University of San Francisco

On June 29, 2023, USF's President issued a statement in response to the Supreme Court's ruling on affirmative action which reads in part as follows: "The United States Supreme Court’s disappointing decision this morning on two closely watched cases involving affirmative action policies in college admissions is eliciting questions and concerns in our own community, in the larger higher education community, and across the nation...I want the USF community...to understand clearly USF’s commitment to hold true to our Catholic identity and Jesuit mission. The Catholic Church is a global communion of Churches from a wide diversity of cultures, languages, and customs in respectful dialogue and cooperation with the other world faith traditions...Please know that USF administrators and faculty, colleagues at other Jesuit universities, and our regional and national education associations are actively following the repercussions of the court’s decision and proactively devising legal pathways forward for us to pursue our mission."

The Faculty in Conversations on Race Pedagogy (CORPs) project seeks to provide faculty the training and support that allows them to facilitate dialogues about race and racism in connection with their curricula and disciplines. Such classroom dialogues call for students to "analyze systems of oppression, consider their own intersectional identities and location in systems of oppression and consider how internalized, interpersonal, institutional and structural racism are woven throughout society in ways that create inequitable access to necessary resources." The goal of this project is to "increase the racial literacy" of faculty across all five colleges and the library and to provide training on how to facilitate classroom dialogues about race and racism.

As part of the "One Community, One Book initiative", USF’s Center for Research, Artistic and Scholarly Excellence (CRASE), Division of Student Life, and the Gleeson Library jointly selected the book "So You Want to Talk About Race" by Ijeoma Oluo to be shipped to all incoming first-year students to read during the summer of 2021. Oluo's book guides readers through subjects ranging from intersectionality and affirmative action to “model minorities”. The author was also invited to speak in a webinar on September 7, 2021.

USF's Black Leadership Fellowship is an initiative offered through the Black Resource Center to develop Black students' understanding and practice of ethical leadership through a year-long program that provides "fundamental skills, frameworks, and strategies needed to create an equitable and ethical impact as a leader." The program includes a two-day leadership retreat, year-long personal and leadership development workshops, and a 6-8 week summer internship with a Bay Area organization.

In reaction to students at USF calling for the defunding or dismantling of the USF Department of Public Safety Department, as well as national concern over state violence against Black people, USF launched the Re-imagining Public Safety project. This project provides race training to officers in the Department of Public Safety as well as a series of forums on race and policing for the entire USF community.

As part of the Re-imagining Public Safety project, USF hosted a university discussion on February 23, 2021 where three faculty members shared stories of mistreatment at the hands of police and their thoughts on police reform.

The Office of Antiracism, Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (ADEI)'s mission is to promote an inclusive climate, and advance equitable structures, systems and policies at USF. The office offers workshops, training, symposia, and other programs focused on anti-racism, bias response, accessibility, equity, and restorative justice. It also partners with deans and other administrative units to provide coaching, training, and consultation to address DEI issues with students, staff, faculty, and librarians.

USF has a University Council on Antiracism, Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (UCADEI) that works to promote an inclusive climate and equitable structures, systems, and policies in the university.

USF's Gleeson Library has a White Privilege Resource Guide, which urges the community to "check [their] privilege" and recommends people read books such as "Understanding White Privilege" by Frances Kendall, "White Fragility" by Robin DiAngelo, and "White Like Me" by Tim Wise.

The Gleeson Library also has Anti-Racism Resources, what the library calls "a selection of materials to empower people to move beyond simply not being overtly racist, and into active anti-racism work."

USF has Lyricist Lounge where students would gather to hear peers address "social justice issues, identity expression, experiences of oppression and triumph" through poetry and music. There are also Cultural Diversity Immersion Workshops which talk about identity awareness, interpersonal engagement, and solidarity building.

USF has a 4-unit undergraduate course for international students called "Learning Across Difference: Understanding the Roots of Anti-Blackness, Whiteness and Racial Bias in the United States" that examines the issues of race and racism in the United States, provides historical context, and "offers a safe space to interrogate these issues." The objective of the course is to educate and empower international students to add their voices to USF's campus dialogue on race and racism and to "weave themselves and their identities into the fabric of our diverse community."

The University Ministry offers racial justice resources for the school. It says it stands in solidarity with the Black Lives Matter movement and all who seek to end racism, anti-Black hatred, White supremacy, violence and police brutality.

University Ministry's Social Justice Program provides community-based learning in the Jesuit tradition through insertion experience, social analysis, reflection, and action. It also seeks to promote "faith that does Justice."

USF's Gleeson Library and Geschke Center Center partnered with the DEI Committee of the School of Management to create an Anti-Racism and Business guide. The guide has resources related to Employment and Workplace, Entrepreneurship and Business Ownership, Anti-Racism in Business Disciplines, Generational Wealth and Finance, and the Jesuit and Ignatian faith. The guide also offers teaching tools to assist in incorporating antiracist pedagogy in higher education.

From April 5 to April 23, 2021, USF had a 15-day Racial Equity Challenge, which is designed to create "dedicated time and space to build more effective social justice habits, particularly those dealing with issues of inequity, racism, resilience, strength, and community." Daily topics include "What Does it Mean to be Non-Racist and Anti-Racist", "Racism in Housing", "Racism and Mental Health", "Racism in Policing", etc.

On February 25, 2021, USF announced its new initiative called “6+You". The six-part initiative includes programs and conversations about race and racism both within and outside of the campus community and is funded by a USF Jesuit Foundation grant.

The USF Magazine has a guide titled "How Do We Create An Anti-Racist Future?". The steps suggested are to acknowledge evil, don't judge, admit your mistakes, heal the past, educate yourself, and take action.