This is the cover of the University of North Georgia’s latest continuing education catalog. It depicts two white dudes in suits winning the Race of Life after receiving a UNG education, while a woman tries to keep up, and a black man stumbles, probably because he hurt his back playing basketball.
The cover may be highly questionable, but it is, sadly, highly accurate. UNG is just leading instead of following by telling us the truth about race and gender in this country.
We should be thanking UNG for its honesty, but instead, the university is apologizing:
We are aware of the reaction to the image you noted. After looking into the issue, we determined that this is an isolated case of poor judgment, and was not intentional. However, the image was not representative of UNG’s commitment to diversity, and this will serve as an opportunity for increased dialogue about diversity issues and we expect that to better inform our processes and publications.
The image has been removed from the department’s website and social media pages, and the catalog will be reprinted before further distribution. Additionally, we have taken steps to provide for broader review of publications like this to ensure they fully meet institutional expectations and reflect our community and our values.
UNG has a campus in Oconee County, so good luck with that whole diversity thing.
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