Dear Students, Faculty and Staff:
I would like to open this correspondence by acknowledging November as Native Heritage Month. Let us not forget the struggles, sacrifices and contributions of indigenous peoples of this nation. To mark the culmination of Native Heritage Month, the Office of Multicultural Affairs will host a special event on Saturday, Dec. 1, from 5-8 p.m. in The Skybarn on South Campus. The event will feature a social dance and award ceremony. I welcome and encourage your attendance.
Work continues in our classrooms and across campus to address issues related to diversity, inclusion, accessibility, bias, culture and sexual violence. Accomplishments since the October update include:
Chief Diversity Officer Search Committee:
• Chancellor Syverud today announced the members of a search committee for a chief diversity officer (CDO). The creation of a CDO position was one of the recommendations of the Chancellor’s Workgroup on Diversity and Inclusion. The chief diversity officer will report directly to the Chancellor and provide executive leadership in the administration of services, programs, policies and procedures related to diversity and inclusion.
Council on Diversity and Inclusion:
• The Council on Diversity and Inclusion, co-led by Barry L. Wells, special assistant to the Chancellor, and Diane Wiener, director of the Disability Cultural Center, has identified 15 new recommendations for advancing the University’s diversity and inclusion goals.
• The Council is currently gathering information and identifying possible partnerships in order to lay the foundation for implementation of those recommendations. That work will continue during the Spring 2019 semester.
Disability External Review Committee:
• The Disability External Review Committee has invited three firms to campus for interviews.
• After interviews with two of these firms, the committee has decided to provide feedback to them and ask them to respond. The third firm will have the same opportunity.
• The final firm will be selected and announced by the end of January.
Office of the Interim Chief Diversity Officer:
• This month, the Inclusive Leadership Assembly hosted Amanda G. Nicholson, assistant provost and dean of student success in the Division of Enrollment and the Student Experience, and Sharon Alestalo, program director in the Center for Faculty Leadership and Professional Development. The discussions involved the First-Year Experience, with input requested for the 2019-20 shared reading and resources for conflict resolution.
• This month, I attended the Student Association (SA) meeting, where I updated its members on diversity, equity and inclusion efforts in progress. The SA members provided excellent feedback on current initiatives and how the University can help advance our shared goals.
• Also this month, I met with the Chaplains’ Council of Hendricks Chapel to discuss the need for and ways to include more religion-focused diversity and inclusion programming for faculty, staff and students.
• According to George Athanas, interim director of the Slutzker Center for International Services, nearly 500 students from 80 different countries experienced a traditional Thanksgiving during the 34th International Thanksgiving Celebration on Nov. 15. The event was supported by Dr. Ruth Chen, Hendricks Chapel and the Slutzker Center. The event included the sharing of the Native American Thanksgiving blessing by Regina Jones, assistant director for Native Student Programs in the Office of Multicultural Affairs and member of the Oneida Nation Turtle Clan.
• Matt Ter Molen, senior vice president and chief advancement officer, and the Advancement and External Affairs Diversity Council, chaired by Rachel Vassel, assistant vice president of the Office of Program Development, hosted a diversity and inclusion training for the Advancement Leadership Team. The custom programming was delivered by Al Vivian of Basic Diversity Inc., an Atlanta-based firm with expertise in higher education.
• The communications strategy for the STOP BIAS program is being implemented to enhance awareness around recognizing, reporting and preventing bias-related incidents. As part of the strategy, new marketing materials were developed and will be distributed across campus before the start of the spring semester. In addition, revisions were made to the STOP BIAS webpage and online reporting tool.
• During its November meeting, the members of the Board of Trustees participated in diversity and inclusion programming delivered by PDT Global, a worldwide diversity and inclusion training consulting firm. The Trustees engaged in a robust conversation around how the Board contributes to enhancing a university culture where every individual with the capability and desire to excel can do so.
Chancellor’s Task Force on Sexual and Relationship Violence:
• The Chancellor’s Task Force on Sexual and Relationship Violence, co-chaired by Diane Murphy, dean of Falk College, and Robert Hradsky, senior associate vice president and dean of students, has been engaged in a strategic planning process to further the University’s prevention efforts and to support survivors of sexual and relationship violence. This began with a review of campus policies, procedures and resources, as well as campus climate data that speak to the prevalence of sexual and relationship violence on campus.
• The Task Force worked with the University’s Division of Marketing and Communications to refine its strategy to better inform the campus of its work.
• The Task Force is currently completing a gap analysis, examining evidence-based best practices to drive the future direction of prevention efforts on campus.
