More than two years after Penn State solicited the expertise of its faculty and staff to address racism and bias on campus, a new administration is distancing itself from those employees and some of their recommendations.
In addition to canceling a planned Center for Racial Justice, the university has declined to release a report on another diversity proposal and characterized faculty subcommittees set up by former President Eric Barron as unofficial.
A confidential document obtained by Spotlight PA's Wyatt Massey also raises new questions about how at least some on the university’s Board of Trustees viewed the former president’s plans, which included launching the center.
The document asked “whether teaching America’s exceptionalism remains a core objective at Penn State” and suggested a study of the university’s history and racism would “end up as a little-used library resource.”
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