Students at one Ohio university are taking a stand after they said the school’s Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Task Force created to form a more diverse and equitable community has silenced them.

What You Need To Know


  • Letter of resignation cites discriminatory comments, repeated comments of recommendations not standing a chance of implementation, and specific organizations not being involved as problems

  • Fifteen students resigned and only one student stayed on

  • Task force leaders said they offered to meet with students after learning about their resignation, but didn't hear back

Miami University rising senior Jannie Kamara was ready to get to work last month when she was invited to be a part of the school’s new Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Task Force. It was formed on the heels of protests across the country calling for police reform and the death of George Floyd. But not even a month later, Kamara backed out from the task saying they were shut down and invalidated at a time where change needs to take place.

“There was no purpose of us being there when we just didn't feel like we were valued," Kamara said. 

Taking to Instagram, the 21-year-old student government president, along with 14 others signed a letter of resignation and posted it on social media, making it clear they would not work for free. Kamara said working for free had many definitions and wasn't just based on monetary compensation.

“We cannot work for free when we're walking into a room and we're looked, or looked at like we're lesser than or, or it looks like we just don't as if we don't know what we're talking about when students are very smart," Kamara said.

Until recently, 50 plus university volunteers and other community partners started working to develop a diverse and inclusive environment which would address academic and police community solutions. This was in conjunction with town hall meetings where the university community could learn about the potential ideas and strategies. 

During Wednesday’s town hall, task force leaders said they were surprised when they learned of the student resignations and expressed regret for student experiences of not feeling valued. 

“We don't want to create any sort of environment in our diversity, equity and inclusion committee where any member feels like they're not valued or their opinions don't matter, that they don't matter," said Vicka Bell-Robinson, the associate director of Residential Life on campus and the task force co-chair.

But Kamara said she had concerns long before the town halls began.

“I spoke up and said, 'Why are there six students in this meeting, and we represent 19,000 students?' I was tasked to bring in more students, so I brought in about 20 students.” She also indicated discriminatory statements were made early on by different partners within the task force, but were not addressed. 

While she appreciated part of her experience within her subgroup, and the fact that some of her recommendations were highlighted, Kamara said that doesn’t change her mind about the overall problems or returning to the task force.

"It's not any more or less different because again like that's a recommendation versus what students are experiencing. Like, I can give you recommendations. But if I don't feel valued as a whole. I'm just not going to be there."

The letter of resignation cites continuous obstacles, repeated comments of their recommendations not standing a chance of implementations and specific organizations not being involved as problems.

As of right now, Kamara said one student chose to remain because they still want to be involved, and she plans to support them. But as of right now students who signed the letter said, “We need President Crawford to acknowledge the inefficacy of this committee and previous task forces that have proven our institution’s inability to handle issues surrounding diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts.”

Kamara said while school administrators reached out and expressed their disappointment with her resignation, she has gotten support from alumni and the Board of Trustees. Task force Co-Chair Vicka Bell-Robinson said they did offer to meet with students after learning about their resignation and offered to have student core team members meet each week, but they did not hear back from them.

Since the resignation, three students have reached out to talk about the issues at hand. No one has indicated they would return. Disheartened by the resignation, Bell-Robinson said she believes if they could have talked with students, they may have been able to avoid the feelings of invisibility. But now, as a task force, they are still committed to getting the work done to make the campus better.