Dear Fellow Pilots,

The University of Portland Department of Athletics stands against racism and systemic discrimination, on our campus, and in our community. We are committed to the well-being, education and equality of every person.

The Athletic Department states unequivocally that Black Lives Matter and commits to providing public updates on action items related to the fight against racism and systemic discrimination no later than the end of each semester.

We have spent the last few weeks listening, gathering feedback and implementing initial measures to ensure our Department is supporting our BIPOC community members now and moving forward. As one of the leaders on campus with regards to BIPOC representation among students and staff, the Athletic Department is committed to drive societal and systematic change on campus and in the community.

Here is an initial, non-comprehensive, list of Department stances and actions that will be updated and refreshed as necessary:
 

• We continue to fully support the ability of our student-athletes and staff to express themselves on and off the field. We have not, and will not, restrict their voices, activism and passion for change. We will also support, and embrace, our student athlete's voices and endeavors beyond The Bluff both at large and through our Student Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC).
• We have begun to implement changes in the makeup of our senior leadership group to better represent our diverse population.
• In addition to representation on the WCC's Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Committee, the Department will form its own Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Committee this fall.
• We are developing hiring and recruitment initiatives to better support BIPOC coaches and staff representation, to ensure diverse candidate pools during the hiring process, and to result in greater staff diversity across the Department.
• We are committed to supporting student-athlete initiatives and participation related to diversity, equity, inclusion and fighting racism including:
  • Annual representation at the NCAA Inclusion Forum by an administrator, coach and student athlete(s)
  • Participation by student athletes, coaches and staff at WCC Anti-Racism Education Seminar
  • Implementing SAAC recommendations for Senior Student Athlete Exit Interviews, related to DEI/racism/discrimination issues
• We will encourage voter registration and participation through the following measures:
  • Participate in the national #AllVoteNoPlay effort by holding no athletically-related activities on Election Day
  • Encourage voter registration with plans for both Oregon and out-of-state residents
  • Work with campus partners on education regarding electoral process for students
• We will bring in outside experts for training and education about implicit bias, anti-racist actions, and facilitating critical conversations for staff, coaches and student-athletes. This will also include training for hiring managers and those who regularly serve on search committees.
• We will continue to host open forums for coaches and staff. The first forum was held on June 22 and will continue quarterly.
• We will engage with current and new community partners to support the BIPOC community, both on-campus and in the Portland metro area.

These are the first of many actions that we are committed to implementing to ensure the Athletic Department is a place where all feel safe and included.

Sincerely,

Scott Leykam, Vice President for Athletics