I speak on behalf of the Culverhouse College of Business community when I say that recent tragic events have caused us all great anguish and anger. It is more than time that we acknowledge the racial bias that creates so much hurt and disadvantage and divide—we can say that it doesn’t exist here in our College, but it does, just as it does everywhere.
Our College mission specifies that we support a culture of inclusivity while educating those future leaders who go on to solve global challenges. And few challenges are greater than that of inequality, systemic racism, and bigotry.
We have much work to do to heal these open wounds, but we must begin to do so. To this end, we will support and generate dialogues that help not only our students, faculty, and staff, but the entire community, learn from these current tragedies to help heal and improve our college and campus environments and society at large. And we are at work implementing changes in our processes to ensure greater diversity, equity, and inclusion as we seek to contribute to the progress we support. We stand with our colleagues across The University of Alabama campus.
I encourage all to participate in forthcoming events and actions hosted by UA’s Division of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion. And I also personally invite all to share your feelings and thoughts about how we move forward at kay.palan@culverhouse.ua.edu.
Dean Kay M. Palan
Culverhouse College of Business at The University of Alabama