Leaders from the University of Nebraska–Lincoln announced the next steps in its long-term journey toward anti-racism and equity across campus Nov. 17.
To share the Commitment to Action with Nebraskans, Chancellor Ronnie Green wrote a guest editorial for the Omaha World-Herald, which published today.
In the editorial, Green explained why the journey was undertaken, reviewed progress made, and discussed the five themes of the work ahead.
“Last year, in the wake of the murder of George Floyd, I was shaken,” Green wrote. “His death and the death of many other people of color indicated a need for organizations to focus on understanding racism and on long-term, meaningful change toward greater racial equity.”
Continuing later, Green stated the university’s commitment to “fostering an environment where we better recruit, retain, and support the success of students, faculty and who are people of color. To strengthening and elevating the expertise and scholarship that address racial inequity. And, along with the University of Nebraska system, fostering an inclusive climate where people feel that they belong and matter. To examining and revising policies, promoting transparency and accountability and looking at institutional organizations and entities to ensure better representation. And to reviewing our COVID policies to ensure they reflected the needs of racial groups who have been disproportionally impacted by the pandemic.”
The full editorial can be read here.