Stand united OSU and black senior leaders continue to strive for racial justice at osu
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Black Seniors Reply to President Hargis’ Response to the List of Urgencies Ryan Novoz in s k y, Ed itor in C h ief, @ryannovo 6 2
Oklahoma State University officials, including President Burns Hargis, have been having ongoing conversations with Black seniors at OSU about racial justice on campus. This discussion started with a list of 11 urgencies -- which was crafted by OSU students Destinee Adams, Payton Dougherty, Brenden Determen, Sean Tolbert and Gregory Samuel -and then continued with OSU’s response and went further on Tuesday when the students responded to OSU’s responses. The contents of the conversation is listed below: Urgency No. 1: Prioritize diverse and equitable hiring practices and retention of minority faculty and staff on all levels and in all areas of campus in order to better serve students from marginalized groups. Hire more mental health professionals from marginalized groups who are specifically equipped to aid students experiencing mental health issues unique to marginalized communities Hire more AfricanAmerican professors and academic advisors throughout the different colleges on campus Hire more African
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Campus leaders met to discuss the inclusivity of Black students.
American coaches and staff for OSU athletics Publish race-specific (but still anonymous) data regarding the annual salaries of OSU staff and faculty to ensure equal pay and retention of staff and faculty of color OSU response: OSU, like most institutions across the nation, unfortunately struggles with many of the items identified here, including and especially, the mental health and well-being support we are able to provide to all OSU students. One specific effort we have and continue to offer is through the OSU Office of Multicultural Affairs (OMA). OMA has an ongoing partnership with University Counseling Services to
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provide individual, as well as group counseling services. Student response to OSU: Lack of access to adequate mental health services is now disproportionately affecting college-aged adults, and especially BIPOC, even more than it has been. We are in the middle of (1) a pandemic in which Black and Latinx Americans are nearly 3 times as likely to contract COVID-19 than their white peers and twice as likely to die from it and (2) a worldwide movement for Black lives in which many people of color have mobilized to do free anti-racist work, often signifcantly straining their mental health.
University counseling services only has one counselor of color and no LGBTQ+ counselors. Evidently, this partnership between UCS and OMA is insufficient, and during a time in which universities should be striving to provide mental health services to Black and brown students more than ever. Student response to OSU: There must be a specific effort to recruit minority counselors who focus on the health of marginalized communities. OSU response: We continue to struggle with the challenge of hiring faculty and staff of color, as well as individuals from all underserved, underrepresented and marginalized groups.
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Student response to OSU: Less than 2% of OSU faculty are Black. In addition to providing an “increased number of role models for students of Color, faculty of Color provide a set of classroom experiences that is valuable to the development of students intercultural competence.” The experiences that shape the journey’s of “African-American scholars currently teaching at predominantly White institutions can advantage all students, and especially White students, by equipping them with a more sophisticated ability to understand realities across cultures and apply their new knowledge to the intercultural relation-
ships necessary to thrive in the 21st century.” OSU response: The OSU Office of Equal Opportunity posts open faculty and staff positions in several diversity-focused publications, including Diverse Issues in Higher Ed, Hispanic Outlook, and Insight Into Diversity magazines and job posting websites. The OSU Human Resources website includes an EEO/ AA tab on its main page to inform prospective applicants of OSU’s federal compliance obligations, as well as the institutions’ overall commitments to diversity and inclusion. Student response to OSU: OSU needs a significantly more effective and action-oriented strategy for recruiting a diverse workforce than posting job openings in “diversity-focused publications,” the reach of which is unknown. If the university were to prioritize diverse and equitable hiring practices, OSU would have the opportunity to fulfil its land-grant mission and set a leading example for other institutions that continue to struggle in this regard. OSU response: Also, since October 2013, Dr. Jovette Dew, Assistant Vice President for Institutional Diversity, has attended the annual Compact for Mi-
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nority Diversity hosted by the Southern Regional Education Board to recruit diverse faculty and graduate students on behalf of OSU. The Compact is the largest gathering of minority PhDs in the nation, and it is intended to offer higher educational institutions the opportunity to recruit potential faculty, as well as graduate students, to apply for open positions and graduate programs at their respective colleges and universities. The CVs and resumes we collect at the Compact are then shared with academic departments, administrative areas, and the Graduate College. We would certainly welcome any additional thoughts and ideas you or anyone else might have regarding additional ways for OSU to attract diverse faculty to the university. Since 2010, the total number of African American faculty teaching courses in OSU classrooms has increased from 21 to 44. This is a 110% increase. These numbers include all faculty rather than solely tenured or tenure-track faculty primarily because some of our faculty hold instructor or clinical faculty titles. Student response to OSU: Attending the annual Compact for Minority Diversity hosted by the Southern Regional Education Board to recruit diverse faculty is only useful to the extent that OSU actually hires the minority graduate students and participants
