Dear College of Idaho family,
We were sickened by the horrific actions of the police officer in the death of George Floyd in Minnesota. The fact that three other officers stood by and watched with no one intervening while Mr. Floyd pleaded for his life is equally disturbing. These people disgrace the overwhelming number of police officers who work hard to truly protect and serve. This does not diminish the fact that more than 150 years after the abolishment of the disgrace of slavery in this country, black men and women often live in fear simply because of the color of their skin.
The College has recently teamed up with The Wassmuth Center for Human Rights and their online training for working to raise awareness around issues of implicit bias, equity and how to be an upstander, rather than a bystander. A handful of leadership staff have participated in this training and found it to be excellent and enlightening. We want to expand the training to a broader cross-section of the community. We will be working with Arnoldo Hernandez, Director of Inclusion & Intercultural Engagement, Christian Garcia, ASCI VP for Diversity & Inclusion, and Paul Bennion, Dean of Students, to roll out this training to a broader group of students, faculty, staff, and coaches soon.
One thing we do feel good about is that while our generation has not made the kind progress we need in terms of helping to create a more just and equitable world, we are optimistic that the current generation, and especially College of Idaho students, will create a society in which no one will have to live in fear because they are a minority or different in any way.
The following College resources are available to anyone who would like to further process their thoughts, feelings, experiences, or concerns:
Cynthia Mauzerall, Director of Counseling ([email protected])
Brian Davies, Assistant Director of Counseling ([email protected])
Heidi Murillo-Diaz, Counselor ([email protected])
Arnoldo Hernandez, Director of Inclusion & Intercultural Engagement ([email protected])
Paul Bennion, VP for Student Affairs & Dean of Students ([email protected])
Jen Nelson, Director of Residence Life ([email protected])
Allan Laird, Director of Campus Safety ([email protected])
As well as our student advocates.
The College of Idaho has a zero-tolerance policy when it comes to any acts which are counter to creating a safe, inclusive, and welcoming campus.
Doug and Jim