Posted on behalf of Roger "Doc" Richardson, Interim Chief Diversity Officer
Dear campus community,
As I write this, the tragic events in Paris and Mali, and the recent loss of our Ithaca College student, Shannon Sakosits, are still fresh on my mind. As a result, I find myself thinking a lot lately about the relationship between losing something or someone that is dear to me and having to live with a new reality. I have lost a number of loved ones during my time here at IC; as I have gained more clarity about my personal and professional life, the realities of loss and change have become more apparent.
Like many, I find the approaching holiday season to be a special time to reflect on what was, what is now, and what I hope the future will be. In many ways, I think the discourse that has occurred since the start of the fall semester about exclusion, racism, micro and macro inequities, and not feeling safe on campus are directly connected to the need for the IC community to prepare for the inclusionary changes that are essential for our institutional sustainability.
The reality of loss— not in terms of human life, but loss of the status quo and the privileges many of us have operated with — are in question as the campus strives for inclusive excellence.
As an educated black man living in the United States, working at a predominantly white institution of higher education in a senior administrative role, I know I occupy a small space of privilege when I am on campus. When I leave campus, though, my small space of privilege shrinks. Because I am aware of this fact, I can only imagine how it must feel for those who occupy larger spaces of privilege (consciously or unconsciously) to be confronted with the reality of possibly losing any aspect of their privilege.
We must put that discomfort aside, though, so that each of us can prepare and work for a changed campus environment, one in which an increased population of traditionally underrepresented students, faculty, and staff will share our daily spaces with increasing frequency. In that environment, inclusion must become our new campus reality, inside and outside the classroom.
The work necessary to create that environment is hard to contemplate and will offer difficult challenges to navigate, but it is work we all must do. I believe there is widespread agreement that a transformative shift is necessary if IC is to become an institution that embodies “inclusive excellence.” Those of us who occupy larger spaces of privilege inside and outside the classroom are needed to help create the cultural change we want to see here.
I can only assume that for many of you, like me, these past few months have been stressful, with some restless nights and long days in classes or workspaces. Despite these trying weeks, I still give thanks. I give thanks to all of you who have voiced your concerns and respectfully demonstrated your frustrations, thereby showing your commitment to help Ithaca College become a better and more progressive institution in the pursuit of inclusive excellence.
As we enter the holiday season, I am filled with hope and optimism. Our efforts, together, are moving the action items related to diversity and inclusion forward. Here are some of the latest updates:
I am thankful for our collective effort to implement these initiatives and I hope each of us can find time in the coming weeks to reflect on our ongoing commitment to promote inclusive excellence at Ithaca College.
I wish you all peace. I hope you enjoyed your well-deserved Thanksgiving break.
Sincerely,
Doc
Dr. Roger (Doc) Richardson
Interim Chief Diversity Officer and
Associate Provost for Inclusion and Engagement
https://www.ithaca.edu/intercom/article.php/20151201193641972