Town hall meeting set for 9 a.m. Monday

A town hall meeting to discuss the events of the past week and to begin charting a course forward will be held from 9 to 10 a.m. Monday, Nov. 30, in the Viking Union Multipurpose Room. Announcing the meeting was the President's Taskforce on Equity, Inclusion and Diversity in an email to students, faculty and staff on Sunday evening:

Dear Campus Community,

The President's Taskforce on Equity, Inclusion and Diversity invites students, faculty and staff to a Town Hall meeting from 9 a.m. to 10 a.m. Monday, November 30 in Western Washington University's Viking Union Multipurpose Room.

The purpose of the Town Hall meeting is to discuss the impact of the recent messages of hate directed at the Western community; to consider what happened; to acknowledge fears; to discuss how to address systemic racism on Western's campus and in society; and to consider how to use the recent events as a springboard to redouble efforts for inclusion, safety and hope in Western's community.

The Town Hall meeting will feature panelists, including Western leaders whose “shoulders we stand on” moving toward a more inclusive community.

The university will be in normal operations Monday, including regularly scheduled classes. Faculty are encouraged to allow students to attend the Town Hall meeting. Likewise supervisors are encouraged to allow their employees to attend as well.

Those who cannot attend in person are encouraged to view a live video stream, which will be available at http://www.ustream.tv/channel/wwu-live-events1.

Listening sessions will be held at Western colleges on an ongoing basis. Times and locations will be communicated to the campus community.     

The rationale for the listening sessions will be to acknowledge and share by cultivating the courage to be emotionally honest, to set boundaries, and allow ourselves to be vulnerable; connecting with others within and across racial lines; exploring ways to heal together; and to actively champion systemic change that supports recovery and reconciliation.

The Campus Equity and Inclusion Forum has nine workshops between Monday and December 11, available at this link under “Campus Equity and Inclusion Forum.” Members of the campus community are urged to attend one of these free workshops.

The Town Hall meeting is sponsored by the President's Taskforce on Equity, Inclusion and Diversity.