Statements of Support and Action Plans for Racial Justice

Inclusivity is one of the five core values of SUNY Geneseo. Our belief in and commitment to these values define us as a college. The statements of support and plans of action for racial justice on this page have been compiled and shared from various departments and offices at Geneseo.

Photos: On June 9, 2020, the College and Village of Geneseo came together for a Demonstration of Solidarity and a March for Black Lives through campus and down Main Street. Students, faculty, staff, College administrators, and residents from the Village and region participated. SUNY Geneseo/Keith Walters '11.

Statements of Support and Plans of Action

This list includes statements and plans from academic departments and offices. It is not exhaustive. Many Geneseo-affiliated groups, clubs, organizations and programs have also issued statements of support and plans of action on their respective websites or social media accounts. If you represent an academic department or office and you have issued a statement that you would like included below, please email the Office of Diversity and Equity at ode@geneseo.edu.

Message of Support in Light of Georgia Shootings

March 17, 2021

Dear members of our community,

We are saddened and horrified by the violence committed in Georgia yesterday. As co-chairs of the Bias Prevention and Response Team (BPRT), we are writing to acknowledge the impact that yesterday’s shooting has had on the Asian community and the families of the victims. We are concerned for our community members who are grieving and afraid. We want you to know that we care about you. 

This event, while distinctly tragic, resembles the countless occurrences of racism and xenophobia throughout this pandemic against Asians and Asian-Americans. With this backdrop of hostility and hate, any single incident of bias against Asians and/or Asian-Americans is that much more hurtful. We acknowledge that, regrettably, our campus community is not immune to this bias, knowing that incidents have occurred here including very recently. We state clearly and directly that bias-fueled acts of bigotry and hate are antithetical to our values as a Geneseo community. 

The President’s Commission on Diversity and Community will be hosting a drop-in session for anyone feeling hurt by this racist and xenophobic climate against Asians and Asian-Americans. This drop-in session will occur on: Friday, March 19 @ 4:00 p.m. As co-chairs of BPRT, we would like to also remind you of the Bias-Related Incident reporting form should you experience or witness incidents of bias within our community. Also, counseling services are available for anyone who would like to make an appointment.

In the words of the late Japanese-American activist, Yuri Kochiyama, “Our ultimate objective in learning about anything is to try to create and develop a more just society.” This May, in honor of Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month, we will celebrate culture and provide programs that shed light on the challenges faced by this community.

In support, 

Dr. Sasha Eloi Evans and robbie routenberg

Co-Chairs of the Bias Prevention and Response Team

*Note: In light of feedback about post-incident campus communication, this semester we have been exploring new ways to engage this communication. Sending this message from us is an effort to try a new approach; we welcome your feedback.

President Battles: Statement on Painted Rock and Tree

November 20, 2020

For months, our College has been graced by the presence of two compelling art images – one on the Sturges quad’s painted tree, and the other on the north campus’s painted rock.  The tree memorialized George Floyd and the rock honored Breonna Taylor; collectively and more broadly, these poignant and starkly beautiful renderings signified our community’s acknowledgement of systemic racism and social injustice.  On a 24/7 basis, amidst the unprecedented challenges of a global pandemic, they stood in silent vigil, signaling to all passersby Geneseo’s values and our unwavering commitment to combating those societal ills. 

That’s why their destruction yesterday feels like a gut-punch.  The pain and harm to our community, and most especially our BIPOC members, can’t be overstated.

In today’s early morning hours, our students organized and carried out a powerful solidarity rally and march, reclaiming those values.  I am proud that – honoring Geneseo’s mission to inspire socially responsible citizens – hundreds of our students swiftly, peacefully, and compellingly asserted our communal belief that Black Lives Matter.  Their actions are a tangible illustration of the kind of work that all of us must commit to, in order to develop the kind of community we aspire to have.  That work is hard, replete with frustrating obstacles and setbacks, but we are capable of it.  Indeed, we have demonstrated our capacities for facing difficult tasks every day since we reconvened in August under the challenges imposed by the COVID-19 pandemic.  Unlike so many other campuses that have failed to sustain in-person operations, we have stepped up, sacrificed, and supported each other throughout, a testament to the individual and collective actions of our students, faculty, and staff.  

Over the summer, in Racial Justice Conversations with Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) students, the Cabinet and I heard their desire to develop a more permanent way to express our community commitment to racial justice, such as through a mural.  I appreciate these student leaders’ efforts in conceiving and organizing around this idea.  In researching the possibilities, we discovered Geneseo’s current policies don’t easily accommodate the creation and display of ongoing public art on our campus.  Therefore, I directed the development of a public art policy, which is now well underway.  While we cannot undo the erasure of the treasured images that were displayed on the tree and rock, it is my expectation that we will soon be able to develop a more sustained symbol of our commitment to antiracism and social justice.

Understanding the impact of this incident, I want to reiterate that the College has organized a drop-in session available for community members to gather to express concerns and seek support later today at 6 p.m. For details, email ode@geneseo.edu. 

Despite the disheartening events of the past day, I have every confidence we are up to the task of persisting in our challenging but necessary efforts to be a better and truly welcoming and inclusive community.  Let us all take to heart our students’ model, and recommit to personal, tangible, and ongoing actions to achieve that end.

Sincerely,

Denise A. Battles

Message of Support and Solidarity in Light of Recent Events - Announcement of Vigil

Sept. 2, 2020

Dear members of our Geneseo community,

We are writing to acknowledge that again, there has been a horrific transgression made against the Black community in this country. Today, the media reported information about the March killing of Daniel T. Prude, a Black man in Rochester. The news of this killing occurs in the wake of the senseless violence toward and killings of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Jacob Blake, and countless others by police.

We write to you in grief for the victims’ loved ones and those whose mourning is rooted in a sense of affinity with those victims. We share your frustration and disappointment that these incidents continue to occur. They are reminders of the tragic presence of racism that still exists today. It is critical in times of tragedy and crisis to come together as a community to support one another and garner the collective strength that propels us forward.

The Black community, and therefore our community, has experienced tremendous loss in 2020 from Kobe Bryant, Rep. John Lewis, and Chadwick Boseman, to all the individuals who have been killed, regardless of whether or not they have received national media attention. In remembrance of all the Black lives lost, we will be hosting a vigil with our Geneseo community. This event will be organized collaboratively with BIPOC students and their allies, especially those affiliated with ACE cultural clubs. More details will be provided in a subsequent email.

Until then, please reach out to those close to you and check in to offer support. It is also necessary to take care of yourself and demonstrate self-compassion. Whatever you are feeling is real and true and deserves acknowledgment and support. Please know if you need anything, there are many people on this campus who believe you and who truly care about your well-being. We hope you will consider reaching out to any of us, or another person in your care network, if you would like to process.

In support,
Sasha Eloi-Evans, Sarah Frank, robbie routenberg, Monica Schneider

Representatives of: President’s Commission on Diversity and Community, Multicultural Programs and Services, Bias Prevention and Response Team, and the Office of Diversity and Equity

President Battles: Statement on Racial Injustice

May 31, 2020

Dear members of the Geneseo community,

While the College does not typically comment on national or international incidents, events of the past week are so unsettling that silence is not an option. The unrest sweeping the nation was prompted by the deeply disturbing circumstances associated with the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis. However, it reflects a broader acknowledgement that this loss is one of far too many among persons of color and especially Black individuals in our society. This latest tragedy occurred in Minnesota, but we have seen time and again that racial injustice knows no bounds.

We members of the Geneseo community have chosen to embrace inclusivity as one of our five core values, and it’s essential that we not merely espouse but live that value. I call on each of you to join me in identifying tangible ways in which we can advance our individual - and our collective - commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion. Examine and check our own privilege. Recognize and call out injustice where it exists. Commit to doing our part to enhance our campus climate and culture. As an educational institution, we have an opportunity to actively effect positive change in our world, and through our resolute efforts, I have every confidence we can contribute to positive and much-needed societal change.

As always, members of our campus community are available to you should you desire support. You may contact Chief Diversity Officer robbie routenberg at routenberg@geneseo.edu or Director of Multicultural Programs and Services Sasha Eloi-Evans at seloievans@geneseo.edu.

Even as we continue to be apart in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, we are still one community. May we be stronger through our individual and collective action.

Denise A. Battles, President

Multiple Offices and Teams: Message of Support & Community Conversations

June 1, 2020

During this tragic and painful time, we are reaching out to you to let you know that you are not alone. You have a community of people who care deeply about you and we are here to support you. The murder of George Floyd, an unarmed Black man in Minneapolis, and so many others is terrifying. It is a painful and inexcusable reminder of a history of systemic racism. These atrocities permeate the experiences of Black people in ways that result in extremely disproportionate and sometimes fatal outcomes because of the color of their skin.

