“Our law school experience will be forever harmed by Professor Shurtz’s actions.” -BLSA Call to Action, 4/14/20

“Our educational opportunities and experiences as Black students are being negatively and adversely impacted.” -BLSA Petition to Boycott Courses Taught by Nancy Shurtz

“The most impactful way to [speak out against injustice] would be to speak to and engage with your Black law students (past, present, and future).” -BLSA Response to Dean’s Message, 6/10/20

Dear Oregon Law Administration,

Our law school’s Black students and alumni have been speaking up and speaking out consistently for nearly four years about the impacts that Professor Nancy Shurtz’s racist actions and the Oregon Law administration’s violent silence have had on their ability to achieve a legal education. You have failed to listen to these voices and engage meaningfully. We are listening.

We are a coalition of Oregon Law alumni who stand in solidarity with the Black Law Students Association (BLSA). We support BLSA's written statements, petitions, and calls to action regarding the administration’s response to Professor Shurtz’s racist actions. We hear Black students expressing exhaustion from having to spend precious time and energy defending their humanity and initiating equity and inclusion work with the administration. We hear Black students identifying the disparate impact that the administration’s continued silence and inaction has on their opportunity to receive an equal legal education. We hear Black students describing the undue burden that Professor Shurtz’s continuing presence on campus puts on them to recall attention to the ongoing harm caused by her racist actions. Now, we demand an end to the silence, platitudes, and complicity toward racial injustice within our institution.

BLSA has called for the Oregon Law administration to unequivocally condemn Professor Shurtz’s racist actions, to stop expanding Professor Shurtz’s course load, and to offer equitable alternatives to all classes Professor Shurtz teaches. We echo the voices of the students who advocate that they should never have to choose between taking required (or desired) courses and retaining their integrity.

BLSA has called for the Oregon Law administration to increase transparency of its disciplinary procedures and provide students resources and support during discriminatory conduct investigations, to create mandatory coursework for students about race and the law, and to require training for faculty and administrators on facilitating dialogue about race in the classroom.

We demand that you and the Oregon Law administration take action on the items listed above as detailed in BLSA’s written statements. You must speak to and meaningfully engage with your Black students and alumni to impactfully implement this racial justice work. We are listening to Black students and alumni, we are standing in solidarity with BLSA, and we are holding you accountable to the needs of Black law students. Get to work.