As an institution and a community, UNC Greensboro believes that racism has no place in either our University or our society. While respecting First Amendment freedoms, we will ensure that the language of hate, the images of bigotry, and any acts of discrimination are addressed wherever we find them in our community, online and off. Following are statements by our campus leadership and various departments on the issues of racism.
UNIVERSITY STATEMENT ON SOCIAL MEDIA AND RACIST CONTENT
“We know that there will be cases where racist language, images, and behavior are displayed and shared across social media. When our students, faculty, or staff are involved, we will act. We will investigate, we will ask questions, and we will determine the right response and the best path forward.”
CHANCELLOR FRANKLIN D. GILLIAM, JR.
Dear Students, Faculty, and Staff,
To sustain our democracy, and enact our shared values of freedom, prosperity, equality, safety, and a brighter future for our children, we must solve our problems collaboratively. People are mistaken if they believe the outcry over the killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis is the singular cause of protests across the country. Rather the protests are the expression of mounting frustration over the country’s inability to solve the systemic inequities central to quality of life. Justice in the criminal system is just one of a litany of problems that confront minorities (and Black Americans in particular) including equal access to food, health care, decent housing, jobs, and schools. This has not happened overnight. It has been festering close to the surface for decades (if not centuries).
What do I mean? Here is one local example of a broader problem – food insecurity, or the lack of access to fresh food. Last week, my wife Jacquie and I were at Spartan Open Pantry (a nonprofit designed to provide food, clothing, and hygiene products to students who can’t afford these items) delivering food that is used to feed people who do not have anything to eat. The executive director told us that while 23% of the UNCG students are Black, 50% of their clientele is Black. He told us that some students come to the Pantry having not eaten in two or three days.
But I want to bring this discussion back to the George Floyd killing in Minneapolis. This hits close to home. This is personal. I am a Black man. I have a Black son. I went to high school in suburban Minneapolis. My parents lived there for 35 years. One evening I was detained by local police in front of my parent’s driveway. I asked why they stopped me, they said I “looked suspicious.” I often think that maybe things would have turned out differently that night if I had made one false move.
And closer to the bone, I worry about my 21-year-old son (who lives in Los Angeles) being stopped by the police. I have had the “talk” with him. If you don‘t know, the ”talk” is a conversation most Black parents have with their Black sons about how to behave when they encounter law enforcement and, in fact, how to navigate the world as a young Black man. It is uncomfortable but necessary. Think about that. Think about how that would make you feel.
I wrestled with this all weekend [May 31, 2020]. But I finally had to sit down and put thoughts to paper.
I am filled with sadness for the Floyd family (as well as the families of Breonna Taylor, Ahmaud Arbery, unfortunately the list goes on), for the country, and for my son. I’m filled with sadness for our young people – particularly the Black students at UNCG. We owe them better than this. I’m filled with sadness for the hardworking and dedicated law enforcement folks who do things the right way.
But to be honest, I’m also filled with anger. I’m mad that we can’t seem to come together to find commonsense solutions to the nation’s problems. Mad that the direction we are heading is not sustainable where in a post-COVID-19 world it is likely we will see more inequality not less.
I know there are a lot of people in the country, in Greensboro, and on our own campus who are sad and angry too. Many of our non-Black friends and colleagues have written or called and asked what they can do: how do we fix this?
One answer is that this is all about ‘public will.’ That’s the collective sense of people coming together with a good heart and common sense to solve problems. For example, we know what a good education looks like, we know what quality health care looks like, and we even know how to reform the criminal justice system. But are we willing? Are we willing to buy into the notion that we have a “shared fate” regardless of race, ethnicity, sexual orientation, or party affiliation? Are people willing to change how institutions work in this country so that all people are treated fairly?
If we are willing, we can provide our children and grandchildren with a better tomorrow. If we are not, this will not be sustainable in the long run. By nature, I am an optimist. I get to work every day with faculty and staff who fuel this sense of hope; and I get to see thousands of students each year on our campus who make me believe that we can do more, do better. I have faith that we can come together and meet the challenges head on. I hope we have the will to do so.
— Chancellor Franklin D. Gilliam, Jr.
Statement on AAPI Community Support
We are very proud of our Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) students at UNCG, and we join the many campuses around the country who are calling for an end to anti-AAPI bigotry. Hate, violence, harassment or discrimination of Asian students has no place at UNCG or anywhere. Our AAPI community is wonderfully diverse and deeply connected to all aspects of Spartan life.
