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Pacific University

Undergraduate School

Mailing Address
2043 College Way
Forest Grove, Oregon 97116
Phone
(503) 352-6151
School Information
Pacific University is a diverse learning community offering a unique combination of undergraduate, graduate and professional programs in the liberal arts and sciences, education, business, optometry and the health professions. Pacific University serves nearly 3,900 students on its campuses in Forest Grove, Hillsboro, Eugene and Woodburn, Ore., and also operates a variety of healthcare clinics in the greater Portland area. Students and alumni hail from all 50 states and several countries around the world. We are committed to inspiring students to think, care, create, and pursue justice in a global community. Pacific values a diverse and inclusive environment and a free exchange of ideas.
General Information
Pacific University does not yet require CRT training for faculty, staff, or students. However, the Office of Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion is in the process of developing a strategic plan that calls on college deans and vice presidents to "develop short- and intermediate-term goals specific to diversity and justice in each area of the university community, including arts and sciences, education, business, health professions, or student and employee support. Some areas of the university have well-developed plans, while others are in earlier stages. These plans will be reviewed with the university community this fall [2021]." (source: https://www.pacificu.edu/life-pacific/support-safety/office-equity-diversity-inclusion/edi-resources/advancing-equity) Additionally, "All search committees for new faculty and staff recruitment receives [sic] diversity training and assistance in identifying a diverse pool of highly qualified applicants."

Actions Taken

Anti-Racism, Bias, and Diversity Training
  • The OEDI 2020 Annual Report lays out goals and visions for expanding diversity campus-wide. It includes this support statement for BLM: "Black Lives Matter | Given the ongoing, tragic killings of unarmed Black and brown human beings, and the mission of Pacific University and the OEDI, we feel it’s important to state that we stand in solidarity with those who are targets of this violence. We stand with the Black Lives Matter movement. Additionally, the OEDI is working on multiple fronts to continue to support the university’s long-time tradition for as a nurturing and supportive learning environment, preparing diverse students for success in a global community, by collaborating with many stakeholders across colleges and departments.The OEDI can assist you in arranging development workshops as well as provide you more information on opportunities or workshops."
  • The Office of Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion at Pacific "has delivered workshops on various subjects to close to 800 stakeholders, including both students and employees."
  • The Office of Equity, Diversity, Inclusion & Accessibility at Pacific University offers a variety of professional development workshops to its students, faculty, and staff including: "Implicit Bias Awareness," "Ramifications of Microaggressions," and "Understanding Privilege." 
Curriculum Changes and Requirements
  • The university offers "SOC 360 - Critical Race Theory" as a means to satisfy certain core requirements.
Disciplinary Measures
  • Pacific University outlines its "Bias Incident Reporting" system, provides a reporting form link, and states that "[a]ll members of Pacific University have a responsibility to contribute to and maintain a welcoming and inclusive environment."
Faculty/Staff Requirements
  • In order to bring greater diversity to university faculty and staff, the Office of Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion states that "[a]ll search committees for new faculty and staff recruitment receives diversity training and assistance in identifying a diverse pool of highly qualified applicants."
Political Actions and Support for Anti-Racism
  • The Undergraduate Student Senate issued a statement declaring their solidarity with BLM and encouraging students to donate to BLM, ActBlue, and other activist organizations.
Program and Research Funding
  • "The Supporting Inclusive Success initiative is funded by a $1.2 million, five-year Title III grant from the U.S. Department of Education’s Asian American Native American Pacific Islander Serving Institution (AANAPISI) program," in order to improve (STEM) retention tailored to supporting "undergraduate students, especially first-generation, low-income and BIPOC student[s]."
Resources
  • Pacific University is in the process of expanding its Office of Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion, and is crafting a strategic plan for campus-wide diversity.
  • The OEDI has created a mission, vision, and values statement: "Mission | The Office of Equity, Diversity and Inclusion (OEDI) is committed to provide leadership, and create partnerships to expedite shared responsibility for creating a diverse, equitable, and inclusive campus in which students, faculty, and staff can prosper. Vision | For Pacific to reflect and serve all segments of society and whose people, policies, protocols, practices and learning spaces serve as a model for inclusive excellence. Values: Social Justice; People; Strategic and Systemic Change; Shared Responsibility; Mutual Accountability"
  • The university president hosted a BLM Town Hall online event in October 2020.
  • The university offers "Foundations of Change: Anti-Racism in Supervision with Students | MSW Field Educators," which will discuss "the responsibilities we hold as field instructors and strategies of support from an anti-racist perspective."
  • The library system has provided anti-racist resources.
  • The Office of Equity, Diversity & Inclusion has conducted a "Diversity & Equity Campus Climate Survey."
  • The university allows students to study “Gender, Race and Global Inequality.”
  • Through the "focal study" of "Race, Protest, and Culture," students will "investigate the construction of race as an identity, the history of racial oppression and the use of culture to oppress or advance equality and civil rights." Additionally, a Critical Race Theory course is offered as part of this program.
  • Every year, students who take Dr. Eisen’s Critical Race Theory course "carefully and intentionally create children’s books that can stimulate a conversation about race with children."
  • Pacific University Libraries provide anti-racist resources and state, "In order to work against racism and white supremacy, in ourselves and in our communities, we have to understand what we are fighting against: its history, its characteristics and manifestations, its impact on persons of color, and our own complicity."
  • The university provides a variety of resources specifically for the BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, People of Color) community.
  • As part of its Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion Plan, the Pacific Library states that it would "[w]ork to identify and eliminate racism, White privilege, and other identity-based privilege currently inherent in library services, technology, and information resources."
  • Due to potentially violating the 1964 Civil Rights Act, the University is under federal investigation for excluding white people.
Symbolic Actions
  • The university will be hosting monthly book club meetings to discuss "anti-oppressive" readings.
  • The Pacific Library outlines its "Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion Commitment" and states, "We acknowledge a legacy of historical, structural, and systemic injustices within the Libraries, University, community, and nation, that we must work to overcome in order to achieve that goal. Libraries, and academic libraries in particular, in our country are built on a set of cultural assumptions and norms that elevate White culture and suppress the cultural wealth and ways of knowing of other groups."
  • The University Board of trustees voted to rename the Harvey W. Scott building because "celebrating a person due to their influence alone is wrong when that influence is used to cause harm.... his influence caused significant oppression and harm."
Last updated August 23rd, 2024
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