Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) Plan
Priorities and Actions
Based on ongoing discussions among representatives from across campus, the BIPOC action planning group has established priorites and actions to address the core challenges identified by student representatives.
Priority #1
Develop an undergraduate certificate program and/or a minor in Africana Studies by AY 2023-24.
Priority #2
Expand and sustain Center for Faculty Excellence (CFE) trainings around racial equity topics that provide opportunities for ongoing involvement from BIPOC students, using evaluation responses to inform existing training.
Priority #3
Submit a formal request for new Diversity and Inclusion Student Commons (DISC) space that supports the vision for expanding DISC services and offerings to more directly support BIPOC students and address issues of racial equity.
Context and History
Context and History
Leaders of Montana State University’s Black Student Union, student organizations representing students of color, and select members of MSU administration worked closely together to develop these priorities for addressing the needs and concerns of Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) students at MSU.
Core Challenges
Core Challenges
The priorities listed above were selected from a broader set of core challenges identified by student representatives. The process of drafting this plan included understanding student challenges, consulting with campus partners and collaborators, exchanging ideas with many individuals, student organizations, and campus groups, and drafting goals and actions that would capture the energy and intentions of the university community.
Frequently Asked Questions
BIPOC is an acronym that stands for Black, Indigenous, and People of Color. It is a term that is used to refer inclusively to members of these racial and ethnic identity groups.
Leaders of Montana State University’s Black Student Union, student organizations representing students of color, and select members of MSU administration have been working together since the summer of 2020 to draft a working plan for addressing the needs and concerns of BIPOC students. The actions were drafted collaboratively by this team, followed by consultation with key campus partners to identify barriers and opportunities. This group exchanged ideas with many individuals, student organizations, and campus groups. The result was a draft action plan from which these three priorities were systematically selected.
Advancing this work is the responsibility of every member of the university community. We encourage you to engage with our Diversity Development Certificate to explore the ways your identity impacts your work, familiarize yourself with the resources available in this area, and work with your colleagues and supervisors to discuss how your unit/department can advance these goals. If you would like to contribute to a specific goal listed above, please contact the individual responsible for that action to learn more about how you might get involved.