Wofford college embarks on new visioning process focused on…

SPARTANBURG—A group of Wofford College students has requested that three residence halls be renamed, as each is named after former presidents of the college who are documented as slaveholders.

In light of this, and given events taking place across the country and the conversations led by Wofford students, alumni, faculty and staff, Wofford has formed a 16-member steering committee.

The committee is taking a closer look at the college’s history and present while taking part in a new visioning process that’s focused on diversity, equity and inclusion.

The committee will make recommendations by the end of the academic year.

In a letter that Wofford President Nayef Samhat shared with the campus community during the summer, the college is taking measures to become what Samhat called “a diverse, welcoming and inclusive home to all.”

“Our mission and core values include diversity and inclusiveness, yet progress has been slow and often not substantive enough to overcome the experiences that too many of our students, staff, faculty and alumni have lived,” he wrote. “A plan for immediate action followed by a process for institutional change are outlined below, but first I would like to thank those who have been working diligently in diversity, equity and inclusion for their time, energy and creativity. That we still have work to do is not a reflection on your efforts or of your support for student success.”

Samhat said the college will immediately begin or continue the following:

Provide anti-racism and anti-bias training for the campus community;
Review campus safety procedures and commit to police-oriented anti-bias and anti-racism education;
Create a new student marketing committee and schedule unconscious-bias training for the student committee and staff in the college’s Office of Marketing and Communications;
Incorporate anti-racism and anti-bias education into the FYI curriculum;
Relocate the Back of the College memorial to a more visible location;
Create a new Black alumni website to support the group’s history and tradition of excellence;
Follow this with a new website to feature women’s history;
Recommit to eliminating implicit bias through the college’s Search Advocate Program;
Evaluate and develop new strategies for the recruitment of underrepresented students;
Renew efforts to increase the number of NPHC organizations on campus;
Engage academic departments in consideration of diversity in their existing curricula and guide discussion of how best to incorporate diverse perspectives in curricula going forward;
Support with internal funding the AAC&U Truth, Racial Healing and Transformation program;
Sponsor a symposium that considers Wofford College and race relations;
Engage a cohort of faculty in a yearlong workshop on inclusive pedagogy led by Teach.Equity. Now; and
Review the Student Handbook and disciplinary processes for the purpose of finding and removing biased policies or practices.

“Even as we all commit ourselves to immediate changes, we must use the opportunity that this moment in history presents to carry forward not just conversation but action to build a stronger and more inclusive Wofford College,” Samhat said. “That starts with thinking broadly and deeply as a campus community about race, equity, diversity and inclusion.”

The Steering Committee includes professors, deans, trustees, students, staff and others.

Samhat also encourages people to visit Wofford.edu/dei to view the updated website and to review the 2019 Diversity Report as a baseline for future improvement.