LGBTQ+ Education and Research Network
February 8, 2022 Dear Trans, Non-binary, and Gender Diverse faculty, staff, & students at UNCG, We, the members of the LGBTQ+ Education And Research Network (LEARN)’s Gender Diversity Working Group and allies are writing to the trans, non-binary, and gender…
Read the full statement… LGBTQ+ Education and Research Network
Department of Social Work
The UNCG Department of Social Work is deeply saddened and outraged by the recent brutal killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis, the racist attack on Christian Cooper in Central Park, the police killing of Breonna Taylor in Louisville, and the…
School of Health and Human Sciences
The mission of the School of Health and Human Sciences (HHS) is to prepare new generations of professionals, leaders, scholars, and entrepreneurs to enhance the quality of life of individuals, families, and communities. To do so, it is imperative that HHS…
Read the full statement… School of Health and Human Sciences
Lloyd International Honors College
Under the leadership of Dean Omar Ali, Lloyd International Honors College and its dedicated professional staff unequivocally support the Black Lives Matter protests and the empowerment of Black communities across the nation. We have held off on issuing a statement since…
Letter from Black UNCG faculty
July 7, 2020 Dear Black Students at UNC Greensboro, On May 25, 2020, George Floyd was murdered by police in Minneapolis, MN. A white police officer knelt on his neck while he was handcuffed face down on the street for…
Staff Senate
STAFF RESOLUTION July 9, 2020 This UNC Greensboro Staff Senate Resolution is in support of the welfare of our Black UNC Greensboro students, staff, and faculty. WHEREAS, the UNC Greensboro Staff Senate is the duly-elected governance body representing the staff…
Women’s Soccer
On behalf of the UNCG Women’s soccer team, we want to use our platform to respond and speak out about the most recent events of racism and social injustice happening in America. We are deeply saddened, frustrated, and angry with…
Women’s Basketball
As a team, we understand that silence makes you complicit. Therefore, we are using our platform to speak out about the racial injustices happening in America. We are saddened, angry and frustrated with the countless Black lives being murdered due…
Trina Patterson
One week ago, a Minneapolis police department officer placed his knee on the neck of George Floyd which lead to his death. My emotions have ranged from sadness, anger, pain, empathy, frustration, and confusion. Like so many others, it has…
Men’s Basketball
The UNCG Men’s Basketball family is saddened and angered by the murder of George Floyd and the tragic events across our country. This has to stop! We want change. We have to come together, deal with the problems, and heal…
Athletics
I have a responsibility to my student-athletes, coaches, and staff members to support them by initiating uncomfortable discussions about race and not being complicit in perpetuating injustice through silence. I will do that. While I will never fully understand what it’s…
Vocal Studies Program
Throughout history, the human voice, specifically singing, has been a powerful tool for bringing people together. In fact, it is what has brought us into each other’s lives. We sing to share joy and love, but we also rely on…
Students First Office
Today we take a step back from social media to listen, reflect, and focus on collectively committing to fighting against institutionalized racism in our community and across our nation. #blackouttuesday — UNCG Students First Office https://twitter.com/UNCG_SFO/status/1267856401474478080
Student Affairs
We know many of you are hurting, angry, tired, or even struggling. Although we can’t be on campus together during this time, we are still here for you and ready to support. Our diversity is our strength. We are here…
School of Nursing
We would like to believe racism no longer exists. After all, slavery was abolished, the Jim Crow era ended, and the United States elected its first African American president. Yet despite this progress in our country, the killing of unarmed…
School of Education
We are heartbroken and outraged by the lives lost and endangered through the abuse of power over the past several months: Breonna Taylor, Ahmaud Arbery, and George Floyd, as well as Christian Cooper’s recent experience. These injustices are heinous, intolerable,…
School of Theatre
A Statement from John Poole, Director of the School of Theatre, and the Faculty of the Schoolof Theatre to the School of Theatre Community, and in particular, to our Students of Color: For all of you who have courageously shared…
Miles Davis Jazz Studies Program
On August 25, 1959, Miles Davis was standing outside of the marquee bearing his name at the Birdland Jazz Club when he was beaten and arrested by police unprovoked. NOTHING HAS CHANGED. More than 60 years later, millions of African…
Department of Sociology
A central value of the UNCG Sociology department is social justice, a concept which, inter alia, directs attention to the disproportionate amount of power in the hands of white men and how social institutions generate, reproduce, and reflect this power…
Department of Public Health Education
We in Public Health Education condemn racism and its rotten fruits further illustrated by the recent murder of George Floyd on May 25, 2020, in Minneapolis, MN, and the countless number of Black lives taken by police brutality, white supremacy,…
Read the full statement… Department of Public Health Education
Department of Kinesiology
In recognition of Juneteenth, the Department of Kinesiology at UNCG would like to share a statement with our community related to recent events. We are shaken by the recent deaths of Rayshard Brooks, George Floyd, Ahmaud Arbery, and Breonna Taylor…
Department of English
Dear graduate and undergraduate students, As protests around the country continue in the wake of not only George Floyd’s murder in Minneapolis, but also the recent killings of Ahmaud Arbery, Breonna Taylor, Tony McDade, Nina Pop, James Scurlock, and David…
Department of Counseling and Educational Development
The Department of Counseling and Educational Development at UNCG emphasizes culturally responsive counseling services in a variety of settings. One of our core beliefs is to champion diversity and social justice for those who are marginalized and oppressed based on,…
Read the full statement… Department of Counseling and Educational Development
Department of Anthropology
As anthropologists, our job is listening and amplifying. To our students and the Greensboro community: We hear you. We stand with you. #BlackLivesMatter — Department of Anthropology
Counseling Center
The UNCG Counseling Center joins the rest of the Spartan community in grieving the acts of violence perpetuated in African American and Black individuals and communities. As clinicians for social justice, we are committed to advocating for and supporting those…
College of Visual and Performing Arts
Dear CVPA Colleagues, Students and Families, and Alumni, I am outraged by the recent murders of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Ahmaud Arbery, and countless others by those who are sworn to protect. I am disheartened and angry at the violence…
Read the full statement… College of Visual and Performing Arts
College of Arts & Sciences
Dear CAS community: These past days and weeks have shone a spotlight on the innumerable injustices in our society. I want to be clear that we in the College of Arts & Sciences stand in solidarity with our communities, faculty,…
African American and African Diaspora Studies Program
As Director of African American and African Diaspora Studies I share my response to the murder of George Floyd, only the most recent life lost in a spate of recent acts of racial violence—and this in a much longer history…
Read the full statement… African American and African Diaspora Studies Program
