Not Unto Ourselves Alone
Jade Aguilar, Willamette’s first vice president for equity, diversity and inclusion, outlines why the university must do better for all students.
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In her wide-ranging role, Jade Aguilar helps Willamette make progress on its commitments to being a more equitable and inclusive community.
ine years ago I came to Willamette as an associate professor of sociology. Since then, I’ve realized what I love most about this university: Our community includes so many good, well-intentioned people who really care about each other. Indeed, our students, faculty and staff who don’t harbor any ill will to any group of people would be horrified to think they’re racist. But, despite their good intentions, Willamette community members are part of an often unrecognized form of racism that happens beyond the individual. Structural racism affect institutions and whole social systems — often without intended malice and despite people’s best efforts to improve the situation. In the past, schools, government or the economic system were simply set up in ways that disadvantaged certain groups of people. Like all other institutions of higher education, Willamette is affected by structural racism. Higher education in America was established to cater predominantly to white, middle class students with good academic grades who don’t need a full-time job while at college. It’s traditionally been a one-size-fits-all approach. But what about students who, because of where they grew up, didn’t enjoy the advantages of a good public education? Should we expand our idea of what makes a good student beyond academic grades? What about students with jobs or families? Or students who can only take one or two classes at a time because of different learning abilities? Or people with disabilities or mental health issues?
Over the years, Willamette has made sincere efforts to attract and retain more diverse students, staff and faculty. Yet much work remains to be done to make us the “great equalizer” that we imagine college to be. That’s the reason why I was hired this summer as Willamette’s first vice president of equity, diversity and inclusion. As a firstgeneration student and a person of color, I know first-hand that different students have different needs. Plus, as a critical scholar on race and feminist theory, I’m trained to question existing social structures — what works, what’s missing, and new ways of organizing institutions. I’ve been thinking and talking about these issues for 15 years, and my new position allows me to think about them in an applied way rather than theoretical. Basically, my job is to bring a more strategic focus to all the different efforts happening across campus to make a more diverse population feel welcome here. I’m helping change WU for the better — and for the good of all. Rather than just bringing diverse students here and helping them get through college, it’s time to turn the lens around. We need to think about what we can do differently to meet the needs of those students. Prioritizing equity, diversity and inclusion isn’t an option — it’s necessary for our survival. We must prepare students to recognize and overcome cultural biases, to understand and appreciate the diversity of our local and global communities, to be engaged and active citizens. It’s what we must do in order to really live up to the promise inherent in our motto.
WILLAMETTE UNIVERSITY
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