Calling for Change: BME Oxford Students Speak Out

Calling for Change:BME Oxford Students Speak Out

OUSU Campaign for Racial Awareness and Equality

04/15/2023 2

Outline

• Methodology

• Race at Oxford: A Welfare Issue

• Why Race Matters for Student Experience• Social Isolation• Racial Awareness• Academic Environment• Institutional Support

• Recommendations and Next Steps

04/15/2023 3

METHODOLOGY

• Sample Sizes • 100 Voices: N = 70 students interviewed• Race Survey: N = 528 (57.6% White, 26.3% BME) respondents• Welfare Survey: N = 134 respondents (BME)

• Compare: 23% of OU students identify at BME (Dec 2013)

• Samples are small, but representative of BME students at Oxford

04/15/2023 4

RACE AT OXFORD: A WELFARE ISSUE

04/15/2023 5

HAVE YOU EVER FELT UNSAFE OR UNWELCOME ON ACCOUNT OF YOUR RACE OR ETHNICITY WHILE AT OXFORD?

In the 2014 Race Survey, 59% of BME students (10% of white students) have felt unwelcome because of your race/ethnicity at Oxford.

Neither Unwelcome Unsafe Both

43% 43%

3%

12%

n = 134

04/15/2023 6

HOW MUCH DO YOU THINK YOUR EXPERIENCE AT OU HAS BEEN INFLUENCED NEGATIVELY BY YOUR RACE/ETHNICITY?

In the 2014 Race Survey, 57% of BME students (38% of white students) believed that racism is a problem at Oxford.

Not at all A little Some A lot

38%

41%

10% 11%

n = 136

04/15/2023 7

WHY RACE MATTERS

04/15/2023 8

WHAT DO YOU THINK ARE THE MOST IMPORTANT ISSUES AFFECTING BME WELFARE AT OXFORD UNIVERSITY?

lack of other BME students (in college)

stereotypes & prejudice (other students)

lack of BME staff (in college)

social isolation

lack of other BME students (in department)

lack of BME staff (in department)

stereotypes & prejudice (teachers, tutors, professors, ...)

unequal treatment in administrative settings (college/department/university)

lack of support (in college)

unequal treatment in academic settings (by teachers, tutors, professors, ...)

stereotypes & prejudice (administrative staff)

lack of support (in department)

60%

59%

53%

48%

46%

45%

39%

26%

25%

22%

22%

20% n = 130

04/15/2023 9

WHAT DO YOU THINK ARE THE MOST IMPORTANT ISSUES AFFECTING BME WELFARE AT OXFORD UNIVERSITY?

social isolation

stereotypes & prejudice (other students)

lack of other BME students (in college)

lack of BME staff (in college)

lack of BME staff (in department)

stereotypes & prejudice (teachers, tutors, professors, ...)

unequal treatment in academic settings (by teachers, tutors, professors, ...)

lack of other BME students (in department)

unequal treatment in administrative settings (college/department/university)

lack of support (in college)

stereotypes & prejudice (administrative staff)

lack of support (in department)

19%

19%

16%

11%

8%

7%

4%

3%

3%

3%

2%

% Ranked 1st

n = 130

04/15/2023 10

AWARENESS

“In addition to stereotypes and prejudice, a clear lack of motivation to improve understanding of other cultures, races, and ethnicities. People prefer to speak in sweeping generalizations without qualification.”

“Race is not talked about”

“Lack of understanding from non-bme students”

“Lack of cultural awareness and understanding”

“most other students that I know are completely ignorant of BME concerns (eg: why do we even need a BME rep? or beliefs that institutional racism is dead or not a problem”

“Lack of cultural awareness, and lack of programmes related to

cultural awareness”

“ignorance to issues”

CULTURE & CURRICULUM

“Expectation to 'whiten' in order to be accepted”

“Islamophobia”

“lack of BME academics in curriculum”

“Classism”

“Casual racist jokes”

“eurocentric courses”

“Cultural differences - prevelance of UK drinking culture”

04/15/2023 11

SOCIAL ISOLATION

04/15/2023 12

“The big problem in Oxford is not prejudice but representation. There just aren't enough BME students around, not enough lecturers/academics. I have recently realized that I might well end up being the first person from my ethnic background to gain an academic post in my subject, if I am talented/lucky enough to get that far.”

“I'm half-way through my first year and we've had 13 seminars so far, with just one taught by a BME tutor. When I brought up the BME student ratio to a senior course tutor at the beginning of the programme, the tutor was "shocked" that I thought such a thing, saying that just the best students are selected. This is all fine, but it can hardly be advertised as a global programme when 90% of the cohort have very similar experiences.”

