Report Card

Name:TheUniversityofOklahoma
Semester:Spring2016
OverallGPA:1.14/4.00

Grievance:
BlackFacultyBeyondtheAfrican&
AfricanAmericanStudiesDepartment

Grade:

Comments:

RetentionRatesAmongBlackStudents

TheoriginalUnhearddocument
analysesthedisproportionateratioof
minorityprofessorstotheamountof
minoritystudentsoncampus.Although
8newfacultyhavebeenhiredwithin
PriceCollegeofBusiness,Collegeof
Engineering,CollegeofArts&
Sciences,andGaylordCollegeof
Journalism&MassCommunication,the
disproportionisstillveryalarming.
Insection1.3.2ofBlackFaculty
BeyondtheAfrican&
AfricanAmericanStudies
Department,thedocumentraises
concernaboutthelackoftenure
professorsofcolor,yettherehasnot
beenanyprogressionasfarasthis
concern.
Theopenrecordsofficefailedtoprovide
currentdataregardingthisgrievance
whencontacted.Ithasbeenvery
difficulttoobtaininformationandfiling
afreedomofinformationactshouldn't
benecessaryforapublicUniversity.
Thisinformationshouldbetransparent
andreadilyavailableforaccountability
purposes.
TheofficeofCommunity,inaneffortto
increaseretentionrates,hascreateda
partnershipwiththeGraduationOffice
tohaveincomingFreshmenmeet
regularlytodiscussresourcesand
academicplanningwithadvisors.
ThenumbersofBlackstudentsenrolling
andbeingretainedhavedefinitely
increasedsincethereleaseofthecurrent
numbers.
AsofMarch2016therehas
beenan11%increaseof
AfricanAmericanstudents.

FinancialAssistance/Scholarships
ReceivedbyBlackStudents

Themerefactthatthecurrent
retentionratesnumbersarenot
madereadilyavailableis
problematic.
Newprogramsarebeing
developedtoincreasethe
multiculturalpresenceon
campushowever,thereismore
tobedone.
Althoughthefocusofthegrievanceis
thepoorretentionratesofBlack
students,whicharesubparcomparedto
theircounterpartswemustnotethatwith
risingcosts,theUniversitywillno
longerbeaffordable,thereforelimiting
themulticulturalpresencethatis
currentlybeingstrengthened.
Workhasbeendone,butthe
workismediocreatbest.
Section1ofFinancialAssistance/
ScholarshipsReceivedbyBlack
StudentsstatesOfthethousandsof
scholarshipsofferedbytheuniversity,
veryfewareaimedtowardsBlack
students.Theuniversityhasfailedto
provideadequatefinancialassistanceto
theBlackstudentbody,inordertomake
itfeasibleforBlackstudentstoattend
andstayattheuniversitylongenoughto
obtainadegree.
WerecognizethattheUniversitycannot
provideracespecificscholarships,due
toFederalmandatedlaws.
CentralizedAcademicScholarshipHub
InOctoberof2015theOU
ScholarshipOfficelauncheda
newsystemknownasthe
CentralizedAcademic
ScholarshipHub(CASH).
CASHenabledcontinuing
studentstoapplyfor
Collegewidescholarships,
departmentalscholarships,
financialaidscholarships,
SoonerParentsscholarships,
andcampusawardsinone
place.
AdditionalFees
Anewplanwillsoonbe
implementedtorequire
incomingfreshmanstudents
topaya$1250depositbefore

beingallowedtoenroll.
Reportedly,thefeewillnotbe
abletobecoveredthrough
scholarshipsorfinancialaid.
Thisfeewill
disproportionatelyaffect
studentsofcolor,particularly
Blackstudents,andcould
causethenumberofBlack
studentsenrolledtodecline
drastically.Itisagross
impedimenttoaccess.Ithas
alsobeenimpliedthat
NationalMeritScholarswill
beexemptfromthisdeposit,
whilerecipientsof
Oklahoma'sPromise(who
arepredominantlystudents
ofcolor)willnotbe.

