EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

In an October 2020 general conference address, President Russell M. Nelson said, “Today I call upon our members everywhere to lead out in abandoning attitudes and actions of prejudice. I plead with you to promote respect for all of God’s children.”2 At the same conference, President Dallin H. Oaks of the First Presidency said that as citizens and members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, “we must do better to help root out racism.”3 Echoing the theme, Elder Quentin L. Cook of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles urged us to “celebrate diversity” as we seek to be unified, noting that “unity and diversity are not opposites. We can achieve greater unity as we foster an atmosphere of inclusion and respect for diversity.”4

The current impetus to root out racism, build unity, and enhance diversity at Brigham Young University has been motivated in part by the tragic killings of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Ahmaud Arbery, and others, which have laid bare the brutal costs of systemic injustice. These horrendous events prompted BYU president Kevin J Worthen to state in June 2020:

We know there is work to do, on campus and throughout the nation, for us to better come together, to address injustice and to truly love one another. It will take sustained effort from all of us to make things better. We remain committed to doing that. We can do that in a unique way at BYU because of our understanding of the important truth that each of us are children of heavenly parents.

BYU stands firmly against racism and violence in any form and is committed to promoting a culture of safety, kindness, respect, and love.5

President Worthen then invited us to serve on the Committee on Race, Equity, and Belonging and urged us to seek strategies for historic, transformative change at BYU in order to more fully realize the unity, love, equity, and belonging that should characterize our campus culture and permeate our interactions as disciples of Jesus Christ. While recent events were the catalyst for the current effort, as a committee, we have under- stood our charge as beginning an effort that must be sustained on an individual as well as institutional level— as the responsibility of each member of the BYU community—if we are to create lasting change.

We have endeavored to carry out this charge to develop interim recommendations to achieve these aims through an ambitious schedule of meetings with key stakeholders, most significantly Black, indigenous, and other people of color (BIPOC) at BYU. In addition, we have received and reviewed hundreds of relevant electronic communications. In the effort to identify the scope and effects of racism at BYU, we have invited the participation of students, faculty, alumni, staff, administrators, and other concerned members of the community; we have sought the input of a broad cross-section of the university community; we have listened to understand, to identify the ways in which the university has fallen short, and to identify the strategies that have been effective here and in other communities.

Our work to identify the sources and effects of racism at BYU is ongoing. We are pleased to submit 26 key recommendations based on our initial finding that BYU can do much more to support and promote the thriving of BIPOC students at BYU. In his devotional address on January 7, 2020, President Worthen emphasized the principle of enduring joy and described it as “a principle of power—power to survive and thrive spiritually and otherwise.”6 Among other important principles we learned in studying these issues, the most consequential and urgent is that many BIPOC students at BYU feel isolated and unsafe as a result of their experiences with racism at BYU. Current systems at the university are inadequate for coordinating services for students seeking assistance with challenges related to race, diversity, and belonging. Our 26 recommendations, listed in this executive summary (see p. 8) and discussed in detail later in the report (see Recommendations, p. 17), seek to promote student belonging and thriving through cultural and institutional change to diversify BYU and enhance structural support for BIPOC students. It is our sincere hope that these first steps will help to make BYU a place where more students are able to “thrive spiritually and otherwise” and partake more fully in the joy that is at the center of our heavenly parents’ plan and that is critical to the mission of BYU.

Background: Leading Out to Root Out Racism

Following President Worthen’s charge to the committee, we organized and drafted a mission statement (see Appendix A, p. 56) to be shared with the university community as part of our commitment to transparency and communication with stakeholders as our work progresses. The mission statement highlights our ongoing effort to listen to affected communities and individuals, to consider their views, and to convey their con- cerns and experiences as part of our reporting. It quickly became apparent that our mandate would require a sustained effort beyond the initial reporting period. To ensure continuity of institutional commitment to the issues raised by our mandate, we have proposed a charter (see Appendix B, p. 57) to the President’s Council with the recommendation that the Committee on Race, Equity, and Belonging be established as a standing committee of the university.

