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Teaching through the lens of the Black American experience by PAMELA DEAN
THE KILLING OF GEORGE FLOYD IN MAY OF 2020 conducting research and/or service with anti-racism and and the uprising it sparked against the unjust treatment Black/African American communities. of African Americans in this country, drove many in Programs from all academic disciplines interested the CSUCI campus community to act. Faculty and staff in hiring a faculty member with this background and a from a variety of disciplines called for the examination commitment to incorporating the Black experience into of systemic racism on the CSUCI campus, the amplifitheir teaching were invited to submit proposals to the cation of the voices and experiences of Black faculty steering committee in charge of the new initiative. and students, and for the incorporation of curriculum “We gathered input from faculty, staff and students examining the experiences of Black communities in the from across the campus,” said Luna, who along with United States. Grant, is a member of the steering committee. “ModAccording to Chicana/o Studies Associate Professor els from universities across the country for the best Jennie Luna, Ph.D., the social uprisings that erupted after way to conduct a cluster hire were examined and Floyd’s murder propelled many departbest practices were incorporated into ments across campus to scrutinize their this hiring effort.” curriculum, including how and what was One of the three new faculty to be “We want to brand being taught, and the effects of that hired will teach courses in a brand-new CSUCI as a campus instruction on its student population and Africana Studies minor. The other two that values and communities. may teach in Africana Studies or any “Many departments also wrote stateof the seven other disciplines whose welcomes diversity," ments affirming their commitment to Black proposals were accepted including –SHEILA GRANT Lives and supporting efforts to actively Anthropology, Chemistry, Chicana/o address racism and building an anti-racist Studies, Health Science, Performing campus community,” Luna said. “They also Arts, Political Science, and Psychology. acknowledged their departments have all or predominately Luna said a wide net has been cast to find the potenwhite faculty. Many committed to educating themselves tial hires who are expected to be on board starting in and diversifying their faculty and curriculum.” Fall 2022. “We want to find the best candidates who “Although CSUCI has always been committed to equity, will meet the needs of our campus and our students. the summer of unrest was a flash point that made us all We also want to lay the foundation for these new faccome together to embrace that commitment in a real and ulty members to thrive here at CSUCI.” more tangible way,” said Sheila Grant, Associate Vice According to Grant, currently all tenure-track hiring is President for Faculty Affairs, Success and Equity. conducted utilizing the best practices of equity-minded As a result, former CSUCI President Erika D. Beck recruitment. authorized the hiring of three tenure-track faculty mem“We want to brand CSUCI as a campus that values bers, called a “cluster hire,” experienced in teaching, and welcomes diversity,” Grant said.
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