Town Hall Comments

The following are responses to the email comments and questions that were sent for the employee Black Lives Matter Town Hall on Monday, June 8th. Emails were submitted to Diversity.Inclusion@unt.edu and UNTPresident@unt.edu and responses were provided by UNT administrators.

  General    |    Accountability     |    Administration     |    Equal Opportunity     |   Microaggressions     |   Police     |   Support     |   Training  

General

 

How are we feeling? I am TIRED. I am tired of having to tamp down my anger so that white people won’t feel threatened or attacked to avoid being labeled an “angry Black woman.” I am frustrated that we are still in the listening phase or that a listening phase is even necessary at this point. When we speak our truth about the culture here at UNT, we are not believed. Any incident we describe is assumed to be some sort of misunderstanding and must be validated by some non-Black person before any action is taken. We are told that we are touchy or sensitive. We are constantly asked why we always have to bring up race. Black people are assumed to be lazy, entitled and criminal. During the student town hall I heard the president say “Training can’t change what is in their hearts.” UNT should not be in the business of reforming racists. Why do we have a climate in which these people feel empowered and welcome? There should be real consequences for racist behavior.

Accountability

 

Based on the accounts of black students and faculty, there are some departments at UNT that have a very poor record in the recruitment, retention and promotion of faculty of color and, particularly, black faculty. There are also faculty members who are directing microaggressions as well as overtly racist comments towards students. Beyond training, does the university have any measures to hold these departments and faculty members accountable?

My hope is that once we are clear about expectations - clear about opportunities to improve through professional development - this enables greater accountability, enables the ability to ensure there are consequences...For there to be consequences for perpetrators of discriminatory behavior based on race, sex, and sexual orientation, the behavior has to be reported to Equal Opportunity and an investigation conducted to determine if there is a policy violation. Please report discrimination if you witness it or experience it.

 

What are the recourses or consequences for faculty or staff who [repeatedly] make insensitive remarks to students of color?

There are policies to address racial discrimination at UNT. These policies are under the purview of the Division of Institutional Equity & Diversity. There is an online reporting form or you can contact the Office of Equal Opportunity directly to report allegations of racial discrimination.

Faculty and staff who have been found to have violated UNT’s policy on discrimination and harassment on the basis of race are subject to disciplinary action. Such disciplinary action varies depending of the findings of fact associated with each investigation conducted by the Office of Equal Opportunity and whether there are other incidents of wrongdoing in an employee’s personnel file.

 

The other concern I have is that trainings, whether mandatory or voluntary, seem to be the go to answer for “how will we fix this” climate at UNT…but in my experience the individuals that I’m concerned with in my office do NOT go to the voluntary events and are not open-minded during mandatory trainings to see their biases and correct them. Should UNT have some sort of special disciplinary system to end employment of these individuals if they have a certain number of verifiable student/faculty/staff complaints about racially-targeted comments and behaviors?

Faculty and staff who have been found to have violated UNT’s policy on discrimination and harassment on the basis of race are subject to disciplinary action. Such disciplinary action varies depending of the findings of fact associated with each investigation conducted by the Office of Equal Opportunity and whether there are other incidents of wrongdoing in an employee’s personnel file.

Administration

 

With the presidential election occurring in November, will UNT continue these types of conversations in the Fall?

We plan to have more Town Halls in 2020-21 to continue listening to the campus community and to be more intentional in our efforts to better inform our faculty, staff and students about progress made in addressing concerns raised.

 

I'm curious to know, has the president, provost, any of the VPs, or other admin present in this town hall experienced or witnessed an act/s of racism in their personal lives? If so, what was their response to it and why did they have that particular response?

(From Provost Cowley): There have been moments where I have observed overt racist acts and times where I have observed racial bias. Reflecting on one experience, in that moment I opted to attempt to focus on raising alternative perspectives and to raise that the view of that person is not a universally shared view.

 

For the president, provost, any of the VPs, and any other admin present, how do you practice anti-racism in your own lives?

(From Provost Cowley): For me personally, it is an ongoing practice of recognizing my own white racial identity. Recognizing the every day moments where racial bias is happening and making choices about how and when to address racial bias.

 

For the president, provost, any of the VPs, and any other admin present, outside of protest news coverage, what was the last piece of media that you listened to, watched, or read, that centered the lives/perspectives of people of color. What was the last event you went to that centered the lives/perspectives of people of color?

(From Provost Cowley): As provost I regularly read books, articles, and listen to podcasts that are centered on the lives/perspectives of people of color. I receive recommendations from faculty colleagues. A few examples from my spring reading list include One Amazing Thing by Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni, The Madonnas of Echo Park by Brando Skyhorse, and My Time Among the Whites by Jennine Capó Crucet. As for events, given the current health crisis my event participation is virtual. Prior to the health crisis the last cultural event I attended as a program of UNT International focused on Korean tea traditions.

 

What is the Board of Regents plan of action for moving forward with equity, diversity, and inclusion efforts on campus?

