“Students deserve to know what is occurring on campus”

Last week, The Record revealed that CSB+SJU removed the transgender admission policy from their website, proving yet again that CSB+SJU’s Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Justice (DEIJ) program is all just for show.

In the face of attacks against marginalized identities and inclusion programs, it is more important than ever that CSB+SJU double down on their DEIJ policies and ensure students on campus are protected from harmful rhetoric.

Yet CSB+SJU prove once again that they will fold under pressure and abandon their support for marginalized students when it’s needed most.

Transgender and nonbinary students already feel alienated at CSB+SJU and in society, and now the school won’t even visibly display their support, let alone take real action.

Hiding the transgender admission policy is just a recent revelation of a longstanding issue at these institutions.

CSB+SJU praise their DEIJ program, constantly sending emails about their inclusive policies and holding talks surrounding DEIJ topics, but the words feel empty.

Until the administration proves otherwise, the words are just placed on the page to make CSB+SJU look good and do little to actually help marginalized students — and now the words are not even all on the page anymore.

We all got that email on Dec. 6 about racist remarks found on students’ cars and how this is unacceptable and being investigated, but did the investigation actually result in any repercussions?

What about the racist comments against a visiting author and the Pat Hall incident that both occurred my freshman year?

Why is there no transparency about the follow-up to these incidents? Is it perhaps because there is none?

Time and time again, I see social media posts about similar things happening across campus.

These incidents keep happening because of administrative failure to uphold DEIJ policies. By not punishing students who do wrong, you’re enabling the behavior to repeat and showing a lack of commitment to marginalized students.

That is why I don’t want emails saying these actions go against the Benedictine values; I want emails showing that the administration actually did something about the students who committed these injustices.

It’s the only way marginalized students can trust the administration and begin to feel safe on campus.

Of course, a lot of the incidents here don’t even get acknowledged by the school; we’re lucky to receive a halfhearted email.

I shouldn’t need to scroll through the social media cesspool to find out that a CSB staff member recently got fired for racism, among other issues. The school reportedly wants to keep this incident under wraps, but hiding stuff like this is cowardly and defeats the purpose of preaching DEIJ. Students deserve to know what is occurring on campus, especially when it affects their safety.

Good DEIJ programs require full transparency and communication, but CSB+SJU’s failure to report on this incident or publicly display the transgender admission policy indicates otherwise.

Actions speak louder than words, and the lack of action and transparency on CSB+SJU’s part is deafening.

Bringing back the transgender admission policy is just the start. It is time for CSB+SJU to start proving their commitment to DEIJ and the student body.