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You can find the current article at its original source at https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2018/may/16/universities-racism-racist-incidents-bad-pr-black-students
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| Version 1 | Version 2 |
|---|---|
| Universities need to tackle racism head-on, not deny it exists | Universities need to tackle racism head-on, not deny it exists |
| (2 months later) | |
| Racism is rarely seen as “our problem” in the UK – in contrast to, say, the US where laws, states and legislation were used to exclude African-Americans from public spaces. The very word and its connotations are unsettling. People would rather not talk about it. Nowhere is this more evident than in universities. Brochures, websites and the Department for Education would have you believe that our institutions are beacons of equality and diversity. And while some may appear to be on paper, the reality is very different. The past year alone has seen a string of cases involving black students faced with abuse and vile treatment at their universities. The media may be slowly waking up to the fact we have a race problem, but it has been a huge problem in educational environments for decades. | Racism is rarely seen as “our problem” in the UK – in contrast to, say, the US where laws, states and legislation were used to exclude African-Americans from public spaces. The very word and its connotations are unsettling. People would rather not talk about it. Nowhere is this more evident than in universities. Brochures, websites and the Department for Education would have you believe that our institutions are beacons of equality and diversity. And while some may appear to be on paper, the reality is very different. The past year alone has seen a string of cases involving black students faced with abuse and vile treatment at their universities. The media may be slowly waking up to the fact we have a race problem, but it has been a huge problem in educational environments for decades. |
| A product of widening participation has been that more than 40% of young people now go on to university. So if our institutions are the most diverse they have ever been why are black students having such a tough time? It’s not just physical, overt forms of racism that plight the lives of black students, a recent poll found that half of students have witnessed racism during their studies, the majority being verbal, offhand or “casually” racist comments. | A product of widening participation has been that more than 40% of young people now go on to university. So if our institutions are the most diverse they have ever been why are black students having such a tough time? It’s not just physical, overt forms of racism that plight the lives of black students, a recent poll found that half of students have witnessed racism during their studies, the majority being verbal, offhand or “casually” racist comments. |
| We want to hear from students about how widespread an issue this is. Have you experience racism in a society or group? Have you reported it and felt like you weren’t listened to? | We want to hear from students about how widespread an issue this is. Have you experience racism in a society or group? Have you reported it and felt like you weren’t listened to? |
| Share your experiences with us in this form. | Share your experiences with us in this form. |
| Not so private WhatsApp groups seem to be the choice destination for many to espouse hateful and derogatory views. However, it doesn’t really matter where the offence takes place, the fact it has is burden enough. | Not so private WhatsApp groups seem to be the choice destination for many to espouse hateful and derogatory views. However, it doesn’t really matter where the offence takes place, the fact it has is burden enough. |
| Universities are struggling to deal with incidents and the reason for that is pretty stark: each individual case brings them bad PR and bad PR weakens their chances of student uptake and good table scores. But that can’t go on. Racial discrimination isn’t something to be brushed under the carpet because it makes institutions look bad, nor is it something that will be solved with a fancy communications strategy and jazzy brochures. Bad PR really starts when institutions fail to support and protect students after terrible ordeals and they have no choice other than to take to social media. Cases of being ignored, not treated with dignity or not being consulted throughout the investigation process are common. | Universities are struggling to deal with incidents and the reason for that is pretty stark: each individual case brings them bad PR and bad PR weakens their chances of student uptake and good table scores. But that can’t go on. Racial discrimination isn’t something to be brushed under the carpet because it makes institutions look bad, nor is it something that will be solved with a fancy communications strategy and jazzy brochures. Bad PR really starts when institutions fail to support and protect students after terrible ordeals and they have no choice other than to take to social media. Cases of being ignored, not treated with dignity or not being consulted throughout the investigation process are common. |
| This year has also seen black students fighting back, rising up, taking to the streets, starting campaigns and writing powerful letters, like the three brave students from the University of Exeter, to say enough is enough. However, the onus should not be on them to tackle discrimination. The sector is pretty good at sharing best practice. This is one area where distinct, hardline initiatives are needed in abundance. Institutions must be bold. It only takes one or two to get serious about dealing with the issue head-on and others will follow suit. | This year has also seen black students fighting back, rising up, taking to the streets, starting campaigns and writing powerful letters, like the three brave students from the University of Exeter, to say enough is enough. However, the onus should not be on them to tackle discrimination. The sector is pretty good at sharing best practice. This is one area where distinct, hardline initiatives are needed in abundance. Institutions must be bold. It only takes one or two to get serious about dealing with the issue head-on and others will follow suit. |
| • Shakira Martin is the president of the NUS | • Shakira Martin is the president of the NUS |
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