ASU rolls out initiative to better serve Black students and staff members
Sep 4, 2020, 4:05 AM
(Facebook Photo/Arizona State University)
(Facebook Photo/Arizona State University)
PHOENIX — Arizona State University rolled out an initiative Wednesday aimed at better serving its Black students and staff members after the recent police shootings of George Floyd and Jacob Blake.
Michael Crow, the university’s president, committed to 25 actions that will be launched this year focused on enhancing diversity, growth and opportunity for Black undergraduate and graduate students, faculty and staff, and other underrepresented groups at ASU.
“What I want to firmly communicate to you today is that we will work harder, invest more and do more to ensure that Black students, faculty and staff — and other underrepresented groups and individuals — are provided an educational, work and living environment that is welcoming, supportive and empowering to their success, creativity and ability to achieve their personal, educational and professional goals all for the betterment of this university and our nation,” Crow said in a press release.
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Among the actions are an appointment of an Advisory Council on African American Affairs, the undertaking of a professor-led historical study of race and discrimination at the university and establishing a multicultural space on campus.
Based on the university’s fall enrollment from 2019, 2,630 undergraduate students were black, which accounted for 4.2% of the population. 397 black students were enrolled in a graduate program, which accounted for 3.1% of students.
The shooting of Blake, a Black man, in Kenosha, Wisconsin, on Aug. 23 reignited calls for racial justice and equality that were heightened following the shooting and killing of Floyd in Minnesota in May.
On Sunday, hundreds of ASU students and alumni protested racial injustice in Tempe, with some calling for Crow to leave his position.
Earlier in the week, Crow sent a letter threatening suspensions for any students who attended social gatherings that didn’t adhere to the university’s public health guidelines.
Crow said that the university is already addressing racial inequality in its community.
“I do know this list of actions will be inadequate by itself,” Crow said. “I also want to acknowledge that many units across the university have already been hard at work at introspection and planning on how they will address racial injustice.”
