Below, we have responded to each of the four demands presented by BSU leadership, with additional information that outlines what we are committed to building and improving upon. We understand the urgency of your demands. We have received additional feedback at yesterday’s community event hosted by BASE that our communication around the incident in Loyola Village on March 30 has not been timely and clear and has left the community wondering how seriously we are taking this situation, what the processes are for addressing student misconduct, and what the consequences are for the student’s actions. We will do better in our communication, structures, systems, and processes to address anti-Blackness on this campus and ensure the safety and well-being of Black students. We may not be able to stop acts of racial injustice from occurring however, we can continue to enhance our response to these incidents when they occur and increase our efforts to stop incidents of anti-Black racism.
We know our Black students come to USF seeking a diverse and inclusive community and know many feel we have not fully lived up to the promise of our mission. We, as a university community, want nothing more than to see an end to all forms of hate in this country, especially on our cherished campus. Without it there are a lot of people that I probably would have never met or had the opportunity to communicate with,” said Williams.We are grateful for Black Student Union’s (BSU) efforts to advocate for the University of San Francisco (USF) Black community, including students, staff, and faculty. “BSU basically changed my life in ways of gaining more opportunities for networking. Instead, they are able to break out of their molds and get to have the college experience that all students deserve to be exposed to. If not for BSU, many of these students would feel out of place and lacking opportunities inside the walls of college. How students feel they belong in a college environment is an important factor that determines whether they stay or leave,” said BSU Advisor, Adam Paddock. The BSU mission is to work towards promoting student success and the organization is able to do this through community building and a variety of programs. When BSU functions well, it is a key tool students have to try to address the equity gap for students of color by offering assistance and a sense of community. This is a key point related to the difference between equity and equality. “Students of color are in a unique position to best understand the challenges they face in a primarily white institution and to help their fellow students. This presents an isolating problem that many of these students are forced to face.
It also serves as an asylum and a place for individuals of color, like myself, to view Whitewater as welcoming,” said BSU President, Keshawn Williams.īSU recognizes itself as a place for individuals to thrive in an environment that does not necessarily provide the same stability and cultural awareness as their communities back at home do. “When I first got to Whitewater, BSU depicted itself as a home away from home. Today, while BSU responds to and engages contemporary problems and debates, it has focused more on community building and belonging. When BSU was founded, it was a very political organization owing to rules in 1968 that sought to block integration and equality on college campuses in Wisconsin. The Black Student Union (BSU) has been working to build up this community and showcase their importance to not only the university but Whitewater itself. “The purpose of education, therefore, is to educate everyone to think critically and to think intensively.” – Martin Luther King Jr.Īlthough Black students make up less than 5% of the University of Whitewater campus enrollment, they make a huge impact here on campus.