As our nation once more grapples with the epidemic of police violence against Black people and systemic racism more broadly, many faculty, students, staff and other community members have expressed concerns about policing on the Seattle campus, including about the UW Police Department’s relationship with the Seattle Police Department.
Over the last several days I, along with Vice President for Student Life Denzil Suite, who oversees UWPD, have met with a number of UW community members and student groups to listen to their concerns. On June 15, we responded to those concerns through the letter linked below, which details the current state of policing on campus, as well as our plans going forward to foster and reimagine a safer campus for all of our community members. To be clear, this letter is not a conclusion but a continuation of this critical conversation and a commitment to ongoing action.
President Cauce and Vice President Suite letter on the UWPD (pdf)
Note: The letter inadvertently used the word “recruit” instead of “hire” to describe restrictions on hiring that stem from I-200. The UW has comprehensive policies and practices to recruit diverse candidates to faculty positions. More information is available in the Handbook of Best Practices for Faculty Searches.