SupportiveProgramsforBlackStudents

IntheoriginalUnhearddocumentthe
roleoftheMulticulturalEngineering
Programanditsimpactswithinthe
collegeofEngineeringarediscussedin
section1.2.1.1ofSupportive
Programs.
Section1.2.1.2.1goesontochargeeach
individualcollegetoadoptaDiversity&
InclusionprogramequivalentofMEP.
Ofthe11collegescharged,
PriceCollegeofBusinessand
theCollegeofArts&Sciences
aretheonlytwothathave
adoptedsuchprograms.
PriceCollegeofBusiness,
underthedirectionofKenneth
Chapman,hascreatedastand
aloneDiversity&Inclusion
officeandisinprocessof
adoptingaSummerBridgeand
summercampprogramfor
underrepresentedandfirst
generationstudents.
TheCollegeofArts&Sciences
hashiredaDirectorforStudent
Development&Community,
createdaTribalLiaisonOfficer
positionandhasalsobegan
creatingequivalentSummer
Bridgeprogramsforits
students.
Eachcollegeoncampushas
appointedarepresentativethat

servesasaDiversityOfficeron
theDiversityandInclusivity
AcademicCouncilreportingto
theVicePresidentof
Community.
TheDiversityOfficerposition
isnotadequatelyoutlinedwith
detaileddescriptionof
responsibilities.
Additionally,wearerequestingthat
suchsupportprogramsbemade
availableonanindependentou.edu
webpagethatlistsallmulticulturaland
minoritysupportprogramsexisting
campuswideandwithinvarious
collegesbytheOfficeofStudent
Affairs.
TheOfficeofUniversityCommunity
hastakenontheexpansionofthe
HendersonScholarsProgramand
increasedthescholarshipamountaswell
ashiredafulltimeExecutiveAssistant
toassistthecurrentdirector.

TheOUExperience
*Aswehaveexaminedtheprogressandstatusofthese
grievances,wehavealsoexaminedourselvesandchoseto
replacetheword'sooner'withOUfromtheSooner
Experiencebecauseofitsproblematicroots.Aswepursue
ourfreedomfromthemargins,weareactivelytakingstridesto
ensurethatwearenotmarginalizingothercommunitiesinthe
process.

Organizationsgivenadequateresources
toperformlargescaleprogrammingare
stillnotculturallyconsciousofBlack
culture.(Referto1.1ofOUExperience
intheoriginalUnhearddocument)
MustStayWeekend2015
TheUniversitybroughtrap
artistYGtocampusin
September2015andtheartist
wascensoredbytheUniversity
fromusingtheword
niggaduetothenegligenceof
themajoritycommunity.
Lackoforganizationduringthe
concertresultedinalackof
promisedVIPaccessto
studentsandvolunteers.
Continuouslackofrespectand
considerationforBSA&
NPHCrepresentativeswas
shownbythecoordinatorsof
theconcert,duringboththe
planningandimplementationof
event.
Lackofconsiderationin
choosingadatefortheconcert
riskedjeopardizingShown
Tell,ahistoricandstaple

eventfortheOUBlack
Community,evenafter
concernswereexpressedbythe
community.
Studentvotingfortheevent
wasnotreadilyaccessibleto
thecommunityatlarge,polls
fortheartistwerestillmade
seeminglyexclusive.
InOUExperience1.1.1.2Unheard
explainsconcernsregarding
homecomingandCAC.
Althoughanewsystemwasput
inplaceforpairingofstudent
organizations,inFall2015,
BSAstruggledwithsubstantial
involvementinhomecoming
duetodisproportionate
resourcesbetweenthe
organizationstheywerepaired
with.
Themajorityoflarger
organizationshadfreereignto
freelyimpedeoverinferior
organizationswithoutproper
accountabilityfromanyfaculty,
administration,oradvisor.
RapBattle2015:Coprogram
betweenBSA&UPB
BSAwasnottreatedasan
equalpartnerintheplanning
andimplementationofthis
event.Decisionswereoften
madewithoutconsultingor
includingtheBSARapBattle
chair.
CulturalMisappropriation
OUGreekchapterscontinueto
hostinappropriatelythemed
partiesanddressinwaysthat
misappropriateandmakea
mockeryofBlackcultureand
otherminoritygroups.
MandatoryDiversityTraining
TheUniversityhassuccessfully
implementedamandatory
DiversityTrainingExperience
ledbyDr.KathleenWong
(Lau)andtheSouthwestCenter
forHumanRelations.
OUisthe1stschoolintheBig
XlltorequireallFreshmento
attendDiversityTraining.

LackofaPresenceWithinExecutive
Hierarchy

CampCrimsonSection1.2
Respectiveofficeand
coordinatorshaveexplored
variouswaystomakethecamp
environmentmoreinclusive,as
wellhasadopteddifferentways
torecruitadiversecampstaff.

