Earlier this week The George-Anne reported on the newly released Inclusive Excellence Action Plan put forward by the university’s Chief Diversity Officer, TaJuan Wilson. That article can be found here. 

In its 27 pages the plan lays out the steps to take and goals to reach such as the diversity in the student body is better reflected in the Faculty as well. This plan provides guidelines for individual colleges to create their own action plan to see through any changes.

But what do students think about this newly released action plan?

From the individuals who were willing to talk to me on a slightly toasty Friday afternoon, only two individuals out of the nine total interviewed had heard of the action plan. 

When given a quick summary of what the plan aims to accomplish students like Rusty Grafle, Jacquelin Jazo, and Wendy Jazo all agreed with the ideas that the plan puts forth. Jacquelin and Wendy Jazo discussed how this plan could make the campus feel more like home for underrepresented students. 

The two master’s program students who were stopped quickly in front of Lakeside both admitted to not having read all 27 pages of the new plan but knowing about what it entailed.

Angelique Jennings said about the topic, “My thoughts aren’t many, it’s obviously super important. I think we definitely have places to go, I have been at Georgia Southern for five years so I’ve definitely seen an evolution of things so I’m glad it’s on our minds. […] But I want to see it and believe it. It’s nice to put things down on paper but I want some follow through. But of course Covid has prevented that. But once they follow through, then I’ll be like ‘yes, Georgia Southern, we’re doing stuff.’”

“Yeah, I feel really similarly. I think they can say whatever they want, but I’m not going to really believe it until I really see it.” Rachel Whitman