Outside investigation finds evidence of racial bias in CSU theatre program, report says
An Atlanta law firm’s probe of alleged racial bias within the Theatre Department of Columbus State University’s College of Arts has substantiated some of the complaints students have lodged against the faculty.
“Interviews with witnesses and the review of evidence establish that there is an air of distrust and racial tension between faculty and students of color within the Theatre Department that has existed for at least 13 years,” says the executive summary of a report by the firm Nelson, Mullins, Riley and Scarborough.
“The current student body, consisting of both Black and White students, was overwhelmingly consistent in their view that students of color are subject to biases and unequal treatment in the form of disparate opportunities and racially or culturally insensitive comments,” it added.
CSU through the Georgia Board of Regents sought the probe that over the summer included interviews with 51 witnesses, in addition to examining documents. The report said many of the students’ complaints involved “micro-aggressions,” which it described as “frequent verbal or behavioral indignities,” and not “blatantly racist comments,” though investigators found “evidence of comments that also rose to that level.”
It said professors in the department have made “racially insensitive comments about students of color” and engaged in conduct that appears discriminatory.
Among the complaints cited in the report:
- Professors’ describing Black students’ hair as “nappy,” “wild,” or “kinky,” or using other insensitive or insulting language.
- Lacking diversity in the faculty, with no full-time professor of color on the staff.
- Preferring main stage productions from white playwrights over those of color, as evidenced by only two of 43 plays having come from African-American playwrights.
- Bias in casting, such as picking Black students only as “tokens” in an otherwise all-white cast, or casting Blacks in “caricature roles” depicting a stereotype.
“With very few exceptions, current and former students of all races were adamant that there are insufficient opportunities for students of color to be cast in main stage productions,” the report read. “This issue appears to result from two principle causes: (1) the traditional nature of plays included within the season selection; and (2) the Department’s failure to consistently apply a ‘color blind’ approach to casting.”
It said that in the past five years, African-American students were chosen for lead roles about 18% of the time, versus 76% for white students. The percentage of Black students in the department over that time span was around 22%, the report said.
“Given the racially and culturally insensitive remarks that have been outlined in this report, the students have a valid concern that African American students were selected for mainstage productions as ‘tokens’ for the sake of diversity,” the authors wrote. They added, however, that they could not substantiate that claim, nor could they conclude by “a preponderance of the evidence” that Black students were selected for caricature roles.
Besides referring to Black students’ hair as “nappy,” a professor also was alleged to have remarked that having “flat feet” is “the great African American curse.” The investigators found this complaint credible.
“These alleged statements are consistent with the nature of the casual, yet insensitive claims which are emblematic of the type of conduct experienced by students of color,” the report said.
The investigation’s report and findings are dated Oct. 20. CSU released it Thursday with this statement:
“The input of students and alumni was critical in the investigation into these allegations. CSU will enact the report’s recommendations immediately, which will help guide a greater focus on inclusion for the department’s staffing, student casting opportunities, and future programming.”
The report did not list any immediate recommendations for addressing the issues cited in its conclusions.
This story was originally published December 4, 2020 at 4:36 PM.