Early in the process, our committee established a website to solicit input; through that website we received and reviewed more than 500 submissions sharing experiences and perspectives. As a full com- mittee, we held 10 meetings with various stakeholders, including Black students and alumni, as well as other students of color, admissions officials, Honor Code officials, those working on redesigning general education courses, and others. We also met in smaller cohorts with students and other members of the university com- munity. As committee members, we also received hundreds of email messages with stories and observations related to this issue. We thank each person who reached out or responded to help us understand their experi- ences and to offer substantive input on potential improvements.

We have heard heartbreaking stories from individuals who have felt the pain of racism at BYU, and we have felt to mourn with those suffering from these wounds. Our efforts to listen with love to our sisters and brothers have laid bare the pain so many of them have endured as part of their BYU experience. The recom- mendations we have developed are animated by our desire to improve the experience of BIPOC students at BYU, to ensure their gifts are welcome here, and to heal the pain of injustice and discrimination they have endured.

In his 2016 Neal A. Maxwell Lecture, “Latter-day Saints and the Problem of Pain,” Harvard Divinity School professor David F. Holland related an anecdote about an interaction between his father (Elder Jeffrey R. Holland) and Elder Neal A. Maxwell and noted the consequences of present and historic pain for some communities and individuals:

Prior to a significant address my dad had been asked to deliver, he asked Elder Maxwell to read the talk before- hand. After reviewing the draft, Elder Maxwell offered some words of encouragement and then a kindly warning . . . : “Jeff,” he said, “there is one place in the talk where you have been insufficiently careful of the pain in peoples’ lives.

There are scars that go unnoticed, but you must see them. You must tread with caution on the hallowed ground of another’s suffering.” . . .

. . . One of the reasons I have come to see my academic work as a historian as sacred is that it enables, and even forces, me to understand the historic pains that those around me carry. As William Faulkner wrote of the pain of history, “The past is never dead. It’s not even past.” We live with the consequences of history, and many of those consequences come in the form of open sores. We dismiss them at our peril, and we must handle them the way God

taught us in the Restoration: with robust communication, with a prioritized concern for empathy, and with a dogged determination to be present with each other.

. . . There is much, much to celebrate and value from the past. But like a sorrowing soul that carries the wounds of youth, wounds that sometimes make even the most basic of relationships nearly impossible now, so our world is full of communities that carry such pain. If we are to work to heal this world—which is what I understand to be the disciple’s task—we need to be serious about understanding and addressing its wounds. God himself, the God of the Restoration, set our example for such a thing.7

It is our hope that our efforts and recommendations reflect a vision fixed on bringing healing to those who have suffered the pain of racial discrimination, inequity, or lack of belonging at BYU.

We have also heard an outpouring of love and concern from many in the BYU community who are eager to be part of working together to improve racial equity and belonging. We note that since the call to action from President Nelson and President Worthen, the BYU community is already moving forward to help heal racial divisions and enhance equity on campus in many respects. A number of colleges have organized diversity and inclusion committees and have undertaken the effort to articulate guiding principles and allo- cate resources to improve the experience of BIPOC students and faculty. We have been pleased to note that several colleges and organizations on campus have led out in prioritizing difficult discussions around race, equity, and belonging within their fields of expertise. We note also that the university has taken important steps to increase the diversity of those invited to speak at devotionals and forums. As a committee, we appre- ciate the openness of those charged with making the campus more welcoming. As just one example, BYU’s auxiliaries and programs group, which includes Dining Services, the BYU Store, and Studio 1030, met with committee member Stephani Perkins; they are eager to tailor the programs and services they offer to meet the unique needs of BIPOC students and to provide a more welcoming atmosphere of belonging on campus. In addition, students have been creative in organizing clubs and interest groups dedicated to improving campus equity.

Although there is much to admire and appreciate in the efforts that are underway, our efforts to listen to BYU BIPOC communities have affirmed that the BYU community has not been immune to the detrimental effects of racism. In ways that have been both individual and systemic, intentional and unintentional, we have seen evidence that the painful sting of racism has diminished the experience and the sense of safety and belonging of BIPOC communities at BYU. To date, there has been inadequate accountability and coordina- tion in the university’s efforts to address these needs.

