US: University wants to hire officer to teach students not to be racists

Oregon State University is seeking an officer to take charge of the school’s “Diversity Education” and be the first person to respond to cases of bias, reports Campus Reform.

The university put out a job offer for one “Assistant Director – Diversity Initiative and Programs” whose role is to create “diversity education for all student residents” while coordinating “diversity support services.”

“Experiencing or witnessing a bias incident can result in physical and emotional trauma,” the school’s website wrote.

“All members of the OSU community who have been impacted by a bias incident are encouraged to report it by submitting a Bias Incident Response Form.”

The “Diversity Education” officer, who will be paid between US$56,500 to US$61,500, must be qualified with a “bachelor’s degree in social justice or a related field” and have at least “five years [of] experience in diversity and social justice education.”

The officer will also act as the school’s “first responder to incidents of bias”, which includes any “electronic harassment” or “graffiti”.

Students at the University of Texas at Austin use a “die-in” to protest the use of black face in an on campus theatre performance titled ‘Big Minstrel Jubilee’. Source: Shutterstock

The university isn’t the only American university hiring “diversity” officers or have a team to respond to bias. According to the Foundation for Individual Rights in Education (FIRE), at least 232 universities have a Bias Response Team.

Last year, The College Fix reported OSU was also developing an online course focused on “social justice” required for incoming students.

The new programme “is intended to provide all students entering Oregon State University an orientation to concepts of diversity, inclusion, and social justice and help empower all OSU students to contribute to an inclusive university community,” campus documents state.

Minority students in US universities, including international students, have been reported to be targets of racism in their own campus. Earlier this year, Columbia University students with East Asian names had their dorm room name tags vandalised, according to The Columbia Spectator.

Liked this? Then you’ll love these…

#SayMyName: Chinese students of Columbia University produce viral video to fight racism

Challenging racism in British schools