PSU launched a three-year plan to improve equity and racial justice at the university along with an equity scorecard designed to track progress on goal areas. The cumulation of more than a year of work, the plan and scorecard were developed by task forces made up of faculty, staff and student members.
The task forces focused on the five areas that make up the framework for the plan, including:
- Student Access Success and Equity
- Employee Access Success and Equity
- Campus Climate and Intergroup Relations
- Education, Scholarship and Service
- Leadership & Infrastructure
Each task force had seed funding of $50,000 from a Racial Justice Fund established by PSU President Stephen Percy, who last year made racial justice and equity his top strategic priority for the university.
“For me, the imperative for action is stronger than ever,” said President Percy during opening remarks at the plan launch virtual event. “Those of us with power must continue to listen and pay attention.”
At the Nov. 8 Zoom-based launch event, more than 200 members of the PSU community gathered to learn more about the plan and how they can support its implementation.
Students and other leaders from BIPOC communities spoke about their experiences at Portland State, including Briana Renae, a student who performed a poem called “Open Doors” that highlighted the challenges posed by striving for equity in a place like Portland.
“Let’s be real, Portland, you didn’t become the whitest major city by accident,” she said. “We don’t need more open doors, what we need is a new house.”
Participants in the launch event were divided into discussion groups to talk about each of the five areas of the plan and the types of data that will be used to measure progress. They also discussed potential barriers to success that may crop up as the plan is implemented. Ame Lambert, Vice President of Global Diversity and Inclusion, provided opening and closing context.
“Trying to
do something that we haven't done before takes persistence,” Lambert said in her closing remarks. “If we're going to do
this right, that path of learning
will be paved with humility and discomfort. It’s unavoidable.
All of us have to develop a new lens to get the work done.
”
The equity plan, scorecard and other resources can be downloaded at the Time to Act plan launch website developed by PSU Global Diversity and Inclusion. Members of the PSU community can sign up to be a part of the university’s transformation by joining the PSU Racial Justice Implementation Team and the Diversity Action Council.