The BYU community must work expeditiously and without delay to lead out in identifying and rooting out racism at Brigham Young University. And as a community we must do better to treat all with the dignity and respect befitting each beloved child of God. Martin Luther King Jr. envisioned a “beloved community" where all are treated with love and respect and where “the love of God [operates] in the human heart” to “preserve and create community.”8 A beloved community is, in essence, a Zion community. The ancient prophet Nephi described such a community in the era after Christ ministered to those in the Americas: “There was no contention in the land, because of the love of God which did dwell in the hearts of the people” (4 Nephi 1:15). We urge bold steps forward and a sustained commitment to this effort as individuals and asan institution as we strive to become a more beloved Zion community of learners and scholars, worthy of our sponsoring institution and the high ideals and unity of disciples of Jesus Christ.

Overview of Findings

As a committee, we have identified potential changes in policies, operations, culture, and organizations that may not only improve the experience of BIPOC members of the campus community, but also better prepare all students to identify and root out racism wherever it is found as they go forth from BYU to serve. In par- ticular, we see a need for an urgent effort to enhance the sense of safety and belonging of BIPOC students at BYU.

Our review has highlighted that a university education falls short when it fails to adequately prepare students to navigate cultural and racial complexities. Similarly, our BYU community falls short when BIPOC students feel isolated and unwelcome.

In our work as a committee, we had the privilege of meeting with BIPOC students and alumni from various multiracial groups. We were deeply saddened to hear the students articulate their experiences with poignant clarity; we were sorry to have to ask them to revisit those difficult experiences for us; we felt to mourn with those whose hearts have been broken by their fellow students and others, whether by ignorance or hostility. BYU’s BIPOC students shared that their daily lives at BYU are too often marred by marginalizing comments, otherizing questions, and exhausting racial slights. These have come from roommates, class- mates, church congregations, and faculty members.

We were particularly concerned to hear BIPOC students—many of them returned missionaries— describe the difficult experience of arriving at BYU with the hope that attending BYU would assist them “in their quest for perfection and eternal life”9 in a community of Saints, only to find that this was not their

reality. They described the challenges of leaving behind family and cultural communities that did not under- stand or agree with their affiliation with The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, and they shared

the hope of forging bonds of shared testimony at BYU. Instead, many students reported feeling a sense of surprise, loneliness, and isolation when they realized that they see few other BIPOC students on campus and in their classes. They also reported that they find themselves serving as representatives of their respective races and educating students and faculty on issues relating to race and race relations. These experiences have left many disillusioned, brokenhearted, and struggling. Many described that these challenges to their sense of belonging and their ability to feel connected result in profound faith challenges.

The students described many different individual experiences, but we noted a number of recurring themes across these meetings that we feel an urgency to communicate. (For a full discussion of our findings, see p. 12.) The most pressing concern is that BIPOC students often feel isolated and unsafe at BYU due to racism. By way of illustration, one student from the Hispanos Unidos club said it is “very hard to find other Latino students at BYU.” A student from the Tribe of Many Feathers club recounted that she wanted to transfer out of BYU after her first year because of the lack of other Native American students. A member of the Black Student Union reported, “My experience as a Black student at BYU is not equal to other students on campus because I don’t feel safe.” A student from the Tribe of Many Feathers stated that during one Halloween there were White students who dressed up as “savages” in Helaman Halls. Another student from Hispanos Unidos said that a faculty member chastised her and a friend for speaking Spanish before class. A member of the Black Student Union recounted an incident where a classmate used the n-word multiple times in response to a professor’s question, leaving the room in shock. He described the acute pain and heartache that the event caused to himself and to other Black students who later heard about it.

Exacerbating the isolation, BIPOC students report that they do not know where to turn within the uni- versity community for services and assistance, if such are available, to help them navigate these challenges unique to racial isolation. For some, they may seek the assistance of BYU Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS), but the resources there are necessarily limited in reach and effectiveness for responding to such issues. CAPS primarily assists students more generally with mental health. There is not a prophylactic program at BYU to build belonging and community, respond to the unique concerns of BIPOC students, or help BIPOC students navigate difficulties before such difficulties become a mental health crisis or require counseling.