These experiences and what they represent have left many people feeling terrified, frustrated, angry, sad, confused, depressed, and isolated. Like some of you, many of us are worried about the safety and the well-being of the people we love, now and in the future. In addition to confronting the violence of this moment, we are also being flooded with stereotypical images and narratives that frame these circumstances and the people involved in simplistic, dehumanizing ways. We reject these narratives. Instead, we strive to create opportunities to demonstrate empathy for each other and to write a more inclusive story.

We are here for you during this time. Three community conversations will be held to provide a venue to both give and receive support from one another. These sessions are also intended to provide our community members with an opportunity to express their thoughts, feelings, and how they have been impacted. The first conversation will be just for our students. The second, held two days later, will be for our faculty and staff. All members of the Geneseo family will be invited to a third conversation next week.

This is a difficult time for our community, but also a time to unite. Please join us to share your thoughts, feelings, and struggles and to provide support for one another.

In support,

Sasha Eloi-Evans, Sarah Frank, robbie routenberg, Monica Schneider (on behalf of the President’s Commission on Diversity and Community, the Bias Prevention and Response Team, the Office of Multicultural Programs and Services, and the Office of Diversity and Equity)

University Police: Statement of Support

June 2, 2020

To the campus community,

I write to you as the Chief of Police at SUNY Geneseo during a time of great pain, frustration, and anger in communities across the United States.

The death of George Floyd, at the hands of uniformed members of the police, has once again laid bare the ugly truths about the fractured relationship between law enforcement and the Black community. Far too often we in law enforcement have violated the trust this community has placed in us. I will say it clearly and plainly: the members of the University Police Department at SUNY Geneseo are horrified and appalled by the abuse of power and disregard for human life displayed in Minneapolis. Those officers not only failed to honor their legal duty to uphold the Constitution, but also failed to honor the humanity of a member of the community that they were entrusted to protect and serve. Their actions were indefensible and inconsistent with standards of police training, and instead they displayed willful indifference to the safety, wellbeing, and life of Mr. Floyd.

The officers of the University Police Department stand in support with the members of our community who are rightfully outraged, hurt, and terrified. We will continue to strive for progress in the relationship with those members of our community who have been marginalized, discriminated against, victimized, or otherwise suffered injustice. We hear you, we recognize you, we value you, and we swear upon our oath to protect your rights as members of our community.

Sincerely,

Christopher Prusak
Chief of Police

President Battles: Actions Toward Becoming a More Racially Equitable and Inclusive College

June 11, 2020 (Also see statement on Office of the President website)

Dear members of the Geneseo community,

On Tuesday of this week, I took part in the Demonstration of Solidarity that was held in the Geneseo Village Park as well as the subsequent march organized by SUNY Geneseo students. By the hundreds, the Geneseo community - villagers, students, faculty, and staff - joined together to speak with one voice against racism and violence. Staged in the middle of a pandemic, these events demonstrated vividly the passion and determination of the people of Geneseo to speak out against injustice and come together to serve a greater cause. I was proud of our students and the people of our community and the collaborative approach to its planning. I left energized by our College’s opportunities to do even more to address racial injustice. The many members of the College leadership who participated also affirmed that resolve.

On May 31, I issued a statement in support of racial justice, urging you to join me in identifying tangible ways in which we can advance our individual - and our collective - commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion. As a united Cabinet, we recognize that statements are merely a starting place. We need to back up our statements with transparent and transformative action.

Chief diversity officer robbie routenberg ’05 mentioned in their speech at the Demonstration of Solidarity that this moment serves as a reminder that we must always listen, speak, and act. I commit to you that we, the College leadership, have been listening, we are speaking, and we are working on an action plan that will bring about real change.

As leaders of an educational institution, it is essential that we personally embrace lifelong learning. This responsibility is amplified by our own status as white leaders of a predominantly white institution. The Cabinet will engage in intensive antiracist professional development with a willingness to be uncomfortable, participate in difficult dialogues, and be accountable to our community. We recommit to continuing our own education as we develop an even more nuanced understanding of issues of race, racism, and white privilege. By listening to and centering the needs of people of color, we will make better-informed decisions about additional improvements to our campus.

Our action plan builds upon the efforts and initiatives that the College has already been implementing and recognizes the ongoing need to do much more. The plan represents an ongoing commitment as we continue to identify and announce additional efforts to make Geneseo a more racially equitable and inclusive community. We acknowledge that there are many issues of importance that have been and will be shared with us which will shape our ongoing actions. robbie routenberg has agreed to receive those ideas to be shared with the entire Cabinet.

Today, we immediately commit to the following:

• The College is entering the final year of its current strategic plan, the roadmap that guides all our actions, and in the coming months will be developing its successor. As we do, we will ensure its deliberate connection to our Strategic Diversity Plan. We will intentionally engage the entire campus community in this diversity-minded planning with an expectation that substantive, specific, and measurable actions across our College will be identified to make Geneseo a more equitable and inclusive campus.
• We are revamping the college admissions review process to consider barriers and challenges that have impacted the high school experience for students of color, first generation, and low-income students. This includes modifying our standardized testing requirements and financial aid awarding process to address bias, promote racial equity, and provide greater funding to low-income students.
• While we have recently made progress toward diversifying our faculty and ensuring that new faculty hires share our community commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion, we pledge to augment, strengthen, and expand these critical efforts. We will, for example, design an action plan based on recommendations developed by our year-long Learning Community on Diversity in Faculty Hiring led by Professor George Marcus. We will also build on our success by applying for a second round of SUNY PRODiG funding to hire, support, and mentor historically underrepresented faculty. We know that a diverse and inclusive faculty will enrich our students' lives and improve our campus environment.
• After we are back together on campus, we will launch a comprehensive campus climate study in which all members of our community will be invited to participate. Most notably, this study will help us learn much more about the experiences of minoritized members of our community (students, staff, and faculty), establishing a key baseline to inform future initiatives and efforts.

I strongly believe that, together, Geneseo can become not only an equitable and inclusive college, but one even more dedicated to actively fighting racism. As a public liberal arts institution with a deeply-held commitment to the public good, our work in this arena is especially relevant and important. We must be proactive and work against the forces of systemic racism to make Geneseo a place where all members of our community feel valued and respected — and know without doubt that they truly matter.

Sincerely,

Denise A. Battles, President

and the President’s Cabinet: David Braverman; Julie Buehler ’89; David Irwin; Wendi Kinney; Ellen Leverich ’90; Stacey Robertson; robbie routenberg ’05; Costas Solomou

Music Department Commitment to Racial Justice

Introduction

On June 18, in response to the murder of George Floyd, as well as to the much longer history of violence against black people in the United States, jazz trumpeter, composer, and music educator Terence Blanchard reflected on Marvin Gaye’s hit song “What’s Going On?” in an opinion piece for NPR. Blanchard noted that so many people know and love this song:

Mother, mother
There's far too many of you crying
Brother, brother, brother
There's far too many of you dying …

Picket lines and picket signs
Don't punish me with brutality
Talk to me, so you can see
Oh, what's going on

As Blanchard went on to explain, “many people listen to the groove and the melody of this song, without really hearing the words.” To put it another way, according to Blanchard, “many well-meaning people have heard only the melody of our plight, without knowing what the song means for us. Sure, they can hum it back with the same phrasing, can mimic all the inflections in Marvin's voice . . . can groove to the beat . . . But when it comes to the words, it's like we're singing in two different languages. The pain we sing of is a lingering, never-going-away pain. For the well-intentioned co-conspirator, it's a temporary pinprick — just enough discomfort to provide a false sense of assimilation and understanding. When they sing along, they never fully realize the luxury of pain that only lasts for a moment.”

Action Plan

As faculty members who study and make music, we have spent years training our ears, seeking not just to hear but to listen and to adjust. Much of our training, however, has centered on primarily white musical traditions and experiences. Thus we recognize that we have work left to do, particularly when it comes to identifying and dismantling what music theorist Philip Ewell has termed the “white racial frame” so prevalent in academic music studies. We resolve to engage deeply and meaningfully in this work throughout the 2020-21 academic year.

1. We will educate ourselves about the experiences of BIPOC students on SUNY Geneseo’s campus.

2. We will convene a Student Equity Commission of majors, minors, and concentrators to work together with Music Department faculty on issues of equity and racial justice. We will devote at least one department meeting per semester to open discussion with the members of this commission.

3. We will devote at least one department meeting per semester to be trained by staff from the Office of Diversity and Equity.

4. We will educate ourselves on the efforts at music schools and departments throughout the country to identify and dismantle the white racial frame in music and musical theatre studies. We will work to make the culture and curriculum in our Department of Music reflective of this broader movement.

5. We commit to diversifying our required curriculum. We know, for example, that European classical music is but one of our world’s rich artistic expressions, and during the 2020-21 academic year, we will revise our music history and music theory sequences to better reflect the breadth and diversity of musical practice.

