MCN BIPOC (Black, Indigenous and/or People of Color) Full Statement February 2020

STUDENT FOCUSED SUMMARY AND RECOMMENDATIONS (Summer 2020)

The University of Wisconsin Milwaukee (UWM) Multicultural Network (MCN) continuously strives to promote and facilitate BIPOC student achievement, and as such, delivered a position statement to campus leadership February 2020, that included multiple recommendations for increasing the inclusive nature of campus for BIPOC students, faculty and staff. The recommendations were based on the following information.

Graduation rates for UWM students who identify as Black, Indigenous and/or People of Color (BIPOC) are well below those of their white counterparts. UWM, a predominately white institution (PWI), needs to better support BIPOC students by fostering a sense of belonging and inclusivity necessary for overall student success.

Despite multiple surveys, reports and recommendations that demand improving inclusion and equity at UWM, the institution continues to struggle with welcoming BIPOC students as valued members of the campus community. Students who see themselves reflected in various roles on campus feel more supported by their institutions, which then positively impacts matriculation, retention and graduation rates. Students repeatedly described their feelings of being excluded in classes and in co-curricular environments, creating a sense of disconnection from UWM.

Though the MCN strongly believes all recommendations made in the aforementioned February 2020 statement are equally important and necessary for sustained organizational change, it was tasked with providing a summary focus on the student recommendations. The following have been identified as being immediately vital to the creation of a more welcoming campus climate for UWM’s BIPOC students:

  • Forming student voice groups [exclusively BIPOC] that have a direct line of communication with the Chancellor and UWM’s leadership team for BIPOC students. (Progress still pending)
  • Recruiting and hiring more BIPOC students [with competitive pay] as employees, particularly in areas that have a strong student interaction component like Campus Ambassadors, Peer Mentors, Resident Assistants, within the Klotsche Center, and within student-facing offices like Advising and Career offices and Tutoring Centers. (Action in progress)
  • Requiring inclusivity training of existing staff and accountability for organizations that do not follow this directive. (Action in progress)
  •  Increasing faculty-led research opportunities for BIPOC students. Ideally lead by BIPOC faculty. (Progress still pending)