- Mailing Address
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2130 Fulton Street
San Francisco, California 94117 - Phone
- (415) 422-5555
- Email address
- admission@usfca.edu
- Website
- https://www.usfca.edu/
- School Information
- "The university was founded in 1855 as St. Ignatius Academy...The State of California granted the college a charter in 1859...In 1930, on the occasion of its diamond jubilee and at the request of alumni groups, St. Ignatius College was renamed the University of San Francisco...Today, USF offers more than 80 undergraduate programs in the arts and sciences, business, and nursing and health professions, and more than 60 graduate programs in business, law, arts and sciences, education, and nursing and health professions. USF students come from 50 states and 111 countries. Grew up in 23 faith traditions. Speak 50 languages. USF has more than 117,000 alumni who live in 50 states, six U.S. territories, and 139 countries." (Source: https://www.usfca.edu/who-we-are/san-franciscos-university/our-history).
- General Information
- USF's Office of Antiracism, Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion works to institutionalize an antiracist framework and climate. The university launched the Re-imagining Public Safety project in reaction to students calling for the defunding or dismantling of USF police. USF provides an optional undergraduate course for international students to familiarize themselves with antiracism and optional faculty diversity training. See developments below:
Actions Taken
- Admissions Policies
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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."
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- Anti-Racism, Bias, and Diversity Training
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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.
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Movement to Movement (M2M) is an educational series aimed at "transforming educational engagement with anti-racism by identifying critical pedagogical needs, institutional impediments, strategic priorities, and effective practices for advancing DEI" in teaching. The project was developed as part of the Faculty in Conversations on Racial Pedagogy (CoRPs) and 6+YOU initiative.
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- Curriculum Changes and Requirements
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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.
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- Program and Research Funding
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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.
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USF offers a Performing Arts and Social Justice Major (PASJ), where studio work, seminars, and lectures teach students about diverse cultures, approaches to arts-activism, and arts management.
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On May 25, 2023, USF announced that the Institute for Nonviolence and Social Justice received a $100,000 gift from Stephen Curry, recipient of the NBA's 2022-23 Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Social Justice Champion Award.
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- Re-Imagining Policing
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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.
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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.
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- Resources
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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."
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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.
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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."
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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.
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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."
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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.
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UCS has an Office of Diversity and Outreach, whose mission is to "[build] a broadly diverse community, nurturing a culture that is welcoming and supportive, and engaging diverse ideas for the provision of culturally competent education, discovery, and patient care." Programs include the Confidential CARE Advocates (which provides free, confidential support to any UCS affiliate who has experienced discrimination, harassment, or abuse related to race, ethnicity, or national origin) and the Multicultural Resource Center.
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The Cultural Centers and ADEI host an annual USF Women of Color Leadership Conference. The 2024 theme was "Living Unapologetically". The conference also included a statement titled "Our Intentional Inclusion of Trans Voices of Color" to "collectively call to attention the struggle and resilience" of those whose gender identities fall under the transgender umbrella and welcome them to attend the conference.
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The USF Rising Mentorship Program a collaboration among the Leo T. McCarthy Center and Athletic Department to "partner with local youth-serving organizations and foster mutually beneficial relationships between USF students and youth from historically underserved communities." The fellowship would help youth gain a greater awareness of civic engagement and social justice opportunities. Fellows receive $500 per semester.
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- Symbolic Actions
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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.
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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.
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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.
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For Black History Month in February 2024, USF hosted many campus-wide events, including a speaker series in partnership with the USF Institute for Nonviolence and Social Justice, film screenings, and a pop-up art exhibition. The university also gave out a free book on anti-racism.
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The Heritage Recognitions Initiative is a cross-campus collaboration led by the Cultural Centers and the Office of Antiracism, Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (ADEI) to uplift the school's commitment to "celebrating and honoring the many cultural heritages and identities of our vibrant community".
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