Geenstijl

Universitair docent heeft zin in het nieuwe jaar!

Beste GS redactie,

Ik maak mij ernstig zorgen over de ontwikkeling bij onze faculteit (Amsterdam University College) (een 'liberal arts' faculteit van de VU en UvA, red.). Ik werk daar [verwijderd] en heb het ontzettend naar mijn zin. Ik geef [verwijderd]. Nu is er de hele zomer gewerkt aan een Diversity plan en zal dit academisch jaar geïmplementeerd worden. Ik heb het eea uitgezocht en schrok me kapot. Het hele plan is dus gebaseerd op Intersectionality. Ik heb net Cynical Theories *gelezen en wist dat het erg was maar na het lezen blijkt het erger dan erg te zijn en pure destructie van vertrouwensrelaties. Deze training gaat een splijtzwam worden op veel faculteiten. *

*De training en scan (per vak) is hier op gebaseerd: *http://learningindiversity.com/introduction-diversity-scan/

*Ik vind het schandalig dat een op een wetenschappelijk instituut een training gegeven gaat worden gebaseerd op anti-science. Cynical Theories laat duidelijk zien hoe anti-scientific en nonsensical het hele gebeuren is. En ook hoe cynisch het hele verhaal is. *

Enfin, wellicht kunt u hier iets mee doen.

Groetend,

[Naam bekend bij de redactie]

*PS anekdote: tijdens de hele corona periode toen iedereen thuis zat, dit voorjaar, hebben docenten geen enkele direct email van de Dean ontvangen over hoe het gaat, hoe we ons redden, etc. De eerste mail van de Dean was de aankondiging dat ons instituut Systemic Racist was. Nou, en bedankt dus…. *

Na de breek: bovenstaande mails + bijlage plus meer berichten van de decaan aan de staf

Subject: AUC's message to students in response to the George Floyd protests 

Dear Colleagues,

Many in our community have been shocked and horrified by recent events in the USA, and many of our students have been affected profoundly. In addition to expressing their anger against racism and injustice worldwide, they have also called on AUC to do more to live up to our commitment to diversity and inclusivity. These calls have been heard, and it is important that we make our position clear as an institution, and in so doing provide assurance, direction and a willingness to reflect on our own practice. This evening we will share by email to students AUC's response to the events, condemning racism and violence, but also committing to listening, learning, as well as making changes and taking further actions. The response has been formulated by AUC management, our student life officer team, outreach coordinator and communications team, and in consultation with others from our community, and their contributions are highly appreciated. Please find the text attached.

Kind Regards, [verwijderd] Dean, AUC

Bijlage

Dear team,

I am writing you to talk about our annual consultations. However, before doing so, I want to acknowledge that our AUC community is presently engaged in a difficult yet important discussion about institutional racism. The immediate motivation behind this discussion was the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis on 25 May. His death at the hands of police caused pain, disbelief, anger, and shock throughout the world. It led to mass protests in many urban centres, including Amsterdam. In the wake of George Floyd’s death, discussion also erupted about racism at AUC, and about what AUC does to counter systemic racism at our College. I know several of you have been engaged in these discussions, and I want to acknowledge your contributions to help create change at our College, and to assist our students and staff as they combat racism. I understand some of you will feel grief, sadness, and anger not only because George Floyd’s senseless death, but also because AUC’s past actions to combat racism. AUC’s Management is preparing a response, which I am sure you will see soon. I reject racism and am keen to contribute, together with all of you, to building a College in which systemic racism is a thing of the past.

Dear colleagues,

During our recent Academic Core team meeting we discussed the subject of diversity and inclusion at AUC. I mentioned that AUC’s core MT had received a letter from lecturers about staff & diversity – with a specific focus on the precarity of external teachers. As promised, I have attached the letter to this email.

Our management team takes the concerns expressed in this letter very seriously and has discussed its contents with the Board of Deans. Together with other recent initiatives on matters of diversity and inclusion at AUC, this letter will surely contribute to a more inclusive College for our entire community. I thank those of you from the Academic Core team who contributed their name to this letter in support of its contents.

At present, work is being done on an action plan on diversity, which should be ready early in the autumn semester. Murray has asked a number of EMT members, including me, to work on specific aspects of this plan throughout the summer. Information obtained from recent events – such as the student and staff focus groups – and existing (institutional) knowledge – think for instance of the Let’s Do Diversity report – will be drawn upon to create the action plan.

I will keep you informed,

Warmest regards,

Bijlage