WKU Society of African American Alumni plan to hold university responsible for ‘We Are One’ plan

BOWLING GREEN, Ky. (WBKO) - President Timothy Caboni of WKU released a statement in June responding to racial injustices in our nation. The ‘We Are One’ themed letter listed several action items the university was going to take in order to further diversify and educate the campus.

“It’s time for WKU to not only talk the diversity talk, but to walk the diversity walk and we want to make sure that walk actually happens,” said Associate Professor of Mathematics, Michelle Jones.

The WKU society of African American Alumni responded to his letter, saying while they are excited about the initiative, they are asking that the university work with them on these items.

“The Society of African American Alumni would like to partner with you, Cheryl Stevens, Michael Crowe, Molly Kerby, Anthony McAdoo, and the newly formed WKU Alumni Association Diversity & Inclusion Council to ensure that the tenets of your message, as stated below, are carried out to the fullest,” the letter requested.

Jones also says she has seen and experienced firsthand the lack the opportunities for people of color on campus.

“Bias training is a must, it is long overdue on our campus. People who look like me - faculty, staff and students do not have the same opportunities for people who don’t look like me, and as long as people who don’t look like me are the people in the positions of power to make decisions then nothing is going to change,” said Jones.

Meanwhile, the president of the alumni society, Marshall Gray, expresses his hope and desire that the ‘We Are One’ statement is not just a blanket statement from the university.

“We wanted to make sure that this statement wasn’t just a statement, and we wanted to make sure that we could be at the table with those key players to make sure that what the university said it was going to do, that it would uphold and do,” said Gray. “This would give us the opportunity to not only hold accountable but then also then being able to share this information ya know with the alumni base that the society has a reach to.”

WKU Society of African American Alumni statement:

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