UW-Madison Dean of Students Lori Berquam released a statement Saturday to address steps the university is taking to improve campus climate in response to growing racial strife and student protests.
The letter, addressed to “Students of Color and Allies,” begins with an acknowledgment and validation of student frustration at the university’s response to racial issues on campus. And while Berquam said the #TheRealUW is a “powerful testimony” for exposing instances of racial prejudice, she also admitted progress has been stagnant.
“Our campus is leaning into challenging conversations like we never have before,” Berquam said. “But let’s be honest, there are times that we will take a step backward.”
One such step backward, Berquam said, was when police entered a classroom to question and subsequently arrest a black student, Denzel McDonald, last Thursday. Berquam reiterated the statements by Chancellor Rebecca Blank and UWPD Chief Susan Riseling apologizing for the handling of that situation.
Berquam then laid out the various actions the university is taking to improve the campus climate. These steps include the formulation of a cultural competency program set to begin during the Fall 2016 semester, new opportunities at SOAR for students to understand expectations for creating a “welcoming and inviting campus” and the addition of new counseling positions at University Health Services.
These actions are not the end of making the campus more inclusive, Berquam emphasized, but the beginning of a dialogue between administration and students.
“I have work to do and the campus has work to do. It’s not your job to teach us what that work is, but I want you to know I am learning from you,” Berquam said. “I will continue to do all I can to improve the UW until everyone feels they belong.”
