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In memoriam: Hubert G. Locke, a champion for justice

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I am saddened, along with many colleagues throughout the University, by the passing, this Saturday, of Hubert G. Locke, professor and dean emeritus of public policy. For more than two decades, Hubert served the University of Washington – as assistant dean of the College of Arts & Sciences, as vice provost for academic affairs and as dean of the Evans School of Public Policy and Governance. But long before he arrived at the UW, and long after he retired in 1999, Hubert was a force for justice, ethics and historical context. His work left an indelible mark on the Evans School and our whole University; he will be greatly missed.

Over the years, he served as my confidant and mentor. He had a brilliant mind, was an avid reader, and he was always well-informed on key issues affecting the University, our region, and the world. His integrity was legendary, as was his eloquence. He was generous with his time, beginning when I was a junior colleague and just starting to consider administrative work. He particularly relished his interactions with students, especially students of color and those from less privileged backgrounds. Although we saw each other less frequently in recent years, when we would meet, he would always ask me about the University and the Evans School and he took a great deal of pride in the rising prominence of both.

Hubert was a professor of public affairs who both studied law enforcement policy and American policing and served, most notably, as the administrative assistant to the Detroit Commissioner of Police during the 1967 Detroit riot. That experience led him to publish the highly regarded book, The Detroit Riot of 1967, a firsthand account of that violent conflict. Throughout his life of public service, he remained a devoted advocate for racial and social justice in law enforcement.

Hubert was also a passionate student of the Holocaust and the Third Reich, and his deep knowledge of that period colored his awareness of the need for justice, equity and a civil society committed to those ideals. In a letter to his late father in which he celebrated the election of Barack Obama as president, Hubert wrote, “It is, I think, one of the surprises of history — that hardship and oppression can produce leaders of enormous vision and immense compassion.” Hubert exemplified those qualities in everything he did as a scholar, educator, and civic leader.

We mourn his death, but we are grateful for his many and lasting gifts to the UW, Seattle and world.

A memorial service will held on Saturday, July 28 at 10:00 a.m. at the University Christian Church, followed by a reception.

 

 

Academic student employees ratify contract

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Sunday evening, UAW 4121 announced that the proposed 3-year contract with academic student employees had been ratified by a 62 percent to 38 percent margin (1476 to 918). We are heartened by this result because this contract continues the progress we’ve made in recent years in elevating wages and benefits for ASEs, and also means that undergraduates can finish their courses as planned. Academic student employees are critical to our success as a world-class research university, and this new contract represents our commitment to them and to ensuring fairness for all UW students.

We recognize that our region’s sky-rocketing housing costs are placing real financial stresses on our ASEs, along with other members of our community, and we look forward to working together during the legislative session on behalf of funding for higher education and our top priority, which will continue to be better wages for all our employees.

The negotiations were lengthy, spanning 22 sessions, and we want to thank the negotiators from both sides, as well as all those who made their voices heard constructively throughout this process. We also want to thank all the faculty and staff who made preparations for mitigating the effects on undergraduates of a strike that, fortunately, will now not take place. Students should consult with their instructors to confirm plans for finals and for concluding the quarter and academic year, and we look forward to joining the entire community in the coming days as we celebrate graduation.

Addressing a potential ASE strike

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As we shared recently, we are committed to a fair contract for the University of Washington’s academic student employees. ASEs are an integral part of the University, and the UW continues to negotiate with their representatives in good faith. It’s very disappointing that with two negotiating sessions still scheduled before June 2, the United Auto Workers Local 4121 (UAW) has announced a strike for June 2-15.

Our commitment to a fair contract for ASEs

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The UW is firmly committed to ensuring that teaching assistants, research assistants and all Academic Student Employees (ASEs) are fairly compensated for that work. That is why five years ago we made a commitment to the shared goal of raising the median wages of teaching and tesearch assistants and other ASEs to be in alignment with their peers in the Global Challenge States and on par with the University of California system. Over the last five years, the base salary for ASEs was increased between 3 percent and 11.59 percent each year, for a compounded rate increase of 50.4 percent.

Understanding, preventing and responding to sexual harassment

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I sent the following message to all University of Washington faculty and staff today and I think it’s worth sharing with our whole community. Sexual harassment has the potential to affect everyone and it’s an issue we can and must work together to prevent and address. 

As the #MeToo movement has brought attention to the pervasive issue of sexual harassment in our culture, the University of Washington reaffirms our deep commitment to preventing and addressing sexual harassment in our community. Sexual harassment is devastating for victims, and too often, survivors do not get the support they need when they come forward. Our University is dedicated to fostering working and learning environments that are free from sexual harassment and all forms of sexual violence and discrimination.

Training resources:

In-person, unit-based training can now be scheduled through your Human Resources consultant

Monthly prevention of sexual harassment in-person training through Campus Staff Human Resources. Register here

Video training Addressing Sex Discrimination & Sexual Harassment for staff, faculty and other academic personnel

Bystander training to identify and interrupt instances of interpersonal violence, including sexual harassment and sexual violence is offered regularly on the Seattle campus and by request at other UW locations

We are all responsible for understanding what sexual harassment is, taking action to prevent it from occurring, and knowing how to respond if it does occur. Beginning May 1, 2018, all schools, colleges, campuses, divisions, departments, programs, and offices can request in-person, customized training through Human Resources. In addition to the training focused on staff responsibilities offered through POD, this customized training can now be scheduled on a by-unit basis and geared to any combination of staff and faculty. Contact your Human Resources consultant to schedule a training.

