Student hoping for concrete action as Western vows to combat campus racism

A Western University student is hopeful that the recommendations laid out in an anti-racism report by the school will lead to change on campus. 

"I think this is a good start for Western ... because it's the first time they've really addressed this," said Razan Mohamed, a student and one of the members of the Anti-Racism Working Group who helped compile and draft the report.

The working group, made up of a committee of students, staff and faculty members, was commissioned by the university after a series of racist attacks were experienced by a Black student who called out a professor for using the N-word in class.

For four months, the group gathered input through surveys and listening sessions. Hundreds of students, faculty and staff shared their experiences of racism on campus.

"[Moderating the listening sessions] really allowed me to see racism experienced by people beyond the undergraduate level," said Mohamed.

"We heard stories from staff, faculty and it really solidified how institutional the racism problem is and how it's occurring at every level and every space, no matter where on campus," she said.

The stories, along with 23 recommendations, became the basis for the report. It states that racist incidents on campus aren't isolated, but "part of a deeply entrenched anti-Black legacy that remains pervasive."

As the 66-page report notes, students like Mohamed are approaching the future of anti-racism efforts with "cautious optimism."

"I want to see more concrete numbers and more concrete figures, so I can hold te university accountable because when it comes to inclusion and diversity there is a large risk for the university to say they're planning to do this [and not follow through]."

"But I think at this point, the students at Western, particularly those who have been affected by racism, need more than hope right now, they need concrete actions." 

On Wednesday afternoon, Western University President Alan Shepard, along with a number of administrators and the co-leaders of the working group hosted a town hall where they answered questions about the report and reinforced their commitment to combat racism at the university. 

"As the report says, we do have a lot of work to do and we're ready to do it," Shepard said in his opening remarks. 

Some of the recommendations the university will be following include hiring a senior advisor to the president on diversity issues, creating an anti-racism task force, creating more supports for people impacted by racism and strengthening their training. 

Mohamed said that training for staff and students should be one of the top priorities.

"I don't mean a power point you can slide through quickly, but something that's immersive and that really ensures people understand the experiences of Black, Indigenous and people of colour on campus."

"It needs to be something that really teaches people how to conduct themselves, check their own biases and ensure that they're being an ally."