About Me

1. I will not aid in the registering, rounding up or internment of students and colleagues on the basis of their religious beliefs.

2. I will not aid in the marginalization, exclusion or deportation of my undocumented students and colleagues.

3. I will, as my capacities allow, discourage and defend against the bullying and harassment of vulnerable students and colleagues targeted for important aspects of their identity (such as race, gender, religious beliefs, sexual orientation, etc.).

4. I will not aid government or law enforcement in activities which violate the U.S. Constitution or other U.S. law.

5. I will not aid in government surveillance. I will not inform.

6. As a teacher and researcher, I will not be bought or intimidated. I will present the state of research in my field accurately, whether or not it is what the government wants to hear. I will challenge others when they lie.

7. I will not be shy about my commitment to academic values: truth, objectivity, free inquiry and rational debate. I will challenge others when they engage in behavior contrary to these values.

8. As an administrator, I will defend my students, faculty and nonacademic staff. I will not allow the expulsion, firing, disciplining, harassment or marginalization of individuals targeted for being members of disfavored groups or for expressing dangerous opinions.

9. I will speak up for academic freedom. I will insist on the autonomy of my institution.

10. I will stand with my colleagues at other institutions, and defend their rights and freedoms.

11. I will be fair and unbiased in the classroom, in grading and in all my dealings with all my students, including those who disagree with me politically.

(Rachel Barney, Anti-Authoritarian Academic Code of Conduct)

Black Lives Matter! The philosophy department at Green River College categorically rejects racism, white supremacy, and police brutality. We stand in solidarity with our Black brothers, sisters, and non-binary siblings against anti-Black racism in all forms. 

As a community of scholars who are committed to studying race and other marginalized voices as part of our core curriculum, we know that this violence is not new. The United States is built upon stolen and looted Indigenous land under the justification of manifest destiny and settler-colonialism. Furthermore, the infrastructure of this country was built with the stolen and enslaved labor of Black bodies. Racism is the legacy of this country that is still being carried out to this day. We are thus committed to contributing to the epistemic reparations owed to the victims of a system that was designed to uphold white supremacy.

Furthermore, as philosophers we recognize the role that much philosophy has had in justifying past acts of oppression. We also recognize the incredible role the philosopher can play in revolutionizing unjust systems. People like Franz Fanon, bell Hooks, Cornel West, Angela Davis and various other Black scholars have showed us, through their words and actions, the vital importance of standing in solidarity with Black voices speaking out and working against racism; from interpersonal to global realms. Black philosophers continue to do the work of their own liberation while dealing with blatant racism, discrimination, and crushing microaggressions. In this department, we are committed to protecting and celebrating our fellow Black colleagues, students, and staff across, and beyond, the academy. 

The work before us requires herculean effort; but we shall not let the perfect be the enemy of the good. Racial justice can only be achieved by understanding the breadth and depth of white supremacy while working together to radically shift the balance of power. We cannot ever be complacent. We must fight racism in all its forms. We must not be afraid to challenge and resist the status quo imposed by white supremacy. In the words of Fannie Lou Hamer, “Nobody’s free until everybody’s free.” (UO Philosophy Department, Anti-racism Statement)