Tangible Ways to Improve the Black Experience, as Demanded by Black

Students: Inaction is Not an Option

Mission of this Working Group​: We push for the decolonization of Rice University as it
specifically pertains to Black Students. We are here to emphasize that this work will be an
ongoing process that requires the committed action of all members of the Rice community. We
seek to address the systemic oppression and inequity that is embedded within Rice’s history by
acknowledging and amplifying voices, experiences and communities that have historically been
unheard. We aim to create a new, holistic framework upon which Rice’s approach, to their
education and curriculum as a whole, as well as to Black students’ overall well-being including
our ability to access resources, is based. ​We intend to raise awareness about the Black
experience and the state of Black students at Rice. ​With this list and these actions, we will
address the systemic policies within Rice University that negatively impact Black students in
order to move towards Black liberation.

Recap/Key Note from Message to Admin: ​This list is not littered with quantitative data or studies
of peer institutions. Rather, we decided to use this moment in history to give a ​social statement.
We hope that members of the Rice community can view this list and know that inaction is not an
option, as there are many tangible ideas to explore to potentially improve the Black experience at
Rice. At least one item on this list could be potentially explored by you in the future as it pertains
to your role on campus and your focus for the year.

Note:​ Neither did we collect names of Black students who gave suggestions, nor did we list the
names of those we are aware of who “adamantly support” some of these items. To protect the
anonymity of Black students who may not feel comfortable with their name attached to a stated
demand, which is valid, we have left them out. We want to ensure that as many Black voices are
heard as possible. We took this step to ward off any potential suppression of these voices.

We decided to use the verb “demand” rather than a verb that has a more passive connotation. We
intend to aid in the movement to always uplift Black voices. We want to ensure that the Black
students who “requested” or “suggested” these items are fully legitimized and validated in their
ideas. So, we decided to voice their opinions and ideas in the most declarative way possible.

We are also aware that Rice has recently announced actions to address the racial inequity and
injustice present on campus. However, since this list has been in the works for almost a year
now, we decided to keep every item listed in order to further highlight the need and want for
these items as expressed by Black students.
Given the historical moment, we’ll begin with the demands pertaining to Black access and
visibility on campus.
1. We ​demand t​ hat Rice University increase the number of Black students accepted to
Rice.
a. Diverting more energy and resources into the recruitment process of high school
students, especially those from low-income and rural areas, is one of the many
avenues in which Rice could improve their efforts.
2. We​ demand​ a monetary investment of in the Third Ward dedicated to supporting
and uplifting the local community.
a. Community is one of Rice’s core values, and because of that, we believe that Rice
has a responsibility to help support community development in areas of Houston
such as Third Ward.
3. We ​demand t​ hat Rice University publicly highlight Black achievements, successes,
and events that occur.
a. Many of our Black students have made wonderful and impactful contributions to
the Rice community that have gone unnoticed and often taken for granted. We
deserve the same access to the same visibility and opportunities and expansive
networks as all other students.
4. We ​demand t​ hat Rice University has as much public transparency as legally possible
concerning targets and metrics for Black hiring and promotion rates; acceptance
rates; consistency and diversity in Black course-offerings; and student/faculty/staff
satisfaction.
a. This will serve as a means to keep Rice University accountable and on track with
taking concrete action towards improving systemic racial inequity on all levels at
Rice.

