Taking Action Issue 5

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Charlene Alexander

Who would have thought that just a few months ago our lives — educationally, socially and economically — would be upended in such a significant fashion by COVID-19? 

We have taken several steps to mitigate the spread of this virus, taking courses, meetings and events online or virtually, yet our mission remains the same. As an institution, that mission is to continue to provide an exceptional learning environment for all students and to ensure the health and well-being of all members of our community. As the Office of Institutional Diversity, we understand that our collective success is dependent on, and tied directly to, how well it values, engages and includes the rich diversity of all community members. 

While we continue to examine plausible scenarios and plan for the reopening of the university, there is much to be learned from a diversity and equity lens. This pandemic has brought out the best and the worst of us. Examples of micro and macro aggressions abound. Ignorance persists as Asian Americans and international students of Asian descent are harassed on the street, in chat rooms and in other online environments. These incidents are despicable and will not be tolerated. Additionally, we witness the disproportional effects of this virus to communities of color nationally and in the state of Oregon. How we respond, recover and continue to thrive depends on the steps we take now as a community, given that a second wave of the virus is anticipated. 

Like you, staff in the Office of Institutional Diversity are working from the safety of our homes. We are in constant contact with each other, building support and insisting that our university response to this crisis be humane, comprehensive and keeps the needs of all staff and students at the center of these conversations. We will continue to act for the benefit of all in a culturally responsive fashion. 

The Office of Institutional Diversity invited partners from around the university to join us in reflecting on a set of guiding principles. These principles, found on the OID website, are drawn from a set of foundational statements created by the Council of Chief Diversity Officers at the University of California. They have been enhanced by Oregon State stakeholders and are used with permission of our University of California colleagues. 

OID is coordinating a series of webinars in the coming weeks, focused on our “We Have Work to Do” campaign and strategies for supporting these principles. We hope you can participate. 

We know that in the days to come we will have to make hard choices, but those choices must reflect the mission and values of the university. Choices that must be sensitive to the impacts to diverse communities, that call for creativity, innovation and collaboration. 

Be well and be safe. 

Charlene Alexander
Vice President and Chief Diversity Officer

 

Guiding principles for diversity, equity and inclusion related to COVID-19: beav.es/4WB

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