COLUMBIA, S.C. — The University of South Carolina is looking to enhance racial inclusion on campus.
In February, the school hired Julian Williams as its Vice President of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion.
Williams is the first person to hold the position, and he also held the same position at George Mason University in Virginia.
He says he is looking forward to having conversations with USC students and faculty about diversity and inclusion on campus.
"I work closely with senior leadership and more importantly with our students and faculty about building a campus where students and faculty feel a sense of belonging, a sense that the University is there for them," Williams said.
With the school's history of racially motivated acts in the past, Williams feels the school's duty as the state's flagship university is to educate students through those acts.
"We obviously want to respond disciplinarily, but also educationally, as well," Williams says. "We're looking at options of adding online modules, which will allow students to talk about difference and talk about rights and responsibilities as it relates to the values of the University."
This Friday, the University's Board of Trustees plan to discuss renaming the J. Marion Sims building on campus.
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Williams is hopeful that will lead to a positive change for the university.
"I can understand where students are coming from when they say that a name reflected on a building may not reflect our values in full, and I think that's where we as a university have to have those conversations in full and I'm excited for that moving forward," Williams said.
Before coming to Carolina, Williams worked as the Director of Equal Opportunity at Vassar College, as well as the Director of Equity and Diversity at Monmouth University.
