To Members of the University of Puget Sound Community,

The recent uncovering of Indigenous children’s bodies on the grounds of “Indian Residential Schools” in Canada has opened up wounds that perhaps have never healed, and calls us all to acknowledge the damage, hurt and pain that our nation’s policies, practices and behaviors of cultural genocide have caused to Indigenous communities. There were multiple similar schools in the United States, many of them in Washington state, that sadly had similar destructive, damaging effects on Indigenous populations. I, the Office of Diversity and Inclusion, and the University of Puget Sound acknowledge the painful history of oppression and injustice that our nation has inflicted on Indigenous populations.

The university is also committed to examining our own institutional history in this regard. This past week, MIBU reported that a student member of the organization identified a 1916 article in The Trail, a publication of the Associated Students of the University of Puget Sound, describing the participation of students from a university chapter of the Y.M.C.A, which had an extension program at the Cushman Indian School. Further research by our university’s librarians has revealed other references in The Trail of interactions between the Cushman Indian School and students at the then College of Puget Sound, mostly related to sports. These entries use racist remarks and references, and it is critical that we recognize and name these actions as such.

At Puget Sound we believe that in order to engage in anti-racist cultural transformation we must begin with acknowledging our racist history. In that light we want to openly acknowledge this part of the institution’s history that indicates the participation of students attending the institution in personal and systemic racism. Acknowledging the University of Puget Sound’s past participation in racist and cultural erasure practices is a component of our journey toward transforming our institution and our community to be anti-racist.

With the inaugural position of the vice president for institutional equity and diversity, the university is making an institutional commitment not only to examine our past and current policies, processes, and practices but to identify and implement necessary changes to work toward healing, and ensure equitable outcomes for all members of the community. The office is already engaged in planning programs to address equity, diversity and belonging concerns expressed by members of the community. These plans include helping to facilitate the development of the Legacies Project initiative; diversity, equity and inclusion professional development for faculty and staff members; strengthening the relationship between University of Puget Sound and the Puyallup Tribe; and collaborations across the university to identify and remove barriers to access, develop a sense of belonging among all members of the community and achieve equitable outcomes. We are also working on programs to support students from marginalized populations focusing on specific needs they have expressed.

I invite all members of the University of Puget Sound community to join the efforts of the Office of Diversity and Inclusion as well as other offices and individuals who have been and are committed to and engaged in the transformational work to achieve equitable outcomes for everyone and become an anti-racist organization.

The Office Diversity and Inclusion will provide periodic updates to the community during the academic year on programs, initiatives and actions designed to increase the diversity, equity and belonging at the institution.

Below is a brief list of resources to help us all learn more about the impact of “Indian Residential Schools.” I encourage you to read them and reflect in advance of the start of classes so that we all return to the university with a deeper sense of understanding of these past harms and continuing ramifications for some members of our community. I would like to thank Professors Nancy Bristow, Grace Livingston, and Doug Sackman for identifying and sharing some of the resources listed below.

Resources

Additional Resources Recommended by Drs. Bristow, Livingston, and Sackman

Lorna Hernandez Jarvis, Ph.D. | Vice President for Institutional Equity and Diversity