In the wake of nationwide protests over racialized violence and policing, colleges and universities must find productive means to acknowledge students’ feelings of disconnect and fear, particularly those of students of color, that are frequently rooted in mistrust and grounded in the histories that they may bring from their communities of origin. During the Spring and Summer of 2020, William Paterson University explored institutional transformative strategies in response to national dialogues around racial injustice and police relations. This work was informed by a survey of student levels of racialized trauma during the protests following the killing of George Floyd and the handling of Breonna Taylor’s shooting death. Responses to this survey were used to develop a proactive series of initiatives designed to assure a safe and inclusive space for students’ return to campus in Fall 2020. These initiatives model a comprehensive institutional framework for implementing sustained partnerships with University Police and specific strategies to pivot programs during times of crisis to address the concerns and experiences of racial trauma among students, with a particular focus on students of color.
Gonell, Y., D.E. Jones, J.B. Powers, K. Rabbitt (2021). Racial Trauma Intervention Informing Campus Police Relations. Journal of Higher Education Management 36(1): 44-55.