In order to ensure that our Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics Programs are truly antiracist, Cornell must introduce into each course the now standard techniques of antiracist and critical whiteness pedagogies such as the privilege walk. The privilege walk is successfully being used at Cornell to achieve critical consciousness.

The Cornell University Division of Student & Campus Life has many more resources to bring critical consciousness to STEM Students, including recorded talks by and with Ibram X. Kendi where students will learn to admit that they are racists, a list of books on racism, antiracism, whiteness and white privilege, and workshops on inclusive language:

In this workshop, participants will learn what inclusive language is and why it is important; concepts such as microaggressions, the golden rule and the platinum rule, intent versus impact; the importance of taking feedback; and examples of inclusive language related to many various identities and diversity and inclusion content areas. The presentation includes a variety of modalities: PowerPoint slides, small group discussion, short video clips, individual reflection, and large group share-out.

For those that do not know, the platinum rule is: “Do unto others as they would want to be done to them.”

The leadership team of the Intergroup Dialogue Project also has many antiracist tools.

The Intergroup Dialogue Project has worked with numerous academic units to examine issues related to equity, power, and inclusion in teaching, research, mentoring, and department culture. This resource provides frameworks, questions, and tools to help academic units lead and engage in meaningful and productive conversations about inclusive curriculum review.

eCornell is also here to help though our Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Cornell Certificate Program.

Since the techniques used to guide the students in their transformations from racists with false consciousness to antiracists with critical consciousness were first developed in America in the Church of Scientology (They had previously been used by Lenin in Russia and Mao Zedong in China) to guide people in their search for true enlightenment, we suggest that our departments pay homage to the Church of Scientology by renaming our departments:

Bioscientology: The antiracist study of life.

Cosmoscientology: The antiracist study of the universe.

Dendochronoscientology: The antiracist study of the use of annular tree rings for dating.

Ecoloscientology: The antiracist study of the environment.

Entoscientiology The antiracist study of insects.

Geoscientology: The antiracist study of the earth.

Physioscientology: The antiracist study of body function.

Morphoscientology: The antiracist study of body form.

Plantscientology: The antiracist study of plants.

Plant Pathoscientology: The antiracist study of plants and their pathogens.

Psychoscientology: The antiracist study of the mind.

Sociology: It is already antiracist.

The renaming will emphasize that upon graduation, the students will emerge with clean minds brimming over with critical antiracist consciousness. Antiracist meritocratic positionality and intersectionality based on critical thinking skills, technical skills, curiosity, honesty, integrity, creativity, open mindedness, skepticism, and perseverance, will be a sign of times-gone-by.

And as a bonus, if we rename the disciplines, it is possible that Tom Cruise will fly in to be our next commencement speaker.