Black faculty identify roots of, and potential solutions to, institutional racism at UofT

Black University of Toronto faculty underscored both the causes of, and potential solutions to institutional anti-Black racism at universities to an audience of over 3,500 participants, who tuned in to the inaugural National Dialogues and Action for Inclusive Higher Education and Communities held online by The University of Toronto Scarborough Campus from October 1 to 2, 2020.

“The goal [of the conference] is to promote concrete, feasible, and effective actions to address anti-Black racism within our institutions,” said UofT President Meric Gertler at the conference, which involved over 50 partnered institutions. “I do not expect this to be easy or comfortable, but it is essential and overdue.”

“This process of acknowledgement may indeed, as the president said, be uncomfortable,” noted Wisdom Tettey, Principal of UTSC. “But that discomfort pales in comparison to the routinization of exclusion, marginalization, devaluation, and denigration that… [is] the reality of Black, racialized, and Indigenous communities.”

A national committee has been set to integrate the conference’s recommendations into a “Charter of principles and feasible actions that participating institutions can commit to drawing upon” in order to “address Black inclusion and anti-Black racism,” according to a UTSC press release.

The roots of institutional anti-Black racism at universities

Dr. Malinda Smith, Vice-Provost of Equity, Diversity and Inclusion at the University of Calgary, explained the impact of “deficit thinking” as a cause of anti-Black racism at universities.

This type of thinking, she explained, has a “blame the victim orientation” that frames “poor and marginalized people as deficient” and influences “policies and practices” held by universities.

“It is embedded in educational systems,” she said, and leads to a “tyranny of low expectations of Black students, faculty, and staff.” The belief “reinforces the myth that Black scholars are incapable of being university leaders.”

“Deficit thinking is an obstacle to addressing racism, she continued, as it shifts the attention of decision makers away from “structures, policies, and processes… designed without [Black individuals] in mind to the individualized deficiency of some stereotypical notion of a single Black culture.”

“Even ostensibly well-meaning people perpetuate this worldview,” she continued. “There are a lot of very fine people…doing a lot of damage in the name of helping…Black people.”

“Black people don’t need white saviours,” she said. “What they need is [an] amelioration of structural and systemic inequities.”

Smith spoke against a focus on “closing the achievement gap” for Black and Indigenous people in favour of a focus on addressing the “funding gap” or “opportunity gap” for racialized groups.

“An achievement gap…justifies Black people not being hired, promoted, mentored, and put into [positions] of leadership,” she explained.

Smith also called for universities to support Black Canadian studies programs; to increase support for scholarships and financial aid for Black students; to back “student-led initiatives” such as “Black graduation ceremonies that highlight Black excellence”; and further support “Black speaker series” to amplify the voices of Black individuals.

Proposed solutions to anti-Black racism at universities

Panelists of university faculty also spoke with attendees in online dialogues in order to identify problems and develop solutions to anti-Black racism at universities.

Heather Hines, Director of Undergraduate Programs & Student Services at UofT, noted problems with staff members handling reports of racism at universities.

“Staff complaints or issues tend to be dismissed, downgraded, or recategorized,” she said. Complaints of racism are reclassified as interpersonal issues, and reporters are “made to feel like [they] are the problem.”

“There’s a level of seriousness in managing the situation that varies wildly, depending on who you come to seek help,” she continued. A solution, she noted, may be an improved level of accessibility to “competent people who are well-versed in anti-racism” to handle these reports.

She also noted that Black staff members have been “tasked with [equity, diversity, and inclusion] efforts” in addition to their main responsibilities, but lack “formal recognition or compensation” for their additional contributions.

Dr. Alissa Trotz, Director of Women and Gender Studies at UofT, added: “We do the lifting and it is rarely recognized, but the issue of responsibility must be answered.”

Solutions, noted Trotz, may include support for “institutional accountability that is not symbolic,” with mechanisms for “real disciplinary action for racism and anti-Black racism.” She also highlighted the importance of Black faculty associations with opportunities for mentorship.

Dr. Dexter Voisin, Dean of UofT’s Factor-Inwentash Faculty of Social Work, pondered: “What does it mean to have Black leadership and inclusive decision-making?”

From his dialogue, he noted that it does not mean only “putting a Black person at a table or putting a Black person on a committee.” This is insufficient, he continued, as there is no singular Black ideology, and Black individuals are part of a non-uniform group.

Instead, he noted that Black leadership must be encouraged and empowered to “hold the institution [where they are employed] responsible… [with] a critical lens.”

This support is needed to address the “tension in terms of Black senior leaders… [having] dueling identities between protecting the institution and, at the same time, being called upon to challenge the institution to grow.” Such support can help prevent maintenance of the status quo, he remarked.

Voisin also discussed the proposed solution of replacing the term “opportunity hire” in marketing to “targeted diverse expertise,” hence moving away from a “deficit model” and towards a “strengths perspective” in recruiting.

Desmond Pouyat, Dean of Student Affairs at UTSC, said: “We need more Black students on our campuses, we need more Black professors, and we need more Black staff…We need to be intentional on all that we’re doing, whether it’s hiring staff, creating the spaces for Black students to be comfortable, [along with] Black staff [and] Black Faculty.” “If you’re intentional, you’ll be able to get the job done, you’ll be able to make progress. I think that’s a key factor all along the continuum.”