who attend. When hiring faculty and staff, employ a diverse search committee charged with (1) searching for BIPOC educators, (2) reaching out to them directly, and (3) ensuring they are offered competitive wages. Additional key ways to mitigate this issue can be found here under “Best Practices for Ensuring a Diverse Candidate Pool.” OSU response: Over the past couple weeks, the administration of OSU Athletics has proactively reached out to Dr. Jason Kirksey, Vice President for Institutional Diversity and Chief Diversity Officer and asked him to engage more directly with some of their programs and initiatives, including the formation of a Diversity and Inclusion Council. The Council will be housed under the Division of Institutional Diversity rather than OSU Athletics, and will include students, as well as a number of individuals without a reporting line to Athletics. The council will also include several OSU African American alumni. Student response to OSU: The decision of OSU Athletics administrators to reach out to the Chief Diversity Officer is not “proactive” if it has just occurred over the past couple of weeks, because racism has always been an issue. It is critical that this council includes multiple students and alumni who
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are active in anti-racist work and activism (which is different than diversity and inclusion work) in the political and social spheres, as these are the kinds of individuals equipt to evaluate racial issues and develop solutions. OSU response: As a state institution, the salary data of all OSU employees is publicly available in the Edmond Low Library. Student response to OSU: “Easily accessible” is not the same thing as “publically available” (e.g., this salary data is publically available, while information on purchasing tickets to OSU athletic games is easily accessible). Urgency No. 2: Create more substantive and stringent diversity credit requirements in order to compel all OSU students to examine their own biases and thoroughly teach them about America’s history and means of oppressing racial minorities. Make relevant diversity classes more widely available, specifically, classes that examine race as a construct in Ameri-
can society and how that construct has been used to oppress people of color Reevaluate the criteria determining which courses count as a “diversity” credit requirement so that each course actively challenges students’ deeply held assumptions and subconscious biases Remove workarounds for the diversity credit (study abroad, etc.) OSU response: Since 2008, OSU has served as one of a small number of higher educational institutions around the nation to have and require a “D” (Diversity) designated course requirement on every undergraduate degree sheet. Additionally, the university has an “I” (International Dimension) designated course requirement on every undergraduate degree sheet. This past fall and spring the General Education Advisory Council (GEAC) heightened the stringency for proposed courses to receive the diversity designation. Additionally, throughout this year, GEAC had a number of discussions regarding section 6.03 of OSU policy 2-0212,
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which is for the approval of General Education courses and related items, such as the waiver requirement you are referencing. The GEAC members voted in favor of recommending abolishment of the international dimension waiver policy, however, because it is an established official policy, there are a couple additional levels of approval required prior to the change being implemented. Student response to OSU: As seniors at OSU, we are aware that these courses are required and have taken them ourselves, which is partly how we know that they need to be significantly reevaluated and reformed. We can not stress enough the extent to which OSU’s “D” credit courses are not successful at actively challenging students’ deeply held assumptions and subconscious biases. Rather, they merely deal with subject matter generally related to minority experiences. This does not encourage critical self-inspection nor does it fulfill the obligation that a higher education institution has to prepare students to engage with a diverse world. This further highlights the need to actively recruit and retain diverse faculty members, especially Black faculty, so that upper university administration may become more diverse and students have the opportunity to learn from educators with
a variety of life experiences and perspectives. Further, an educational program that truly values diversity should not limit diversity-related content to a few designated courses. For example, all students in pre-med classes should be learning about racial bias in medicine and its impact on BIPOC communities, especially Black women. All students in pre-law classes should be learning about the many ways in which our legal system has been used to systematically oppress and disenfranchise racial minorities. Every syllabus with a reading list should include BIPOC authors, or an explanation as to why there are none, and so on. Urgency No. 3: Require a substantive racial bias training course for all incoming freshmen, transfer students, staff, and faculty members for the purpose of creating and promoting cultural awareness. Substantially reform the freshman diversity training experience to the extent that it successfully compels students to examine and address their prejudices Extend the Diversity Advisory Board’s power to implement programs and training for students and faculty OSU response: The OSU Division of Institutional Diversity and the OSU Office of Human Resources collaborated over the past year on the 2020 Fostering Diversity and
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ning this fall. During the creation of the module, input was sought and received from a number of students, staff, and faculty. Additionally, over the past several years, the Division of Institutional Diversity presented an in-person, 90-minute diversity and inclusion (D & I) workshop to every session of Camp Cowboy, which encompassed approximately half of the incoming first-year class. They also present workshops to first-year seminar courses, at fraternity and sorority meetings, and to other groups throughout campus. The Division of Institutional Diversity also presents approximately 50-60 D & I workshops across campus annually to several thousand OSU students, staff, and faculty. Also, over the past couple years, Dr. Kirksey presented 10-15 D & I workshops to academic colleges, departments, individual classes, administrative units and areas across the OSU system. In summer 2019, Dr. Kirksey presented a two-hour Inclusive Excellence workshop to the entire OSU executive team, including myself, Provost Gary Sandefur, and every Vice President, Dean, campus Presidents, and several other highranking administrators. Several members of the Stillwater Police Department also participated in this workshop. Dr. Kirksey presented a 10hour Inclusive Excellence Certificate Program to every sworn OSU Police