Conclusion

Above all, we seek to listen to our BIPOC students, colleagues, and other members of the SUNY Geneseo campus community. We will work to ensure that our BIPOC students feel safe and valued in the Department of Music. We are committed to racial justice, and we will work to make our commitment audible because while the work of antiracism is difficult, it is also energizing, exciting, and essential; it broadens our musical perspective and makes us more conscious of our shared humanity. As Terrence Blanchard asserts, the time for us to write a new song “with a melody that allows us all to say our piece, and lyrics that urge us to be our best selves” has more than arrived.

Department of English: Our Commitment to Action on Racial Justice

(Also see statement on Dept. of English website)

As protests continue and emerge across the U.S. and around the globe in response to the killing of George Floyd, and the killings of Ahmaud Arbery and Breonna Taylor, we write to express our anger and grief. We write to acknowledge that the protests unfold not only because of these killings but because of the accumulated history of Black death at the hands of law enforcement, vigilantes, and the violence of structural inequalities. We acknowledge and mourn too many deaths, from Eric Garner to Jonathan Ferrell and Nina Pop, from Aiyana Stanley-Jones and Pamela Turner to Patrick Dorismond, from Tamir Rice and Tanisha Anderson to Amadou Diallo, from Sandra Bland and Korryn Gaines to Atatiana Jefferson and Shantel Davis and Trayvon Martin and so many more human beings across time and geography. We acknowledge that these protests unfold also because of the toll of COVID-19 that has fallen disproportionately upon Black people because of the long-term effects both of white supremacy and anti-Black racism. We write to support Black Lives Matter and other national and local movements for justice and to commit to actions as well as words.

We write to support Black students who in both the physical and digital world must navigate Geneseo. We witness the excellent academic and creative work of the Black students in our classes, students able to thrive and innovate even while Geneseo’s spaces, like those of other predominantly white campuses, accumulate everyday careless and gratuitous insults and other obstacles to Black students’ achievement of a public liberal arts education.

As Geneseo English alumna Evelyn Mendez puts it, “Black individuals are dying inside and outside of jails and because many of us are afraid to seek help because of systemic racism.…We aren’t at peace. All we want is to no longer live in fear.” We write, then, in response to her and her peers: we write to affirm the shared responsibility of our Community Commitment to Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion, and particularly to “sustaining and expanding the diversity of our community and to making equity for all members of our diverse community a measure of our success.” That is, we write to acknowledge we can and must do more and better to fight actively against anti-Black racism.

As faculty members who study and craft literature, we rely on the long record of evidence that Black artists, scholars, and cultural critics have woven into stories of the fight against fear and the fight for peace that cannot be unpartnered from justice. These are narratives that, in the words of Geneseo English alumna Dr. Jacqueline Monique Jones, can “help us better understand the world that we’re in and the world that we want to see.” We strive in our courses to offer specific historical and cultural contexts for the texts that we teach, understanding both that art does not lie outside of history and politics and that complex stories and rigorous interdisciplinary scholarship inform the transformative Black art and activism we witness today. Such transformation is possible even and especially when it feels impossible; indeed, as Geneseo English alumna Sabrina Bramwell put it during her 2019 Senior Oration, “A core characteristic of interdisciplinary thinking is being willing to value a thought that differs from your own and use it to foster growth. With this mindset, the fear of difference is transformed to intrigue, the unfamiliar is now admired, and inclusion—the desire to hear different opinions—develops more naturally.” Discomfort is not there to be avoided but rather to be explored, not singly or by a few but by a community committed to equity as essential to inquiry.

As teachers and scholars, our commitment is to be listeners: to learn, to reflect, to educate ourselves and others. In the wake of the 2016 election, Mariame Kaba wrote that “Humility is in order across the land. It’s really OK to say that you don’t know the answers. You don’t have to pretend you do.” Kaba’s words guide us now. We commit to taking action, and in doing so commit to making Black lives the center while not asking those most affected by anti-Black racism to take on more emotional labor. We commit to be accountable for the sources, words, images, and narratives that we spread in personal and digital spaces, especially as Black Lives Matter warns of misinformation and disinformation targeted at the movement. We commit to take action within our various spheres of influence. We refuse saviorism, white and otherwise. We offer what we have and can in service to building a more just world.

Above all, we are called to commit to behaviors and structures for care and caring rather than behaviors and structures that exist only for calling to order, as Fred Moten has termed it. Such commitment must be careful. As Saidiya Hartman has affirmed, “Care is the antidote to violence.” Yet also as Geneseo English alumna Davina Ward has affirmed, “Care can exist as violence. Violence can exist as care.” We see this over and over where police, whose charge is to “care and protect,” target Black people with violence. Resources devoted to continuing such violence (such as the $230 million paid out in claims against the NYPD in 2018 alone) must be reallocated to structures for public health, mental health, and public education.

As faculty members who teach and craft works of the imagination, we must not fail to work to build the different world that protestors and students are imagining through their demands. Indeed, rather than just saying Black lives matter, we should actively work on what Geneseo English and Philosophy student Emma Mandella identifies as a new model for reparations. Citing the work of Roy Brooks, in “The Ills of American Capitalism: A New Case for Reparations,” Mandella argues for reparations in the atonement model, demanding revolutionary structural change to support Black citizens. As an alternative to settlement reparations, the atonement model emphasizes long-term efforts to address structural inequalities and systemic inequities.

We close with words from Dr. Bernice Johnson Reagon, who notes a truth that emerged from her experience coming into what she calls her “full power” as an adult human being during the Civil Rights Movement:

"Sometimes you really need things to be thrown up in your community, everything to be turned over in such a way so you have another chance to look at what you have put together. And in any culture, any people, any history, throwing things up gives you a chance to be selective about what you will carry forward."

All Geneseo students and alumni invoked in this statement have given their express consent to their work being included in this context.

College Advancement: Invitation to Discussion and Exploration of Racial Climate

June 12, 2020

Dear Geneseo alumni,

We are writing as an expression of solidarity with Black, Indigenous, and other people of color. After the killing of George Floyd, this moment of racial trauma serves as a reminder that we all have a responsibility to speak up and engage in order to address racial injustice in society.

Yesterday, President Battles outlined Geneseo’s commitment to promoting racial justice and the initial action steps we will take towards this goal. Among other specific actions listed in her message, she shared a commitment that “the Cabinet will engage in intensive antiracist professional development with a willingness to be uncomfortable, participate in difficult dialogues, and be accountable to our community.”

We encourage you to join us in a meaningful exploration of race, racism, and racial privilege in pursuit of fostering a more racially just Geneseo community and society. We have organized two virtual events specifically for our alum community (The Historic Roots of Today’s Racial Climate on June 16 and Reflecting and Sharing: Building Community in this Racial Climate on June 17).

In order to affect lasting systemic change, we need to come together as a community to understand where we have been and chart our path forward. We hope that you will join us.

In support,
Vice President for College Advancement Ellen Leverich ’90 and
Chief Diversity Officer robbie routenberg ’05

GROW STEM: Statement of Support

(Also see statement on GROW STEM website)

Dear Geneseo friends,

In support of our students and colleagues, the faculty involved in GROW STEM (Geneseo Reaching Out to Women and under-represented groups in STEM) would like to express our deep concerns and sadness regarding the racist and violent events occurring across the country. We want our black students and their advocates to know that we see you and are here to support you. In line with our GROW STEM mission, we will strive to focus on raising awareness regarding difficulties that black and other under-represented students can face, focusing on their career in STEM fields. We believe that understanding the culture and psychology of what leads to any racist events is crucial. We will continue to learn about and educate our community on topics such as implicit bias, microaggressions, and addressing the lack of diversity in STEM. Education will have a direct impact on our broader community. GROW STEM, most importantly, seeks to work with our students to improve the situation.

We are here for you. Feel free to reach out to us.

