The West Virginia University Board of Governors and President Gordon Gee will address a petition signed by hundreds demanding change for the university’s black community, according to a release put out by the university.
The BOG will meet at 3 p.m. today. The Dominion Post reached out for additional comment regarding WVU’s response to the petition and was referred to the statement.
The June 17 petition makes nine specific demands to university leaders. The university said it will address concerns and announce actions that will be taken in the short-term, as well as the long-term.
The first demand is the requirement of mandatory diversity and anti-racism training for students, faculty and staff, similar to the COVID-19 education module students need to complete for returning to campus. Topics for the required diversity training would include identity, power, bias, privilege and oppression.
Petitioners also want in-person training covering similar topics, and they want supervisors to complete training on promoting a culture of diversity and inclusion.
“This ongoing training would be mandatory each year for new and returning students, faculty and staff to the WVU community,” the petition said.
The second demand is for the university to revise the Campus Student Conduct Code and Employee Code of Conduct to address discrimination. It also asks students, faculty and staff be accountable for racially insensitive actions including the use of derogatory racial terms and language, blackface, and lynching.
It also asks the Division of University Relations to release proactive anti-racism messaging before holidays when racism is more probable than usual.
The third demand calls for promoting mental health of black people through hiring three additional black counselors, therapists and psychiatrists at the Carruth Center.
“The extreme lack of Black counselors, therapists and psychiatrists far too long made West Virginia University’s Black community feel uncomfortable and/or unwilling in seeking necessary mental support because they do not feel understood, safe and validated,” the petition states.
The fourth demand calls for WVU to prioritize a budget for initiatives to promote the development of black student leadership. Also, WVU must acknowledge and promote two programs that already engage black WVU students; PAL — Peer Advisors for Leadership — Mentor Program and RISE WVU; the Social Action Clinic; the Black Student Experience and the Successful Male Initiative.
The fifth demand is for WVU to diversify its faculty and staff by developing a public and easily accessible plan for recruitment and retention of black employees.
The sixth demand calls for WVU to enhance the co-curricular experience for students of color. It specifically asks the Division of Student Life to provide funding greater than $1,500 a year to black student organizations.
The seventh demand said WVU must reevaluate the responsibilities of the Division of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion and the Center for Black Culture and Research. It also calls for the reinstatement of the Office of Multicultural Programs.
The eighth demand said WVU must provide a guaranteed, annual number of graduate assistantships for black students.
The final demand calls for WVU to budget for additional academic opportunities for students to study blackness, African American studies and Africana coursework.
The petition calls for most of demands to be implemented by the fall semester and all to be implemented when the spring semester begins in January.
“West Virginia University, your Black community is hurting and has been suffering under this immense weight for many decades,” the petition said. “We no longer need to talk, we need action.
“We are tired. We are angry. We are not proud of West Virginia University.”
In an unsigned statement, WVU said, “We are grateful to those who challenge us to live up to our ideals and words. We recognize the university — indeed all of society — has not progressed as much as is needed. This university will be intentional in listening, learning and doing better.”
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