Dean Doug Shackelford (BSBA ’80) sent this message to the UNC Kenan-Flagler community about eliminating racial bias and promoting inclusion at the Business School.
Dear UNC Kenan-Flagler Students, Faculty and Staff,
I truly appreciate your calls for changes that will finally and systematically eliminate racial bias and promote inclusion at Kenan-Flagler.
Sometimes bad produces good, and I hope that George Floyd’s death is a tipping point for our country to finally address racial injustice. All of my life I have been dreaming this would happen. I am deeply passionate about this. It’s a moral issue for me.
I am determined it will be a tipping point for Kenan-Flagler.
Systematic racism, inequity, and unfairness against Black people and other underrepresented minorities is both wrong and bad business. UNC Kenan-Flagler must help our students develop the essential leadership skills around diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) required for success in their careers and in their lives. And, just as importantly, we have a responsibility to be an organization that models the behaviors we call for in others
Since George Floyd’s murder, I have talked with a host of people: Board of Governors members, the Chancellor, Provost, fellow deans, students, faculty, staff, alumni, a town hall led by our full-time MBA students, and another town hall led by our Undergraduate Business students, among others. Faculty, staff leaders, and students have conferred with me and program leaders to identify concrete changes that we will implement – please see below. Enacting change is a top priority for all of us.
We can stop racial injustice at our school. I can’t think of a greater legacy we can leave to the next generation of professors, staff and students.
With respect and commitment,
Doug