The GROW STEM Team

Anne Pellerin (PHYS), Josephine Reinhardt (BIOL) and Melissa Sutherland (MATH)

College Senate: Resolution in Support of the Black Lives Matter Movement

(Also see statement on College Senate website)

WHEREAS acts of racial violence, anti-Blackness, and institutional racism have a long history and are deeply embedded in our society; and

WHEREAS people of color, and Black people in particular, continue to be disproportionately harassed, abused, and killed by police in the contemporary United States; and

WHEREAS the senseless killing of George Floyd is just one example of a Black man killed at the hands of police; and

WHEREAS the recent killings of Breonna Taylor, Ahmaud Arbery, Sean Reed, and Tony McDade are among countless tragic illustrations of the terrorization of Black and Brown people in the name of policing; and

WHEREAS this reality has been overlooked, ignored, and denied for generations; and

WHEREAS Black lives matter; and

WHEREAS nationwide protests have emerged to fight for racial justice and end police violence; and

WHEREAS these protests are occurring in the midst of a pandemic that is disproportionately killing people of color, for reasons that ultimately derive from that racist history; and

WHEREAS we recognize the toxic impact of systemic racism on our students, alumni, staff, faculty, and their families and communities; and

WHEREAS inclusivity and socially responsible global citizenry are central to the mission of SUNY Geneseo; and

WHEREAS institutions of higher education should be leaders in the practice of equity, community building, and civic engagement; and

WHEREAS the absence of an expression of solidarity with those protesting racial oppression communicates complicity with racial oppression; and

WHEREAS the SUNY Geneseo President has issued a statement of our College’s unwavering commitment to inclusivity as a core value and has called upon all members of our community to live that value by “identifying tangible ways in which we can advance our individual—and our collective—commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion. Examine and check our own privilege. Recognize and call out injustice where it exists. Commit to doing our part to enhance our campus climate and culture”; and

WHEREAS we recognize that the current policies and practices at SUNY Geneseo may play roles in upholding systemic racism.

THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that SUNY Geneseo faculty and staff offer our unwavering commitment of solidarity with the Black Lives Matter movement; students, alumni, staff, and faculty of color; and continued efforts toward the erasure of racial inequity and oppression.

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that SUNY Geneseo reaffirms our belief that hatred, intolerance, and institutional racism have no place within the Geneseo community.

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that SUNY Geneseo actively seeks and includes input from Black and other people of color and commits to reforming our current practices and policies that may play roles in upholding systematic racism.

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that SUNY Geneseo faculty and staff reflect on the ways our social status might have provided an advantage for us as individuals, and be compassionate to those disadvantaged.

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that SUNY Geneseo faculty and staff examine our individual spheres of influence and identify concrete ways we can improve our campus climate.

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that SUNY Geneseo faculty and staff speak up when we witness bias or injustice, and be allies to advocate for the equality, equity, dignity, and rights of those oppressed within our spheres of influence.

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that SUNY Geneseo dedicate the 2020–2021 academic year to the curricular and co-curricular (e.g., dialogue or lecture series, panel discussions, teach-ins) exploration of topics related to racial (in)equity, (in)justice, and movements for social change.

Visit the resolution page to add your name in support of this resolution.

School of Business: Statement of Support

(Also see statement on School of Business website)

Dear School of Business community,

The wrongful and senseless death of George Floyd and many before him has brought forth an outpouring of stories and experiences about race in our country that impel us to listen, honestly examine our own views, and be more proactive in understanding and acting on issues of social and racial injustice. Our School’s mission is to prepare our students for professional success in today’s complex business environment, and part of that is an imperative to educate individuals to be responsible leaders who understand that diversity makes us all stronger, and who understand that racism and discrimination are unacceptable. The statements of many business leaders in recent days have shown how significant these values are to businesses.

Building on Geneseo’s strong liberal arts tradition and the insights of our business disciplines, we are committed to fostering just and ethical business practices. This is in line with the values put forth by Geneseo’s Office of Equity and Diversity: “The ideals of the SUNY Geneseo community strive to broaden understanding, heighten awareness, awaken empathy, and foster empowerment of all individuals.”

We want to ensure that the environment in the School of Business is one where all feel safe, welcomed and included. Students, faculty and staff should know that all voices will be heard. We will take the following actions (and others as we move forward) toward this goal:

• Strategic Planning Committee will continue to discuss and identify activities which will promote greater understanding, communication and action toward supporting diversity and social justice within and outside the School of Business.
• The faculty and staff will discuss diversity, inclusion and social justice at our fall retreat, in order to determine ways to include these topics in our Strategic Plan.
• The School of Business will support and facilitate students and faculty establishing clubs and groups for underrepresented groups in business disciplines, and forging connections to national organizations and to similar groups on other campuses.
• The School of Business faculty and staff work with students to recruit speakers and support programming around issues of diversity and inclusion, with specific reference to professional business careers.
• As the College develops faculty resources for thinking about and addressing issues of racial and social injustices in the curriculum, the School will focus Brown Bag discussions on successful practices.

I look forward to working with all members of our community to ensure that our conversations and actions provide excellent education in the broadest sense of the word, and that our dialogue on issues of diversity, equity, racial and social justice enrich and empower us individually and as a school.

Sincerely,

Mary Ellen Zuckerman, Dean
Geneseo School of Business

Women’s and Gender Studies Advisory Committee: Statement of Solidarity and Commitment

The long-standing violence of white supremacy, settler colonialism, and systematized anti-Black racism continues to claim Black lives in the United States and around the world. In particular, the legacies of slavery are still evident in our culture and governance, and in the recent murders of Rayshard Brooks, Monika Diamond, Tony McDade, Breonna Taylor, George Floyd, and Ahmaud Arbery, who were preceded by too many others, including Sandra Bland, Freddie Gray, Tanisha Anderson, Tamir Rice, Eric Garner, Alesia Thomas, Miriam Carey, Rekia Boyd, Trayvon Martin, and Aiyana Stanley-Jones, to name only a few. Their deaths are part of "an unbroken stream of racist violence, both official and extralegal, from slave patrols and the Ku Klux Klan to contemporary profiling practices and present-day vigilantes" (Davis 2016: 77), with violence perpetrated under the protections of police immunity and morally specious “stand your ground” and “citizen’s arrest” laws.

Current and ongoing protests are a sign that our nation has reached a tipping point. Protesters are speaking out, even in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, because the status quo cannot continue. And the faculty of the Women’s and Gender Studies (WGST) wish to offer this statement of solidarity and support.

Thanks to the groundbreaking work of feminist scholars including Angela Davis, bell hooks, Audre Lorde, Gloria Anzaldúa, Cherríe Moraga, Kimberlé Crenshaw, and Patricia Hill Collins, we know that the violence of racism works in tandem with systems of sexism, patriarchy, heteronormativity, cissexism, classism, ableism, and policing. And these interlocking systems of oppression disproportionately affect the lives, health, livelihood, and well-being of women, trans, and femme people who are Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC).

As a discipline, Women’s and Gender Studies often stresses difference, encouraging us to speak about our own experiences and listen as others speak about their own experiences. But acknowledging difference is not enough; power-based hierarchies deserve particular attention as well, and so it is necessary for those of us with various kinds of privilege to do the more of the listening less of the speaking.

Thus, in order to participate in dismantling white supremacy and other systems of oppression and violence, we the faculty of the SUNY Geneseo Women and Gender Studies program acknowledge and look to the leadership of BIPOC and LGBTQ scholars, including:

Alicia Garza, Patrisse Cullors, and Opal Tometi, who created #BlackLivesMatter. The roles of these Black and queer women as founders of the movement has often gone unnoticed in the mainstream, as Garza explains in her "Herstory of the #BlackLivesMatter Movement".

Kimberlé Crenshaw, Andrea Ritchie and others at the African American Policy Forum, who authored the Say Her Name Report and founded the #SayHerName campaign to bring "awareness to the often invisible names and stories of Black women and girls who have been victimized by racist police violence, and provide support to their families."

Christen A. Smith (founder) and all the members of Cite Black Women, a collective of scholars who urge us "to engage in a radical praxis of citation that acknowledges and honors Black women’s transnational intellectual production...to motivate everyone, but particularly academics, to critically reflect on their everyday practices of citation and start to consciously question how they can incorporate black women into the CORE of their work."

In response to this work and leadership, we, the faculty of the SUNY Geneseo Women and Gender Studies Program, recommit to:

• Teaching the interrelations between white supremacy and gender-based oppression.
• Ensuring that our curriculum centers the voices and experiences of those who are affected by intersectional oppression.
• Rejecting white feminism and paying particular attention to how whiteness and white women’s desire for equality has been weaponized against BIPOC.
• Preparing our students not only for theoretical understandings of how structural inequalities work, but also to be part of the activist movements to end them.

As indicated in the last bullet point, WGST is somewhat unique among academic fields in that we are explicitly dedicated not only to academically examining structural inequalities, but to the activism needed to end them. Thus, we wholeheartedly support the Black Lives Matter movement and current protests in aiming to radically alter or abolish institutions that uphold structural inequities; this movement and the demands for change being put forth are necessary to achieve the vision of a world without oppression to which the field of women’s and gender studies is fundamentally committed.

In closing we look to bell hooks, reminding us of the power of truly intersectional feminism: "Critical interventions around race did not destroy the women's movement; it became stronger ... It shows us that no matter how misguided feminist thinkers have been in the past, the will to change, the will to create the context for struggle and liberation, remains stronger than the need to hold on to wrong beliefs and assumptions." ― bell hooks, Feminism is for Everybody: Passionate Politics.

