As I wrote in an email to the campus community on Friday, it has been a difficult few weeks at OCU. I want to share with you again that the racial slur that was used as a team name, which has been reported about in The Campus, was completely inappropriate and unacceptable. This behavior will not be tolerated on the OCU campus and the student code of conduct process is at work.
We have to be intentional at OCU as we work to expand on our commitment to diversity and inclusion. As you know, Diversity and Inclusion is one of the four Core Values that we as a campus community established this year. As we move forward, I believe we must come together as a community and exercise the civility, respect and cooperation that are grounded in those institutional values we created.
At OCU, we define Diversity and Inclusion as “understanding and embracing our differences and taking action to foster a welcoming and supportive environment for all.” We all – students, faculty, staff and administrators – must take an active role in developing this type of environment.
I have communicated via email several diversity and inclusion initiatives on which the university is actively focusing. We will soon launch a search for the new vice president for diversity and inclusion, which will depend on your engagement, and our diversity council is in the beginning stages of its work.
I want you to know that I am deeply committed to the work we have to do together to become a more sensitive, caring and inclusive community. We must do better. And I want us all to be part of the process.
-Martha A. Burger
President
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