• The Task Force is currently reviewing proposed changes to Title IX guidelines recently issued by the U.S. Department of Education. A sub-workgroup, including students, faculty and staff (along with the Office of Equal Opportunity, Inclusion and Resolution Services and the Office of the University Counsel), was formed to further review the proposed regulations and their impact.
First-Year Experience:
• The inaugural SEM 100 Shared Reading Discussion experience recently concluded.
• As part of the newly redeveloped First-Year Experience Initiative, the shared reading discussion engaged first-year and transfer students in conversations and activities around the themes of identity, belonging, diversity, inclusion, and health and wellness through a shared reading of Trevor Noah’s book, “Born a Crime.”
• To assess the effectiveness of this initiative, a survey of first-year and transfer students who participated in the discussion sessions showed that the overwhelming majority of the students found the experience rewarding and appreciated its value in their transition to Syracuse.
• Sixty-six percent (or 2,496) of students who responded agreed that SEM 100 achieved its learning objectives, the facilitator met expectations and the activities were valuable to their experience.
• In regard to meeting specific learning goals, some of the results included the following:
o 83.6 percent agreed they were able to identify complex sources of identity;
o 80.7 percent agreed they were able to identify the differences between implicit and unconscious bias;
o 86.7 percent agreed they were able to recognize and provide examples of verbal communication skills;
o 83.4 percent agreed they were able to recognize and provide examples of non-verbal communication skills; and
o 81.9 percent agreed they were able to successfully implement a personal health and wellness engagement plan.
• SEM 100 will continue in the Spring 2019 semester with transfer students participating in the discussion series. In response to feedback from students, the five-week sessions will start earlier in the semester and students will be engaged in discussion of the book at the onset.
Upcoming Learning Opportunities:
• Jay Dolmage, associate professor of English language and literature at The University of Waterloo and author of the groundbreaking book “Academic Ableism: Disability and Higher Education,” will present a public talk in Watson Theater on Tuesday, Dec. 4, from 5:30-7:30 p.m. The Office of the Chancellor, the Interdisciplinary Programs and Outreach initiative in the Burton Blatt Institute and the Disability Cultural Center are sponsoring the event.
• On Dec. 14, the University will host a presentation featuring Kimberly Rattley from Cook Ross, a full-service consulting firm focused on driving inclusive leadership and culture. Rattley will deliver the keynote address at 9 a.m. in Goldstein Auditorium in the Schine Student Center. The presentation will focus on the important role staff play in creating an inclusive campus community. Please direct questions about the presentation to Stacey White at stwhite@syr.edu.
Veterans Issues:
• The Undergraduate Trauma Research Training program, a National Science Foundation Research Education for Undergraduates opportunity, is recruiting students for its 2019 program on campus. A collaborative venture of the Falk College, SUNY Oswego and SUNY Upstate Medical University, the program is designed to improve access to undergraduate research experiences in the area of trauma for groups typically underrepresented in this research, including veterans. Now in its eighth year, the six-week immersion program—bringing together veterans and non-veterans in a safe environment to pursue trauma research activities—includes coursework, mentored student-faculty interactions and the development of a research project. To learn more, visit SU News.
• On Nov. 9, members of the public and the University community gathered to honor United States military veterans and victims of all wars during the University’s annual Veterans Day ceremony in Hendricks Chapel. Retired U.S. Army Maj. Gen. Peggy Combs ’85, the highest-ranking female military officer to graduate from Syracuse University, gave the ceremony keynote. Combs, who originally commissioned into the U.S. Army in 1985 as a member of the Syracuse Army ROTC, retired from service Nov. 8, in Hendricks Chapel—the same place she took her oath of service over 30 years ago.
Hendricks Chapel:
• This week, Hendricks Chapel and the Disability Cultural Center hosted “Facts, Faith and Politics,” this fall’s Interfaith Dialogue Dinner. The well-attended dinner and thought-provoking conversation was facilitated by Professor Dana Cloud and senior Ryan Patel.
• Tickets are still available for the 2019 Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Celebration featuring comedian and author Trevor Noah, host of the Emmy- and Peabody Award-winning “The Daily Show” on Sunday, Jan. 27, 2019, in the Dome. For information on tickets, visit SU News. Also, every year at the MLK Celebration, a group of Unsung Heroes is honored for their selfless dedication to the community and for embodying the vision of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Nominations are due Dec. 13 and can be submitted by visiting mlk.syr.edu/unsung-hero-award/nominate-an-unsung-hero/.
We will continue to provide monthly updates, but in the meantime, please be sure to visit Diversity.syr.edu to learn about upcoming events, resources, learning opportunities and programming.
Embracing our connectivity,
Keith A. Alford, Ph.D.
Interim Chief Diversity Officer