Texas Tech University

Resolutions for 2021-2022

May 4, 2022

Staff Senate Statement (based on SGA - SR 56.111)

WHEREAS, Staff Senate practices allyship to foster a welcoming and inclusive environment for all staff on campus, and

WHEREAS, Texas Tech University's strategic plan A Foundation for the Next Century: A Pathway to 2025 includes educating and empowering a diverse student body, and

WHEREAS, Texas Tech University does not currently have an official statement about the history of the land where the University resides upon, although many universities across the country do such as University of Texas at Austin or Colorado State University or even the Texas Tech Health Science Center, and

WHEREAS, Student Government Association, led by the Raiderland Native American Student Association, have requested that we adopt this Land Acknowledgment: “We acknowledge that the lands on which we gather – Texas Tech, Lubbock, and the surrounding region – are the occupied, unceded territory of the Comanche and Mescalero Apache Peoples. We acknowledge that Texas Tech University owes its existence and success to generations from across the globe, who gave their hopes, dreams, and energy in guiding us to this moment in our history. Some were brought here against their will, others left their distant homes in hope of a better future, and some have lived on this land since time immemorial. In the pursuit of reconciliation, acknowledging the truth of our histories' intersections is critical, and will ultimately determine our path forward. We begin this effort by recognizing the connections between ourselves and the land. Texas Tech resides today on the ancestral lands of the Comanche and Mescalaro Apache Peoples -- the original stewards of what is now Lubbock and was once the heart of the Comanchería. The foundation of our institution came at a direct cost to the Indigenous peoples, whose land and labor this university was built upon. Staff Senate acknowledges these truths as crucial for building and fostering mutual respect and connection across all barriers of heritage and difference. Please take a moment to pay respects to elders past and present, and the many legacies of violence, displacement, migration, and settlement that brought us together here today.”

WHEREAS, When time or space is at a premium for an event we may adopt this abbreviated version of Land Acknowledgment: “We acknowledge that the lands on which we gather – Texas Tech, Lubbock, and the surrounding region – are the occupied, unceded territory of the Comanche and Mescalero Apache Peoples. The foundation of our institution came at a direct cost to the Indigenous peoples, whose land and labor this university was built upon. Staff Senate acknowledges these truths as crucial for building and fostering mutual respect and connection across all barriers of heritage and difference. Please take a moment to pay respects to elders past and present, and the many legacies of violence, displacement, migration, and settlement that brought us together here today.”

WHEREAS, Staff Senate has the opportunity to be inclusive leaders representing all voices including minoritized and marginalized groups whom acknowledge our history as we work to build a future for voices to be heard, opportunities for self-awareness, and the courage to break down barriers to correct injustices of the past.

THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, that Staff Senate adopt the Land Acknowledgment composed by TTU Staff Senate to be shared in full or short form at special meetings and events including but not limited to transition ceremony, leadership luncheons, Tech Advantage Fair, and Staff Senate hosted professional development and training series.