Released in April, the Henry Report has sparked discussion among students and faculty about the “culture of whiteness” at Queen’s.
In 2001, the former Vice-Principal (Academic) Suzanne Fortier was prompted to conduct a survey concerning racism experienced among faculty following the resignation of six faculty within a short period of time.
York University professor emerita, s Henry’s findings have been criticized by some for their questionable scientific merit; nonetheless, concerns highlight a need to address diversity at Queen’s.
Hiring practices should acknowledge the necessity of having a more diverse faculty. According to the report, there are only 117 of the 1,378 faculty who identify themselves as being of colour and/or Aboriginal.
This is not to say that an affirmative action approach is the only solution. Rather, hiring committees should strive to increase the diversity in the pool of applicants considered for various faculty positions.
Henry cites Queen’s as having “Eurocentric curricula.” While expanding the curricula is a good step, prospective faculty of diverse backgrounds should also never be pigeon-holed into teaching race-related topics that may not coincide with their areas of research.
And the “culture of whiteness” Henry points to in her report extends beyond just the faculty. At Queen’s, it seems to be more a matter of ignorance than “systemic racism” among students. Last Halloween, a white student dressed in blackface, pretending to be Miss Ethiopia. Although the student may not have been trying to offend anyone, she certainly demonstrated a tremendous lack of sensitivity and awareness on race issues, and perpetuated the school’s reputed “culture of whiteness.” The greater problem at Queen’s, though, is a culture of inaccessibility, which breeds a culture of elitism and exclusion. The elitist reputation of Queen’s is perpetuated by high tuition costs. The university should continue to look for ways to make Queen’s more accessible rather than seeking to specifically recruit racially diverse students.
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