Louise Wheeler’s extensive work with BIPOC students as an assistant clinical professor and psychol- ogist for CAPS has reaffirmed that these students consistently feel isolated and unsafe, undermining their sense of belonging and interfering in their educational efforts. In a letter to our committee, Wheeler outlined a few observations, including these:

1. We have data that shows that students of color, especially Black students, utilize our services less but come in with higher levels of distress than their White peers when they finally do come in. This suggests that they wait longer to seek help. Some of the feedback I have personally heard from students regarding our services [at CAPS] includes not being sure if they can trust us because of lack of diversity on our staff but also lack of trust in the university institution in general (e.g., worry about being invalidated, about having to justify their experience, about having to explain themselves, etc.).

2. Students feel isolated and do not know where to go for support. I hear this from students of color multiple times a week. They don’t know what offices on campus are the appropriate space to talk about their experience or even to file complaints when experiencing racism on campus.

3. [BIPOC students feel] a lot of stress regarding the rise of alt-right movements (e.g., DezNat) within the university student body. This includes worries about physical safety and worries about things that might be said or done in classrooms, at church, etc. I have heard so much more about [these concerns] this year than in the past. This has led many of the students I have worked with to tell friends and siblings to not attend BYU.

Wheeler’s observations were supported by statements made by students in our meeting with the Black Student Union, including these:

I thought I was coming out of a difficult community to be associated with the Church community. After I came to BYU, I learned I’m still not in a community I belong to. Systemic problems tell me I’m not supposed to be here.

I feel like I have no power.

I felt like I had to prove myself and still do.

I got baptized in racism when I came to BYU. People have normalized aggressive comments here. I feel oppressed here.

I am fearful. But I should have the same right to feel safe [that the White students have].

The statements outlined above are but a sampling of a broader set of difficult feelings and challenging experiences of BIPOC students at BYU that are tied to racism they have experienced at BYU. How then can BYU build belonging, create community, and protect the well-being of BIPOC students? What follows are a number of initial ideas intended to help heal, protect, and connect BIPOC students and thereby bless the lives of all members of the BYU community.

List of Recommendations

According to the Aims of a BYU Education, the university “seeks to develop students of faith, intellect, and character who have the skills and the desire to continue learning and to serve others throughout their lives.”10 Consistent with these aims, BYU can do better to nurture BIPOC students and to prepare all students to go forth as servants and leaders navigating a complex world and contributing to a more just, equitable world for all of our heavenly parents’ children.

As first steps, we have developed the following recommendations, organized into three broad catego- ries: 1) institutional and organizational reforms; 2) student belonging and equity reforms; and 3) faculty and staff reforms. We outline our proposals below; later in the report, we provide the animating rationales and suggested paths forward for each (see p. 17).

Institutional and Organizational Reforms

1. Create a central Office of Diversity and Belonging at the university charged with strategic planning and implementation of initiatives to assist students and employees with issues related to race, equity, and belonging.

2. Create a new position of vice president for diversity and belonging who reports directly to the president, is a member of the President’s Council, and who oversees the Office of Diversity and Belonging.

3. Implement clear lines of accountability to empower the Office of Diversity and Belonging to coor- dinate, focus, and leverage the efforts of Multicultural Student Services, International Student and Scholar Services, and the Office of Student Success and Inclusion. These offices might efficiently report to the Office of Diversity and Belonging which will allow for focused efforts to serve BIPOC students academically and to enhance their sense of well-being and belonging.

4. Develop and implement extensive diversity and inclusion training programs and resources for stu- dents, faculty, staff, and administrators. This training would be facilitated by the Office of Diversity and Belonging.

5. Commit to curricular changes to general education, religion, and elective courses that educate students on race, unity, and diversity.

