Systemic racism in higher education

Abstract

In December 2019, the European Commission announced The European Green Deal, a plan to facilitate a transition to sustainability with the goal of making Europe climate neutral by 2050 (1). Green Deal objectives include preserving and restoring biodiversity and reducing net emissions of greenhouse gases (1). The EU Parliament adopted a resolution supporting these environmental goals in January (2). Lisbon, Portugal's capital, has been designated the European Green Capital 2020 for spearheading sustainability efforts (3). However, Lisbon's airport has reached capacity, and plans to build an additional airport are at odds with Green Deal objectives. The proposed location for the new airport is a peninsula at the heart of the Tagus estuary (4), a vast coastal wetland of key importance for breeding, wintering, and passing migratory birds in the East Atlantic Flyway (5, 6). This wetland is a major hub linking Palearctic and Nearctic breeding areas with Afro-tropical wintering areas for an estimated 300,000 waterbirds and many other migratory bird species. The region is protected under national legislation, EU directives, and international conventions (5-7). However, the privately funded proposed airport received an environmental license in early 2020 (8), and, despite the aviation sector facing unprecedented reductions in activity due to the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) Edited by Jennifer Sills pandemic (9), the Portuguese government reiterated in July its intentions to go forward with this new infrastructure (10). By expanding its airport capacity, this EU member state will deliver a negative contribution toward climate targets by neither retiring nor halting new infrastructure (11), as well as threaten biodiversity through negative, permanent, and irreversible effects on bird species in an EU-designated protected area. These species already face massive declines globally [(e.g., (12)]. We urge the Portuguese government and the European Union to put the Green Deal into action by abandoning this project.

The burden of service for faculty of color to achieve diversity and inclusion: the minority tax

“…In fact, it is an arduous journey, especially when one is subjected to biased, racist, and sexist attitudes and behaviors and exclusionary practices that are pervasive in the academy, particularly in the training environment. These problems have been recognized in science for decades and have resulted in a significant loss of underrepresented students intending to study science, especially at the college level ( National Center for Science and Engineering Statistics, 2019 ; Asai, 2020 ; Barber et al , 2020 ). At the faculty level, discriminatory behaviors and exclusionary practices aimed at women and faculty of color have resulted in limited access to career-advancing opportunities, resources, and effective mentoring ( Dzau and Johnson, 2018 ; National Academies of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine, 2018 ).…”

Fostering a culture of equity, diversity, and inclusion in the Canadian agricultural economics profession

“…There are growing calls for change and effective responses to what is becoming a global approach to problem‐solving and human (social) behavior grounded in equity, diversity, and inclusion (EDI) principles (Barber, Hayes, Johnson, & Márquez‐Magaña, 2020; Bayer & Rouse, 2016; Shaibah, 2020). This call for change and renewed response takes on a heightened interest and relevance in Canada due in large part to changing (i.e., increasing) diversity in Canadian demographics (Malenfant, Lebel, & Martel, 2010; Morency, Malenfant, & MacIsaac, 2017); increasing public sensitivity, awareness, and acceptance of a broad spectrum of social and personal identities and abilities (Harron, 2020; Morris, Fawcett, Brisebois, & Hughes, 2018); and historical and systemic injustice in society in general (Boatswain & Lalonde, 2000; Subramaniam, 2020).…”

“…This call for change and renewed response takes on a heightened interest and relevance in Canada due in large part to changing (i.e., increasing) diversity in Canadian demographics (Malenfant, Lebel, & Martel, 2010; Morency, Malenfant, & MacIsaac, 2017); increasing public sensitivity, awareness, and acceptance of a broad spectrum of social and personal identities and abilities (Harron, 2020; Morris, Fawcett, Brisebois, & Hughes, 2018); and historical and systemic injustice in society in general (Boatswain & Lalonde, 2000; Subramaniam, 2020). Academic institutions and scholarly and professional organizations around the (western) world are also developing various initiatives and plans anchored in EDI principles, to help accomplish their institutional or organizational missions and mandates (Barber et al., 2020; Jacobson, 2018; McCullough & Gotian, 2020).…”

Preparing conservation practitioners for the Anthropocene

“…At the same time, social movements are reshaping narratives and solutions to address systemic racism, colonialist legacies, and historical and present injustices that plague both the conservation sector and institutions of higher learning (Barber et al . 2020). These challenges require conservation leaders equipped with a wide array of knowledge, skills, and capabilities to navigate and respond to dynamically shifting environmental issues (Sundberg et al .…”

“…In addition, conservation organizations and institutions of higher education suffer from systemic racism and a lack of diversity, which can create hostile environments for minority scientists and practitioners (Barber et al . 2020; Odekunle 2020). The sector must prioritize the eradication of systemic racism from the conservation movement.…”