Dear Principal and Vice Chancellor Mathieson:

We are writing to you to express our concern as BAME staff and allies over the U.S. police killings of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, and Ahmaud Arbery and the U.K. police's closure of the investigation of the death of Belly Mujinga - four events emblematic of the institutional legacy and continued proliferation of anti-Black racism. As universities around the world reckon with their complicity in making this moment possible, we urge that the University of Edinburgh look closely at those ongoing issues of anti-Black violence and racial injustice that characterise its systemic practices of exclusion.

We write this letter with three aims in mind: First, we write in support of and in solidarity with the students of the BlackEd Movement who have written to you. Second, although we appreciate the statement issued by the University in response to these events, we contend that the actions listed therein, while a good starting point, do not address the structural, institutional, and systemic practices of racial inequality and injustice that confront Black and other racial minority students and staff across the university. Third, we put forward in this letter an additional set of recommendations signed off by the signatories of this letter.

Edinburgh admits very few Black students every year. In fact, according to data released by the Sunday Times in 2017, Edinburgh ranks the worst among all Russell Group universities in admitting Black students. Consequently, less than one percent of the Edinburgh student population is Black. Moreover, as your statement notes, a racialised degree-awarding gap also persists. Black British, British Asian, and other racial and ethnic minorities are also significantly underrepresented amongst postgraduate students, professional staff, and academic staff, as well as within the Senior Management Team where policies are decided.

Therefore, in response to your statement, we note the following:

1. With regards to the degree-awarding gap: We contend that this issue is cultural and structural, including curricular and pedagogic. We, therefore:
·   fully support the student call to establish a ‘Decolonise Curriculum’ group, and,
·   request that appropriate resources be allocated for race-centred pedagogical training and innovation, and for BAME student mentorship programs.

2. With regards to the process of restorative and reparative justice: We contend that this cannot merely be a historical investigation and that reparative justice must be intended towards Black communities in Britain today. Accordingly, we request that:
·   scholarships be established for Black British students to study at the University at all levels, proportionate to their underrepresentation;
·   adequate resources be allocated for the recruitment, retention, and progression of Black British students and staff at all levels;
·   concrete steps be taken to recruit and retain BAME applicants for professional services and academic staff positions, and,
·   concrete steps be taken to close the pay gap between BAME and non-BAME staff.

3. With respect to listening and learning from BAME staff and students: We contend that this labour is both intellectual and pastoral, and must be recognised accordingly. We request that:
·   all such labour, at all levels, must be adequately compensated in terms of time allocation and financial rewards, and,
·   a top-level, cross-College committee of BAME staff and students be established to guide the University on policies and practices that further racial equality and justice.

4. Finally, in support of the statement by the BlackEd Movement, we request that the University:
·   release a more comprehensive statement that acknowledges institutional racism and historical racial injustices, and,
·  detail the University’s initiatives and timeline to address the above requests.

As the University is doing the best it can to overcome the challenges brought by the COVID-19 pandemic, we also urge the University to not separate the issues of race and reopening the University. BAME students and staff will be the most severely impacted group. We urge the University to also carry out equality impact assessments on the decisions that you are making about resuming teaching and learning in the autumn.

In closing, we urge you to make combatting racism at Edinburgh a top priority and request an urgent meeting to address the above requests as well as outline further actions to address racial inequality at the University of Edinburgh. We look forward to your response.

Sincerely,

Concerned members of the university

[Your names will be added in the list.]

[We have delivered the letter on the morning of Friday 12 June. However, we are still asking for your support and will keep updating the letter signatories.]