President’s Message: Addressing Important Campus Issues

You may have seen media coverage about deeply concerning reports of racially offensive language being used by a Meredith faculty member in a class last semester. We felt it was important to provide an update to our community as to where this situation stands.

On February 10, I notified the campus about an immediate investigation into this disturbing incident and its handling. While this investigation is underway, in keeping with College policy, the faculty member’s duties have been reassigned.

Beyond the ongoing investigation, Meredith continues to examine our responses and institutional practices to combat race discrimination. We are also examining and improving the system by which students and employees can report incidents of bias and discrimination. We will update the campus community as additional information and steps forward become available.

We acknowledge that this situation is hurtful. We deeply regret this incident and the pain it has caused our community, particularly for our BIPOC students, employees, and alumnae/i. We understand that you may feel a range of negative emotions as you encounter these stories. Counseling Center staff are confidential resources available to help students process these emotions. Meredith Chaplain Stacy Pardue is also available as a confidential resource for Meredith faculty and staff.

We apologize for the breakdown of trust and respect. This incident emphasizes that Meredith College has work we must do to ensure this campus is a safe, comfortable, inclusive learning environment for all members of our community.

Sincerely,

President Allen and the Executive Leadership Team