Steps faculty can take to support black students

Dear Colleagues,

Faculty Senate conducted the final meeting of the 2019-2020 academic year yesterday, and a key part of our conversation focused on how to best support our students in light of ongoing events. As one senator put it …what is happening outside our walls is profoundly impacting our students right now.

During the meeting, AS Senate Pro Tempore, Adah Barenburg asked the Senate to endorse the document below, produced in collaboration with AS Student President Neolanie Defiesta, and the leadership of the Black Student Union and African Caribbean Club.

The endorsement was unanimous. Please read over the following steps, they provide meaningful ways to support students with intentional kindness, respect, collaboration, and accountability.

Steps faculty can take to support black students: 

(1) Trust students if they say they cannot complete their normal work at the end of this quarter and if they request an Incomplete support your students beyond this quarter by committing to work with them to finish their work in a caring way.

(2) Commit to working beyond this quarter to have constructive conversations with black faculty, staff, and students about how to remove anti-blackness from your college, department, and classroom.

(3) Show you care  by checking in and holding space for students during this time.

(4) Inform students of their grading options including what the P/NP option is, what an Incomplete grade is, extend deadlines on assignments if appropriate, and be flexible with students if they are on the cusp of a passing grade.

(5) Respect that students will have different needs during this time and one approach will not fit what all black students need during this time.

(6) Communicate with students that if they need more support than their faculty member is providing to contact their department chair and provide a contact email for the department chair.

Thank you for the extraordinary work you’ve accomplished this year.

Sincerely,

Jeff Young

George Floyd and support for our students

Dear Colleagues,

Our nation was shaken this week by the tragic death of yet another unarmed Black man, George Floyd. Even during the COVID-19 pandemic, violence and the threat of violence is escalating against Black people and other communities of color in our country. I know that pain, fear, anger, and hopelessness weigh heavily on many members of our Western community.

I’m writing today to ask that we take account of this moment. Our university works within and struggles with the same white supremacist systems, structures, and conditions that undermine us all and make life in the United States dangerous and precarious for people of color.

In this moment, we can step forward by showing grace and understanding when finding ways to accommodate student needs in our classes, and by supporting members of our community experiencing trauma from these events.

Sincerely,

Jeff Young

Personal Pronouns

Dear Colleagues,

Happy New Year! I hope that your break was restoring and that the new quarter is off to a good start.

I’m writing to encourage you to review the online FAQ about personal pronouns. Beginning this quarter, personal pronouns will appear next to student names on class lists and photo rosters for those students who have indicated their pronouns in Web4U. Addressing students and colleagues using the indicated pronouns is an important step toward fostering a respectful and inclusive university community.

Faculty can also indicate pronoun preference and gender identity via the Personal Information page on Web4u.

Thank you for making Western a better place… Jeff

Faculty Code of Ethics Referendum Ballots

Dear Colleagues,

Ballots for the referendum to adopt a new Section 2 of the Faculty Code of Ethics were sent out Friday. If you haven’t received your ballot it is probably in your “Other” mail folder. The emails were sent just after 3 pm. Voting closes this Friday, the 18th, at 6 pm.

Please visit this post for more information about the referendum.

Thanks for voting… Jeff