Emphasizing diversity and inclusion requires unity. Unfortunately, the racist and anti-Semitic events that occurred at Syracuse University in November have stirred division amongst SU faculty rather than unifying them behind a campus-wide response.

Following the tragic events that occurred on campus, religion professors Biko Gray and Virginia Burrus published a letter calling for faculty to support a university-wide liberal arts core curriculum with aims of better versing students in issues regarding diversity. While the statement is signed by 148 faculty members, no staff members from the Martin J. Whitman School of Management, the School of Information Studies or the College of Engineering and Computer Science signed the document. Faculty from these schools have remained relatively silent on the subject of what to do going forward from the November incidents.

Gray and Burrus were quick to criticize faculty members of said schools, contending that these schools value professional training, which can fail to emphasize elements of liberal arts curriculum. George Langford, dean emeritus of the College of Arts and Sciences, shared similar thoughts.

“My colleagues in the sciences tend not to think about issues of race, ethnicity, gender and class. … I don’t think it’s at the top of mind for most of them,” he told The Daily Orange in a Tuesday article.

It is clear that faculty members across the different colleges want students to feel supported and safe. Yet, neither criticism nor silence will guide SU on its way toward creating a more aware and inclusive campus.

Instead, staff members across all colleges need to engage in open-minded conversation regarding their shared desire to meet student needs following the unfortunate series of events that unveiled this past November. Creating this more inclusive environment will not be done with one simple implementation or event, but certainly not through argumentative attitudes or reluctance to compromise.

I am hopeful that students look beyond personal perspectives and aim to create a more accepting environment for those of all backgrounds and identities and that faculty members strive for this same goal through cooperation and dialogue.

Amelia Fischer is a sophomore public relations major. Her column appears bi-weekly. She can be reached at alfische@syr.edu. She can be followed on Twitter at @ameliafischer11.

Published on January 22, 2020 at 11:05 pm