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Checking Your Privilege:
What does it mean and why does it matter?
Leesa Beck and Alexis Wright
University of California – Santa Barbara
Tuesday, March 27th, 3:45-4:45pm
Session ID 6876
Session Rules of Etiquette• Please silence your electronic devices.
• Please complete the session evaluation using the AACRAO mobile
app or the paper form in your registration packet, drop boxes are
available throughout the convention center.
• If you must leave the session early, please do so as discreetly as
possible
• Please avoid side conversation during the session
Thank you for your cooperation!
Community Guidelines
Thank you for your cooperation!
• Confidentiality
• Reserve your right to refrain from participation
• Challenge Ideas not Individuals
Checking Your PrivilegeWhat does it mean and why does it matter?
Prepared for the AACRAO 2018 Annual Meeting
Introductions
Leesa BeckUniversity Registrar
Alexis WrightFinancial &
Work Study Analyst
Why do a session on privilege?
• Session origins – AACRAO 2017
• Privilege, what it means, and how it plays out on college campuses is often misunderstood or misinterpreted
• Privilege and power should not be scary topics (even for white men!)• No one should feel disenfranchised• Everyone has something to contribute
• Diversity has inherent value
• Understanding privilege makes us better decision-makers and educators• Decisions shouldn’t be made due to ignorance
• We are role models for our students
Why our campus?
• UCSB is highly diverse!• First AAU institution to
be classified as aHispanic ServingInstitution
• 42% First Generation• 38% Pell eligible• Significant
undocumented population
• Leesa is a long-time member ofStudent Affairs Executive Leadership Team
• Alexis is a former student activist for social justice
39% White
26% Asian/Pacific
Islander
27%Chicano/Latino
5% Black
1% Native American
2% Other
Time for an ActivityParticipation is purely voluntary!!!
"Stand Up If..."• Demystify Privilege
• Not exclusive
• Individual vs. Systems of Oppression
• Avoid generalizations
• "Politics of Location"
• Complexities of Individual Experience
Race
Gender
Socioeconomic Status
Zip Code
Sexual Orientation
• Priv-i-lege (ˈpriv(ə)lij/)
• a special right, advantage, or immunity
granted or available only to a particular
person or group of people.
• Unearned Advantages
• Exemption from Discrimination
• Up-Side of Oppression
• White Privilege: Does it Exist?
• #CrimingWhileWhite
• Society systemically and thus structurally
• Systems of Oppression/Privilege• Judicial System
Privilege (Re)Defined
"Unpacking the Invisible Knapsack"
"I have come to see
white privilege as an invisible
package of unearned assets that I
can count on cashing in each day,
but about which I was “meant” to
remain oblivious. White privilege is like
an invisible weightless knapsack
of special provisions, maps,
passports, codebooks, visas, clothes, tools and blank checks."
Privilege (Re)Defined
"Damaged Culture" that confers dominance
• Race, Gender, Gender Performativity, Sexual Orientation, Socio-economic Status etc.
Redesign Social Systems• Acknowledge systems of dominance
• Education as a structure to reinforce oppression
• PWIs, Student Debt
Privilege (Re)Defined
Privilege within the Campus Context
Why it can be difficult to talk to students about privilege…
• Talking to ANYONE about privilege can be challenging
• Current political and social climate• Framing is extremely bipartisan• Win/Lose mentality• Doesn’t model listening and learning• Sense of instability/rapid change
• Makes generosity difficult
• Student development and experience• Strong sense of self-righteousness• Limited interaction with the world• First opportunity to experience diversity
When
privilege is
used as a
weapon,
it can shut
people
down.
When used
as a tool,
it can build
people up.
What You KnowInforms What You Do Why it’s important for students, faculty, and staff
to be aware of their own privilegeand possible implicit biases…
Title of Slide
Office of Admissions
• Myth of Meritocracy
• Affirmative Action
• College is pathway to success
• Perpetuates socio-econmic gap
• Food Insecurity, Housing Crises, Loan Debt
• Tool to flatten out experiences of underprivileged/underrepresented
• Inherent Value of Diversity
• Quality of Intellectual Discourse
• Quality of Student Life
• How are we creating campuses that promote inclusivity?