These sessions will expand on a new training video, produced by Human Resources, Academic Personnel, and Compliance Services, “Preventing Sex Discrimination and Sexual Harassment in the Work Environment.” I expect every faculty and staff member to watch this training video. Look for additional training topics and resources to be made available this fall.

University policy also prohibits all employees from engaging in romantic relationships with students that create a conflict of interest or can be perceived to create a conflict of interest. It also prohibits exercising authority over a student with whom the employee has had a romantic relationship. Our policies also address potential conflicts of interest between employees. If you have questions or concerns regarding these policies, how “conflict of interest” is defined, or about developing a formal plan to manage a potential conflict, contact your supervisor, department chair or Human Resources or Academic Human Resources consultant.

The resources and trainings I’ve shared here are valuable, but we recognize that there is more work to be done. A Title IX workgroup is developing recommendations for enhanced education and outreach. Another group is addressing how to best assess our university climate on these issues, and a third is further clarifying employee responsibilities in preventing and responding to sexual violence and sexual harassment. The Title IX Steering Committee will be reviewing their recommendations in Autumn Quarter and the Faculty Senate will lead discussions about the significant role that faculty play in preventing and addressing sexual harassment. I look forward to sharing the results of this work with you.

If you have experienced or are aware of sexual harassment occurring at the UW, please inform your supervisor, department chair, unit administrator or Human Resources/AHR consultant, or call SafeCampus at 206-685-7233. You can also connect with a confidential advocate who will provide information about your rights and support resources. You may also reach out to Interim Title IX Coordinator Valery Richardson at titleix@uw.edu or 206-616-9713.

As a community devoted to public service and grounded in respect for the inherent dignity and worth of every person, we share a responsibility to ensure that sexual harassment is never tolerated here. We all have an obligation to live up to those ideals, and to support each other in fostering a safe and healthy place to work and learn.

Remembering the two halves to Martin Luther King Jr.’s legacy

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In 1968, as the nation mourned the loss of Martin Luther King Jr, the New York Times wrote that for many Black Americans, King was “the prophet of their crusade for racial equality,” while for Whites, he was a leader who “preserved the bridge of communication between races” through his steadfast commitment to non-violence. The undiminished power of his legacy is a testament to the strength of those two halves of his cause: a tireless quest for progress and an unyielding commitment to undertaking that quest peacefully.

Celebrating International Women’s Day by looking back and ahead

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As we celebrate International Women’s Day this week, which also falls in National Women’s History Month, it’s a pleasure to reflect on the extraordinary women who blazed the trails we walk today, as well as those carving new paths and changing the world right now. And it’s a moment to ask how we can support and encourage the women who are just beginning to build their legacies, who will inherit and transform the future.

Transfer students’ success is crucial part of improving access

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The University of Washington is working hard to streamline the process by which transfer students enroll at the UW and do more to meet the needs of these students once they arrive. Recently, I had the pleasure of sharing some of this work with a Presidential Roundtable for the American Talent Initiative. The ATI is a collaboration among a group of public and private universities to admit and graduate more low- and middle-income students to these top institutions, and the UW is proud to be a founding member. Our efforts to ease the transition for transfer students matters because community colleges are a crucial pipeline for low-income and underrepresented students seeking a four-year degree. And increasing access to higher education isn’t only about admitting and enrolling students – it’s also about making sure they graduate and have opportunities to make the most of their Husky Experience.

At ATI, I was proud to share some of our transfer students’ successes: On our Seattle campus, about 4,000 students, or 15 percent, are transfer students, as are nearly a quarter of students across all three campuses. At the UW, transfer students also graduate at equal or higher rates than students who enter as freshmen and transfer students are more diverse and more likely to be eligible for Pell grants.

It is a point of pride that our very own Washington State Community and Technical College system is a national leader, with 34 colleges across the state serving close to 400,000 Washingtonians. Here at the UW, we have the opportunity and responsibility as a public university to create the best possible conditions for the success of these students who seek to complete a four-year degree. In recent years, we’ve worked to foster a culture that integrates transfers and meets the needs they have that a freshman might not, and we’ve done so in partnership with our state’s community and technical colleges. We meet with community college leaders quarterly to understand what hurdles their students are facing in transferring to a four-year college. As a result, we have made changes, like notifying transfer applicants of admission in the spring instead of the summer so they have more time to make plans for housing and financial aid. We have made it easier for community college students to understand what courses to take to increase their chances of admission to the UW. We have also adjusted how we support transfer students after they enroll to help them focus on a major and get the leadership training and opportunities for job preparedness that are important to their success.

Our work in this area is ongoing and we still have more to learn and do, but I am excited to be part of a larger effort to ensure that students who get their start in community colleges have pathways to attaining a four-year degree – and all of the opportunities that a four-year degree confers. The UW is not alone in this mission as a broad range of universities, from Williams College to Harvard to Ohio State focus on increasing access to higher education for low income students. The culture change this represents is huge. And it’s an opportunity for higher education to come together and learn from each other in service of a goal we all share: increase access to education for the benefit of all our nation’s people.