As conversation ensued at a system level, Slippery Rock University leaders maintain they will follow through with promises of diversity, even with pandemic precautions in place.

“It's still a priority, and there's plenty we can do even from a distance,” said SRU President William Behre.

In the closing moments of a meeting Thursday, the Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education Board of Governors addressed an article written last week by Spotlight PA about the cyclical nature of racial issues at system schools.

The article argued that racial issues are handled the same way nearly every time they appear on a system campus. It said that first, university officials condemn the statement or action, then they hold a town hall about it, and lastly they move on “without making meaningful changes.”

The topic was broached by board member and state Sen. Judith Schwank, D-11th, and multiple board members commented in favor of addressing concerns of racial injustice at the board's level.

Board Chairwoman Cynthia Shapira said areas of racial intolerance will be at the forefront as the system continues to redesign.

“We've heard similar kinds of comments and pleas really to do better,” said Shapira, referring to the article.

Multiple comments also applauded PASSHE Chancellor Dan Greenstein's hire of Denise Pearson as the new vice chancellor and chief diversity, equity and inclusion officer.

“Tomorrow will be 10 days for me on the job,” Pearson said. “As much as that article hurt me, it gives me hope when I see conversations like this going on.”

The conversation also noted that the support of the board needs to blanket all schools in the system.

SRU has had its issues with racial injustice in the past two years — from peaceful protests down Main Street to a recent video by a freshman student who talked about hurting Black and LGBTQ people.

In the aftermath of the recent incident, SRU built a web page for community resources and created a commission focused on diversity.

“(The website is) not a static thing. That should grow as we progress through the year,” Behre said. “(And) the commission has also begun their work on reviewing our policies and practices, including our police policies and practice.”

Behre said he will rely on the recommendations that come from not only the commission, but also recommendations and knowledge gained from Terrance Mitchell, who was named as a special assistant to the president for diversity and inclusion.

Mitchell said he will split his time between SRU and Edinboro University, where he serves as the chief diversity and inclusion officer. He will work with both the president and commission to help craft and complete a diversity plan.

“I'll help them establish and reach their goals,” he said.

Mitchell said one positive in SRU's favor is a recently completed campuswide climate study that had a completion rate of 19 percent. He said the national average for these types of surveys is between 15 percent and 25 percent.

“It's really great that they have a study already done,” Mitchell said. “A large part of my job right now is analyzing that data.”

Mitchell will have a heavy presence in SRU's diversity plans, and he hopes students will continue to be comfortable making their voices heard.

“I think one of the things that is happening that I did not expect is young people have participated more in a virtual setting,” he said. “They don't like not being face to face, but they know how to use those systems much more than I was expecting to.”

The board of governors appeared to want the same thing as it acknowledged these issues are real, and they are happening everywhere, including in their own schools.

“We're looking at 400 years of racial intolerance and injustices, so progress is slow,” Greenstein said. “To make that progress, we're going to have to be comfortable having really uncomfortable conversations and very openly.”