• Do our students feel safe?
• How do we provide our students with a voice?
• Campus Culture
• BSU Demands
• Campus Response
Click to add textBlack Student Union
Demands Change
• 1968 "Malcolm X Hall" Takeover• 04% Black Student Population• "Cactus Jack"• Hostile Racial Climate
• Dr. King's Assassination• Harambee
• Diversify Curriculum• Introduction of Ethnic Studies
• 2013 BSU Demands• Recreation Center Field to be called "Jack Curtice"• 3.1% Black Student Population
• Student Initiated Outreach Programs• Hostile Racial Climate across UC System
• Trayvon Martin• Afrikan Black Coalition
• Call to demonstrate commitment to diversity and inclusion
Click to add textBlack Student Union
Demands Change
• "Enhanced African American Recruitment Strategies" to be drafted by Admissions Office.• 10% - out of state students; 25% for
Chican@/Latin@ students
• Aggressive Recruitment of Black faculty in disciplines outside of Black Studies Department
• Hiring of two full-time Black psychologists
• North Hall - Malcolm X Hall
• Access to contact information of all self-identified incoming Black freshmen and Transfer students• EOP/ OSL
• "Enhanced African American Recruitment Plan"• Admissions Counselor and four student
interns• Contact information of all self-
identified Black students• LA2SB program
• Black Faculty Recruitment across the disciplines• Four endowed "North Hall" professorships
in lieu of "Malcolm X Hall"• Psychology, Economics, Linguistics,
• Permanent funding for the hiring of two full-time psychologist specializing in AA experience "Black World"
• Permanent Funding for Student-Activism centered display
• "Ella Baker Visiting Professorship in Undergraduate Research", two Post-Doctoral fellowships, Increased funding for dissertation scholars program
Everyone hasSomething to ContributeWhat Enrollment Management professionals can do…
Staff TrainingStaff who have an
understanding of the
larger socio-political
context can make
informed decisions
about policy and
procedure.
Staff who know how
to use inclusive
language can make
your office more
welcoming and less
intimidating.
Be ExplicitMake it clear that your
office values a
diversity of
background,
experience, and
ideas.
Practice Inclusive
HiringAs a campus
authority, you want
the diversity of your
staff to reflect the
diversity of your
student body.
Even if you are
unbiased in your hiring
decisions, consider
whether you’re
reaching the right
applicants.
Also consider how to
retain these staff.
Be at the table.
• Often enrollment professionals are in the best positions to provide hard data
• Enrollment professionals have policy insights about which others may be unaware
• Be a good listener, then use your voice to put forth the needs of others
• Hold others (and yourself) accountable
Resources
Foley, N. F. (2018, January 30). A radical plan to combat inequality in college admissions. Pacific Standard. Retrieved from https://psmag.com/education/a-radical-plan-to-combat-inequality-in-college-admissions
Just Communities. (2017). Crossing the line. Santa Barbara, CA.
McIntosh, P. (2006). White privilege: Unpacking the invisible knapsack. Wellesley College Center for Research on Women. Wellesley, MA. Retrieved from https://www.pcc.edu/resources/illumination/documents/white-privilege-essay-mcintosh.pdf
Rich, A. (1984). Notes Toward a Politics of Location. In A. Rich, Blood, Bread, and Poetry: Selected Prose 1979-1985(pp. 210 - 231).
White Privilege: Does it Exist? (2014, December 8). Retrieved from Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tyFLMJ0qPn8
Questions?
Thank You!
Leesa Beck – [email protected]
Alexis Wright – [email protected]
Please complete the session evaluation using the AACRAO mobile app or the paper form provided in your registration packet.
Session ID 6876
