coe-staff: CDS Action Plan

[McKay Sohlberg]

Dear COE Colleagues:
Last week, we sent out a statement as a CDS program standing alongside our Black colleagues and students during this national moment of crisis [https://www.instagram.com/uo_cds/?hl=en] We shared our commitment to dismantling racism and recognized that we ourselves fell short. Yesterday, we began the work to transform our words of commitment into actions. Eighteen faculty members in the CDS program participated in the #strike4BlackLives and #ShutdownSTEM strike by cancelling our business-as-usual tasks and conducting a meeting facilitated by Stephanie De Anda to discuss actionable steps to promote sustainable change through intentional and meaningful anti-racist efforts. Importantly, we recognize that racism is systematic and institutional and will require a sustained and broad campaign. We centered our efforts across three broad areas following the call of the strike: education, action, and healing.
ACTION & HEALING (Individual and Program Actions Endorsed and Assigned at Meeting)

        *   Goal of 100% CDS faculty participation in (1) becoming a member of the local Eugene NAACP, (2) pledging to promote anti-racism at all levels, and (3) attending our CDS Inclusion Group meetings designed to increase knowledge, understanding and commitment of ways to promote social justice
        *   Partnering with local high schools, UO student organizations, and HBCUs to increase recruitment of Black students at the undergraduate and graduate level
        *   Collecting feedback from alumni and current students about our specific efforts for supporting an environment of inclusion
        *   Careful examination of our curriculum to ensure that we are teaching students how to work to dismantle anti-racism in their own practice. Will use formal process to first identify gaps such as the Washington model for evaluation of bias
        *   Commitment to promoting Black scholars for presentations, promotions, and other positions of power in our involvement with several professional societies and groups
        *   Fostering accountability for anti-racist work specifically at all program meetings by having it as an agenda item at all meetings.
        *   Joining calls and efforts by the Black Student Coalition to remove racist artifacts on our campus and breaking ties with EPD by committing to write a letter to the UO administration and offer signature participation throughout the College.
        *   Working to disarm the UOPD by writing letter to the Administration and offering signature participation throughout the College and offering signatures participation throughout the College.

EDUCATION

        *   Promoting education through faculty book clubs covering topics on white supremacy, fragility, and anti-racism. Two initial book clubs have been established.

We are sharing these goals publicly to hold ourselves accountable because we recognize the urgency with which we must respond. As we work to promote social justice, we know that we are not called on to be perfect, but rather to show courage and integrity. Together these efforts will meet our mission as a program, college, and university to educate leaders and serve the community. Thank you. The CDS Faculty


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