InLackofaPresenceWithin
ExecutiveHierarchysection1ofthe
originaldocument,Unheardquoted,
Thenumberofblackdeans,associate
deans,andassistantdeansatthe
Universityisevenmorealarmingat
0%.
Sincethereleaseoftheofficial
lettertheUniversityhashired
JabarShumateastheVice
PresidentfortheUniversity
Community,AondoverTarhule
asanExecutiveAssociateDean
inAtmosphericandGeographic
Sciences,Dr.KelvinWhiteas
AssociateDeanofFaculty
Development&Communityin
theCollegeofArts&Sciences,
StanEvansasAssistantDean
ofOUCollegeofLaw,and
YvetteWalkerastheAssociate
DeanforGaylordCollegeof
JournalismandMass
Communication.
Dr.ElonDancyhasacceptedaProvost
Fellowposition.

EquitableFundingforBlackStudent
Organizations

Section1.2ofEquitableFunding
discussesinequitablefundsallocatedto
theBlackStudentAssociationtoserve
itspurpose.
Therehavebeennopermanent
resolutionsordecisions
communicatedtoUnheard,the
BlackStudentAssociationor
theNationalPanHellenic
Councilregardingmore
equitableorproportional
fundingforBlackstudent
organizations.Theofficeof
StudentAffairsandtheStudent
GovernmentAssociationhas
repeatedlygivenbothmembers
ofOUUnheardandtheBlack
StudentAssociationthe

runaroundregardingpermanent
implementationforadequate
funding.
YearafteryeartheBlack
StudentAssociationsubmitsa
budgetofsignificantlyover
$40,000toSGAandyearafter
yeartheorganizationreceives
inadequatefundingof$7,000to
serveitscommunitywhile
CACreceives$160,000.
StapleeventssuchasShowN
Tell,Mr.&Ms.BlackOU,
BlackHistoryMonthevents,
andStompdowncannot
functiononthisunacceptable
budget.
FundingforBlack
organizationsremainsa
problemforthecommunity,
eventhoughBlackstudent
organizationshaveactively
pursuednewoutletsfor
funding.Withoutincreased
funding,Blackstudentled
eventsremaininjeopardy,
Blackstudentgroupscontinue
tohavefewerresources,and
Blackstudentorganizations
havelessopportunitiesfor
development.
Wedemandaconcreteoutline
astohowbothSGAand
StudentAffairsplanto
implementfundingchanges
withinthenextmonth.
Noclarificationhasbeen
providedonwhatconstitutesan
organizationtobeconsidered
anAdministrative
Organization,suchasCAC.
Wedemandaconcreteoutline
astowhatconstitutesa
AdministrativeOrganization.
Duetolackofresourcesandavailable
assistingpositions,theDirectorof
AfricanAmericanStudentLifeis
overworkedandunderpaid.

ThefollowingreportcardisanevaluationontheoriginalgrievancesofOUUnheard.First,wewouldliketothankPresidentBoren,
JabarShumateandtheOUCommunityforworkingtowardscreatingamoreinclusiveenvironment.Alongwiththeirefforts,wealso
wanttorecognizetheeffortsofDr.KathleenWong(Lau)andtheSouthwestCenterforHumanRelationsStudies,Dr.Lupe
DavidsonandtheCenterforSocialJustice,ClarkeStroudandtheStudentAffairsdivision,specificallyLaurenWhitemanandthe

officeofAfricanAmericanStudentLife,TheAFAMdepartment,DeanPullinandthePriceCollegeofBusinessDiversityand
Inclusiondivision,DeanDamphousseandtheCollegeofArtsandSciences,andourcoalitionallies:IndigenizeOU,QuiC,DnA,and
TheBrownCollective.Additionally,wewanttothankthecountlessfacultyandstaffthathaveshownsupport,givenussafehaven,
orwordsofencouragement.

Thereportcardreflectstheeffortsinwhichwehavecomparedtolastyear.Whilewe(OUUnheard)recognizethatthingstaketime
tochange,wealsounderstandtheurgencytopressthecauseofinclusivityandchange.Thisreportcardshouldnotbetaken
personally,ordisregardtheeffortsputforththusfar,howeverthisreportcardshouldholdaccountablethosethathavethepower,
resources,andinfluencestoactivelyandconsistentlyadheretotheoriginalgrievances.

We(OUUnheard),understandthedeeprootedsystemicissuesthatplaguethiscampus.Sadlywearestillexperiencingthe
symptomsofracism.Thesegrievancesserveaspurposeforourvoicestobeheard.Wedonotseeitfittoremainquietwhilemany
ofussuffer.Wearegratefultobeatthisuniversity,andwehavecomealongway,butformanyofusstill,wedonotfeellikewe
belong.Dr.GeorgeHendersononcesaid,Ifnotyou,thenwho,ifnotnowthenwhen