RACIAL JUSTICE
AT PENN STATE
STAY INFORMED
“The center will focus on research and scholarship around racism and racial bias while drawing from expertise across Penn State’s colleges and campuses, with a focus on translating scholarship into educational opportunities, fostering public engagement, and informing policy decisions at the University, state, and national levels” stated Lora Weiss, senior vice president for research.
1
Before
the tragic murder of George Floyd in 2020, a two-part report was released outlining the ongoing systemic racism faculty encountered on Penn State's campus.
2
Our former president
addressed a letter to the Penn State community on February 22, 2021 describing his commitment and plan to take action in battling racism on campus following the rise of Black Lives Matter protest. In the letter he expressed the formation of the center as a "critical priority".
3
In 2021,
Penn state officially announced the formation of the Center for Racial Justice, “While this is just the beginning, the formation of Penn State’s Center for Racial Justice is the result of our University community taking action together toward continued growth, and I am grateful for the commitment of the leaders guiding this effort” Barron said.
4
By March
of 2021, Penn state began the search for finding a director for
the Center for Racial Justice and before the end of the year welcomed in a new president.
5
Following
the appointment of our new president, Dr. Neeli Bendapudi, students of color hoped to see a true commitment to racial justice. Instead student's of color on campus were subjected to violence following a campus-wide opposed event featuring a White supremacist terrorist group known as the Proud Boys that attempted to violently overthrow our elected government.
6
Two days later,
President Bendapudi announced the cancellation of the Center for Racial Justice.