Engaging the Division to address and dismantle systems of oppression

In December 2019, Enrollment & Access formed SJAT, a division-wide team charged with bringing a constant and consistent effort to the work of diversity, inclusion, equity and social justice.  While some of the long-term work the team planned to engage in has been delayed due to impacts of the pandemic, the team has created lists of resources, facilitated space to share and find community in the work, and remains committed to being there for you anytime you have a question, thought, or concern.

Social Justice Action Team Members

  • Priscilla Gardea, Office of Admissions, Co-chair
  • Sean Jaster, The Access Center, Co-chair
  • Kaia Heer, Office of Financial Aid, Member
  • Andrea Russo, Office of the Registrar, Member
  • Tom Biedscheid, E & A Central Office, Member

SJAT Goals

  • Developing DEI subcommittees in each department that will take on responsibility of department-level work
  • Creating guidelines and capacity for responding to anticipated and unexpected events for
    • Providing systemic/institutionalized support for impacted staff as well as options outside of the division
    • Holding space for optional conversation in our E&A community
    • Communicating clearly and proactively within the division
  • Critically examining and re-imagining divisional hiring, onboarding, evaluation, and exiting processes for staff
  • Providing professional development and educational opportunities for staff throughout the year

Messages from SJAT

June, 2020

Enrollment and Access is committed to dismantling systemic racism that is the direct result of white supremacy (What is white supremacy?).  The violent anti-black murders that have recently taken the lives of Breonna Taylor, Ahmaud Arbery, Tony McDade, Nina Pop, George Floyd, Chris Beaty, Mike Ramos, David McAtee, James Scurlock, Elijah McClain, Rayshard Brooks, and Dion Johnson*, and the legacy of white supremacist violence for over 4 centuries in our country is reprehensible and our collective responsibility to work against.

From SJAT to Our Black Community

As non-black and white folx, we cannot begin to fully understand the daily fear, pain, and oppression that is endemic to your experience. Black lives MATTER. We are committed to doing the work of amplifying Black voices while using our privilege to dismantle white supremacy and eliminating systems of racism and inequality at our institution and in our communities. We are committed to listen, to learn, and to act.

To the white, white-passing, and non-black Enrollment and Access Staff:

The expectation is that this division is doing this anti-racist work.  We are here as a Social Justice Action Team to do the work along with you.  This list of anti-racist resources, media, and suggested action steps was compiled from an ever-growing supply of predominantly black/queer/trans/women authors, influencers, activists, and experts. It is NOT, by any means, a definitive list, AND many folks are asking “where do I start” and “what can I do.”  Here are some places to start, particularly around anti-racist work and the awareness of how white supremacy manifests itself in the air we breathe and things we can do to dismantle it.