This is a question that would need to be addressed by the UNT System and/or the Board of Regents. The Board of Regents heard student demands in November 2019 when that body met on UNT’s campus. They also have a copy of the students’ demands. The UNT System has a diversity and inclusion task force that was charged by Chancellor Roe that has been meeting since February 2020 and will present recommendations for improving diversity and inclusion at UNT.

 

In the student town-hall, the President said “radical change is not sustainable”. I’d like to know what he considers “radical” and why he doesn’t believe it’s sustainable with an institutional commitment to those changes.

Thank you for your comments. We realize that there needs to be change at UNT and that the change needs to be sustained for real progress to occur.

 

Has anyone taken into account the questions and concerns of the black student union, and have their demands been put into consideration?

We are working on change. You can review our progress posted on June 17th where we responded to many of the demands we received.

What actionable items is the UNT Administration implementing in order to increase BIPOC feeling of safety on this campus.

We are working on change. You can review our progress posted on June 17th where we responded to many of the demands we received.

Equal Opportunity

 

What should staff/faculty do when they report concerns to their supervisors and office leadership about racially-insensitive comments and dialogue they have overhead co-workers saying to other staff/faculty but also students and the concerns are brushed off as “that’s just how ____ is”. Should these concerns about the individual and supervisors’ responses be then directed to Diversity and Inclusion?

There are policies to address racial discrimination at UNT. These policies are under the purview of the Division of Institutional Equity & Diversity. There is an online reporting form or you can contact the Office of Equal Opportunity directly to report allegations of racial discrimination.

Faculty and staff who have been found to have violated UNT’s policy on discrimination and harassment on the basis of race are subject to disciplinary action. Such disciplinary action varies depending of the findings of fact associated with each investigation conducted by the Office of Equal Opportunity and whether there are other incidents of wrongdoing in an employee’s personnel file.

Microaggressions

 

After hearing from students on micro aggressions, I would like to take the opportunity to address similar aggressions from current administration towards a staff member. As far back as 2015 a senior white male administrator upon meeting a black female staff member for the first time, leaned into her space as if to shake her hand but instead looked at her hair weave and commented “your hair is the wrong color”. The comment was made in front of several colleagues and made her feel self-conscious. There is no place for comments on physical appearance in our workplace of higher education. Not only are comments like this racist but sexist. And they demean the intelligence of those they are directed towards.

Police

 

Has the UNT Police made any statements regarding their behavior or policies?

The UNT Chief of Police, Ed Reynolds, spoke during the Faculty & Staff Town Hall. His statement begins on page 14 of the transcript. UNT is willing to take specific steps to review the activities of Campus Police and ensure they are in keeping with having an inclusive and welcoming campus community where all members are treated fairly and equitably. There will be an advisory committee created to review Campus Police and provide recommendations on training and improving police interactions with faculty, staff and students.

 

I watched the cam footage of the  arrest of Jekhari Williams a few times and I can see that, if we were in a vacuum, that it could be considered  a “clean arrest” But the issue is we are not in a vacuum.  It did not matter how polite, reserved, and understanding the office was. The moment those flashing lights happened Mr Williams was put in a situation, from the outset made him fear what was going to happen to him next. Through media, stories, friends, and themselves black people in this country experience this same trauma over and over until it just builds and builds. This is what I  feel is one of the walls our police at UNT now face when dealing with our student populous. It doesn’t matter how “good” our police are, or how “clean” an arrest is, the simple fact is our black students are going to be in these situations where if it was happening to me, it is an inconvenience, but for them, very much like a target.

 

What are the UNT PD doing to bridge this gap of distrust between black students and the police? Simple reform is not going to work, not if they are not even trusted from the get go.

The UNT Police Dept. focuses on community policing to ensure our officers get to know students, faculty, staff and their needs. We understand others’ experiences may lead them to feel uncomfortable around police. We encourage community members to reach out to us to get to know us. They can set up a meeting with the police chief or work with one of our partners on campus, such as the Dean of Students, to help make that connection.

 

What administrative measures and plans of action are in place to ensure that students' voices are being heard?

We made several responses to the requests and outlined them at the Board of Regents meetings as public documents the Divisions of Institutional Equity and Diversity helped us prepare. We released a compendious list on Wednesday June 17th that will be updated as more information becomes available.

 

Is the university willing to take specific steps towards limiting the police presence on campus and narrowing the range of their authority when it comes to stopping, questioning, detaining, or arresting members of the community?

UNT is willing to take specific steps to review the activities of Campus Police and ensure they are in keeping with having an inclusive and welcoming campus community where all members are treated fairly and equitably. There will be an advisory committee created to review Campus Police and provide recommendations on training and improving police interactions with faculty, staff and students.

 

As a new staff member at UNT, I was deeply disturbed by the plethora of comments on #BlackatUNT, especially as related to the UNT Police Department. As they are more than just University Safety and an official police force, which is part of the larger systemic issues at the core if this issue at UNT and nationally. I am wondering if there are conversations and action items at the university level to either defund or reassess and rebuild a better Police department?

