PROVO, Utah — A committee at BYU tasked with examining race and inequality on campus has released some of its findings.
“I am encouraged and hopeful for meaningful change to improve the experience of Black, Indigenous and People of Color at BYU. I am gratified by the widespread commitment in the BYU community to lead out in realizing a more inclusive future where the diverse gifts of each individual are welcomed,” said Michalyn Steele, a BYU law professor and member of the university’s Committee on Race, Equity & Belonging, in a news release.
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Steele told FOX 13 that people of color have not always felt safe on campus and that they have a large role to play in educating their fellow students about race, but feelings about isolation have sometimes kept them from thriving.
The committee produced a 63-page report [PDF], which includes a list of 26 recommendations, for the school to root out racism and support Black, Indigenous and People of Color (BIPOC) members of the BYU community.
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Among the recommendations are the creation of a central Office of Diversity and Belonging, the development of a plan to increase graduation rates for BIPOC students and the development of strategies to hire and support BIPOC faculty members.
