BIPOC Performing Arts Alliance Demands of Theatre/Dance and Music Departments:
- The resignation of Shirley Huston-Findley from department chair until further substantial equality education is reached and the DEI plan is completed.
- A public and formal apology for inflicted harm and racism against our BIPOC students on behalf of Huston-Findley.
- The hiring of a Black Theatre AND Music professor (with equitable pay) before the graduation of the Board in 2023.
- The substantial and outside training of Huston-Findley in not only racial issues and equity, but also in Directing and in teaching holistically in order to better direct and educate BIPOC students in her courses and productions. This demand will bar Huston-Findley from direction until this education is complete and audited thoroughly.
- The transparency of investigations of racial and incident bias reports and their outcomes for any staff members from these departments.
- The completion of the BIPOC and revised Theatre library before the start of the Spring Term.
- The proper introduction of BIPOC curriculum in all Theatre History courses with a variety of artists that are not tokenized or misrepresentations of their cultures/racial groups.
- At least one department play yearly that is BIPOC written or starring a BIPOC student (this student should not be the only BIPOC student in the cast) in one of its leading roles. This can also be fulfilled by student productions that are treated like main stage productions. The department must show a vested interest in BIPOC work.
- Continued and perpetual auditing of the education and resulting conduct of the faculty and staff in each department.
These list of demands are unreasonable for a small, 2 department shows an academic year schedule.
This list is unreasonably targets Huston-Findley when it is known BlPOCAA’s advisor doesn’t get along with her. There is a deep conflict of interest based on their history and these demands. ESPECIALLY demanding to strip her the chair position, which would automatically transfer to this org’s advisor.
This list is hypocritical. Making a list of demands to “change 2 departments to benefit the BlPOC” but its really:
1. Targeting Huston-Findley specifically 3/10 demands when the toxic racism and culture of the department is a departmental problem with all faculty, INCLUDING THIS GROUP’S ADVISOR.
2. Only providing Theater dept specific demands on how you find it acceptable to start making changes. While leaving the music department on their own.
3. NOT acknowledging how this is putting a larger burden on departmental performing arts budgets that is limited at COW already with no answer on how you can help while fulfilling these demands.
BlPOCAA’s advisor has ignored minority students in the past and didn’t give equal or equitable amounts of attention to students in class or IS mentees. Me and others complained he skipped office hours or IS meetings with little to no reason or excuse for his absence in our four years. He spent more time providing feedback and mentorship to some more than others, including only commenting “go to the writing center, they can help you.” leaving me with little expert/faculty feedback on my project. He couldn’t be bothered to even congratulate me finishing the project or visit all of his mentee’s IS exhibitions. He only visited the two, the ones he spent a lot of time with. For context, its rare to have even over five mentees per faculty member in theater due to its small size.
His attitude and sense of superiority that he thinks he has above his students is equally as toxic as the racism student’s have complained about in the theater department. But why would you target your group’s advisor when removing only Huston-Findley is beneficial to him?