Related to comfortability and feeling included on campus, we also have outlined demands
pertaining to the Black community and student well-being.
5. We​ demand t​ hat Rice invest in creating a non-residential Black House that has all
the features of a residential college but is specifically made for Black students and
Black organizations to congregate and hold events.
a. Efforts are already underway to move the Multicultural Center (MCC) but we
believe it would be best to have a central, safe space that Black students can meet
and hangout in anytime of the day.
6. We ​demand​ that Rice University remove Willy’s statue.
a. Rice University’s history has included many racist moments such as the Klu Klux
Klan chapter and blackface social gatherings. In addition to that, sitting at the
center of our university is William Marsh Rice, the owner of 15 slaves during the
mid-19th century.
 b. His legacy is a constant reminder to many Black students of what Rice University
used to be like and what it stood for. We believe that there could be numerous
better options to represent the heart of our university and acknowledge Rice’s
racist past.
7. We​ demand​ better lighting for ID photos.
a. In the past, many Black students have had significant issues with the photographs
that are displayed on our student IDs. We deserve to be photographed and
represented properly without having to make modifications and adjustments.
8. We ​demand​ that Rice hire more Black counselors and therapists at Rice Wellbeing
and Counseling Center. We also ​demand ​all counselors and therapists must be
trained on how to handle racial trauma.
a. We deserve the same high quality treatment and access to professionals that suit
our specific needs.. The current staff can easily be trained and there are many
qualified Black therapists in the nation to choose from if the position offered is
indicative of their worth. We also demand that Black students have better
financial support for accessing psychiatrists we are referred to off-campus.
9. We ​demand​ that if a Black new student requests to have a Black roommate, that
request be honored.
a. In the past, students have not had a clear, formalized opportunity to let O-Week
coordinators know that they would like to be roomed with another Black student.
We know that this can be easily implemented into a formalized process to help
students feel more comfortable.
10. We ​demand​ ​affinity groups at the residential college level during O-week.
a. It is immensely important to foster community within our residential colleges and
create spaces within the college from the start of students' academic careers at
Rice. This ensures every student is comfortable in their residential college and can
begin to create a long lasting support system outside of their O-week family.
b. The establishment of affinity groups during O-week may also include the creation
of a residential college Black student printed guide, which would include advice,
interests, and contact information as well as funds to support small social events
and outings throughout the school year.
c. It is imperative that O-week is structured in a way that sets aside time for Black
students, especially Black athletes, to get to know each other within their
residential college, across their North or South colleges, and across Rice. Then,
after O-week it is important that there are also dedicated college nights or some
other kinds of events for those ties to also be facilitated with upperclassmen.
11. We ​demand i​ ncreased diversity training for all student leaders - especially O-week
advisors and coordinators.
 a. It is important for anyone in a position of power to be aware of unconscious bias,
privilege, complicitness, and systemic racial inequity as pertains to social
dynamics especially. This training could be the result of a collaboration between
the Doerr Institute of Leadership, Diversity Facilitators, a diversity training
expert, and the Office of Multicultural Affairs.
b. It is also important that advising groups be representative of the diversity of
incoming students. There has been a trend for there to be few, if any, Black
advisors at residential colleges. Efforts have been made finally this year to
increase Black advisor representation by adding a new advisor group with Lovett
College, for example. Though, this is still reflective of both unconscious bias and
a lack of belongingness amongst Black students with their residential colleges.
c. For this to be avoided going forward, it is important that Black students are
reached out to for advising and that college leadership make it an ongoing priority
to make Black students feel more comfortable in their residential colleges. This
onus cannot and should not be only on Black students.

Next, let us address the demands regarding the racial bias and sensitivity training that
needs to happen at Rice University.
12. We​ demand​ that Rice University establish explicit language in the Student Code of
Conduct regarding hate speech.
a. A Hate Speech Task-Force already exists at Rice, but the Rice administration
should work in collaboration with this group of students to take a permanent stand
against various forms of hate speech that exist.
13. We ​demand​ an inclusion budget at every college for underrepresented minorities.
a. As of now, this exists at some colleges, however, this should be mandatory in
every residential college’s budget.
14. We​ demand​ that Rice University revamp and mandate the existing racial sensitivity
training program for all faculty and A-Team members.
a. Right now, all faculty receive racial sensitivity training every two years, but the
foundation of the curriculum is mundane and artificial. This has led to countless
incidents of Black students having negative and lasting experiences with
professors at Rice.
b. An in-person, interactive training module needs to be established that focuses on
racial sensitivity and how to prevent microaggressions or overt racist comments
when interacting with students.
15. We​ demand​ that Rice cut ties with HPD and decrease RUPD presence on campus
with the goal of complete abolition.
 a. RUPD needs to publicly acknowledge, describe, and sincerely apologize for the
numerous racist encounters/incidents they’ve created that are usually only known
by the BIPOC students on campus.
b. We also believe that Rice University needs to provide and publicize an alternative
for Black students to call when they are locked out of room or in need of a night
escort

