Campus Update and Future Directions

Dear Grinnell students, faculty, staff and families,

Today will be the last of these campus updates, but our work has only begun. The past three weeks have sought to build up security measures in response to the racist harassment and racist vandalism directed at Black community members. They have also made systemic issues on campus and in the community salient with work needed to build up responsiveness to racial trauma; to increase campus-wide and community-wide accountability for creating conditions of possibility in which anyone would think racist harassment and racist vandalism could be done and done with impunity; and to sustainably center Black experience through spaces, actions, and acknowledgement of the foundational role of Black intellectual and social movements at Grinnell. The 10-point call to action demands put forth by the Black Student Union continue to shape actions and discussions and I am thankful to BSU leadership for the channel of communication between us that has been established.

We are fortifying structures and expertise to do needed anti-racist work: in our administrative and academic departments, in the research and past actions that have been taken at the institution, in initiatives and ideas that are being worked out now. To continue the work, I will not be creating a new task force, but instead will be gathering a coalition of existing groups at the College who can mutually reinforce needed changes and sustain them in our campus and community through our existing governance and administrative groups. We will work out communication between groups, and to the campus and community, and continue to mobilize both so that there are clear paths for every student, faculty, and staff to make their own contributions to the work of an equitable community. We are not an equitable community in the disparate experiences that are linked to different racial identities at Grinnell. Our values and our history as an institution of social justice and social responsibility can both inspire us and hold us accountable to the work of an equitable community and to the work of social justice at Grinnell.

We have been fortunate to have Jodie Geddes on campus this week. Her work reminds us that the process of restorative justice and healing is not linear, but iterative. Grinnellians have been called to the table over and over to heal injustice and transform systems that create or condone inequity. In her book, Geddes says, “Coming to the table is the easy part. Staying at the table is the hard part; make the commitment to stay when things get hard.” Our work builds on the efforts of those who come before us, but our work for this moment in time has just begun. We must stay at the table when things get hard – as they will.

Below are updates on current actions; the long-term work remains to be done.

• Counseling and Support Resources
• Academic Accommodations
• Campus Safety Patrols
• Transportation
• InformaCast Safety App
• Cameras and Lighting
• Cooperation with the City of Grinnell

Counseling and Support Resources

In addition to the services available through the Virtual Care Group and the Collective facilitated space for cultural memory, the Office of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion and SHAW are working quickly to expand access to mental health services. More information will be shared when available.

Academic Accommodations

Students who need academic accommodations should reach out to Joyce Stern, Dean for Student Success and Academic Advising.

Campus Safety Patrols

Campus safety patrols will continue with the assistance of RLCs and Deans on call, supported by shuttle drivers and Campus Safety. Stepped up patrolling of public streets will continue.

Transportation

The Local Shuttle will continue to stop at the Conney M. Kimbo Black Cultural Center (BCC) as a part of its regular route. The local shuttle runs from 4 to 10 p.m., Wednesday through Saturday. Safe Rides may be accessed by calling Campus Safety dispatch (4600 on campus or 641-269-4600). Students have the option to request a dean on call or Campus Safety. A transportation voucher program for the weekend shuttle program is in development and will be available for the weekend of November 5th and 6th. Students will receive details next week.

InformaCast Safety App

The team continues to work on the technical aspects of the InformaCast app. The Office of Emergency Management seeks end users to test the app. If you are interested in participating, please email emergmgmt@grinnell.edu.

Cameras and Lighting

The installation of permanent cameras and lighting is a top priority for the College. At the same time, the electrical supply industry continues to experience supply chain challenges. The good news is that the vendor has met with College staff to get details on the proposed locations and the parts necessary to install cameras on a short timeline. That order is being finalized and placed and we will update the community when a confirmed timeline is available.

The Lighting Committee is meeting to move forward with the plan to increase the lighting on Park Street between 6th and 10th Streets and in other places that students have indicated are dark. The committee is also looking at upgrading older lighting on campus to more powerful LED technology. The committee will be seeking additional input from students, faculty, and staff – watch your email and the Campus Memo for those opportunities.

Cooperation with the City of Grinnell and Reporting

College leadership continues our recurring meetings with the City of Grinnell, with the next one on Monday afternoon. The focus of these meetings has been to enhance coordination in the investigation of racist vandalism and harassment and find those responsible. One outcome of these conversations is a shared understanding of the role that reporting plays in the ability to hold individuals accountable.

Creating a trustworthy and coordinated reporting system is key to accountability. The Bias Incident Reporting Team continues to work on the reporting process and has added new fields to the reporting form that will enable enhanced coordination for greater effectiveness. Anyone reporting a Bias Incident now has the option to choose to be contacted by one or more of the following offices:

• Division of Student Affairs
• Office of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion
• Campus Safety (to further investigate for campus purposes)
• Grinnell Police Department (to further investigate for a crime)
• None of the above

Thank you for your readership and your actions, your expertise, and your resolve.

Respectfully,

Anne