Department Officer on the Stillwater and Tulsa campuses. Student response to OSU: An online workshop module is not a “substantive” racial bias training course. Prejudices that have been shaped over the course of a lifetime can’t be thoroughly addressed within a few hours nor mitigated by an online module. While the several public racist incidents that have occurred at OSU highlight our need for more thorough diversity training, it is the less public racism that BIPOC students face daily at OSU that really makes clear our need for sustained anti-racist edication. As Black students who have worked on Camp Cowboy staff, we have first-hand experience regarding how that 90 minute presentation is too insufficient in length and content to meaningfully change incoming students’ hearts and minds. Urgency No. 4: Increase funding opportunities and awareness of those opportunities for African American students in order to lessen their financial burdens and aid them in successfully completing their degree requirements within 4 years. Increase diversity scholarship funding at the university level and under all ten colleges within the university Increase housing scholarships made available to incoming African
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American students and undergraduate students who plan to continue seeking housing on Designate a meaningful portion of scholarships to be awarded to minority students who attended majority-minority high schools Assemble and publish an easily accessible list of scholarships and funding opportunities (from all kinds of sources) for African American students OSU response: In November 2012, the voters in Oklahoma passed state question 759, which added an antiaffirmative action provision into the Oklahoma constitution. This provision prohibits discrimination against or in favor of any person based on, among other things, race. As a consequence, state funds cannot be allocated on the basis of race, so programs and funding limited only for African Americans are not legally permissible for the university. Student response to OSU: However, the OSU Foundation is a private organization that can raise and allocate private funds specifically to students from marginalized
communities. In fact, the passing of SQ759 is all the more reason why private organizations, such as the OSU Foundation, should be raising funds for students from marginalized communities, as OSU is an institution that prides itself on accessible education and resources for all students, but in particular for students who have historically struggled in receiving equitable opportunities. OSU response: OSU offers a number of programs for students experiencing financial need. Beyond the Office of Scholarships and Financial Aid, several years ago the university established the Office of First-Year Success, which includes approximately 15 full-time Campus Connection Coaches and Financial Planning Coaches to assist all OSU students and facilitate their successful matriculation through their first year at OSU. Student response to OSU: As someone who was a part of the FYS program and is now in their last year at OSU, it was my experience that this program seemed to receive limited funding and did not prioritize
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student retention. The meetings held did not seem beneficial to student success; rather, they were centered around the program’s image. FYS has since improved, however, there needs to be easily accessible data showing exactly how this program affects the matriculation of students, and conclusions drawn from that data must be used to significantly improve the program. - Brenden Determan, OSU NAACP President OSU response: OSU Housing and Residential Life offers approximately 20 housing leadership and scholarship awards, as well as additional support for students in need. Additionally, for continuing students, Housing and Residential Life hires a number of students as Community Mentors, Ambassadors, Conference Assistants and Managers, and Apartment Assistants. Approximately two years ago, Housing and Residential Life established an incentive program to supplement the hourly wage of continuing students working on campus and living in a campus residential facility. Student response to OSU: Community Mentors at other colleges and universities get the opportunity to clock in and be paid specifically for the hours they work. OSU Residential Life only provides community mentors with housing and meal plans, and their meal plan is
less than the silver dining plan for regular students. Not paying community mentors directly for the hours they work harms their financial stability, and Residential Life does not allow CM’s to work more than 10 hours per week at another job, so they are often unable to earn the amount of money they need. This leaves CMs having to take out loans, despite their housing and meal plan being covered by the university. Given that CM’s have to help 30+ students manage various aspects of their lives, the incentives provided are not fair compensation for their work. OSU response: The Office of Scholarships and Financial Aid website publishes a number of internal and external scholarships and funding resources available to all students. The programs within the Division of Institutional Diversity that offer funding assistance are available at every New Student Orientation Browse Session, at the annual African American Student Association’s Black Student Orientation and the Hispanic Orientation of Leadership Associations, as well as at the other student organization orientations held in the Student Union Theater every fall semester. Additionally, the information is available on a floor standing brochure holder outside the doors of the OSU Office of Multicultural Affairs at 240 Student Union.
