In a statement sent to the student body Tuesday at midnight, the Saint Mary’s administration acknowledged racial inequities affecting the national community and urged a commitment to call out and bring awareness to racism in accordance with the College’s core values. The message was signed by 12 administrators, led by new College President Katie Conboy.
“Our country’s current unrest takes place in the context of the coronavirus pandemic, and all evidence points to the ways that communities of color have been disproportionately impacted by this global health crisis,” the statement said. “Our health systems, our criminal justice systems, our political systems and even our educational systems cry out for reform, and that reform begins with the eradication of systemic racism.”
The administration referenced a statement written in 2018 to fight for justice for marginalized communities in which they acknowledged “the insidiousness of systemic and individual racism, both intentional and unintentional.”
“We expect every member of the Saint Mary’s College community to uphold these commitments in our programs, practices, pedagogy and policies,” the statement said.
In an effort to achieve the College’s four core values, specifically those of community and justice, the administration challenges the campus community to commit to efforts which include to: “engage in continuous learning to understand the challenges of communities impacted by racial injustice; develop an awareness of our own biases; work towards overcoming; honor the experiences of others by listening and validating their narrative.”
The statement reminded students that the functions of the Office of Inclusion and Equity are inclusive of resources and programming pertaining to issues of racial injustice.
Finally, the administration acknowledged the place of the College as a Catholic institution to act beyond prayer in an attempt to overcome prejudice.
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