculty and Staff,
I’m writing to provide you with several updates in the areas of diversity, equity and inclusion.
As many of you know, last month the University announced that there would be an investigation into the photos of business faculty members at a costume party in 2014. University leadership is in communication with the external investigator, who continues to make steady progress with the investigation. We all want to see this investigation move as quickly as possible, but it is critical that we give the investigator the time she needs to conduct a thorough and careful investigation. We will continue to monitor her progress.
Many individuals and groups have taken advantage of the invitation to provide comments, ideas and suggestions over the past 30 days about how USA can improve and enhance diversity, equity and inclusion efforts. More than 40 detailed and thoughtful proposals were received, and I have asked the University Committee on Diversity to review and discuss all of these proposals and put them into a priority list.
Once the Diversity Committee has the opportunity to discuss and prioritize the ideas, I will ask a group of our administrative leadership to review the committee’s work and identify what resources are needed and available to begin implementation. This group will include: Andi Kent, interim provost and senior vice president for academic affairs; Paul Frazier, chief diversity, equity and inclusion officer; Scott Weldon, vice president for finance and administration; Mike Mitchell; vice president for student affairs; and Kristin Dukes, general counsel.
While all of the ideas submitted will receive serious consideration, we realistically will not be able to accomplish everything we want to do immediately. The leadership group will be charged with identifying the resources required for each idea, and then deciding how to allocate resources in a manner that allows us to move forward on the initiatives that can be achieved. I will be back in touch with more information as the committee and the group carry out their work.
In the meantime, there are a number of initiatives which are already moving ahead. These include:
John Smith
Acting President
Dear USA Students, Faculty and Staff,
I’m writing to provide you with several updates in the areas of diversity, equity and inclusion.
As many of you know, last month the University announced that there would be an investigation into the photos of business faculty members at a costume party in 2014. University leadership is in communication with the external investigator, who continues to make steady progress with the investigation. We all want to see this investigation move as quickly as possible, but it is critical that we give the investigator the time she needs to conduct a thorough and careful investigation. We will continue to monitor her progress.
Many individuals and groups have taken advantage of the invitation to provide comments, ideas and suggestions over the past 30 days about how USA can improve and enhance diversity, equity and inclusion efforts. More than 40 detailed and thoughtful proposals were received, and I have asked the University Committee on Diversity to review and discuss all of these proposals and put them into a priority list.
Once the Diversity Committee has the opportunity to discuss and prioritize the ideas, I will ask a group of our administrative leadership to review the committee’s work and identify what resources are needed and available to begin implementation. This group will include: Andi Kent, interim provost and senior vice president for academic affairs; Paul Frazier, chief diversity, equity and inclusion officer; Scott Weldon, vice president for finance and administration; Mike Mitchell; vice president for student affairs; and Kristin Dukes, general counsel.
While all of the ideas submitted will receive serious consideration, we realistically will not be able to accomplish everything we want to do immediately. The leadership group will be charged with identifying the resources required for each idea, and then deciding how to allocate resources in a manner that allows us to move forward on the initiatives that can be achieved. I will be back in touch with more information as the committee and the group carry out their work.
In the meantime, there are a number of initiatives which are already moving ahead. These include:
- The Campus to Career Initiative, a new program designed to increase the graduation and retention rates of underrepresented students, has been funded with a $250,000 allocation from the University budget. In addition to offering support to underrepresented students in areas including academics, leadership and wellness, this program will provide renewable, $2,000 scholarships to incoming freshmen who meet the criteria. More information will be forthcoming on these scholarships and how to apply.
- A new position has been created for a Campus to Career Initiative coordinator. This position, when hired, will be responsible for managing the program, overseeing scholarships and seeking additional external funding to support this initiative.
- The University has created a new position for a Manager of Educational Resources and Outreach for Diversity and Inclusion. The person hired for this position will establish a vision and define strategic outcomes related to USA’s Strategic Diversity and Inclusion Plan, and will oversee the design, management, implementation and assessment of diversity and inclusion programs, partnerships and activities.
John Smith
Acting President
