University Social Responsibility: Challenging Systemic Racism in the Aftermath of George Floyd’s Murder

Abstract

In this paper, we examine university discretionary interpretation of the 2020 social upheaval that emanated from George Floyd’s murder as an element of university social responsibility (USR) policymaking. The paper addresses two research questions: (a) What are university presidents’ implicit and explicit social justice responses to George Floyd’s death and the idealistic protests of 2020? (b) To what degree are principles of social justice embedded in universities’ intellectual roots and social responsibility? Using a sample of university presidents’ public statements in response to George Floyd’s death and the idealistic protests of 2020, we analyze the response and responsibilities of universities in the struggle for a just society. We cross-check mission statements and strategic plans to corroborate universities’ public statements with their institutional philosophies, mission, and action plans relating to discrimination against racial and ethnic minorities and systemic racism. We use critical discourse analysis and the Voyant Tool to perform a textual analysis of 62 university presidents’ letters and mission statements. They all denounced the dehumanization and inequitable treatment of Black people. An important implication of our work is the sharp difference in the depth and forthrightness of responses by university presidents across university types. Some presidential letters are forthright in their denouncement of the murder of George Floyd and systemic racism, while others were, at best, vague in their approach. Presidential letters disclose their institutions’ priorities, organizational identities, and social responsibility convictions. Overall, mission statements and strategic plans included addressing systemic racism and inequality. While there is no ordered symmetry between presidential narratives and institutional action, we anticipate social responsibility as a core institutional value. We argue for social justice anti-racist platforms as critical dimensions of USR. We call for university milieus that promote a fair and just society among all stakeholders.

Construct and Structural Equivalence of the English and Spanish versions of the Authoritative School Climate Survey

“…Recent social and policy movements can be directly linked to a renewed resurgence in concerns for diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI). Examples include universities moving away from requirements of standardized entrance exams (e.g., SAT and GRE), and laws prohibiting the use of psychological tests in California (Camara & Mattern, 2022; Koljatic et al, 2021; Meikle & Morris, 2022). Diversity is concerned with recognizing the unique differences in individuals as they might pertain to such things as sexual orientation, race, ethnicity, age, language, physical abilities, or religious beliefs.…”

Social Justice as a Dimension of University Social Responsibility

“…University presidents pledged to dismantle the legacy of systemic racism and injustices. They refocused the need for intentional foci on social justice in higher education [60]. When it comes to the issue of social justice, the relationship between persons and society has institutional and structural dimensions [61].…”

Reframing leadership for a more just society

“…However, it has become increasingly difficult for college and university leaders to maintain the image of political neutrality. After the murder of George Floyd sparked a global uprising in the summer of 2020, college and university leaders throughout the nation issued statements that explicitly denounced white supremacy, which executive administrators had historically failed to do in their public statements (Meikle & Morris, 2022). When the coronavirus pandemic arrived in 2020, Trump labeled it the "Chinese virus" and an ongoing rise in anti-Asian violence peaked with a mass shooting of Asian American women in Atlanta in 2021, many institutional leaders issued similar explicitly anti-racist statements.…”