As noted in the recent update from CDO Search Committee co-chairs Dan Hernandez and Trey Williams, the search for a vice president to serve as the College’s chief diversity officer is now underway. However, we are not waiting for the appointment of a chief diversity officer to begin work on implementation of the goals of the Community Plan for Inclusion, Diversity and Equity. As we all know, accomplishing these goals is not the job of one person. It is the responsibility of the entire community.
Some notable IDE Plan accomplishments over the summer include the hiring of a staff colleague in the newly created position of Indigenous Communities Liaison, the completion of a new office for Africana Studies in Leighton Hall, and the establishment, through the generosity of the Class of 1972, of a new “Get Started” Fund that is providing some additional financial assistance to members of the incoming class.
Members of Tuesday Group, the College’s senior leadership team, have been working on division-specific plans related to the IDE goals that are designated as priorities for the coming year. We will discuss these plans in detail at a Tuesday Group retreat next week to ensure that where the plan designates specific offices as leaders on particular initiatives, those offices are prepared to move forward.
One thing we learned during the IDE planning process was that many members of the community were not aware of steps that are already underway to create a more inclusive and equitable environment, or were not familiar with groups that are working on campus to address these issues. In response, the College has launched a new Community of Belonging website to make it easier for members of our community to find important resources and IDE initiatives across campus. This site consolidates information previously scattered across different offices and pages, and is a space where we can provide ongoing updates on our work in this area.
This new site is intended to be a work in progress, and you are encouraged to visit it often. More information from specific academic departments and college committees will be added, as will featured stories and examples of initiatives happening around campus. Feedback from the community will help inform further site development.
In much the same way, our efforts to become a community where everyone feels a sense of belonging and ownership is also a work in progress. There is much work to be done. But we have a strong foundation to build on, and it is exciting to now be moving from planning into implementation and action.