Like any university, DU is in no way perfect. There are issues regarding distribution of resources and tuition rates, but there is one issue that seems to have perforated the entire campus: racial inequality and bias at DU.
This issue has gradually developed since the beginning of fall quarter. In late September, the message “Disrupt the Peace, White Silence = Violence, White People Do Something, #BlackLivesMatter,” was painted on the Free Speech Wall. By Sept. 27, an anonymous individual had crossed the words “black” and “white” out of the message, leaving the wall to say, “Disrupt the Peace, Silence = Violence, People Do Something, #LivesMatter.” On Oct. 6, a student painted the lyrics from “Guilty of Being White,” by Minor Threat on the Free Speech Wall. This led to a sit-in, march and meeting with Chancellor Chopp on Oct. 7.
During the meeting on Oct. 7, the Black Student Alliance presented Chancellor Chopp with a list of demands that, once implemented, would create a more inclusive campus for minority students. This list included mandatory ‘Inclusive Excellence Training’ for all students, the hiring of new faculty and the support of existing faculty willing to implement and facilitate Race, Inequality & Social Change (RISC) curriculum and increased transparency from DU and its administration when it comes to diversity and inclusion. This list of demands aims to make DU more inclusive to all students of color and more racially and culturally aware.
Since Oct. 7, there have been meetings regarding the Free Speech Wall, a “Black Out” and several more demonstrations of unity on campus. That being said, there have also been cases of blatant racism, such as the editing of the BSA list of demands on Oct. 21 and the disrespectful use of blackface at a halloween party on Oct. 30.
So the real question, is has DU listened to its students?
DU seems to appreciate student feedback more than many institutions. According to Brandon Buzbee, DU’s Associate Vice Chancellor, “The University welcomes feedback and encourages engagement with our students, faculty, staff, alumni and other members in our community. We recognize that everyone brings a unique perspective to conversations and those can help us as administrators to set priorities for the institution.” Because of DU’s philosophy regarding student feedback, the university is better at responding to student grievances in a timely and respectful manner than many other universities.
In general, Chancellor Chopp and the Office of Equal Opportunity have done a decent job listening to DU students regarding matters of racial bias or discrimination. The Office of Equal Opportunity is tasked with listening and reacting to students’ concerns involving bias, harassment through investigations into complaints and preventative education. This office’s presence on DU’s campus has been growing in the last year and has begun to thoroughly investigate student grievances in a way that it formerly did not.
According to BSA’s President Makia Jones, DU has done a lot to acknowledge the concerns of its students. Jones mentioned that the Office of Equal Opportunity was once nearly unaccessible but, as of this school year, has become far more helpful in reacting to matters of bias. According to an email sent to students on Nov. 3 by Laura Maresca, Director of Equal Opportunity, and Don Enloe, Director of Campus Safety, there are 11 cases of racial bias being reviewed by the Office of Equal Opportunity. Though they are being reviewed there is very little information regarding the status of these cases and what their results may be.
DU has been responding to grievances in one other way. Chancellor Chopp has met with the students of DU on several occasions to discuss the grievances of the student body. Though little change has come from these meetings thus far, there is a sense of accessibility and good intention that arises from these discussions. According to Jones, Monday, Nov. 7’s meeting was meant to discuss when demands from the BSA would be enacted.
It seems like DU is responding to its students in an almost commendable way. It should be mentioned that DU has a long road to travel before they have fully responded to the grievances of its students, but DU seems to be heading in the right direction. The fact that the chancellor is willing to address racial bias at all is rather refreshing, but Chancellor Chopp’s active role in addressing student grievances is a glowing example of what all chancellors should be doing.
DU is in no way perfect. Thankfully, DU seems to realize this. DU and its administration seem to recognize that there are many faults within this university, one of which is its very serious racial bias problem. The fact that they recognise this issue seems to be what has allowed them to actively investigate and respond to these acts of racial injustice. In this sense, DU has done a fairly decent job listening to its students and actually trying to fix these issues. Rather than ignoring students and their grievances, this institution has created more accessibility to its Office of Equal Opportunity and to its Chancellor.
No, DU is not perfect. It hasn’t fixed the racial injustice that can be seen on campus. It hasn’t enacted the Black Student Alliance’s list of demands. However, DU is listening, and I think that is a pretty good start.
