We want each of you reading this to be informed of this student-pioneered movement towards the creation of a new position dedicated to diversity, equity, and inclusion at EMU. This has been progressing in conjunction with efforts from the members of the Committee on Diversity and Inclusion (CODI). Read below a letter to be sent directly to the President, Provost, and Board Chair, affirmed at the end by many student organizations and programs. This is just the beginning. We hope that you will read it and be inspired by our collective energy.

Dear President Susan Huxman, Provost Fred Kniss, and Board Chair Kathleen Nussbaum,

This is a letter from students and for students. We have written this with the purpose of promoting diversity, equity, and inclusion through the creation of a formal position dedicated to our needs. We write this in the hopes that all of us are seen and illuminated.

We are an intersectional campus, with intersectional issues. This year we have come together uniting over a variety of student concerns which we care passionately about. Students have organized climate strikes and pushed for discussion around our sustainable climate action plan. Students have led the charge on discussion of race at EMU with vulnerability and power, sharing their stories in town halls and at panels. Students from various cultural backgrounds in ISO, BSA, and LSA have invited the campus community to join in celebration of the many unique cultures that make up EMU. Our two politically minded clubs have reached across party lines to encourage increased civic engagement of our students. Students have engaged and collaborated with nearby universities to question established gender norms, and construct new conceptions of healthy masculinity; the start of Women’s Triathlon and Women’s Lacrosse have expanded the scope of athletics, prioritizing and empowering female athletes. Students of the LGBTQ+ community at EMU are dedicated to creating a welcoming, safe, and supportive community, with safe zone trainings and education, coming off of a year of processing the tumultuous visit of N.T. Wright and related concerns. All of these areas in which students feel passionate are intersectional. Indeed, in every sphere of the campus there is a desire for EMU to do better and to be better. 

While there has always been a need for EMU to step more fully into its “life together” goals, it seems that now, more than ever, there exists a profound need for a position that promotes diversity, equity, and inclusion on campus. Though to some the EMU body may seem homogenous, the student body represents a wide array of identities. This body, which we have the privilege of being a part of, is 25% AHANA, and represents over 50 different faith traditions and countries of origin. We are athletes, artists, leaders, performers, scholars and individuals with complex and intricate lived experiences and values.

It is from this student body that we step forth, in the spirit of leading together, to express the need for the creation of a full time position for a Vice President of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion, with a seat on the President’s Cabinet.

This is an essential need that must be met. The creation of this position would allocate needed resources towards the support and representation of students. We acknowledge our current health crisis and the toll it has taken on our institution and community. However, it is for this very reason that we believe it is essential to support initiatives that strengthen and uplift our community. This position is a step towards creating a welcoming community where EMU students can truly live together. 

Student minds have met through various channels and spaces, each representing the specific concerns that energize us to serve and engage with one another. We have committed to joining together in a desire to live into our values as an EMU community. In union, we share our commitments of leading, living, and learning together.

We affirm this as…

… Black Student Alliance. We know first hand the importance of being included and treated equitably. This is a big job that many have taken on, however it is an effort that students, student life and some faculty and staff cannot fulfill to the extent that EMU’s mission espouses. If this school takes diversity, justice and inclusion seriously, this full time position is a necessity. 

… Latino Student Alliance (LSA). LSA affirms the urgency of this position in order to empower underrepresented voices across campus. As the Latinx body at EMU, we understand that beneath our subtle differences as Latin-American people, we are siblings that share a struggle for equity. The creation of this position would support our journey towards better understanding, cultural competency, and compassion for one another, leading us to the celebration of our differences together.

… International Student Organization. We feel the need for an additional person to support us, as a body that represents diversity and enriched experiences, in this journey toward a better understanding of the growing need for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion within our community. 

…the LGBTQ+ community at EMU, represented through the club Safe Space. Safe Space was created to advocate for a nondiscrimination policy, and while EMU has since worked to implement said policy, this VP position would support EMU’s growth towards being an inclusive and safe learning and living environment.

… Destiny’s Daughters. We are dedicated to the personal transformation, holistic development and self-empowerment of young women and girls. Members of Destiny’s Daughters become equipped to address social disparities, develop into servant leaders and build resilient communities as we engage in spiritual formation, restorative practices and social justice advocacy. We support this position for a VP, as it can help our organization fulfill our mission.

… Student Government Association. As student leaders on campus it is our duty to speak up for the wellbeing of our entire community. We believe this is a mandatory step to improving our campus climate and the inclusion of marginalized voices within our institution.

… Student Athlete Advisory Committee. As representatives of the athletics department and student athletes it is our job to advocate for all measures that can improve the lives of students on campus. We believe that this position would be a vital asset not only to athletes but for all students at EMU.

… EMU College Republicans (CRs). Joining in this effort, we feel the need for this position as a stepping stone towards living into our values of becoming a community that leads together with difference, acceptance, and understanding. In these dire moments in the life of our Republic, it is, now more than ever, important for differences to bring people together on the platform of togetherness. 

… Young Democrats Club of EMU. We wholeheartedly stand with and express compassion towards oppressed groups, and believe that it is time EMU devotes a staff person to ensure that every single person in the EMU community feels welcomed. EMU has taken great strides towards this virtue, and this is yet another step on the path toward healing.