“The lack of BME staff, academics, and students perhaps makes people uncomfortable knowing how to address race issues, rather than it being racism. Though there have been times I've felt very aware of my race. For example, porters in some of the elite colleges have made me feel very unwelcome - which might be the same for everyone. I also feel with positions, such as junior deans, some colleges would rather not employ a BME or non native English speaking student as it doesn't fit what the college believes their students will feel comfortable with.”

04/15/2023 13

“Part of feeling included and integrated in the university is being taught by people who are like us, or at least feeling their presence. Classics is HUGELY overwhelmed at both student and staff level with middle class white men - I have never felt particularly threatened or unwelcome because of this, but I think it is so important (particularly for prospective applicants) to see at least a modicum of diversity in their faculty and college.”

04/15/2023 14

HOW MUCH DO YOU FEEL PART OF YOUR COLLEGE COMMUNITY?


11%

18%

33%

38%n = 134

HOW MUCH DO YOU THINK YOUR RACE OR ETHNICITY AFFECTS YOUR ABILITY TO BE A PART OF YOUR COLLEGE COMMUNITY?


44%

25%

13%

18%

n = 134

04/15/2023 15

HOW MUCH DO YOU FEEL PART OF THE LARGER OXFORD COMMUNITY?


11%

27%

39%

22%

n = 135

HOW MUCH DO YOU THINK YOUR RACE OR ETHNICITY AFFECTS YOUR ABILITY TO BE A PART OF THE LARGER OXFORD COMMUNITY?


34%

30%

22%

14%

n = 135

04/15/2023 16

RACIAL AWARENESS

04/15/2023 17

“I feel like there is in general a lot of ignorance about white privilege here. I don't actually see it as a problem within my seminars, but it's definitely difficult to socialize with my peers outside of seminars, because suddenly I have to deal with people casually using racial slurs, denying racism, etc. It's ridiculous that there are Oxford students who think that cultural appropriation or blackface is okay. Even when you bring up racism, suddenly white people start wallowing in white guilt, making it difficult if not impossible to actually talk about the experiences of marginalized people of color. Overall, my experience at Oxford really makes me think that Oxford doesn't give a shit about its students of color. I can't wait to get out of here--thank God my program is only one year.”

“Ignirance [sic] of individuals - people making racist comments apparently without even realising that these are racist, such as "what race are you", "you don't look like you're from X", "where are you really from?" (All heard during my first months here.)”

“The awkwardness around the topic is a huge issue. With such a non-BME JCR, it's never a topic anyone feels comfortable talking about. When issues come up, it always becomes uncomfortable and you feel targeted”

04/15/2023 18

ACADEMIC ENVIRONMENT

04/15/2023 19

TO WHAT EXTENT DO YOU THINK BME STUDENTS AT OU ARE TREATED UNFAIRLY IN ACADEMIC SETTINGS?

From the 100 Voices Report:

“It means that BME students are made to feel inferior and our identities are subsumed, almost as if to say there are no academics from other backgrounds that haven’t made huge developments in their field.”


22%

41%

25%

12%

n = 134

04/15/2023 20

INSTITUTIONAL SUPPORT

04/15/2023 21

IF/WHEN YOU WERE TREATED UNFAIRLY, WOULD YOU/DID YOU KNOW WHOM TO APPROACH?

From the 100 Voices Report:

“The university would treat race related incidents seriously and deal with it to make a stand – I just don’t get the sense that it would do this proactively. They’re not encouraging a dialogue about it [race] which, in turn, doesn’t encourage people to feel comfortable about coming forward about it unless its desperate.”

YES33%

NO67%

n = 135

04/15/2023 22

DO YOU FEEL THAT THERE ARE ENOUGH SUPPORT SERVICES TO ADDRESS ISSUESSPECIFIC TO BME STUDENTS?

In the 2014 Race Survey, 29% of BME students (51% of white students) knew of anywhere where you would feel comfortable reporting a racially charged incident.

Neith

er a

t col

lege

nor

unv

iers

ity

At col

lege

but

not

at u

nive

rsity

At uni

vers

ity b

ut n

ot a

t col

lege

At bot

h un

ivers

ity a

nd co

llege

45%

12%

17%

26%

n = 128

04/15/2023 23

WHO WOULD YOU FEEL COMFORTABLE APPROACHING WITH BME SPECIFIC ISSUES?

