Posted on behalf of Dr. Roger Richardson and Sean Eversley Bradwell
Dear Campus Community:
We hope this message finds our campus in good spirits and that all have had a chance to meet and/or hear from our future president.
As a campus community with divergent perspectives, we also hope we can agree that creating a culture of inclusion is in the best interest of Ithaca College, and that civility, compassion and respectful conversations will serve us well in our collective pursuits. We look forward to working together as we strive for inclusive excellence.
With this goal in mind, listed below are some past and upcoming events and updates on diversity and inclusion efforts for the spring semester. As always, please contact us with questions, suggestions and collaborations.
Recent Programming:
Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Legacy Celebration
MLK Week! The start of the spring semester provided the campus community with the opportunity to participate in a host of programs and events celebrating the life and legacy of the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. It was a week of meaningful events.
Black History Month
During the month of February, the annual celebration of Black History Month provided the campus community with the opportunity to engage in culturally rich programs and educational events. View a list of programs that were offered.
Nat Geo Gender Revolution
In recent weeks, Luca Maurer, program director of Ithaca College's Center for LGBT Education, Outreach and Services, held a pair of screenings of the National Geographic documentary Gender Revolution: A Journey with Katie Couric. Maurer served as a consultant on the magazine’s recent special issue on gender.
The 2nd Annual Symposia on Inclusion, Cultural Fluency and Global Citizenship
As part of the symposia, a faculty panel and discussion called Making Excellence Inclusive: Teaching, Learning and Classroom Climate was held on Monday, February 27. The conversation focused on approaches that ensure that Ithaca College remains committed to excellence for all its students, even as it experiences change.
Upcoming Programming:
LGBT Awareness Month
During the month of April, IC will host our annual month-long celebration of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender history, along with the history of the gay rights movement and related civil rights causes. View a list of programs here.
Center for Faculty Excellence
The Center for Faculty Excellence (CFE) is currently facilitating a faculty and staff book read on the book Deep Diversity: Overcoming Us vs. Them. For more information, contact CFE.
Student Book Group
In anticipation of Trevor Noah’s visit to campus on April 8, Dr. Sean Eversley Bradwell is conducting a student book read of Noah’s autobiography, Born a Crime: Stories from a South African Childhood. More information will be available on Intercom soon.
Focus Asia Month
During the month of April, IC will hold our annual celebration of Asian American and Pacific Islander culture and histories. Through programs and events that are both fun and educational, important achievements and issues that surround the AAPI community are highlighted. Click here for a list of programs.
Diversity & Inclusion Discussion Circles
Discussion Circles are held weekly and are open to the campus community. These circles focus on a range of topics through conversation and presentations. In January, Dr. Roger Richardson presented on the topic of diversity and inclusion in educational affairs, and later in the month a screening of Ava Durvernay’s documentary 13th was held. In February, Dr. Nia Nunn presented on the topic of implicit bias. And on March 22, Ithaca College alumnus Cornell Woodson ’09 will present a workshop on “allyship.”
Community Church Leadership Program
The Community Church Leadership program is under development in collaboration with Dr. Sean Eversley Bradwell. At the start of the spring semester, Rev. Dr. Chris House launched the Christian Community Church, a central feature of the program. Services are held on Sundays in Muller Chapel from 3-4:30 p.m and everyone is welcome to attend.
Updates on Initiatives:
Campus Climate Study
Presentations of the Campus Climate Survey will be given by Sue Rankin & Associates at two campus forums, both on Tuesday, April 25 in Textor 103. The first will be from 12-1:30 p.m. and the second from 4-5:30 p.m. An announcement of the two forums will appear on Intercom and the events calendar in the weeks leading up to the presentation. The executive summary of the report will be available on the Campus Climate Survey website.
Office of Public Safety External Review
The Office of Public Safety independent review conducted by the consulting firm Margolis Healy has been completed. The summary report, which was expected to be completed by the end of January 2017, has not been received by the college. The summary report will be shared with the campus community before the end of the spring semester.
Community Review Board
The Community Review Board (CRB) draft document remains under review by the Public Safety Union, UGSOA Local 507, which represents patrol officers, security officers, communication specialists and parking safety staff. Upon completion of this review, the work to establish the CRB will be undertaken and shared with the campus community.
Body-Worn Cameras
The summary of the proposed body-worn cameras policy is under review by the Residential Life/Public Safety Workgroup. Once this review process is completed, it will be shared with the Office of Public Safety for additional review. Prior to implementation, the campus community will have the opportunity to attend forums for questions and conversation regarding the policy for body-worn cameras. More information about the campus forums will be provided once the review processes have been completed.
Chief Inclusion and Diversity Officer (CIDO)
Newmann Executive Search Partners have been hired to assist in the recruitment process with a search committee that is being chaired by Dr. Brian Dickens, vice president of human resources. The formal posting of the position was completed in late January, and the committee anticipates that the selection and hire of the new CIDO will be completed by early summer (May/June).
Office of Public Safety Satellite Office
We are pleased to announce that the Office of Public Safety satellite location, housed in the Campus Center, held its grand opening on January 23. Stop by and say hello during the hours of 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. during the week!
Multicultural Student Lounge
Modifications to the Multicultural Student Lounge, located on the third floor of the Campus Center, are near completion.
Office of Alumni Affairs
The first phase of the diversity and inclusion training for alumni volunteer leaders, Board of Trustee members and all staff in the Division of Institutional Advancement and Strategic Communications has been conducted by the Craig Clayton Diversity Consulting firm. The rollout of the online modules for volunteers on inclusive excellence is expected to occur in March, and will be made available to volunteers who attend the on-campus “volunteer symposium” held June 16-18. In addition, the Diversity and Inclusion Committee is finalizing strategies for sustaining a diverse volunteer pipeline, as well as ways to incorporate the diversity and inclusion language into volunteer job descriptions.
Diversity Workshops and Trainings
Diversity and inclusion programs, workshops and training initiatives continue to be implemented for faculty, staff and students under the leadership of Dr. Sean Eversley Bradwell, director of programs and outreach. If you would like to discuss the possibility of diversity and inclusion workshops or trainings, please contact Dr. Eversley Bradwell.
During the remainder of the spring semester, additional diversity and inclusion programs and initiatives will be ongoing. As always, we encourage you to regularly check https://www.ithaca.edu/diversity and the D&I events calendar for information on programs and events, and diversity and inclusion action item updates. We wish you a productive and successful semester.
In Partnership Always,
Dr. Roger (Doc) Richardson
Associate Provost
Interim Chief Diversity Officer
Dr. Sean Eversley Bradwell
Director, Program and Outreach
Educational Affairs
