Posted on behalf of Roger "Doc" Richardson, Interim Chief Diversity Officer
Dear Campus Community:
Since I assumed the Interim Chief Diversity Officer position in November 2015, I have witnessed a changing of the seasons. Not only is our Ithaca winter finally becoming brighter, but I have also witnessed a significant shift in some of our campus community members’ attitudes and behaviors.
In the sixteen years that I have been employed at Ithaca College, I have never observed this degree of focus and level of intentionality on the part of the institution to engage in open discussions and implement policies and practices related to issues of diversity and inclusion. I applaud the IC community for their engagement and willingness to contribute to IC’s efforts to help promote a more inclusive campus.
The academic year is coming to an end and we have to say goodbye to our graduating seniors, but our work is far from complete. The student activism from the fall semester has created significant momentum to make Ithaca College a more purposeful campus community and to grow each of us personally and professionally. That work will continue in earnest over the summer months.
To this end, I would like to provide some updates on the work being done to make Ithaca College a more diverse and inclusive community:
Safe space for ALANA students
I’m pleased to announce that a location for this long-requested space has been identified on the third floor of the Campus Center. It will be available beginning this fall following renovations over the summer.
The safe space will provide our ALANA students a location to serve as both a forum for open interaction and a retreat where they can reflect and refresh. It is meant to be an informal space for students to gather in a supportive and respectful environment in order to relax, engage in discussion, and debate issues and concerns relevant to them.
The space itself is approximately 250 square feet, and will offer comfortable seating for about 10 people. It will be available with open access for students' use in line with the normal operational hours of the Campus Center. Administrative oversight will be provided by the Director of Programs and Outreach.
Centrally located office for Public Safety
A space to house the satellite Public Safety office has been identified in the Campus Center. Renovations will take place over the summer, and the office will be staffed this fall. This satellite space will help make Public Safety more visible and accessible in the heart of the campus and allow their presence to be seen and felt in a more direct and positive way.
The intent is to foster trust and build supportive relationships between Public Safety officers and students. With a central location such as this, it’s easier for the campus community to stop by to ask questions, discuss issues, report crime, and seek information or assistance. In turn, the community becomes more participatory, better informed, and learns about the services and programming available through the Office of Public Safety.
This model of “community policing” has proven highly effective over the decades, especially when combined with other projects and programming that encourages officers to build relationships within the community.
Staffing of the satellite office is still being worked out. However, Public Safety has committed to having officers in the space during a designated time, which will be determined with input from the student body.
Body-worn cameras for Public Safety
The Office of Public Safety is in the process of testing several brands of body-worn cameras for eventual use while on patrol and while responding to calls. Once cameras are identified and purchased, however, they will not be put into immediate use, as policy for their implementation will need to be established and finalized. Questions about privacy issues and access to videos, specifically who, when and under what circumstances, are all currently under review. These questions will need to be answered prior to the projected Fall 2016 implementation.
External review of Public Safety
After completing our research and defining the scope of this project, a Request for Proposal (RFP) was shared with multiple consulting firms. The RFP’s were due back this week, and all three firms submitted proposals for consideration. Until these RFP’s are reviewed and timelines established, the exact date of the external review cannot be determined, but it is anticipated to occur during the 2016-17 academic year.
Campus Climate Survey
The work on the campus climate survey continues to move forward. Our consultants from Rankin and Associates facilitated numerous focus groups in April to help us build the survey tool this summer. The survey will be distributed to all faculty, staff, and students towards the end of September 2016. More information can be found at www.ithaca.edu/campusclimate.
Retention of ALANA Faculty
Back in the fall, the ALANA Faculty Working Group formed in an ad hoc capacity to enhance the College’s efforts to attract and retain our faculty of color. The group met with tenure-eligible faculty of color in January to hear their concerns and ideas about what would most help them during the pre-tenure phase of their careers at IC.
Thanks to this input, the working group learned that the most immediate need expressed by our tenure-eligible ALANA faculty was support for their writing and scholarship, as well as the need for mentorship. To that end, the working group has helped faculty get involved with professional writing support groups. Additional support for travel to professional conferences and workshops relevant to the development of ALANA faculty has also been offered this semester.
All new incoming ALANA faculty will be made aware of internal resources that The Center for Faculty Excellence offers, including grants for summer research, collaborative mini-grants for courses related to the Integrative Core Curriculum and a new Small Grants Program that will provide books and other resources for course development.
In the forthcoming 2016-17 academic year, the workgroup plans to continue providing opportunities for ALANA faculty to gather and share insights, experiences, and opportunities with each other. To that end, Dr. Peyi Soyinka-Airewele has agreed to serve in a mentoring role during her time as a Resident of the CFE. Pre and postdoc Scholars will be extended an invitation to participate in the retention program.
The retention program will also emphasize the range of community activities and connections that are available to new and early career faculty, such as First Fridays, the Greater Ithaca Activities Center’s MLK breakfast, the Latino Civic Association, ALANA bar-b-que, ALANA Coffee hour, and the ALANA Luncheon.
The CFE will be sure to contact all new ALANA faculty over the summer to inform them about the retention program, inviting them to participate, providing a calendar of important events for the coming year, and encouraging their participation in a new faculty Orientation Institute in the fall.
Diversity and inclusion training for staff and administrators
To date, 756 of 946 employees have completed at least one of two required sessions on diversity and inclusion offered by the Office of Human Resources, while 380 employees have completed both requirements. It is expected that we will reach nearly 100% participation by the end of July.
Diversity and inclusion programming for students
A multitude of events took place this spring during which students had the opportunity to discuss, learn, and celebrate our diversity and how we can be more inclusive. Additionally, new programming is being planned for students as part of the annual Fall Welcome event for first-year students, the Leadership Academy for student athletes, and for all leaders of student organizations. This programming is on track to begin this fall.
A summer of cultivation
Although we have experienced some delays and extended some projected timelines, I believe that the College’s commitment to these action items is unwavering, and I will continue to do all that I can to support these efforts. We must, and we will, continue to nurture the seeds of change that were planted this year.
When the fall semester starts, I look forward to sharing an update on all the work we will have accomplished this summer, starting new conversations about how we can further improve, and celebrating some additional achievements on the path to making IC a place where everyone feels welcome. Enjoy the summer!
Onward,
Dr. Roger (Doc) Richardson, Interim Chief Diversity Officer and
Associate Provost for Inclusion and Engagement
https://www.ithaca.edu/intercom/article.php/20160504151137257