GUIDELINES FOR A UNIVERSITY-WIDE PROGRAM
TO COMBAT BIGOTRY AND TO PROMOTE PLURALISM AND DIVERSITY
At the January 24, 1994, meeting of the Board of Trustees of The
City University of New York, a resolution was recommended by the
Committee on Public Affairs to promote University policy to combat
bigotry and reaffirm our commitment to pluralism and diversity. Adopted
unanimously by the Trustees, the resolution calls upon the Chancellor
to report to the Board on steps taken by the University and the
colleges in furtherance of the policy by October 31, 1994. The
Chancellor was asked to develop guidelines, by the March Board meeting,
in consultation with the Council of Presidents and the leadership of
the University Faculty Senate and Student Senate. These guidelines are
the result of the consultative process.
The adopted Board resolution includes six whereas sections which should be reflected in the development of appropriate plans:
The Board of Trustees of The City University of New York is
committed to engendering values and implementing policies that enhance
respect for individuals and their cultures.
- This commitment is manifested in the statement of principles and
recommendations for action on pluralism and diversity in The City
University of New York adopted by the Board on January 20, 1988.
- Our cultural and ethnic diversity - our pluralism - is one of our most valued, significant and important characteristics.
- The student body of The City University of New York now includes
students who trace their ancestries to over 130 countries, as well as
growing numbers of students who are of color, women, immigrants, older
adults and disabled persons.
- We must be proactive in developing programs that both combat
bigotry and other biases in all their forms, as well as build on the
strengths that our multicultural, multiracial, multigenerational
student body offers.
- Such programs should build upon successful models of curricular and
co-curricular pursuits developed by both members of the CUNY community,
as well as with the advice and assistance of the extended CUNY family
of supporters and resource persons.
The development of appropriate plans should be consistent with the
By-laws of The Board of Trustees, including but not limited to Article
15.0 Preamble which states:
Academic institutions exist for the transmission of knowledge,
the pursuit of truth, the development of students, and the general
well-being of society. Student participation, responsibility, academic
freedom, and due process are essential to the operation of the academic
enterprise. As members of the academic community, students should be
encouraged to develop the capacity for critical judgment and to engage
in a sustained and independent search for truth.
Freedom to learn and to explore major social, political, and
economic issues are necessary adjuncts to student academic freedom, as
in freedom from discrimination based on racial, ethnic, religious, sex,
political and economic differentiations.
Freedom to learn and freedom to teach are inseparable facets of
academic freedom. The concomitant of this freedom is responsibility. If
members of the academic community are to develop positively in their
freedom; if these rights are to be secure, then students should
exercise their freedom with responsibility.
By August 1, 1994, the Central Administration and the constituent
colleges shall prepare such plans for submission to the Chancellor.
Such plans should include a progress report on activities envisioned in
the Board's statement on Pluralism and Diversity, University and
college programs, schedule and projected, to combat bigotry, and
measures taken to advance the January 24, 1994, Board policy
resolution. The plans should address the following elements:
- A description of curricular and extracurricular programs and
projects directed at the elimination of bigotry, encouragement of
inter-group harmony, tolerance and respect and increasing understanding
among members of the higher education community. This may include
orientation and training programs, professional development,
role-playing sessions, leadership conferences and retreats, lectures
and seminars, discussions of pertinent research and scholarship, and
improvements in methods for cross-cultural communication.
- A clear statement of the availability of procedures and channels
developed by the college community to expeditiously address allegations
of bigotry, as well as intervention and conflict resolution
alternatives that may be utilized. This should include how the
institution is organized and which offices or individuals are
appropriately designated to be accessible.
- Early communication, by college officials, as the facts warrant, of
institutional aversion to acts of bigotry, including the issuance of
appropriate and timely statements condemning prejudice or
discrimination, consistent with the first amendment. This should be
done while simultaneously reaffirming the positive message of the
extraordinary importance of a collegiate environment where all
participants are protected, regardless of their background or social
characteristics.
- The availability of additional options for dispute resolution, such
as mediation and conciliation resources both on or off campus, as
needed and where appropriate. This may include the identification of
faculty and staff experts, experienced student leaders, alumni, or
resource persons from the greater college and University community.
Established offices, however, should remain on the front-line and serve
as conduits to campus and external expertise, as deemed appropriate.
- The dissemination of materials throughout the campus community in
order to ensure maximum awareness and to provide visible evidence of an
institutional commitment to an intellectually tolerant collegiate
environment.
Efforts to combat bigotry and promote diversity should continue to
be an inextricable part of the educational mission of the University,
not an ancillary activity that is re-invigorated from time to time on
ad-hoc basis. Our future efforts should build upon the excellent
college and University-wide programs and activities that already exist,
which were reviewed by the Board of Trustees, through its Committee on
Public Affairs. This will permit CUNY to continue to rejoice in the
cultural richness of its varied constituencies, unrivaled in American
higher education, and reflective of the University's historic
commitment to educate all those who seek upward social and economic
mobility. At the same time, the University can continue to build
bridges between those constituencies so that the most positive
atmosphere for learning may be provided for generations to come.
Board Minutes, March 21, 1994
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