SUNY Buffalo

On June 29, 2023, SUNY’s Chancellor and Board of Trustees issued a statement in response to the Supreme Court’s decision on race conscious admissions which reads in part as follows: “Today, the US Supreme Court attempted to pull our nation backwards in the journey toward equity and civil rights with an egregious ruling that will have serious impacts on students and families seeking the American dream of opportunity through higher education...Today’s decision threatens to undermine what progress has been made, by throwing up roadblocks and barriers when what’s needed are better paths and bridges...At SUNY, our resolve to provide opportunity for all has never been stronger. The commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion will continue to be a factor in every goal we pursue, every program we create, every policy we promulgate, and every decision we make."

The Office of Equity, Diversity and Inclusion at UB provides several in-person trainings and workshops including "Search committee training" and "Diversity/Cultural competence" training.

Anti-Racism will be added to the curricula, according to town hall with University leadership. “You don’t get to be neutral anymore.”

The Department of Sociology announced that it will “create inclusive learning and working environments” and “engage in scholarship that impacts discussions of social justice, including racial justice, and support students and faculty whose goal is to pursue research in these areas.”

As part of the President’s Advisory Council on Race, the "Curriculum & Pedagogy Subcommittee" final report (April 15, 2022) makes the following recommendations: "Require a series of co-curricular modules for all undergraduate students that cover core knowledge and skills related to anti-racism, integrated within general education and at other critical points (e.g., orientation, first-year seminar, diversity learning requirement)", "Develop and implement program processes which evaluate DEI and anti-racism in objectives, learning outcomes, curriculum, and assessment of student learning", and "Create a task force to address issues of DEI [Diversity, Equity, Inclusion] and anti-racism in course evaluation."

As part of the President’s Advisory Council on Race, the "Faculty Recruitment, Mentoring, and Retention Subcommittee" final report (April 15, 2022) recommended the following: "All members of search committees must undergo anti-bias education and learn best practices for search[ing]."

As part of the President’s Advisory Council on Race, the "Curriculum & Pedagogy Subcommittee" final report (April 15, 2022) recommends the following: "Require annual anti-racist/diversity training for faculty and staff."

The Institute for Strategic Enhancement of Educational Diversity at UB "promotes a culturally and academically inclusive community of students, postdoctoral fellows, faculty and staff."

The CLIMB (Collaborative Learning and Integrated Mentoring in the Biosciences) Program at UB received the 2020 Inspiring Programs in STEM Award from "Insight Into Diversity" magazine. The Inspiring Programs in STEM Award "honors colleges and universities that encourage and assist students from underrepresented groups to enter the fields of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM)."

The school states that, "The Office of Inclusive Excellence hosts 'Let’s Talk about Race,' a series of university-wide lectures, town halls, and other events that foster conversations toward achieving our goal of deep cultural and structural transformation."

The School of Public Health and Public Professions offers anti-racist resources, including "How to Be an Anti-Racist" by Ibram X. Kendi and "White Fragility and the Rules of Engagement" by Robin DiAngelo.

The SUNY system released its “Statement on the Minneapolis Trial Verdict” alongside "anti-racism resources for all ages."

The mission of the Intercultural and Diversity Center (IDC) is to "Educate through cross-cultural engagement" and "Advocate for social justice within and beyond UB." The Center coordinates "educational programs and cultural events aimed to broaden student perspectives and promote inclusion, equity, and social justice."

UB's Office of Inclusive Excellence has an "Inclusive Pedagogy" webpage that provides "tips for faculty and instructors" to make teacher's courses and their interactions with students more "inclusive." One such syllabus tip states the following: "Cover multiple topics during the semester that are relevant to students of color, communities of color, and other underrepresented groups."

UB's Office of Inclusive Excellence provides "institutional resources" for "inclusive" pedagogy which include "Black Lives Matter: A guide to reading" and "Developing instructional practices and content that are equitable and inclusive."

On October 27, 2022, UB's University Libraries updated its Black Lives Matter reading guide and stated the following: "The nationwide reckoning with longstanding racial injustice in America -- in education, employment, housing, medical care, voting rights, and above all in the criminal justice system -- has gained unstoppable momentum in recent months. The books on this page are fuel for this struggle."

On June 1, 2022 UB's Office of the Provost published the various subcommittee final reports related to the President's Advisory Council on Race, and a statement from then-President Satish K. Tripathi which states the following: "The importance of our collective work cannot be overstated. Together, we have seen in our own Buffalo community how racial hatred and white supremacy have destroyed lives, created uncertainty, fear, anguish. At UB, we work to make meaningful change within the context of our mission. And that is what the committee has sought to do."

University is removing former president Millard Fillmore's name from its campus.

The university has created a Standing Committee on Diversity, Inclusion, and Learning Environment.

The Department of Sociology released a statement on its "Commitment to Diversity and Anti-Racism," stating the department has set a goal "to recruit, hire, and retain faculty, staff, and students from underrepresented groups, particularly Black, Latinx, and indigenous scholars who have historically been excluded from the academy."