Hancock ASBG Approves Black Student Union Club
AUGUST 25, 2020 -- Allan Hancock College continues to make good on its commitment to fostering a diverse and inclusive college through a new, student-led club.
On Aug. 24, members of Hancock’s Associated Student Body Government (ASBG) approved the creation of a Black Student Union Club. The club will be open to all students and will hold meetings, host educational events and activities, and much more.
“We want to make sure students feel included and have a safe space where they can express themselves. The Black Student Union Club will do just that,” said Hancock Student Trustee and ASBG member Ana Rosas Pacheco. “The BSU will help show students that they are not alone and represents inclusivity, acceptance, understanding and support.”
The BSU Club was one of several ideas voiced by students and Hancock staff during a Black Lives Matter virtual forum in June. The BSU club’s faculty advisor, Adjunct Business Professor Earl Murray Jr. said the new club represented an opportunity for Hancock students of all races to celebrate Black culture, lifestyle and history.
“We live in a very diverse world, and educating and assisting students about Black history, their lifestyles and experiences would benefit any student’s academic growth and occupational opportunities,” said Murray, who is also a Hancock alumnus. “This will allow students an opportunity to get to know other students of all races and embrace diversity and positivity for all.”
The creation of the BSU Club comes as Hancock continues a system-wide review to ensure that all students have access to an equitable and inclusive education regardless of their race, ethnicity, gender, age, or sexual orientation. In July, the college’s Board of Trustees voted to approve a resolution declaring that Black lives matter, and called for the college to convene a task force of campus stakeholders to examine programs, processes and policies throughout the college to ensure that they are free of systemic barriers to students of color.
In response, the college created a Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Taskforce. The DEI Taskforce will examine policies, procedures, processes and programs and work to remove systemic barriers that inhibit the ability of underrepresented groups to fully participate in the opportunities provided at Hancock. Removing those barriers will help create a college community that is actively committed to promoting equity and belonging, denouncing systemic racism and actively working for racial justice.
The taskforce will hold its first meeting on Aug. 31 and will continue its work through the current fall semester. The taskforce plans to issue its first report to the trustees during the board’s December 2020 meeting.
- AHC -
