Open letter to the Decision Makers of SLU:
Dear Decision Makers,
I want more! I want for you, as the primary representatives of the University, to do more in being community stewards in the fight against anti-black racism.
You provided a teaser to the community last week in the University News when, regarding the Ferguson crisis, you explained, “If anything, it has called our community to thought and action, and I would like to see our University participate in that.” Ferguson presents an experiment as to how far the University is willing to take its interest in bettering the conditions of black people in St. Louis.
Each member of the SLU student/staff/faculty/administrative population takes direction from your lead. I ask you now, “Where are we going?” For example, what role, if any, did you play in the letter dated Aug. 22, 2014 from the SLU Law Clinic calling out Mayor James Knowles of Ferguson? Did the law clinic act on its own, or did it act on behalf of the larger University? If the law clinic can see this is a “racial” issue in Ferguson, how could it not see what is happening in the city? If you were involved, maybe SLU Law Clinic’s engagement and criticism would be internal as well as external, not simply selective. As an aside, the idea for amnesty came from another not-for-profit institution, whose idea for amnesty was challenged and then stolen. The organization stolen from promotes the largest form of amnesty in the state of Missouri to help those that are burdened by immobility and marginalization because of a lack of economic opportunities and ability to adequately represent and advocate for their interests. How does our law clinic (in good conscience) seek to file an injunction against a well-respected community organization, rather than come with constructive aid and THEN advocate for amnesty in Ferguson.
What role, besides onlooker, did members of the administration play on May 6 when black students held a conference around the time that it was revealed that only 5 black students, of more than 60 recipients, received a Martin Luther King Jr. Diversity scholarships. As you will recall, during that period a student from SLU wrote racially insulting words in the BSC. I am well aware that you cannot stop hateful white people from publicly insulting black students, but SLU decision makers can give resources purposed for retaining black students. Not surprisingly, I have heard from every administrator that they want to see more black students. Instead of having faculty like Dr. Stefan Bradley ponder questions like, “I wonder what are the chances that Martin Luther King would get this scholarship?”, why not create something for black students? If the MLK scholarship is not a recruitment or retention tool for black students, then what is? How are the Decision Makers confronting this misuse of King’s legacy?
Do the racial mathematics on the Archdiocesan schools. Excluding Ritter , the schools are approximately 95 percent white. The chances of the Jesuit scholarship going to a white student are exponentially higher. In a sense this is a de facto scholarship for “white” (racial), Catholic (religious), students from the Saint Louis Metropolitan area (geographically specific). If an extrapolation is made from the social and economic status of these students that typically attend such institutions they can also be classified as upper middle class. Thus, a scholarship has been affirmatively created for wealthy, white Catholics residing in Saint Louis. Does this fall into the classification of institutional effort of Diversity? Granted there is a service component that is integral to the receipt of this “merit-based” scholarship. However, by extension if this scholarship exists and is viable, then other University efforts can be piloted in a manner that’s consistent with bringing forth more black students.
What do the Decision Makers have to say about the fact that the city is more than half black, while our black undergraduate headcount is decreasing? Black faculty headcount is low, and only black staff is increasing. Black undergraduate headcount totaled 653, 652, and 614 in 2010, 2011, and 2012 respectively (see University FactBook). Black faculty headcount for SLU totals 101–with even fewer black tenured professors. Black staff headcount for SLU totaled 612, 585, and 603 in 2010, 2011, and 2012. Yes, it is important to have black employees, and it is necessary to have black professors and students. Located in a city with a surrounding and growing black population, SLU stands as a gated lilywhite campus.
Decision Makers, how many students do we get from St. Louis Public or County schools (like Normandy)? What chances do Michael Brown’s peers have of ever attending and graduating from SLU?
What role do you have in ensuring SLU re-examines its role in our community, particularly north of Delmar, where campus ostensibly just ends? Instead of listening to Dr. Norman White explain until he is blue in the face about how “We perpetuate this divide by building fences around vacant lots,” how about doing something to make our campus welcoming to the black St Louis community?
Decision Makers, why is the education system in St. Louis in shambles with three universities, two of them large research institutions, and a community college campus within its bounds?
The University desperately needs to define its role; Decision Makers, you need to define your role–West Pine is not so far from West Florissant.
