It is was really interesting to hear about the unique position that higher education is in in addressing social injustice. Ajay Nair, the president of Arcadia University, provided interesting insight into understanding how university leadership addresses inequalities and strives to allocate resources to fix issues that they see. Both him and Professor Bradley spoke on the importance of encouraging student activism. President Nair provided an interesting point when he said that students should feel comfortable raising their voices on issues, and the true experiences of the students at the university should match the promotional materials of the college. They both offered a perspective I hadn’t thought about before – colleges are teaching the next generation of leaders, so they should encourage students to take the lead on issues that are important to them.

The conversation between Professor Stefan M. Bradley and President Ajay Nair was an eye-opening talk that allowed me to deeply understand the role of the Ivy League when it comes to achieving social justice on our college campuses. The Ivy League itself is and has been a representation of privilege in the history of American education. Other colleges often look up to these 8 institutions and follow their path establishing university legislations and academic curricula. That is why it is Cornell’s duty to incorporate the voices of racial, gender, and sexual orientation minorities into our policies. Recently, there have been conflicts regarding the Student Assembly’s decision not to disarm campus police. This decision imposes a direct threat toward black and other minority students at Cornell who no longer feel safe on campus, due to the existing tensions regarding police authorities. This event shows that Cornell still has a long way to go when it comes to achieving social justice on campus. As Professor Bradley stated, there is a difference between desegregation (accepting students of all minority groups) and integration (actually hearing their voices and implementing them into the school’s decision-making).

America’s history is reflected in its universities and its students. Though Cornell is relatively young compared to other elite institutions, it has still been hit with some of the worst of our country’s history– history that has moved students then and now to rise together against social injustices both on campus and beyond. If we look at Cornell’s own history, racial and socioeconomic injustices have been tolerated just like they have been in most universities across America. Though the days of segregation and racism seem like they belong in the past, it is clear that its shadows continue to loom over this country.

It was not only awakening to hear the perspectives of a couple of guest speakers at the October eCornell Keynotes event on this country’s past mistakes, but also encouraging to find that university leaders are now making more efforts to support student activism to help mend those mistakes. The only way to move forward from the grim past is to invite peaceful protest, legislative amendments, and constructive discussions, especially on college campuses that are building up the next leaders of the world. As discussed during the Keynotes event, top universities like Cornell ought to do more than boast of their diversity and inclusion in their brochures; there must be a genuine commitment to hearing student voices and giving them the space and time to speak it. Especially now, in a period of vulnerability throughout the country, it is crucial that students at top-tier universities take advantage of the privilege we have to be heard, and that leaders of those top-tier universities do all that they can to support us through it.

I really enjoyed this talk about social justice on American universities. I thought it was very interesting how since we are at an Ivy League our demographic on campus is very different than most colleges. At other colleges, they have a lot less resources and look to the ivy league as an example. Also I enjoyed the idea that colleges are a micro-communtiy that represents the larger population. The speakers urged that universities shouldn’t just throw money at social problems and instead attack the root of the problem. Since many universities are built on racism, it’s important that they address these problems that don’t just involve financials. I didn’t know before this talk about the different racial problems that arose in Cornell in the 90s.

When watching the virtual talk, Social Justice on America’s Campuses: Reflections on the Past and Leading in the Present, I found it extremely interesting how Cornell fits into the equation of campus orientation. When thinking about the speakers’ points, being an ivy league institution means that Cornell stands as a leading force for change and direction among universities in the country. Thus, we have a chance to help beneficially set the tone for the rest of the academic community as one of the staple leaders in higher education along with the other ivy league colleges.

I find this to be important because of the current precipice of higher education we sit on. One primary way I think that Cornell can lead the way in this sense is by recognizing and instigating the change we want to see at the highest levels. If Cornell makes strides to aid the community of color at a new level, other institutions will follow by virtue. This is proven by the previous methods of dictating the college education system through determining the value of standardized testing, general education requirements and many other facets of the college experience we know today. I hope Cornell takes this opportunity and makes a more equitable college experience for all.

The panel with Dr. Ajay Nair, President of Arcadia University, and Steven Bradley, Professor of African American Studies at Loyola Marymount University, was very compelling. I learned a lot about the steps students, faculty, and university administrators can take to unpack and overcome institutional racism, despite the fact that many of these universities were not founded with the intent of educating a diverse student body. Dr. Nair brought up a great point about how colleges should leverage their resources for social justice and as much as they leverage their resources for research and other academic initiatives. Universities cannot afford to not do the right thing, financially and morally. I agreed with how the onus should be put on university administrators to uphold social justice in equitable ways instead of distancing the university from racial injustices that occur outside of campus. Professor Bradley also brought up a great point about how administrators cannot put all of the responsibility on the students’ backs to create change within their institutions. Furthermore, students should be listened to instead of silenced; it is hypocritical to claim to want to create the future leaders of the world but then get uptight about how students are protesting. College should be students’ home away from home and university leaders should be held accountable for upholding these values. Dr. Nair said that as a leader, we don’t see success until we advance our goals, and I want to take what I learned in this event to create meaningful change in the spaces I inhabit on campus. As a leader in a few organizations at Cornell, I want to develop frameworks to advance diversity and inclusion in my own way, with the hope of creating more just and equitable spaces for my peers.