To read the rest of the list of urgencies/responses, visit ocolly.com
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S p o rt s
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2020 OSU football position breakdowns: Wide receivers S ud ee p Tum m a , S ports ed ito r , @as ktumm a
Despite what was chalked up as a top-10 receiving core, it really was the Tylan Wallace show in 2019. But for good reason. The star wide receiver is an explosive talent who can win at all three levels. He’s dangerous on screen passes and a maestro at tracking the deep ball despite not possessing elite size. Wallace is a tantalizing talent, and his large target
share is met by undeniable efficiency. There’s no questioning his contributions and status as the alpha dog in this offense, but the depth is going to be critical to balancing OSU’s passing game. That’s starts with slot receiver Dillion Stoner, who showed some versatility shifting to outside receiver once Tylan Wallace went down with an ACL tear last season. Stoner, who’s put up 44plus receptions and at least 599 yards each of the last
three seasons has been a consistent contributor. As the clear-cut No. 2 receiver, Stoner provides reliable hands and underrated speed, which allows him to chew up the short-to-intermediate parts of the field while also attacking down the field. Wallace and Stoner are fixtures as the clear top-two options, and the No. 3 appears to Brayden Johnson. The redshirt junior has enticing potential with blazing speed that simply can’t be taught. Johnson
quietly had 491 yards and four touchdowns on only 21 receptions, which resulted in a blistering 21.3 yards per catch. Johnson is a true deep threat, but his hands will need to improve if he hopes to lock down the No. 3 role. Still, if his late-season spike is any indicator for his development, Johnson could be in for a breakout season. Then, after Johnson, things aren’t set in stone, but we’ll see some combination of Landon Wolf, Langston Anderson and
Kasey Dunn takes over as the WR coach this season.
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Dee Anderson. At 5-foot-8, Wolf provides depth as another slot receiver. While Langston, who redshirted as a freshman last season after coming in as a 4-star, has legitimate potential if he can crack this receiving core. But perhaps more enticing than Langston is Dee, a graduate transfer from LSU. The former 4-star was rated as the No. 185 recruit back in 2016 when he committed to LSU. Dee provides monstrous size at
6-foot-6, 229 pounds. After a suspension due to a conditioning issue last fall, Dee will give the Cowboys some much-needed size at wide receiver. And perhaps he can live up to that recruiting rank from years ago, as he failed to produce more than 274 yards in a season at LSU. There’s certainly a lot of talent and potential with these receivers. If development takes the right course, the passing attack could be lethal.