-- The Women’s and Gender Studies Advisory Committee (Cathy Adams, Melanie Blood, Jennifer Guzmán, Amanda Roth, Alice Rutkowski)

Davis, Alice. (2016). From Michael Brown to Assata Shakur, the Racist State of America Persists. Freedom is a Constant Struggle. Chicago, IL: Haymarket Books.

Enrollment Management: Statement on Racial Injustice and Inequity in Higher Education

The powerful protests sparked by the senseless killing of George Floyd call for racial justice and social change, and they are a painful reminder of the injustices that have plagued our society for many generations. SUNY Geneseo President Denise Battles released a statement regarding the racial injustice that exists nationally and the need to go beyond talking about it. We must do something about it—now.

At Geneseo, we believe in the power of education to break down divisive barriers and create a better future for all students. We have broadened our reach to students in underserved urban and rural communities, and we have committed to expanding our efforts to support greater diversity within our student body. We also know that these efforts are not enough. Therefore, we are working collaboratively with our students, staff, and faculty to examine our enrollment policies in order to eliminate barriers and expand outreach to more underserved students.

Here’s what we’ve done so far and what we plan to do moving forward:

First, we assembled a campus-wide working group to assess our policies around standardized testing. This assessment directly informed our three-year test-optional pilot study that eliminates the SAT/ACT requirement for first-year and transfer students. Having previously worked at test-optional institutions, I know the bias that exists within standardized testing. Data also tells us that eliminating standardized test requirements results in more first-generation, low-income, and students of color applying and enrolling at test-optional institutions. We also know that it is simply the right thing to do.

Second, we’ve revised our admissions application review process to emphasize a holistic review that considers environmental factors. This context is important. For example, students who have experienced societal barriers or have had to manage a multitude of responsibilities at home have far fewer opportunities to engage in extracurricular activities, prep for SAT exams, or participate in academic research or internships, compared to students from privileged and affluent backgrounds who have few or no environmental barriers in front of them. Therefore, grit and perseverance have become important factors in student applications.

Third, we reimagined our financial aid and awarding process to look at and prioritize the financial need of our students. This will result in greater need-based aid, which will go directly to students who require more funding to support their education at Geneseo. We have also eliminated merit scholarships based on SAT or ACT scores. Instead, our scholarship awarding process will be aligned with our holistic application review, factoring in academic proficiency alongside leadership, activism, community service, and mentoring. Within the holistic application process and financial aid packaging, we are committed to honoring a student’s accomplishments, not penalizing them for a lack of opportunities.

Furthermore, we are in the process of making changes to our Multicultural Fellows Honors program. Students selected for this program have demonstrated their passion for social justice and activism within their high school and community. The Multicultural Fellows Honors program comes with a substantial scholarship, which helps support their education at Geneseo.

Moving forward, we are working closely with Geneseo’s chief diversity officer to provide more implicit-bias training for the entire enrollment division. Additionally, I plan to assemble an advisory group of diverse students to inform our enrollment practices—their voices are critical to our progress.

This is just the start. I recognize that these steps are not enough and that we need to do much more—and we will. We are committed to action, not just words.

Costas Solomou
Vice President for Enrollment Management

Biology Department Statement in Support of Racial Justice

We, members of the Department of Biology, stand in solidarity with Black students, faculty, and staff, and those fighting racial injustice. We would like to add our voices to speak out against systemic racism, social injustice, police brutality, and violence.

We recognize that the deaths of Secoriea Turner, Rayshard Brooks, George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Ahmaud Aubery and the countless victims who preceded them result from racism. We recognize that these tragedies, as well as the toll imposed by the COVID-19 pandemic, acutely impact our students and colleagues who identify as Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC).

We are ready for the long road and hard work ahead to transform our community into one that confronts racism and embodies social justice. We are also motivated to speak because we recognize that racism on our own campus, both explicit and implicit, causes our BIPOC students and colleagues to suffer unjustly. We acknowledge that we have been complicit, having not adequately challenged the racism that infuses academia and STEM fields, and the structural biases that continue to disadvantage Black students and colleagues along with other people of color. We recognize how science has been and continues to be misused to support racist ideas, and that we need to transform the way we teach and study biology to address this misuse directly.

We are ready to listen, to learn, and to change. We commit to this work, starting with the 2020-2021 academic year, broadening the opportunities for more voices to be heard and educating ourselves for this important work:

1. We pledge to educate ourselves about the experiences of BIPOC students on this campus, and to strive to be a welcoming, equitable, and racially inclusive community. We will establish safe and confidential venues for students to express their concerns about racial injustices and incidents of bias.

2. We commit to diversifying our seminar series to reflect the diversity of scientists working in the biological sciences and the diversity of our students’ interests.

3. We will devote at least one department meeting per semester to be trained by the Office of Diversity and Equity’s DICE (Diversity and Inclusion Community Educator) facilitators.

We will also begin developing a strategic plan in consultation with our BIPOC students and colleagues for the systemic transformation needed in our department and our programs. Broad action items include:

1. Developing a diversity statement that expresses our commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion, as well as a code of conduct for the department.

2. Pursuing training to confront racism and support a more inclusive pedagogy that acknowledges both injustices and intersectionality, through increasing the number of faculty and staff who complete ACCC, SafeZone, and other programs.

3. Examining our curricula (structures, practices, content) for explicit and implicit racism, revising to promote diversity and social justice in our curricula, and developing new content that addresses and counters scientific racism. 4. Inspecting our departmental decision-making structures and practices to address inequities, starting with a committee dedicated to diversity, equity, and inclusion. The committee will include at least one student representative and establish a regular schedule to assess equity. For example, the committee will review whether practices for student participation in departmental opportunities are inclusive and equitable. We invite our students and colleagues to share their thoughts and ideas with us, and we look forward to working with you to create an inclusive, equitable, diverse, and welcoming community in the Biology department.

Thank you to robbie routenberg, Chief Diversity Officer, for reviewing this statement.

Fraser Hall Library Statement of Solidarity on Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Anti-Racism

Everyone is welcome at Fraser Hall Library. With the potential to serve as a place of connection for people and ideas across the College’s disciplinary, community, and racial divides, the Library’s physical and virtual spaces provide a place for people to connect with information as well as each other. The staff of Fraser Hall Library acknowledges our responsibility to emphasize both of our roles as connector and catalyst for change as we move forward.

The Library’s mission is “To provide access to information, expert support for scholarship, and a diverse and inclusive environment where patrons come to study, share ideas, and learn.” To carry out our mission, we accept our responsibility to further social justice by providing equitable access to information, facilitating the creation of new knowledge, and preserving our history so that we may continue to learn from it. Thus, we are committed to recognizing and addressing the history of systemic bias and inequity in libraries and in librarianship, including our collections, spaces, services, and past recruitment practices.

The Library staff is committed to inclusivity, diversity, equity, and anti-racism. To respond to the challenges of a changing academic library environment, we strive to:

• Continue to educate ourselves to develop cross-cultural awareness and sensitivity.
• Foster equitable treatment of everyone in the SUNY Geneseo community. 
• Maintain library spaces that are welcoming, respectful, safe, and accessible to all.
• Provide members of the college community a wide variety of resources that are free of charge to users, eliminating cost as a barrier to access.
• Build collections that are inclusive and represent multiple points of view, focusing on materials by a diverse authorship. 
• Make the library’s online resources and technologies universally accessible within our means and adapt to rapidly changing technology.
• Incorporate inclusive pedagogy when teaching information literacy and research skills so all members of the SUNY Geneseo community can create knowledge.

IDEA - Inclusivity, Diversity, Equity, and Anti-Racism -  full description of purpose & mission, charge, membership, and initiatives

History Department Statement of Solidarity

June 3, 2020

In Solidarity

The History Department at SUNY Geneseo stands in solidarity with protesters across the nation. We condemn the murders of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Tony McDade, Ahmaud Arbery, and so many others, and acknowledge that their deaths are the result of a culture of white supremacy. We affirm that Black lives matter.

As historians we understand that current events emerge out of a long history of disdain and disregard for Black people and Indigenous sovereignty. We acknowledge that as scholars and teachers we must model just behavior and critical engagement with the past. We recognize our responsibility to demonstrate the historical roots of present structures and systems of racism, and how history is too often weaponized by white supremacists to prop up racist ideologies. We re-commit ourselves to doing this work.

Ella Cline Shear School of Education Statement of Commitment and Action

Below is the current version of our statement of support. We will be further revising it as we have conversations.

People don’t make changes because things are wonderful.

- Jamaica Kincaid

Nothing changes if nothing changes.

