List of Requirements

List of Requirements Concerning Students of Color

This List of Requirements are not only what we, the students of color at Earlham College, need and deserve, but also what Earlham must achieve in order to live up to its proclamation of being a “diverse” institution that cares about and thus supports its “diverse” student body. We are pushing for structural change, which everyone has a stake in and responsibility to, in order to ensure that all students are guaranteed full membership at this institution, and not denied the essential elements of care, which this establishment is charged with providing. We, members of the student body, collectively crafted and released this document, which reflects the needs of the student body and the needs of this institution as a whole, including all of its constituents and parties. In our care and deep regard for this community, we demand that the administration does not threaten the jobs of any faculty, staff, or administrators who support our List of Requirements or the movement as a whole. Such threats will result in a concerted and impactful escalation of our response.

1) We require that Earlham provide greater support for students of color, and if support is not provided students need to have a safe and effective means through which to communicate their dissatisfaction, specifically in the following departments:

a. Residence life - We require an investigation into the racist practices in Residence Life regarding issues with roommates, as well as student academic and disciplinary probation.

b. Housing and Meal Plan - Expensive and mandatory housing and meal plans target low-income students who are disproportionately students of color. With this in mind, we require that housing and meal plan exemptions be made reasonably obtainable.

c. Financial Aid - We require that the financial aid office give students reasonable and consistent aid, with mandatory financial counseling.

d. College Readiness - We require that college readiness programs, such as SWI, for students be reinstated.

e. Academic Assistance - We require that Earlham provide adequate academic assistance and counseling so that students of color will be better equipped to succeed.

2) We require that African and African American Studies, Latino Studies, and Women's, Gender, Sexuality Studies become fully funded programs with dedicated Full-Time Equivalent positions.

3) We require that Earlham’s faculty, staff, and administrators represent the diversity of the student body. Therefore at least 30% of all faculty, staff, and administrators must be people of color. This includes, but is not limited to, health services, counseling services, financial aid, accounting, IPO, academic enrichment, the CIL, and Public Safety. Additionally, at least 30% of the hiring pool for professors on tenure track and at least 20% of the Board of Trustees must be comprised of people of color. We expect these changes to be fully implemented by 2020.

4) We require a Multicultural Center that is autonomous, free of surveillance, staffed by people of color, provides counselors of color for students of color, and is accessible to students with disabilities. It is imperative that the Multicultural Center be a safe space for all students of color, students who identify as women, LGBTQIA students, and international students. Additionally, these students must be able to make complaints against any Earlham faculty, staff, or administration (consistent with grievance procedure) and then must be acknowledged and supported by Earlham. We require that this center be fully funded, fully staffed and functioning by Fall Semester 2018. After creating the Multicultural Center, the administration must be held accountable for maintaining this safe space.

5) We require that African and African American Studies, Arabic Language and Literature, Middle Eastern Studies, East Asian Studies, Chinese Studies, Latin American Studies, Spanish and Hispanic Studies, and any other academic departments regarding people of color must have at least 70% of their faculty racially or ethnically represent the subject they are teaching by 2020.

6) We require that there be racial diversity training for all students, faculty, dining staff, senior staff members, and administration of all ethnicities. It is imperative that there be a serious, sophisticated, and effective racial diversity intro level class requirement for all first year and transfer students and that this course not be taught by a white professor. We must have our voices be heard and it be required that students of color be ultimately responsible for picking the faculty who teach these courses. In addition to these on-campus diversity class requirements, it is crucial that Earlham implement serious, sophisticated, and effective diversity training for students and program leaders before and during their study abroad time.

7) We require complete transparency, for all members of the Earlham community, in the relationship that we know to exist between Earlham College Public Safety and the Richmond Police Department. The Richmond Police Department practices racial profiling. It is Earlham’s duty to provide protection for their students of color from this racial profiling. The discussion of student incidences should stay within Earlham’s Public Safety staff. It is also necessary that Earlham re-establish and maintain a deepened connection with the Richmond community, especially with regards to our close neighbor the Richmond High School, and dedicate themselves to investing in the city of Richmond. Additionally, Earlham must actively support their students of color by taking charge of promptly releasing strong, sophisticated, and effective statements when there are communal, national, or global threats towards their students of color.

8) We require that Earlham composes a strategic 4-year plan by hiring an affirmative action worker by Fall Semester 2016 who will increase retention rates for marginalized students, sustain a diverse curriculum, implement diversity training, and promote a more safe and inclusive campus. In addition, we  require increased hiring of already tenured faculty of color and increased retention rates of faculty of color. It is imperative that the college makes a considerable effort to build a critical mass of faculty of color in order to retain faculty of color.

 

9) We require a consistently instated series of student meetings with the President and the Board of Trustees to discuss these requirements, and more if necessary, in detail in order to bring the structural reform we envision to fruition.

As it currently stands, this campus is unsuitable for students of color to thrive. Earlham is failing to sustain the diversity that this college promises and because of this, we cannot in good faith endorse Earlham as a place suitable for students who value diversity, fairness, and equity. We consider it our duty to accurately represent our college to other students as well as the greater public. Through our combined efforts with Earlham’s administration, we hope to create a college that all students can be proud to represent as their alma mater.

The appointed student representatives of this movement are Asia Mapp, Imani Lewis-Norelle, Genesis Galo, James Johnson and AJ Tiedeman. Please use them as point people to direct your questions, concerns, and meeting requests. They can be reached at ecsoc2015@gmail.com.