Meeting Time: 9 AM
Meeting Location: BSU Office, 255 Gatton Student Center
Meeting Attendees: Tsage Douglas, Brandon Colbert, Aaron Porter, Danielle Evans, Chandler Frierson, Joi Craig, Carol Taylor-Shim, Bill Swinford
Meeting Update:
We will address the list of demands in the following order. The order is based off of the amount of time it will take to see each project through, beginning with what will take the most time:
1. Financial stability at the university: William C Parker and Lyman T Johnson Review
2. The O'Hanlon Mural
3. Diversity and Inclusion Officer Role Standardization
4. Search Committees
5. Cook Ross Survey (completed)
On Search Committees:
The College of Education and The College of Communications and Information have open searches for their Deans. The BSAC will be meeting with the co-chairs of each search committee to best understand how the process works and give any advice we may have. There are two other potential searches opening in the near future. We will work on these search committees over the Summer. Dr. Swinford has a meeting on search committees today (4/3) and will update us on Friday (4/5). The questions the BSAC presented, to be answered Friday:
- What influence are we able to have?
- What questions are asked and how are questions written?
- The BSAC will make a formal suggestion to the co-chairs of each search committee
On Cook Ross:
There was talk of releasing a comparable survey to analyze any change that has happened on campus. The survey will be released in the given time frame.
On Diversity and Inclusion Officers:
Action Items Include: Reviewing what D&I Officers currently do, making suggestions on what they should be doing/ handling, reviewing the trainings that are currently available, making suggestion on what trainings must be mandatory, looking into financial compensation for these officers and the creation of new positions/ offices entirely dedicated to this, if needed, looking into streamlining all diversity checks within the university (and ensuring that Bias Incident Reports are seen by appropriate authorities).
On Financial Stability:
How do we better delegate the money that goes into scholarship funds? Are we raising money in a way that allows for flexibility? The university will be having a much broader conversation on financial stability and the scholarship process. Focus areas for scholarships are: equity, eligibility, requirements, the process by which scholarships are applied for and carried out, and accountability. We will have a full report of William C Parker's evolution over the years by May 1st. Lyman T Johnson will also be beginning now. Dr. Swinford will report back with who will be on the task force for this on Friday.
On the Mural:
Terry Allen, VP for Institutional Equity, and Stewart Horden will lead a task force concerning the mural. They were on the task force in 2016. They will answer questions about the process then and provide suggestions to the BSAC about how to move forward.
Our Next Meeting:
Friday, April 5th, 2019 from 3-5 PM
Location: Black Student Union Office
Discussion topic(s): An update on the administrative meeting concerning financial logistics, search committees, and the mural.
Student Concerns in the Debrief
Will there be other Black faculty and staff here for support?
Students are unclear on who to report Bias Incidents to in different circumstances
How will the Black Student Advisory Council work in the future?
The BSAC debriefs will be Black-only spaces going forward.
There are clear disconnects between African Americans, Africans and Graduate Students and Undergraduates
Keep the information flowing