- Chris Coe

The Ella Cline Shear School of Education commits to an anti-racist frame in all the work we do. According to Ibram Kendi, a race theory scholar:

“To be antiracist is to think nothing is behaviorally wrong or right – inferior or superior – with any of the racial groups. Whenever the antiracist sees individuals behaving positively or negatively, the antiracist sees exactly that: individuals behaving positively or negatively, not representatives of whole races. To be antiracist is to deracialize behavior, to remove the tattooed stereotype from every racialized body. Behavior is something humans do, not races do” (Kendi, 2019).

Our commitment comes with our repudiation of recent actions (e.g., the murders of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Ahmaud Arbery, and many more) as well as our awareness of 400 years of U.S. racism and oppression. Racial inequality is exemplified by the fact that Black Americans are 2.5 times more likely than Whites to be killed by police. These are just a few examples of the systemic racism that pervades our country and that will require us to commit to a long, hard fight for justice: We must be aware that small and/or cosmetic victories are not enough or even represent progress.

In addition, we acknowledge institutional and systemic racism in both PreK-12 schools and in post-secondary education. The SOE recognizes that not all students are given the same educational environments and opportunities, and commits to actively educating our teacher candidates in addressing those disparities through civic engagement as well as diverse practicum and course opportunities; for instance, the SOE will address the racial inequities in society and education throughout all of its coursework. The AACTE (American Association of Colleges for Teacher Education) Board of Directors has called on educators to embrace our responsibility as front-line workers to dismantle structural racism within the nation's education system; we propose to answer that call.

Given the foregoing, we commit to cultivating and maintaining a community that respects differences and promotes a sense of inclusion and belonging. We celebrate diversity of all identities and make it our goal to nurture equity and inclusion within and beyond the classroom. But while we work to create an environment where everyone feels included, individuals and organizations also have an obligation to identify and actively develop strategies to eliminate systemic racism in their environments and in our nation. We recognize this is a continuous conversation that needs to be grounded in and extended by ongoing education (including self-education; e.g., individuals having a greater understanding of U.S. history, since the lack of knowledge of Black History has resulted in ignorance among many regarding systemic racism), action (including advocacy), and listening (to our students, undergraduates & graduates, and the broader community).

Specific School of Education actions we might take based on our commitment

Knowledge, action, & a vision for our future are all needed; these might include, for instance:

• Providing students with a safe space, resources, and opportunities to build a community of allies. These groups could be student-led but have faculty sponsorship. (The college-wide Diversity Summit occurs on campus on every Spring, and the SOE should promote & take part in this more).
• Providing professional development seminars around social justice issues
• Sending out a survey to our students asking what changes *they* would like to see happen in the SOE to address race and injustice. Our alumni might have a lot to say as well.
• Promoting open and ongoing dialogue among faculty and teacher candidates, rather than holding one-time seminars or workshops. For instance, we could create & sponsor regular “teach-ins” on current events for students, faculty, alumni, and staff. What do we see? What can we do?
• It would be helpful to include stakeholders from diverse backgrounds who can share their perspectives. We might want to explore resurrecting the Deliberative Dialogue framework that was used in the past to hold a full-day retreat with teacher candidates and faculty members.
• After we publish our statement on the SOE Facebook page, we should ask other faculty/staff/students/alumni to share their thoughts about the importance of addressing race and justice in the classroom.
• Sponsoring read-alouds and discussions of books by black authors. For example, we could use the “big book idea” (e.g., How to Be an Antiracist by Ibram X. Kendi) for all members of the SOE community to read during a specified month & then discuss/consider using in schools.
• More focused attention to our students and our curriculum (e.g., re decolonizing; making clear not just opportunities for "learning," but moving into "growth,” that is, action; looking critically at our programs, course work, and Blocks to insure these issues are being substantively & comprehensively addressed)
• Making anti-racism explicit within and throughout the curriculum. We should make a clear commitment to social justice as part of our teacher preparation program, and not address just in some classes and/or with some professors.
• Adding a statement to our syllabi affirming our stance and stating that we will call out racism and injustice when we see it.
• Encouraging substantive faculty buy-in (e.g., the SOE faculty and staff could get more involved with opportunities like the Advancing Cultural Competency Certificate.
• Working with school districts around these issues (e.g., afternoon meeting with partners & teachers to ask: What are you seeing that we might help address? How can we support you?)
• Attending intentionally to social-emotional foci in schools, coursework, etc.
• Seeing teaching as a political act: To cite a recent editorial from the Detroit Free Press, if Black lives matter, then let’s prove it by fixing our schools.
• Asking ourselves, how can I make a difference? What concrete actions, including anti-racist work, can I undertake to make our education system better?
• Embracing students across all represented (and intersecting) identities: race/ethnicity, socio-economic class, religion, gender, sexual orientation, languages, abilities, etc.
• Education students, faculty, and staff working collaboratively to ensure and provide safe learning spaces that affirm and embrace differences, as well as learning experiences that are grounded in social justice principles (anti-racist pedagogy/curriculum, culturally responsive teaching practices, etc.)
• Modeling for our students a set of values & practices that say, you matter. Looking for places where we fall short, and finding ways to learn more & do better.
• Being attentive & striving to keep an open mind, and not assuming "our" way is the "best" or only way. Listening carefully to others' life stories.

Political Science & International Relations Statement of Support

The recent murders of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Ahmaud Arbery, and Daniel Prude have reignited protests and calls for justice in the Rochester area, the United States, and across the world. These murders are among the latest in a long history of police brutality and violence upon members of the African American community. The Department of Political Science and International Relations at Geneseo recognizes and condemns in the strongest terms the systemic racism that contributed to these deaths and shares the justified outrage it has provoked. We strongly support the right to protest and are alarmed by the government’s violent responses to peaceful protesters, including excessive uses of force in the name of order. We are also alarmed at the opportunistic criminal conduct of some who do not share the protesters' commendable goals. These actions are a severe violation of democratic principles.

Political scientists have long examined the linkages between race, power, governance, social injustice, and oppression. This scholarship has made an invaluable contribution to our discipline and to public discourse. It has illuminated the sources and structures of pervasive inequality and human rights abuses in the United States, as well as the resulting social, political, and public policy consequences. A more just society will require more of this knowledge but also action by all of us to examine and address how our own departmental procedures, teaching, and scholarship may be shaped by or contribute to upholding, rather than dismantling, systems of oppression. As a department, we recognize our responsibility to continue engaging in scholarship that examines systemic racism, support students of color, and promote new pedagogical approaches that are inclusive to all. With these intentional goals, we can move towards the realization of a more informed and just society.

Department of Anthropology Commitment to Antiracism

We, the members of the Department of Anthropology at SUNY Geneseo stand in solidarity with the Black Lives Matter movement. We have turned to the leadership of the Association of Black Anthropologists (ABA) for guidance and hereby commit to the actions they call for in their statement, below. 

We, the faculty of the SUNY Geneseo Department of Anthropology commit to the following calls from the ABA:

• To start at "home," to accept the ways that anthropology has been and continues to be implicated in the project of white supremacy.
• To see the ways that white supremacy is manifest in … curricula, syllabi, ... student recruitment and mentoring, hiring, and promotion practices.
• To teach about race, racism, the pathology of whiteness, and the normalization of white supremacy.

Please also see the American Black Anthropologist Association's Statement Against Police Violence and Anti-Black Racism.

Art History and Museum Studies Statement of Support

Art History and Museum Studies would like to add our voice to those who speak out against systemic racism, social injustice, police brutality, and violence. We recognize that the deaths of Secoriea Turner, Rayshard Brooks, George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Ahmaud Aubery and the countless victims who preceded them result from racism. We recognize that these tragedies, as well as the toll imposed by the COVID-19 pandemic, acutely impact our students and colleagues who identify as Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC).

As a faculty, we personally embody diversity in the Faculty, which includes Cuban-American, African-American and Eastern-European/Jewish, as well as European/UK Faculty. Hence, we live our united diversity, as we bring our personal experiences to our active teaching and engaged, integrative learning.

Art History, as a discipline, has undergone a significant expansion of its disciplinary borders, since the 1980s, when new voices entered to change dialogues. We continue reflecting an anti-racist approach as we study, research and learn about global art, culture and religion from all continents, as we engage in critical thinking on issues of gender, race, class, religion and analyze societal structures to better understand world history.

