A Statement from IEC's Leadership

on the Death of George Floyd

The world witnessed George Floyd's horrific death captured with cell technology. The blatant disregard for his life and that of so many others like Ahmaud Arbery, Sandra Bland, Michael Brown, Philandro Castile, Eric Garner, Botham Jean, Atatiana Jefferson, Trayvon Martin, Tamir Rice and Breonna Taylor is inexcusable and demands justice. Systemic racism must stop!

We use this moment to call on all IEC members to reflect on the brutal murder of innocent African Americans and to consider ways to change our institutions. We can no longer tolerate racism, discrimination or any form of implicit bias as they leave an indelible impression on their victims. Hence, the problem is perpetuated. While it is encouraging to witness an umbrella of people from diverse cultures and backgrounds across the country and around the world condemning these appalling transgressions, the most important thing for us is what we do henceforth. 

IEC members are committed and compelled by our mission to make a stand together along with all academic institutions in treating everyone with equity and respect, regardless of race, religion, ethnicity, sex, gender identity or orientation, age, disability, citizen status or national origin. We extend an open invitation to all those who wish to participate by first showing unity and love for each other. We also understand that these interactions may invoke feelings of discomfort, but we must be extremely candid with ourselves and one another to move forward.

To this effect, our organization commits to:
 

• Developing a deeper understanding for ourselves of the root causes of racism, discrimination or any form of implicit bias and developing plans to eliminate them from academic settings.
   

• Exploring and implementing best development, recruitment, support and mentoring practices to increase the numbers and rank of underrepresented minority faculty at partner institutions.
   

• Finding ways to increase the enrollment, retention and persistence to degree of underrepresented minority students in higher education, and provide financial, academic and professional development support systems for them from matriculation to the time they graduate and join the workforce.
   

• Partnering with local K-12 school systems, especially those serving marginalized groups in our society, to develop talented minds, support them and transition them to higher education.
   

• Recognizing and celebrating national and state holidays in recognition of individuals and groups who have fought for social justice.
   

• Creating an annual national IEC event to engage our communities on how electrical and computer engineering promotes social, economic and environmental justice.
   

• Reaching out to institutions from across the higher education spectrum to establish conversations about racism, how it impacts lives and careers and how we can partner together to eliminate it.
   

• Starting and maintaining ongoing conversations with our own minority and non-minority faculty, staff and students on how each of us can promote equity by examining and improving our policies, procedures, strategic plans and key indicators.
   

• Identifying and acquiring the resources needed to implement our initiatives.

The mere existence of the Inclusive Engineering Consortium shows that society has a long way to go, and we are committed to moving forward to achieve our goals for a better, more inclusive and just society.

Craig Scott
President, IEC