SEAS, which holds the longest standing academic environmental justice program in the nation, has a vital role to play in educating future leaders about its history. We need to make this history of both struggle and initial transformation available to people without a degree and to leave a foundation for future SEAS leaders to build a more just and equitable school, university, and sustainability sector. 

The work of this course is to collaboratively collect, identify and daylight a rich collection of historical sources. Existing documents and narratives may include Gala case studies, the Black Body student letter (8/31/20) and Dean Overpeck’s response, SEAS DEI climate surveys, plans, and forums, Andrew Herscher’s forthcoming Under the Campus, the Land: Native Futuring, Colonial Non-Memory, and the Origin of the University of Michigan, and land acknowledgements of the University, including the Biological Station and the Burt Lake Burnout.

Collectively, we will generate materials for our annual student orientation at the U of M BioStation, and in partnership with community and Indigenous leaders where appropriate, deepen understanding of the evolution of SEAS impacts and initiatives. Participants will build concrete skills in cultural and historical research, inclusive design and authentic evaluation of tools for organizational change. Ultimately, we hope this work informs and motivates how the SEAS community understands our history and engage in the world.