A discussion on racial inequality in colleges and universities will kick off the University of Oregon’s African American Workshop and Lecture Series on Oct. 17 at the EMU. 

The discussion, led by Dr. Douglas M. Haynes, vice provost for academic personnel and academic programs in the University of California’s Office of the President, centers on the recent US Supreme Court ruling regarding the use of race in higher education admissions.  

The court’s decision fails to properly address racial inequality in colleges and universities across the country, he says, leaving them trapped in a cycle of action and inaction in response to the demands of Black people. Haynes will discuss how breaking free of this cycle is necessary and can be possible by acknowledging the exploitation of Black individuals during slavery and recognizing the persistence of systemic racism. By doing so, universities can play a more substantial role in promoting racial justice as a central institutional priority.  

Haynes has a rich academic and administrative background, with experience in modern European history, African American studies and contemporary higher education issues. Throughout his career, Haynes has held various leadership positions and has made significant contributions to enhancing diversity and inclusion in higher education.  

He was a founding faculty member of the Department of African American Studies at the University of California, Irvine, where he also led the development of undergraduate programs in Global Cultures and Medical Humanities and served as the inaugural faculty director of the multidisciplinary Center for Medical Humanities. As vice provost for academic equity, diversity, and inclusion, he established the Office of Inclusive Excellence and was subsequently appointed as the inaugural vice chancellor for equity, diversity, and inclusion. His accomplishments align with his belief that higher education institutions can lead by example in the pursuit of racial justice and equity within society.  

The lecture will begin at 5:30 p.m. in the EMU’s Redwood Auditorium. Haynes is the first in a lineup of accomplished African American speakers who will present at the UO throughout the year.  

The African American Lecture and Workshop Series is sponsored by the UO Office of the President and the Division of Equity and Inclusion.

By Harper Wells, College of Arts and Sciences