Finally, here are demands regarding the need for change within Rice’s curriculum and
academia.
16. We ​demand​ that Rice University create and implement a mandatory class for
incoming students on the systemic racial inequity that is built into our global and
local society and how it affects Black people today.
a. These efforts should be taken with collaboration of students, faculty, the
Wellbeing Office, and the Office of Multicultural Affairs to best address and
prevent the incidents that have occurred on Rice campus.
17. We ​demand​ that Rice University take a serious commitment to increasing the
number of Black faculty and staff in the next five to ten years.
a. For many students, it is already an isolating experience to see few students who
look like them, but with the low number of Black faculty and staff on campus, it
exacerbates the issue even further.
b. We, as students, would like to see an increase in Black chefs, tenured professors,
as well as other members of the Rice community. Representation plays a key role
in increasing the well-being of Black students on campus.
18. We ​demand​ the inclusion of Black/African/Caribbean/Afro-Diaspora languages in
the Center for Languages and Intercultural Communication (CLIC) (i.e. Haitian
Creole, Amharic, Wolof, Gullah, Swahili, etc.)
a. The expansion of languages and the establishment of Rice in Country Programs in
Africa would allow for a broader scope of education, understanding of
non-Eurocentric cultures.
19. We ​demand​ the comprehensive decolonization of Rice’s entire curriculum.
a. Eurocentric curriculum orients Western culture at the center and places other
cultures on the margins. Holistically tackling racial injustice requires more
diverse class options and professors along with the reconstruction of
major/minor-requirements that do not use this margin-center approach. For
example, we have a European Studies major but no African Studies major. Also,
course descriptions should include tags that indicate what race/ethnic/cultural
groups are included since many course titles do not make it clear if they include
diverse perspectives in their course material.
 b. The “unintentional” lack of Black presence within the Humanities curriculum
across departments at Rice up until now must also be acknowledged, so that we
can move forward. While we are happy for the most recent change with the
African minor/certificate and CAAS, it has taken years of faculty and student
advocacy for this to happen.
c. Rice should utilize and support the work actively being done by Rice departments
to highlight diverse and underrepresented voices in academia and research.
Departments and organizations that focus on forging relationships within the
Houston community and beyond should also be supported and amplified (i.e
CERCL, CAAAS, SWGS, etc.). Intersections between fields of study hold
together the connectedness of academia, so it is imperative that our administration
support student and faculty efforts to continue to further Rice’s mission statement
and V2C2 goal of receiving a global education.
d. Students affiliated with Rice study abroad programs should be required to take at
least a semester-long (long-term) course to prepare for international interactions
and promote ethical engagement. For example, Rice 360 Global Health
Technologies Summer Internship Program does not require any in-depth course
on the country/continent history, colonization, imperialism, or development
interventions for undergraduate students before they are sent to countries in
Africa and Latin America.

This list is neither comprehensive nor does it speak for all Black students as a single,
unified group. ​Though, it does serve as a compilation of the myriad of ideas, issues, and
requests that Black students have brought up. By viewing this list, we hope that you can see how
much Rice can potentially do to help. We also hope that this list will inform the groups who
strategize solutions to address these issues. Regardless of if Rice does or does not decide to
undertake any of these items in the future, they do deserve to be acknowledged and worked
towards.

This group’s goal is to highlight Black voices and spark conversation regarding any and all of the
proposed pathways suggested by real Black students. We are meeting later to explore how this
collaborative group should expand to continue to uplift Black voices. If you agree with our
mission and would like to see how you can further become involved, please contact Kendall
Vining (​kav3@rice.edu​) and/or Milkessa Gaga (​mkg7@rice.edu​) and we would love to have you
at our meeting.