The Arts and Science Undergraduate Society (ASUS) is hiring a diversity and equity advisor to fulfill part of its three-point Leading Action on Diversity plan.
The plan, created in response to ASUS President Jacob Mantle’s Islamophobic comment on a friend’s Facebook page in October, calls for the creation of an advisory position to oversee education on diversity issues for ASUS council and arts and science students.
Mantle, who will conduct hiring in the spring, said the advisor doesn’t need previous experience in social justice issues. He or she will work with the University’s Human Rights office and report to the ASUS executive.
Although it’s irable that ASUS recognizes its need for improved diversity and anti-oppression training, creating a new position is an inappropriate response to its shortcomings.
It’s unclear why a new position is necessary when the AMS Social Issues Commission (SIC) already conducts anti-oppression workshops.
If ASUS is concerned with current anti-oppression training, it should work with the AMS to make the program more relevant to ASUS’s needs.
An advisor should perhaps focus on lobbying the University to create more credit courses on equity issues, such as the existing IDIS 302 (‘Race’ and racism).
Mantle said some ASUS are uncomfortable going to the SIC with their issues, but instead of hastily writing the SIC off as a resource, ASUS should try to work out its reservations with the office.
The University also has a diversity advisor ASUS could seek out for consultation.
ASUS self-training will likely lack continuity with what the rest of the University is receiving if the advisor won’t necessarily be trained in a social justice background and will be hired by the person who arguably needs a refresher course himself in anti-oppression.
Mantle’s vague description of the advisor’s duties threaten to drive the redundant position into obscurity once it has fulfilled its mandate to repair ASUS’s tarnished reputation and appeared on someone’s resume.
ASUS should consult with anti-oppression campus groups, which pressured the executive to follow through with its plan, to help create a productive portfolio for the role.
Because of the yearly turnover for all ASUS positions, it’s necessary that the advisor have expertise in social justice issues before coming into the role. Without prior experience, even the most well-intentioned student will waste time becoming familiar with equity issues and ultimately accomplish little.
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