Scribd Logo
Upload

Welcome to Scribd!

  • 999 views

    MLaw BLSA Demand Letter - June 2020

    Uploaded by

    Heidi While
    The Black Law Students Association at the University of Michigan Law School sent a letter to the administration outlining their disappointment with the administration's response to issues of anti-Blackness and racism. The letter states that the administration has failed to adequately address racial justice issues and the concerns of Black students. The letter demands reforms to increase diversity among faculty and the curriculum, make administrative processes more accessible, and reform the law school community to be more supportive of minority students.

    Copyright:

    © All Rights Reserved
    Download as PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd

    MLaw BLSA Demand Letter - June 2020

    Uploaded by

    Heidi While
    999 views2 pages
    The Black Law Students Association at the University of Michigan Law School sent a letter to the administration outlining their disappointment with the administration's response to issues of anti-Blackness and racism. The letter states that the administration has failed to adequately address racial justice issues and the concerns of Black students. The letter demands reforms to increase diversity among faculty and the curriculum, make administrative processes more accessible, and reform the law school community to be more supportive of minority students.

    Original Description:

    Letter from BLSA to Michigan Law school

    Original Title

    MLaw BLSA Demand Letter_June 2020

    Copyright

    © © All Rights Reserved

    Available Formats

    PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd

    Did you find this document useful?

    Is this content inappropriate?

    The Black Law Students Association at the University of Michigan Law School sent a letter to the administration outlining their disappointment with the administration's response to issues of anti-Blackness and racism. The letter states that the administration has failed to adequately address racial justice issues and the concerns of Black students. The letter demands reforms to increase diversity among faculty and the curriculum, make administrative processes more accessible, and reform the law school community to be more supportive of minority students.

    Copyright:

    © All Rights Reserved
    Download as PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd
    Download as pdf or txt
    999 views2 pages

    MLaw BLSA Demand Letter - June 2020

    Uploaded by

    Heidi While
    The Black Law Students Association at the University of Michigan Law School sent a letter to the administration outlining their disappointment with the administration's response to issues of anti-Blackness and racism. The letter states that the administration has failed to adequately address racial justice issues and the concerns of Black students. The letter demands reforms to increase diversity among faculty and the curriculum, make administrative processes more accessible, and reform the law school community to be more supportive of minority students.

    Copyright:

    © All Rights Reserved
    Download as PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd
    Download as pdf or txt
    You are on page 1of 2

    University of Michigan Law School,

    On Saturday, May 30th, the Black Law Students Association (BLSA) received an email from an
    administrator sharing their “thoughts on recent events.” We, as an organization, were
    disappointed and insulted by the administration’s attempt to share their “thoughts” only after
    events arose that made doing so socially convenient. Five days after the murder of George Floyd,
    eighty-one days after the murder of Breonna Taylor, one hundred days after the murder of
    Ahmaud Arbery. We are disappointed by the administration’s unwillingness to immediately
    share their condemnation of anti-Blackness to the broader law school community.
    Anti-Blackness has always been prevalent in the nation and on this campus. But despite the
    administration’s recognition that “[i]t is the particular responsibility of all in our community to
    confront these disparities and their causes,” this institution has failed to act.

    The administration’s inconsistent, insensitive, and insufficient responses to concerns of the Black
    community at the University of Michigan Law is a recurring theme. Our grievances echo years
    of discontent within communities of color at the Law School.

    The school claims it is committed to diversity, equity, and inclusion as “central to our mission as
    an educational institution.” True commitment requires action. Hollow gestures are not enough.

    We, the Black students at the University of Michigan Law School, will no longer tolerate the
    administration’s abdication of its responsibility to us as a community. We are tired of the
    administration’s failure to confront and correct its complicity with racism, and we will no longer
    pretend to be impressed or moved by performative messages.

    To promote a diverse and inclusive community dedicated to pursuing racial justice, we demand
    that the Law School takes the following steps to reform the curriculum, the faculty, the student
    body, and administrative procedures.

    It is our sincere hope, and desire, that they will be acted upon immediately.
    Demands:

    Infuse Minority Perspectives Into The Curriculum & Faculty


    1. Hire a critical race theory professor.
    2. Create and implement a mandatory “Race and Criminal Law” unit within each of the 1L
    Criminal Law classes.
    3. Require professors in courses that have potentially triggering cases to have mandatory
    opt-outs for cold calls, no questions asked. Include this language in each professor’s
    syllabus.

    Make Administrative Processes More Accessible and Responsive to the Needs of Students
    of Color
    1. Frequent and open discussions regarding the status of and procedure used to hire
    administrators of color and professors of color.
    2. Bimonthly meetings between BLSA, Dean West, and administrators including, but not
    limited to, the Dean of Office of Student Records, Dean of Office of Student Life, and the
    Dean of Academic Programming.
    3. The creation of a searchable database in which students are able to file complaints against
    professors and view the status of said complaints.

    Reform the MLaw Community


    1. A requirement for students and professors to attend sensitivity training, racial bias, anti-
    racism courses. Including the consequences of not adhering to these standards.
    2. Offer orientation programming for Black students to foster a sense of community and
    belonging among URMs, faculty, and staff.
    3. Increase funding and support of underrepresented minority students and their
    organizations.
    4. Increase mental health resources on campus and broadening of the racial composition of
    those counselors.
    5. Administrators, including but not limited to Dean West, Dean Seinfeld, and Dean
    Stetson, must reach out to all campus affinity groups on a regular basis to allow for each
    organizations’ members to air their grievances and work towards creating a better
    Michigan Law community

    While we pride ourselves in being a part of Michigan Law, it is a deeply flawed and imperfect
    community. As we ready ourselves to invite new students into our community, it is time to shift
    Michigan Law’s culture into one that is truly inclusive of all aspects of student life.

    Thank you,
    BLSA

    You might also like