ARTH 120 Monster Mash: The Art, Literature and Films of Horror

• Gender
• LBGT
• Race
• Abolitionist History
• Women's History
• Social Class

ARTH 171  History of Western Art: Prehistory to Gothic

• Cultural interaction
• Formation of social classes
• Privileged groups
• Slavery
• Gender
• Tracing religious intolerance
• Islam and the Middle East
• Jewish Art and Culture
• China and the Silk Route

ARTH 172 – History of Western Art: Renaissance to Rococo          

• Conquest of the Americas
• Connections to Asia
• The rise of Women's Rights
• The Enlightenment
• Slavery
• Religious intolerance
• Migrations
• Global cultural developments

ARTH 173: History Western Art: Neo-Classical to Contemporary

• Colonial Expansion
• Post-Colonialism
• Gender and Art
• LGBTQ+ in art
• Queer Theory
• Racism and Anti-Racism

 ARTH 205  Art and Politics

• Holocaust Studies
• Colonization of Africa
• Slavery
• Confederate Monuments
• Human Remains Law
• Exploitation of Pre-Colombian Sites
• Exploitation of Chinese Heritage
• Trade in looted Indian Art

ARTH 203 Renaissance Europe and ARTH 213 High Renaissance and European Mannerism

• Religious Conflict
• Slavery
• Islam and Christianity clashing
• Jewish persecutions
• LBGT and the Catholic Church
• Social Classes in Conflict

ARTH 250 Contemporary Art and Globalization

• Racism, Shadeism and Representation
• Globalization and Racial injustice
• Gender and Identity in the decentralized art markets
• Issues of Indigeneity

ARTH 278 Art of the 19th Century

• Critical Colonialism
• Orientalism and its legacy
• Race and Art in the US
• Photography and Democracy
• Feminism and Queer methodologies

ARTH 287 Avant-Garde and Modernism and in Art

• Avant-Gardes and Colonial expansions
• Race and European Art
• Gender and Modernity
• Architecture as a colonial legacy

ARTH 281 - Latin American Art and ARTH 302  Latin American Art -Late Colonial to Contemporary

• Pre-Columbian Cultures and the Colonial Clash 
• Racism inscribed in Casta Paintings
• Cultural mixtures
• globalized race and ethnicity
• arrival of hyphenated Latin Americans in the U.S.
• Immigration studies
• migrant worker representations
• LBGTQ in contemporary art
• the rise of Women Artists in Latin America

ARTH 300 Special Topics: Fashion, Art, Politics

• Gender
• Identity
• Body Image
• Racial relations
• Queer theory application to Fashion
• LGBTQ+ issues and fashion representation

ARTH 310 Gender and Art

• Feminism and Identity
• Intersectionality and art
• Queer Theory and Gender Theories
• Race and Ethnicity in Art practices.

ARTH 378 - Museum Studies

• Diversity Museums and Heritage Studies,
• ADA issues in Museums,
• The Role Museums Play in performing Social Justice through visual display,
• Critical Theory applied in Women's Studies,
• Confederate Monuments,
• Global Study through Museum representation,

ARTH 387 Methods of Research in Art History

• Gender and Identity
• Colonial legacies in Art History
• New Art History and Pluralism
• Critical Race and Art History
• Semiotics and Difference

Theatre and Dance Statement of Support

The SUNY Geneseo Department of Theatre and Dance acknowledges that Black lives matter and is committed to the eradication of racism, discrimination, and violence of every kind manifested in our society. We thus work to create and maintain an educational and artistic environment which acknowledges, recognizes, respects, and perpetuates racial justice and equality.

As an academic unit, we work to dignify and include the creative works and artistic contributions of Blacks, Latinx, Asian and Pacific Islander Americans, Native Peoples, the LGBTQ+ community, victims of anti-Semitism and Islamophobia, women, and people with disabilities which have been historically ignored, diminished, or excluded. We consistently seek to replace those paradigms with our program that welcomes and empowers all students equally and equitably.

Our faculty profiles, production chronologies, course offerings, open casting policies, and record of producing the works of diverse artists and guest instructors all provide further documentation of our longstanding commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion.

Chemistry Statement of Support

The Department of Chemistry at SUNY Geneseo is committed to fostering and sustaining a diverse, equitable and inclusive student-centered environment where there is mutual respect for all. The Department strongly believes that all students deserve equity and inclusivity in their learning and mentorship experiences, one that welcomes, values, and supports a diverse student body. Diversity enhances the academic and life experience for every student.

The Department of Chemistry therefore commits to the following:

• To provide a safe environment where all students can engage, learn, and contribute to their fullest potential.
• To make progress towards removing any harmful biases by engaging in periodic conversations and initiatives that promote inclusion and equity for all students.
• To promote a nurturing and welcoming environment for all students, including, but not limited to, identities related to race, ethnicity, sex, gender, sexual orientation, socioeconomic circumstance, national origin, geographic background, immigration status, ability and disability, physical characteristics, veteran status, age, political ideology, or religious belief.

Psychology Statement on Social Justice and Anti-racism

In recognition of the realities of systemic racism and the historical/ongoing harm to BIPOC members of our community, members of the psychology department have come together to form a social justice working group. This work aligns with the college-wide work of becoming an anti-racist college. Our working group goals are to promote awareness, cultural humility, social justice, and accountability through learning and taking action, as individuals and in our disciplines and communities. We also seek to support the well-being of members of our community from historically oppressed and marginalized groups, recognizing that those of us with the most institutional privilege have the greatest responsibility to confront injustice, racism, and oppression.

During Summer 2020, we formed a social justice working group. This group met regularly to discuss three books: White Fragility (by sociologist Robin DiAngelo), Whistling Vivaldi (by social psychologist Claude Steele), and When They Call You a Terrorist (by activist  Patrisse Cullors). During the 2020-2021 academic year, we will read and discuss Overcoming Bias: Building Authentic Relationships Across Differences (by diversity and inclusion experts Tiffany Jana and Matthew Freeman).

We recognize that awareness must inform action. As such, our working group meets regularly to discuss how we, as educators, can promote social justice and anti-racism. One primary goal involves curricular revision. During Fall 2020, we began with an assessment of what we are already doing in our classes to teach about social justice and anti-racism. Furthermore, we are developing a new 200-level course on the psychology of social justice and a new 452 course option that addresses topics of bigotry and bias. Another primary goal is to find new ways to educate, support, and engage our students that will facilitate meaningful rapport, build trust, and support community growth. We are administering a short survey to gain feedback from students about their interests and priorities. We are creating a new senior award recognizing student contributions to diversity, inclusion, and equity. We are also planning a series of workshops in which faculty will present research articles in varied content areas, all of which can be discussed in terms of social justice and antiracism lenses. These workshops may increase our awareness of the social justice implications of common concepts and methodological practices in professional psychology. These workshops also will provide opportunities for faculty members to practice new ways of thinking about and presenting material that can be integrated into courses across the curriculum.

The social justice working group recognizes that becoming an anti-racist college and department is a long-term process and our current actions are only a beginning. As a group, we are eager to continue to learn and act.

Sociology Department Statement on Commitment to Antiracism

We, the members of SUNY Geneseo’s Department of Sociology, pledge to continue to teach about, speak out, and take action against racism and social injustice. As educators, scholars, and citizens we understand that our ultimate purpose goes beyond the mere pursuit of sociological truths, and recognize that sociological knowledge can serve as a foundation for individual liberation and spur positive social change.

Since its inception, sociology has shown that systems of oppression and domination are pervasive features of modern societies. The core concepts and approaches to studying racism in contemporary society emerge from sociologists, both empirically and theoretically. Our curriculum is, almost by its very nature, infused with understanding how race and racism pervade nearly all aspects of society.

As sociologists we know how racism, from everyday interactions to institutional structures, harms people of color in our society. As the sociology department, we are not immune to the effects of racialized structures and systems and should be setting the standard for both self-reflection, action, and change. We acknowledge that - individually and collectively - we can always do more to confront and challenge racism in practice. 

We are committed to undertaking the work necessary in our department to further enact antiracism and work toward achieving equity and social justice. We understand that this will entail continuing to educate ourselves about the experiences of students of color on our campus, learning from people who come from historically oppressed backgrounds by centering their voices and perspectives in our efforts, and advocating for increased diversity of faculty and students in our department and college.

The sociology department is committed to creating a space that is diverse, inclusive, and active in pursuing efforts to achieve equity for our students, colleagues, and community.

Department of Geography Statement of Support and Action Plan

Statement

The Department of Geography is committed to an antiracist framework and works to create and maintain an environment that fosters diversity, equity, and inclusion. While the American Association of Geographers (AAG) has taken steps to foster antiracism throughout the discipline, such as creating the Harold M. Rose Award for Anti-Racism in Research and Practice in 2012 and publishing a statement by the AAG president, the AAG’s Black Geographies Specialty Group (BGSG) calls for greater action in the form of transformative racial justice. The Department of Geography is heeding that call by creating the following action plan to become an antiracist department. In doing so, the Department hopes to begin addressing the harm that the discipline has historically caused through: rectifying the gaps in the Department’s curriculum, faculty and staff development, student involvement, and other activities. Recognizing that transformative racial justice is a process, this is a living document that will always be a work in progress. 

