Anti-racism Initiatives

Establish a course development fund for faculty to propose new classes focusing on various aspects of Indiana Ave/surrounding community and IU Indianapolis land development in multiple disciplines—law, sociology, economics, history, arts, education, etc.

Academic program: Africana Studies
AY 2021-22; repeating.

(1) Add Land Acknowledgment to Home Page noting both Indigenous and Black land loss.
(2) Commission a committee to study building/room names and markers throughout campus to ensure appropriateness.
(3) Identify location on campus for a marker/plaque recognizing Indigenous and Black roots.
(4)  Develop webinar featuring Paul Mullins’ scholarship on the history of IU Indianapolis land to be used for tours, orientation and recruiting (students, staff, faculty).
(5) Create guided/self-guided campus tours featuring campus history/markers.

Academic Years: 2020-22.

Require all job openings to include the campus commitment to anti-racism, incorporate diversity questions in job applications, interviews and reference checks for applicants. Include participation in diversity programs, discussions, workshops and trainings in all staff and faculty annual evaluations/reviews.

AY 2020-21; repeating.

(1) Work with Schools to collaborate and/or pursue and take advantage of external and internal (e.g., Grand Challenge) funding opportunities to create cluster hires across disciplines for scholars engaged in antiracism research.

(2) Study the number of faculty of Color with clinical appointments with an eye toward moving those with promising records to the tenure track.

AY 2020-21.

(1) Increase the percentage of IU Indianapolis business conducted with Black-owned suppliers and businesses, as well as other minoritized, women and veteran businesses https://www.awayzones.com/

(2) Direct institutional resources to Schools and departments successfully implementing diversity initiatives leading to improve recruitment, retention and graduation/promotion of diverse students, staff and faculty.

AY 2021-22; repeating.

Establish a fund and selection committee (perhaps Chancellor’s Diversity Cabinet) to support unit-level anti-racist initiatives.

In line with faculty salary reviews, conduct staff equity reviews making appropriate adjustments.

(1) Make mandatory for all staff and faculty in-depth OEO Anti-Discrimination Training;

(2) permit OEO to complete frozen search for an OEO trainer to accommodate growing need;

(3) Mandate that ALL search committees complete training with EVERY search kicked off by OEO; all faculty and administrative searches kicked off by OEO and VP for Faculty Diversity;

(4) Include ALL required trainings in hiring packets and orientation materials;

(5) Require all candidate pools be certified by OEO prior to invitation to interview.

Fall 2020.

Require Implicit Bias Training for membership on search, admissions, undergraduate and graduate selection/essay readers, academic advisors and promotion committees. Make available for all interested staff and faculty.

AY 2020-21.

Creating Racially Inclusive Classrooms Webinar/Conference
Instructional development course helping faculty infuse diverse content (perspectives, realities, histories, etc.) into existing classes.

AY 2020-21; repeating.

Common Read Program for over 300 IU Indianapolis staff, faculty and Chancellor’s Leadership reading and discussing Ibram X. Kendi’s How to Be An Antiracist.

Antiracism Communication Campaign—tubes, posters, tech tags, bumper stickers, website stamp, etc.

2020-21 academic year.

Using IU Communications design, develop website highlighting campus efforts to address and eradicate systemic racism.

Fall 2020.

Build upon community/university communication to develop mutually beneficial teaching and research agenda; develop long-term community investment strategy to increase hiring of local residents, eliminate health disparities, increase educational and employment access, broadband and wireless availability, improved economic and transportation mobility. (See, for example https://partners.utah.edu/.)

AY 2020-21.

Further support local Black businesses by removing barriers to their participation in the Crimson Card purchasing program.

AY 2020-21.

Become an annual sponsor of Pride of Color in demonstration that All Black Lives Matter.

Launching: AY 2020-21; repeating.

Establish mental health initiative to assist, offer guidance and support for students, staff and faculty grappling with racial battle fatigue, microaggressions and racism.

AY 2020-21.

Describe the initiatives, trainings and activities of the IU Indianapolis Police Department that set it apart from others. Create and share new dashboards of activities/interactions by race, gender and sexual orientation making improvement where necessary; recruit, retain and promote officers and leaders of Color; include professional intermediaries (mental health, bilingual, etc.) when necessary.

AY 2020-21.

Build upon current DEI initiatives within the IU Indianapolis Police Department by holding Informational Town Hall Meetings allowing students to learn more about the diversity work and ask questions to enhance relationships between the Black students and IU Indianapolis Police. Although recent actions have focused attention on fraught relations between the police and Black people, these Town Halls will be important for all marginalized communities (Latinx, LGBTQ+, Indigenous, etc.).

AY 2020-21.

With six staff openings, the Multicultural and LGBTQ+ Centers should be exempt from strict adherence to the hiring freeze, and allowed to fill vacancies (three in the Multicultural Center, and one in the LGBTQ+ Center), to better serve IU Indianapolis' growing diverse student population.

Spring 2021.

Identify IU Indianapolis faculty of Color to work with, coach and attend meetings with students of Color experiencing racist behavior in the classroom.

This is an opportune time to support the academic unit on campus engaged in the study of the African diaspora through research, instruction and the arts.

AY 2020-21; repeating.