… The Weather Vane, EMU’s student-run newspaper. The Weather Vane’s duty is to represent ALL voices in the EMU community, and this includes practicing equity for every student. We are constantly learning and improving at doing so, as we believe everyone should. This position would be a huge step in the right direction for inclusion at EMU, exemplifying the values that it holds.

… EarthKeepers. As people who care for the Earth and sustainable living, and who recognize the deep and profound connections between environmentalism and racial equity, we fully support the need for a VP position. 

… the Community Building Coordinator for the Center for Justice and Peacebuilding. CJP has historically been one of the most diverse parts of the EMU community, and the aid of a VP position would be extremely helpful for our students in our effort to create a supportive learning community together.

… the Campus Ministries Team. Inspired by the understanding that God loves everyone and followers of Jesus are called to reflect God’s love in our communities, we support the hiring of a VP of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion. Further, we encourage that the person hired in this position be granted the appropriate degree of authority to fulfill their role rather than being hired as a symbolic gesture.

… Gospel Choir. We provide an all inclusive space to worship freely through musicianship and song. A space that provides a place for expression and acceptance. We believe worship can be expressed amongst all ethnicities, genders, or religious backgrounds. We support this VP position to include diverse cultures and beliefs, through a love for music.

… Common Grounds Coffeehouse. We desire to provide a space that welcomes all and strengthens our community, being one of the most common places on campus where students, staff, and faculty come together. We support the position for a VP to further encourage people from diverse backgrounds to come share their unique personal experiences over a cup of coffee. 

… Campus Activities Council (CAC). Our organization provides opportunities for students of all identities and backgrounds to come together and enjoy an inclusive environment. CAC events are created and held for all. The council, itself, is home to individuals with a wide array of experiences, and we work to reflect the campus as a whole. This VP position would benefit us, and the campus community, as we can work with them on ways to best serve and include everyone. 

… Engineers for a Sustainable World. Diversity and inclusion is paramount to our operation as we strive to design and create solutions to problems for everyone on campus. We fully support the creation of a VP of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion. 

… Phoenix Literary and Visual Arts Journal. We provide a space for sharing EMU community creations, and making that space open and inclusive to diverse artists and writers is important to us.

… Math Club. In our mission to promote the joy of mathematics at EMU, we realize that mathematics has always benefited from diversity of thought in discovery. Math Club recognizes the benefits of a diverse and inclusive body for the continued promotion of joyful math. Therefore, we support a VP of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion. 

… EMU Arts Club. We encourage all students to pursue creativity and different outlets of self exploration and expression. Environments dedicated to equity is the foundation of artistic freedom.

…. Honors Council, the elected representatives for the Honors Program. We recognize the importance of fostering diversity, equity, and inclusion in a program that seeks to “challenge intellect, inspire curiosity, and deepen self-discovery”. We think the creation of this position is another way to help us live into our shared values as members of the EMU community.

… Nursing Student’s Association. It is our duty, as future nurses, to foster inclusive attitudes and practices as well as encourage others to take part in the same. In an ever-changing, diverse community, this position is vital to the support and representation of ALL students. The position will allow an individual to better represent and support students, thus allowing EMU to better support and represent its people.

… Psychology Club. An additional person and position to further support students is an excellent step towards EMU aiming to do, and be better. We feel the need for this position to ensure the future growth and wellbeing of EMU.

… Biomedicine Graduate Program. We recognize that inclusion and representation have significant influences on one’s overall health and well-being. As current and future health professionals, it is our responsibility to promote changes, such as the creation of this position, that are conducive to equity and accessibility.

… Student Education Association. As future teachers, it is our duty to accept each student as they enter our classroom. In communities that are becoming more diverse by the second, acknowledging the diversity in our community is essential to provide each student at EMU with the support that they need.

… Composer Collective. Just as EMU’s music scene thrives within the collaboration of people with diverse interests, talents, identities, and backgrounds, our campus as a whole will benefit from increased support for inclusion and equity of all of our people.

… Peace Fellowship. We believe in the importance of a strong community working towards building a more just and peaceful world. We seek to increase engagement and awareness around social justice issues. The addition of a VP for Diversity, Equity and Inclusion would help us to achieve this goal and propel our community further up the path of Peace.

… EMU Ultimate. Each night we play, we welcome everyone who comes onto the field. The diversity of EMU is what makes playing ultimate so fun. Supporting and promoting diversity and inclusion on campus is crucial for our campus to grow and for all students to feel represented, on and off the field. 

… EMU Rotaract Club. We fully support the creation of a Vice President Position for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion within our community. In this journey toward community services and unity, we feel the need for an additional humanitarian lover to support us in our continuous, selfless work. 

… the graduate assistant for the Director of Multicultural Student Services and as a Masters student of Business and the Seminary. I fully support a VP of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion with a seat on the President’s Cabinet. I have seen the need for this position as an EMU undergrad and continue to see it today. This position would create a community where all feel represented and at home. 

Footnotes:

(1) We are referring here to the combination of identities and experiences of our students, referencing the term “intersectionality” first coined by Kimberlé Williams Crenshaw. According to Patricia Hill Collins, author of Black Feminist Thought (2000), “Intersectionality refers to particular forms of intersecting oppressions, for example, intersections of race and gender, or of sexuality and nation. Intersectional paradigms remind us that oppression cannot be reduced to one fundamental type, and that oppressions work together in producing injustice” (p. 18).

(2) Students of African, Hispanic, Asian and Native American descent.