During the town hall, President Smatresk and Chief Reynolds discussed forming a UNT Police Advisory Board. UNT is willing to take specific steps to review the activities of Campus Police and ensure they are in keeping with having an inclusive and welcoming campus community where all members are treated fairly and equitably. There will be an advisory committee created to review Campus Police and provide recommendations on training and improving police interactions with faculty, staff and students.

 

How are you addressing racial bias and holding individual officers as well as the police force accountable for these unnecessary and COSTLY (financially and emotionally/psychology) for our Mean Green Culture?

The UNT Police Dept. conducts diversity training every year or two. However, if there is ever a concern with the conduct of an officer, we strongly encourage the community to reach out to us. Call our office at 940-565-3000 and ask to speak to a supervisor. Or, call the UNT Office of Equal Opportunity. Our officers wear body cameras so that we can properly review any incident in question.

According to UNT policy, an individual who believes that they have been subjected to discrimination, harassment, or retaliation should immediately report the incident to the Office of Equal Opportunity. Students may also report such conduct to the Office of the Dean of Students. Also, employees and individuals authorized to act on behalf of the University who become aware of specific and credible allegations of discrimination, harassment, or retaliation are required to report the suspected violations to OEO immediately. All complaints that fall in to these categories that are received by the police department are forwarded to OEO for investigation.

Support

 

How can we help as faculty & staff to make students of color feel like there is always someone who will listen to their concerns?

Connect with UNT’s Employee Resource groups such as the Black Faculty Network and/or the Black Professional Network and participate in their activities targeted at supporting students of color at UNT.  Continue to serve as advisors to student organizations. And, be willing to be a resource for those students who will seek you out.  Please direct students to the Multicultural Center (MC) located in the University Union.  MC staff are available and willing to listen to student concerns and assist in directing students to appropriate resources on campus, if needed.

 

How are faculty and staff members being supported by administration to, in turn, support students and assure them that their voices will be heard? What plans of action are in place that address students' concerns?

UNT’s administration provides support to Employee Resource Groups (ERGs) such as the Black Faculty Network, the Black Professional Network, ÚNeTe — to name a few.  Support to ERGs assists faculty and staff in supporting students and ensure that student voices are heard.  In addition, many faculty and staff volunteer their time to advise student groups, participate in programming offered by student groups, and mentor students.  You can review our progress posted on June 17th where we responded to many of the demands we received.

Training

 




Will UNT Administration make some sort of diversity/equity/inclusion training mandatory for all UNT employees? With such a diverse campus and the fact that we take pride in being so diverse, it seems like we should be the forefront for this standard. I don’t think it is unreasonable to make a training about equity and diversity mandatory. Especially when members of our UNT community are feeling unheard.

All UNT employees will be required to engage in appropriate diversity training as identified by the vice president to whom their office or division reports. Unit heads are also responsible for ensuring accountability.

 

As a Hispanic member of the UNT community, I sometimes feel like other employees are not always understanding or equitable towards those different than them or make assumptions that are just completely wrong. I don’t think that most people intend to be offensive; I believe that it is just a matter of ignorance. I think a training that educates employees how to be equitable and inclusive and techniques to politely interact with people from other cultures is vital to the wellbeing of the entire UNT community, but especially the people of color within the UNT community.

 

Are any trainings being considered for faculty, staff, student employees, and RA’s that address some of the situations we’ve heard from students in the #BlackatUNT? Not just diversity/inclusion training, but also implicit bias training?

All UNT employees will be required to engage in appropriate diversity training as identified by the vice president to whom their office or division reports. Unit heads are also responsible for ensuring accountability.

 

We have required that faculty, and now incoming freshmen, take diversity and inclusion training, when will staff be required to train? Will the training be more than an online self-paced opportunity? Every level of the UNT community should be required to not just take an online “training.” We should have in depth lectures, discussions and constant conversations on how we can do more to truly make UNT and surrounding communities inclusive and supportive.

All UNT employees will be required to engage in appropriate diversity training as identified by the vice president to whom their office or division reports. Unit heads are also responsible for ensuring accountability.

 

Has there been any discussion about adding a mandatory diversity/inclusion training for students? Either as a part of first flight week and/or their mandatory advising sessions? I have heard that is going to be mandatory for faculty/staff as it should be.

Orientation and Transition Programs has contracted with a vendor to offer diversity and inclusion training to all new undergraduate students at UNT this fall. Students will complete this training throughout the summer, similar to UNT’s alcohol and sexual assault trainings. Follow-up with students will occur during First Flight and within a pilot First-Year Seminar course this fall.

Additionally, the Orientation and Transitions Programs office worked with SGA leadership during the late fall and early spring to select the diversity training module for students. They reviewed several options and yes, persons of color from both SGA and OTP were involved in the review and the decision-making.