Action Plan

Curriculum

1. Ensure that all courses foster diversity and justice by:

a. Examining all current courses for explicit and implicit racism and bias, and removing all occurrences 

b. Incorporating antiracist themes into existing courses as possible and appropriate, and centering discussions of race, racism, legacies of racism, and geography’s past and present connections with these issues (e.g. racism, colonization, physical determinism, fetishization, exoticization)

c. Revising course descriptions to include antiracism content that is already part of the course (or will be moving forward)

d. Incorporating Black, Indigenous, and people of color (BIPOC) experiences into existing courses as possible and appropriate

e. Highlighting the research of BIPOC scholars and authors through: 

1. Assigning BIPOC-authored course readings
2. Including BIPOC-led webinars and other media in class lectures
3. Inviting BIPOC guest speakers

f. Ensuring that the need to acquire costly textbooks does not prevent students from taking courses, such as assigning readings from open-access textbooks or online readings.

2. Create new, and modify existing, courses to delve into issues of race and racial justice, such as: 

a. Entry-level course: Develop a new cross-listed GEOG/BLKS 288 course 

b. Advanced course: Create or modify existing courses to include engagement with local BIPOC communities

3. Develop a new interdisciplinary Integrative Curricular Microcredential explicitly focused on racial justice

Faculty and Staff Development

Hold at least one Department meeting per year to:

• Discuss diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) and determine how DEI can fit into our annual goals
• Schedule DICE (Diversity and Inclusion Community Educators) training for Geography faculty/staff
• Ensure that these steps are incorporated into an ongoing dialogue, including discussions of issues of concern for BIPOC students that are revealed by our students, brought up in a student survey, or covered by the media

Create opportunities for faculty, staff, and students to continue to learn about racial (in)justice, race, and antiracism more broadly, and within geography:

• Create a department collection of encouraged readings
• Encourage dialogue and listening to student voices; encourage faculty, staff, and students to attend:
  • Cultivating Community sessions
  • Advancing Cultural Competency Certificate (ACCC) program
  • SAFE zone training
  • College’s annual Diversity Summit

Student Involvement 

1. Compensate student assistance with completing these action steps (e.g. research & creating/revising curriculum): Determine several options (e.g. directed study credit, Geneseo Foundation Research Assistantship) to meet a variety of students needs and interests
2. Develop and circulate a student survey to identify what changes BIPOC students would like to see to address DEI, justice, and antiracism
3. Add questions to our alumni survey
4. Add an end-of-year departmental award for DEI (based on student paper/project, service work, etc.)

Campus Activities

• Invite BIPOC scholars to be (compensated) guest speakers and lecturers 
  • Support efforts to invite such speakers in other departments at the College

Department of Communication's Commitment to Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) and Antiracism

(Also see Antiracism and Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) Initiatives by the Department of Communication)  

The SUNY Geneseo Department of Communication recognizes the differences between racist, non-racist, and antiracist academic cultures and commits to growing as an antiracist department. We commit to serving as allies to individuals who have experienced prejudice, discrimination, stereotypes, and/or exclusion. We acknowledge that racism at both the individual and structural levels continues to be prevalent. We believe racism should not be ignored or condoned.

We commit to sharing the responsibility for increasing inclusivity, heightening awareness, strengthening empathy, and fostering empowerment. We believe it is our responsibility to actively contribute to an inclusive and equitable environment and to challenge discrimination and bias.

We commit to taking an intersectional approach to antiracism and we stand together against any and all forms of social oppression and injustice. We recognize that students, faculty, staff and administrators may belong to multiple social identity groups. We also recognize that racism often occurs in tandem with other systems of oppression (e.g., sexism, classism, ableism, homophobia, transphobia, among others).

We commit to celebrating our differences. We believe our differences, whether rooted in race, gender, religion, sexuality, ability, age, nationality, language and other factors, ultimately make us stronger and open our eyes to a multitude of various perspectives and experiences.

We commit to creating and fostering a departmental culture in which members are interveners and active bystanders who identify and interrupt racism in all forms.

We commit to creating mechanisms to encourage accountability to address racial and racist incidents.

We commit to providing educational resources about social awareness by integrating social injustice related topics into our curriculum and offering courses that highlight antiracism practices and DEI (Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion) efforts. Courses offered during the 2020-2021 academic year include but are not limited to these 13 courses. We share these additional educational resources to support our growth as an antiracist department.

We recognize the work that is required to grow as an antiracist department and commit to making that effort.

This statement was developed by the Coordinator for DEI and DEI Student Mentors in the Communication Department with support from faculty and staff.

Sustainability Commission Statement on Racial Justice

Adapted from the United Nations Sustainable Development Solutions Network "Statement on Racial Inequality"

The President’s Commission on Sustainability supports the movement to end systemic racism and police brutality that led to the brutal killing of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, and countless Black, Indigenous, and other People of Color (BIPOC). We condemn the actions of police violence and join our voices with those who call for an end to inequity and injustice in the United States and elsewhere around the world. Equity and human dignity are foundational values for a sustainable future. The work of dismantling systemic institutional racism is ours to take on, and we must do better.
 
Article 6 of the United Nations’ Universal Declaration of Human Rights states, "Everyone has the right to recognition everywhere as a person before the law." Together as a commission and inspired by the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), our goal is to work toward individual, institutional, and large-scale transformative change, challenging the existing social norms of our preceding and current generations. We are listening to the lessons of the past and the voices of the present as we work toward a more just and equitable world for all, focusing first on repairing the damage and harm caused to the most marginalized and vulnerable communities. The ongoing protests and civil unrest around the world demonstrate that our efforts are far from complete and highlight the need to listen to and amplify the voices of BIPOC. 
 
While the SDGs provide a framework for global sustainability using governmental, social, and environmental metrics, at the core of this agenda is humanity and our combined aspiration to create an inclusive, just, and sustainable planet for all. SDG 10, which aims to “Reduce inequality within and among countries,” seeks to create equity in shared opportunities, as well as ensure the social, economic, and political inclusion of all people, without discrimination. Further, SDG 16 aims to “Promote peaceful and inclusive societies for sustainable development, provide access to justice for all and build effective, accountable and inclusive institutions at all levels.” If this goal is to be achieved, we must identify and rectify our history of police violence, discrimination, and injustice in the United States and across the globe. Both goals support the right to a fair and just legal system for all.
 
In response to the ongoing protests worldwide, we have a responsibility to reflect, organize, and re-prioritize our work ahead. We acknowledge that as a commission and as individuals, we have substantial work to do to fully realize these values. While this statement is only a small step in challenging the inequity that persists in our communities, the commission will continue to mobilize its expertise and promote activities on campus to advance a just and sustainable future for this generation and beyond.
 
In support of this statement, the President’s Sustainability Commission will undertake the following actions:

• Educating students, faculty, and staff about the role that sustainability plays in making the college an anti-racist institution.
• Incorporate a lens of equity into all of our work.
• Deepen partnerships on campus to achieve these goals, including with the President’s Diversity Commission and the Sustainability Studies Major.
• Review and revise practices by:
  • Promoting diversity in all of our events.
  • Inviting more diverse perspectives into campus sustainability efforts.
  • Suggesting policy changes to make the university more equitable.

Physics and Astronomy Statement of Support

The faculty and staff of the Department of Physics and Astronomy are 100% committed to fostering an environment where all students can thrive, regardless of gender, gender identity, race, sexuality, ethnicity, disability, or religion. Our goal is to make sure that everyone feels included and respected in our department.

As physicists, we are all incredibly proud of the many contributions that our discipline has made to society and to our understanding of the universe over the years. However, we are also profoundly ashamed of the sad and painful history of deeply rooted and long-standing structural racism and sexism in our field. This injustice continues to plague us, and has caused countless individuals to have their growth as physicists limited or to leave physics altogether. Recognizing that this has hindered our discipline, we affirm the fundamental truth that physics, like all human endeavors, works best when all feel included and respected.  

Therefore, the faculty and staff of the department of physics and astronomy ask you to join us in our efforts to eliminate all unjust biases, large and small, which have prevented people from achieving their full potential as physicists. We must all work together to effect positive change.

Finance & Administration Commitment to Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion

A hallmark of the values at Geneseo is our commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI). The Division of Finance and Administration seeks to consistently embrace these values and incorporate them into the way we serve the campus community and beyond everyday. 

In 2021, to further advance our commitment, Julie Buehler, Vice President for Finance and Administration convened the Finance and Administration (FA) Diversity Group to include representation across the division. Current members include Christa Aldrich, Chair and Talent Acquisition Manager, Robert Ames, Assistant Vice President for Facilities & Planning, Carey Chappius, Business/Systems Analyst, and Mathew Felthousen, Executive Director of Campus Auxiliary Services. 

The new team reviewed current practices and how we can better infuse our commitment to DEI into our culture and practices. Unless otherwise noted all of these are in place. Staff across the division will be working on many of these items throughout the upcoming academic year. Some examples are highlighted here, many of which represent current practices that are successful in their infusion of DEI.