Last Monday evening, I joined a virtual meeting of the Fish and Wildlife Sciences Department of the College of Natural Resources to talk about inclusion. As our country grapples with a long-overdue conversation about systemic racism, I am proud of my department for releasing a statement on the importance of diversity and equity.
I am prouder still of the students and faculty who demanded that this statement come with action to back up its words. We desperately need change, and the statement, while a good start, is not going to reverse nearly 80 years of history and create an inclusive department on its own.
As colleges go, the CNR is not particularly diverse and the Fish and Wildlife Sciences Department reflects that larger trend. Most of my major-related classes have been taught by white men. My classes rarely include students of color, and I have never been in a CNR class taught by a person of color.
The diversity and equity meeting itself was attended almost exclusively by white women. I believe this is better than not having a meeting at all, but it shows how far we have to go toward true inclusivity.
As a department, there are some little changes we can make to create a more inclusive community: including non-Christian religious holidays on the academic calendar, inviting BIPOC guest lecturers to graduate courses, and ensuring safe accommodations for LGBTQ+ students on field trips are a few examples of actions we discussed at the meeting.
However, we all knew there are deeper-rooted problems. It’s great to invite people of color to give a guest lecture, but how do we radically change the culture so that they feel comfortable working and living here over a longer time period?
Even as a white woman, I had my reservations about moving to Northern Idaho for college. When I decided to study at UI, I remember my grandfather rolled his eyes and said, “stay away from skinheads.” If I felt nervous about the white supremacist presence in this part of the country, then how can anyone expect to attract people of color to study here, much less accept long-term faculty positions here?
It’s hard enough for a person of color to feel safe living in Northern Idaho, much less conducting natural resources field work in remote locations. This is an expectation for most researchers in the CNR. As a student researcher, I have spent the last two summers working in the Clearwater National Forest and on Coeur d’Alene Lake.
It is a sign of privilege that I can trek through the national forest alone without worrying about being harassed. It is a sign of privilege that I associate the City of Coeur d’Alene with a beautiful lake rather than a compound inhabited by white supremacist terrorists.
The Aryan Nation bunkers were converted into a peace park less than 20 years ago. This is not ancient history, this is our recent past. We need to put in the work every day to make amends for that time, to show that those domestic terrorists don’t represent the Idaho we want to live in. We need to work for an Idaho where our beautiful natural settings are accessible and safe for all Americans.
Today, the Fish and Wildlife Department is just beginning to address the work that needs to be done to create an equitable and diverse academic environment. For my part, I am proud of their initiative, supportive of their words and committed to making sure they act in accordance with the inclusivity objectives they have set.
Beth Hootscan be reached at [email protected].