Auburn University President Jay Gogue announced in an email to Auburn students, faculty and staff on Monday a number of changes to the University’s policies regarding equity and inclusion on campus.
The policy changes come from the University’s Presidential Task Force for Opportunity and Equity which was formed on June 17 of last year. Gogue cited calls for more transparency in Auburn administration as well as support from the community as his reasons for announcing the changes.
Gogue listed both changes to be implemented in the future as well as changes that have already been put in place.
Upcoming policy changes
The following changes, announced by Gogue, will be implemented in the future:
- Increasing need-based financial aid by $2.4 million for the fall of 2021, for a total of $3.5 million in need-based aid
- Administering training on diversity, equity and inclusion beginning fall 2021, designed to help Auburn students, faculty and staff “better understand one another, to respect differences and to value each person’s individual human dignity.”
Steps already taken by the University
Gogue said the University has taken the following steps to create a more inclusive campus:
- Joined the CommonApp in the fall of 2020 to improve accessibility to applications
- Guaranteed admission for the fall of 2021 to the valedictorian and salutatorian from each accredited high school in Alabama with over 50 students
- Established the Together We Will Scholarship last fall, designed to help underrepresented students at Auburn. Over $500,000 has been contributed to fund the scholarship, which will be first awarded in summer 2021.
- Raised $29,950 for the Dr. Josetta Brittain Matthews Memorial Endowed Scholarship for low-income students
- Awarded the Ever to Conquer Scholarship, intended to assist low-income and first-generation students, to 288% more students in 2020 than 2019
Gogue said that these changes and other strategies have led to greater diversity among applicants for fall 2021.
“Auburn is not where we should be in regard to underrepresented minority enrollment, and we have a long way to go toward improving diversity, equity and inclusion on campus,” Gogue said. “My office has made it a priority to take specific actions and make tangible progress toward increasing minority admissions, scholarships and need-based awards.”
In response to Auburn Students and Community for Change
On March 5, Gogue replied to a letter from Auburn Students and Community for Change which listed demands for improvement in racial equity on Auburn's campus. He said many of the group's demands have already been implemented and that the others will be discussed by the Presidential Task Force.
Auburn Students and Community for Change's demands are listed in the following timeline published by the organization.
The full document listing their demands can be found here.
In the letter, the organization said that Auburn has long overlooked the experiences of minority community members and accused the University of white supremacy.
"We make these demands with the understanding that Auburn University has exemplified and will continue to exemplify white supremacy in its tactics for stalling, exploiting, and abusing its Black and POC students, staff, faculty, and alumni," the group wrote.
Gogue said he disagrees with the way that Auburn for Change characterized the University's treatment of minority students, faculty and staff.
"As I shared with them, I do not agree with their characterization of the actions or motives of the Auburn leadership, all whom care deeply about the institution and its students, faculty and staff," Gogue said in the email. "I emphatically stated there has been no attempt from Auburn’s senior leadership nor the task force to deceive, exploit or abuse Black and POC students, staff, faculty and alumni."
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Evan Mealins, senior in philosophy and economics, is the editor-in-chief of The Auburn Plainsman.