Chris Becker
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Horoscope
FOR RELEASE AUGUST 5, 2020
Los Angeles Times Daily Crossword Puzzle Edited by Rich Norris and Joyce Lewis
By Nancy Black Tribune Content Agency Todays Birthday (08/05/20). Grow healthier, stronger and more fit this year. Disciplined routines generate satisfying results. Navigate professional challenges. Summer vision and inspiration motivates implementation of a healthy change. Social changes next winter lead to a sweet family and romance phase. Energize mind, body and spirit with outdoor action. To get the advantage, check the day’s rating: 10 is the easiest day, 0 the most challenging. Aries (March 21-April 19) — Today is a 7 — Review priorities. Traveling isn’t as easy now. Keep old commitments and complete projects to open space for something fun. Enjoy creative dreaming and plotting. Taurus (April 20-May 20) — Today is an 8 — Collaboration and teamwork get the job done. Connect with family and friends to advance shared goals. Brilliant ideas arise in conversation. Expand territory together. Gemini (May 21-June 20) — Today is an 8 — A professional project advances through communication. Networking provides solutions and resources. Follow an elder’s advice. You can get what’s needed to make things happen. Cancer (June 21-July 22) — Today is a 7 — Research something you’ve been dreaming about. Pursue a curiosity. Learn new views on old stories. History, ancestry and scientific exploration reveal secrets. Invent new possibilities. Leo (July 23-Aug. 22) — Today is an 8 — Crazy income possibilities could grow with attention. Share your ideas with partners and allies. Network and connect for shared gain. Avoid overspending by budgeting carefully. Virgo (Aug. 23-Sept. 22) — Today is an 8 — Strategize with your partner. Dreams that seemed impossible may reveal new access. Take notes and make plans. Share the load and the prize. Libra (Sept. 23-Oct. 22) — Today is a 6 — Exercise energizes. Maintain healthy rituals despite schedule changes or distraction. Connect with your team or community for the latest. Set realistic goals and keep moving. Scorpio (Oct. 23-Nov. 21) — Today is an 8 — Relax and focus on something fun. Avoid expense or risk and take it easy. Enjoy shared attractions with someone special. Discuss dreams and aspirations. Sagittarius (Nov. 22-Dec. 21) — Today is a 7 — Apply creativity and artistry to comforting domestic projects. Bake something delicious or reorganize a room. Clean messes. Advance realization of a dream for family gain. Capricorn (Dec. 22-Jan. 19) — Today is an 8 — You’re especially clever. Discover an opportunity with long-term growth potential. Take the high road. Collaborate to make things happen. Build a persuasive case and share. Aquarius (Jan. 20-Feb. 18) — Today is an 8 — Spend wisely. Conservation is the easiest way to grow resources. Connect with partners and allies for profitable collaborations. Someone’s watching. You’re gaining respect. Pisces (Feb. 19-March 20) — Today is a 9 — Take charge of your destiny. A personal dream is within reach. Make changes for the better. Ask for what you want. Action gets results.
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Solution to Tuesday’s puzzle
Complete the grid so each row, column and 3-by-3 box (in bold borders) contains every digit, 1 to 9. For strategies on how to solve Sudoku, visit sudoku.org.uk
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ACROSS 1 Pitch-altering guitar clamps 6 Actor Kinnear 10 Former Fed chair Bernanke 13 Jordanian seaport 14 Fishing gear 16 Texter’s “As I see it” 17 Sitcom pioneer in the first class of inductees to the Television Academy Hall of Fame 19 Rte. finder 20 Receipts 21 Game with a spinoff called DOS 22 Milo of “Ulysses” 24 Poetic before 25 Grand Ole Opry comedian for more than 50 years 28 Florence and Charlotte 30 “Cats” poet 31 Lacks 32 Forest floor plant 34 Flub 35 #2 on Rolling Stone’s 100 Greatest Drummers of All Time 38 Humanities degs. 40 “Pencils down” 41 Assumed as fact 45 Assigned a new title 47 Recess 48 Winner of 18 Grand Slam tennis titles from 1936 to 1940 51 __-Mex cuisine 52 Mad Dog Radio host Chris 53 Unfashionable 54 “Mary Poppins” chimney sweep 55 Baltimore winter hrs. 56 Like 17-, 25-, 35and 48-Across? 60 “Billions” airer, briefly 61 Stainless __ 62 Mrs. Gorbachev
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By Bruce Haight and Blaire Bas
63 Pewter component 64 Hot 65 Like a fuzzy navel? DOWN 1 Pasadena engineering sch. 2 Display idea that’s a bit fishy? 3 Sugar servings at a coffee bar 4 Kin of a Tony 5 Muppet chimp __ Minella 6 “The Wife” Oscar nominee Close 7 Apply, as lotion 8 The “E” in BCE 9 Salon goop 10 Result of much teasing? 11 Claudius or Nero 12 Margarita preference 15 Calculus calculation 18 California’s San __ Obispo 23 Of the moon 25 Dole (out) 26 “Who’s there?” reply
Tuesday’s Puzzle Solved
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27 Pump name 29 Squid organs 32 Crete peak: Abbr. 33 Electrical unit 36 One of an express lane’s 15 maximum 37 Eye rudely 38 “SNL” legend John 39 “Friends” co-star 42 Elected
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43 Hillary’s conquest 44 Like fast UPS service 45 Least available 46 Siamese sounds 47 Choir voice 49 Bulova rival 50 Husky 54 __ B’rith 57 Aliens, briefly 58 Jeans brand 59 Link letters