In the 2014 Race Survey, 39% of BME students (69 % of white students) felt comfortable talking to their college’s welfare and peer support group about race/ethnicity.

36%

7%

30%27%

n = 131

04/15/2023 24

RECOMMENDATIONS AND NEXT STEPS

04/15/2023 25

HOW DO YOU THINK THE UNIVERSITY AND COLLEGES CAN WORK TOWARDS ADDRESSING THESE WELFARE ISSUES?

AWARENESS

“Talking about it! Race is so rarely discussed”

“I feel as though there needs to be more discussion overall about institutional

racism. It's an ongoing struggle to unpack our privilege and realize the way in which

our words and/or actions contribute to a racist society, but it's a struggle that everyone should hopefully be up for

undertaking.”

“ a campaign on culture and behavioural change”

“Colleges - perhaps more awareness for the non-academic staff.”

Compulsory workshops should be part of the induction process as well to raise the issues of 'privilege', the under-representation of BME students at this university and a presentation of the results of surveys like this.

“BME officers, cultural awareness programmes eg. cultural weeks, more respectful treatment of

foreign cuisines by hall”

“Teach kids stuff. Teach them what's racist. I'm

sick of them not knowing or caring enough to

educate themselves.”

“More acknowledgement/awareness, particularly amongst staff, of potential (and reality) for institutional stereotypes and prejudices to be maintained/reinforced, and active work to counter those prejudices, not just assuming complacently that everything is being done correctly.”

04/15/2023 26


WELFARESUPPORT

“First off, they should not discredit students' of color experience and victim blame them, which they have done to me. Listen, and not assume students of color are making things up.”

“College staff should include BME people who are better equipped to understand and tackle these problems. Moreover the university needs to take racism more seriously.”

“Being more sensitive to complaints and concerns when issues arise.”

“There should be more deliberate effort to help

these students integrate and fit in especially because

they are so few in number. It is easy to feel

overwhelmed and lost in the beginning.”

“Actively speaking more to BME students and putting more BME people in positions where they are dealing with these problems, as they can fully relate to the situations.”

04/15/2023 27


STUDENT REPRESENTATION

“Encouraging BME students to apply, addressing the imbalance in the student population.”

“More access, starting earlier on. A bit more active engagement with the issue

from the university/faculty. I think there's a bit of a fear about talking about racial

representation for fear of offending.”

“Targeting access work specifically to boost diversity and make the university representative

in terms of ethnicity. Do not homogenise BME or set targets for BME. There are so few black

students at Oxford, whilst there are a fair few Asian-origin students, like myself.”

I think it is so important (particularly for prospective applicants) to see at least a modicum of diversity in their faculty and college.

04/15/2023 28


STAFF REPRESENTATION

I think it is so important (particularly for prospective applicants) to see at least a modicum of diversity in their faculty and college.

“They need a POC or BME officer at every college as well as a Tutor for Race.”

“College staff should include BME people who are better

equipped to understand and tackle these problems.”

“For me, it is so important to have more BME staff - both academic and non-academic. Part of feeling

included and integrated in the university is being taught by people who are like us, or at least feeling their

presence. Classics is HUGELY overwhelmed at both student and staff level with middle class white men.”

“please hire more BME staff

particularly academics.

Please.”

“I think first and foremost we need to have a greater number of BME students and staff be recruited, admitted, and hired to this university. Oxford needs to develop a keen sense that the lack of diversity at all levels of the university (other than the scouts and domestic staff) is seriously detrimental and dangerous to the university's ideal of a world-class education.”

04/15/2023 29

WHAT NEEDS TO BE DONE

• Race and Racism Awareness Training: • Mandatory racial awareness training for students (being implemented

in some college JCRs in MT 2015)• Mandatory racial awareness for staff, especially those managing

welfare, counselling issues and recruitment

• BME Representation in Welfare and Support Services:• Increase number of BME staff on Welfare and Support Services• Creation of channels particularly for reporting race-related harassment

and welfare issues

• Increase Representation in College Governing Bodies:• Creation of Race Fellow/Tutor positions• Serving in mentorship, welfare and consciousness raising role

04/15/2023 30

CONTACTS

• CRAE• Email: [email protected]• Twitter: @OUSU_CRAE

• OUSU BME Officer (Nikhil Venkatesh)• [email protected]

We are happy to talk, share resources, answer questions, so please get in touch!

mailto:[email protected]

mailto:[email protected]

Calling for Change: BME Oxford Students Speak Out

Education

Transcript of Calling for Change: BME Oxford Students Speak Out