6. Consider additions to the Aims of a BYU Education that reflect current statements from prophets and apostles about the need to demonstrate civility, racial and ethnic harmony, and mutual respect. Promote current language in BYU’s mission statement that calls for “loving, genuine concern for the welfare of our neighbor” and for a broad education that helps students “understand important ideas in their own cultural tradition as well as that of others.”11

7. Promote and implement the Fostering an Enriched Environment Policy (see Appendix C, p. 60) throughout the university.

8. Encourage colleges and departments to adopt statements on race, equity, and belonging that can be used in college and department operations and communications.

9. Establish a standing university committee dedicated to advancing racial understanding, enhancing equity, and promoting belonging for BIPOC communities at BYU. In order to more expeditiously accomplish this recommendation, a proposed charter is included in Appendix B (see p. 57).

Student Belonging and Equity Reforms

10. Establish a new position of vice president or associate vice president of enrollment management and student success that is empowered to create strategic initiatives for recruitment, admission, scholarship, financial aid, retention, and student success for all students and that is particularly charged with leading initiatives associated with attracting, admitting, retaining, and supporting the academic success of BIPOC students.

11. Form a Recruitment, Admissions, and Student Success Committee with a charge to assist the vice president or associate vice president of enrollment management and student success to optimize attracting, admitting, retaining, and supporting the academic success of BIPOC and other students. This committee should be composed of faculty members and university administrators committed to fostering an enriched environment.

12. Develop a strategic plan to increase graduation rates for BIPOC students. This plan should include collaboration between services and offices that are intended to assist BIPOC students to succeed academically.

13. Design and implement a race-conscious recruitment strategy to attract more BIPOC student applicants to BYU.

14. Perform an independent validation study on all current admissions policies, particularly the weight- ing systems, to evaluate whether they have a disparate impact on BIPOC applicants. Ensure that the admissions process is holistic in its application and reflects the values promoted in BYU’s Fostering an Enriched Environment Policy.

15. Invite the Office of the General Counsel to evaluate the legal parameters of a race-conscious admis- sions model for BYU, in the interest of pursuing an enriched environment for the student body.

16. Select prestigious scholarship recipients with greater emphasis on a holistic review of the entire applicant file, with criteria to include commitment to excellence, leadership potential, socioeco- nomic profile, adverse life circumstances, etc. We recommend a scrutiny of policies for determining scholarship criteria and their impact on BIPOC applicants.

17. Create Enriched Environment Scholarships honoring early BIPOC members of the Church, such as Jane Manning James, Elijah Abel, and others, to be made available to students who have demon- strated a commitment to the values contained in the Fostering an Enriched Environment Policy.

18. Create socioeconomic disadvantage scholarships, in addition to existing need-based scholarships, for students who demonstrate that they come from socioeconomically disadvantaged circum- stances, who have faced adversities attendant to such circumstances, and who demonstrate the need for financial support in order to obtain a BYU education.

19. Create a process that allows students to report instances of racial discrimination on campus. Through this process, such claims could be investigated and redressed, as appropriate.

20. Establish a dedicated, visible space on campus for underrepresented students and those who serve this population; such a space will foster community and promote belonging.

21. Take steps to ensure that the BYU Honor Code and Dress and Grooming Standards are applied with cultural competence and sensitivity.

Faculty Reforms

22. Design a best practices model for college and department faculty search committees to identify qualified BIPOC candidates for BYU faculty positions. Such a model could be based on three inter- twined aims: commitment to the mission of the university and its sponsoring institution (mission fit), excellence in academic discipline (including teaching and scholarship), and diversity (in its many forms: racial and intellectual).

23. Assist and incentivize colleges and departments in developing a strategic plan to identify and mentor BIPOC students who are interested in pursuing careers in academia. This will also serve as a potential pipeline for future hires at BYU.

24. Create an Emerging Scholars Program that allows the university to track, identify, and invite BIPOC PhD students to present their scholarship at BYU.

25. Design a strategic plan that will assist with mentoring, training, supporting, recognizing, connect- ing, and developing BIPOC faculty at BYU, while consciously planning to alleviate the “cultural taxation” burdens carried by BIPOC faculty at BYU.

26. Provide BIPOC faculty with opportunities to serve in senior university leadership positions.