University of Kentucky seeks nominees to help change any ‘embedded racism or privilege’

The University of Kentucky created a form to nominate people to help lead and work on action plans to eliminate campus racial disparities and inequalities.

The push for volunteers follows the university’s announcement last month that it would make changes on campus after COVID-19 revealed healthcare disparities and police violence against Breonna Taylor in Louisville and George Floyd in Minneapolis focused attention issues of race.

“Such a community does not tolerate hate, nor does it expect uniformity,” President Eli Capilouto said in an email to the university. “It recognizes differences, not as points of division, but as powerful symbols of our common and shared humanity. Moreover, it also means we must examine and, in many cases, change and transform systems, policies and practices that have embedded racism or privilege for one group or people over another.”

Following a process it used to develop plans for reopening campus to students and classes this fall, the university plans to have multiple teams take on separate aspects of creating a Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Implementation Plan that will focus on actionable steps.

People can nominate themselves or others at https://bit.ly/3e77hYV by 5 p.m. Thursday.