CSM Anti-Racism Statement
We in the College of the Sciences and Mathematics are heartbroken and outraged by recent events, including the death of George Floyd at the hands of Minneapolis police officers. We mourn with the families and friends of George Floyd, Ahmaud Arbery, Breonna Taylor, and the many other Black persons who have lost their lives to senseless violence. We grieve with our students, staff, and faculty of color who face injustice. We stand with a nation that is ready to end racism and create a just and equitable society.
This time of national crisis, the tragic deaths of Black Americans, the incitement of violence directed at racial/ethnic minorities, and xenophobic hatred have again brought attention to this country’s systemic inequities on the basis of race, ethnicity, and skin color. These events highlight the present-day structural oppression of racism that influences nearly all aspects of our society. These realities of our nation involve deep injustice, pain, suffering, and loss—but also a strong movement towards change, justice, and equity. Recognizing the hope that can arise from actions and desires for societal change, the West Chester University College of the Sciences and Mathematics seeks to foster a shared commitment to the work we do as educators, researchers, scholars, support staff, and students---work that has the power to make the invisible visible and to give voice to important issues, including those related to ending racism, promoting social justice, and upholding the values of dignity and human rights.
As scientists and mathematicians, we are dedicated to evidence-based learning, community engagement, and personal and societal change. As citizens in a global society, we encourage our faculty, staff, and students to take advantage of opportunities for personal and collective action:
- The CSM administration, faculty, and staff commit to holding each other accountable to the college’s mission to support the success of the whole student—academic, social, personal, and emotional, and to promote critical thinking, evidence-based problem-solving, timely approaches to current issues, professional and ethical conduct, and cultural competence.
- We encourage our students to help us identify ways in which we can better meet this mission and make the College ever more representative of and responsive to our students and their needs.
- We call for a College-wide commitment to social change that promotes equity, social justice, and respect for human rights, and that eliminates all forms of systemic and institutional racism, injustice, and inequity, while empowering our students to be well-informed agents of social change.
- We strongly encourage members of our college—faculty, staff, and students—to learn more about issues of structural inequality and systemic injustice, including the historical antecedents, its causes and symptoms, and evidence-based solutions. For students, this might mean taking advantage of the many related courses offered in CSM departments such as Anthropology and Sociology, Political Science, and Psychology. For all, this may include participating in the training and educational opportunities provided by the Office for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion, and many other groups on campus. Further informational resources are available on the Office for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Resources page.
- If you are a member of the college experiencing or witnessing harassment, discrimination, or other forms of injustice on campus, please reach out to the Office for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion.
May we collectively choose to be the change we want to see in the world (Mahatma Gandhi).