Dear CCA Faculty,
CCA is not immune to the structural racism upon which our society is built, and we are accountable to our community—especially our Black students, faculty, staff, and alumni.
We have reviewed the recommendations gathered and presented to us by the President’s Diversity Steering Group (PDSG). You may see a compilation of those suggestions here.
With these recommendations as a foundation, we are committed to working toward restorative justice and racial equity. The level of institutional change we must make will take time and participation from our entire community. We know we must act with urgency, to ensure our campus is a brave, safe, welcoming, and actively anti-racist place for everyone. Here are some of the actions we are taking now:
Prioritize funding for diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives. A discrete budget for these efforts will be created through existing operational funds and fundraising.
Designate space on our campus for an academic and social gathering place for BIPOC students. This space will be completed and open by the time students return to campus this fall.
Expand anti-racism and anti-bias training and education for all faculty, staff, and students. This training will be universal and mandatory.
Continue funding and support for the Decolonial School and develop support specific to BIPOC faculty.
Launch the CCA land acknowledgement, which was developed in partnership with the Decolonial School and local Indigenous leaders and representatives.
Establish forums for regular communication between BIPOC students and academic and college leadership.
Expand CANVAS (CCA Artist’s Network Valuing Aspiring Students) to include a for-credit experience encompassing mentorship, networking, and leadership preparation.
Work with local high schools to expand opportunities for BIPOC students and create additional pathways for enrollment.
Refocus the Student Retention and Success Committee to prioritize support for BIPOC students.
Improve the process for reporting, acknowledging, and responding to student concerns and complaints.
This is not a comprehensive list, and we’re still just at the beginning of the process, which will include the creation of a comprehensive diversity, equity, and inclusion strategic plan for the college.
Thank you for holding us accountable, and for being part of this process.
Stephen Beal
President
Tammy Rae Carland
Provost