Dear Members of the Syracuse University Community:
We are writing to you today to update you on the work of the Special Committee on University Climate, Diversity and Inclusion, which was formed by the Board of Trustees last semester, as well as the Independent Advisory Panel advising the special committee. Our mission is to review the University’s existing framework for diversity and inclusion and provide a report and recommendations by the end of June regarding programs, policies and initiatives designed to build a sustainable, world-class approach to diversity and inclusion at Syracuse.
Our committee is composed of passionate, longtime members of the Syracuse University community. Some of us grew up here, and many of us studied here. Most importantly, we have all remained deeply involved with the University throughout our adult lives and we each joined this committee because we know that Syracuse University can and should be a leader in diversity and inclusion. We encourage you to learn more about all members of the committee here.
Similarly, the Independent Advisory Panel is also already hard at work, having met with leaders of the diversity and inclusion community on campus, and they will continue to engage in these important conversations. The panel is composed of a diverse group of renowned experts with tremendous experience moving universities forward. They will help us develop our report and recommendations and you can learn more about them here.
Members of the special committee will also be visiting campus in February to host our first listening and dialogue sessions with small groups of students, faculty and other members of our campus community. You will continue to hear from the special committee throughout the semester as we seek to gather your input in a variety of ways—including through surveys, listening sessions and more—to ensure our final report and recommendations represent all of the Syracuse community.
In doing this work, we are cognizant of the continuing challenges we face on these issues across the country and on our own campus, but we are confident in our commitment to assuring that Syracuse University will be a leader in providing a welcoming and inclusive community for all.
Richard Alexander and Jeffrey Scruggs
Co-Leads, Special Committee on University Climate, Diversity and Inclusion
This October, the campus community is invited to celebrate LGBTQ+ History Month. The University’s official kickoff is Monday, Oct. 3, in Schine Student Center 304 from 4 to 6 p.m. The LGBTQ Resource Center, along with students and campus partners,…
Vice President for Diversity and Inclusion Mary Grace A. Almandrez will host a campus forum to share updates on campus diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility (DEIA) efforts. The event will be held Tuesday, Oct. 4, from 11:30 a.m. to 1…
On campus, the Student Association (SA) serves as the University’s undergraduate student body government, and its elected leaders act as the representative voice for all undergraduate students. Their goal and primary focus? Striving to help make each student’s undergraduate experience…
Cheng Cheng recently joined Syracuse University Libraries as the collection development and analysis librarian. In this role, he will be responsible for analyzing usage and selecting and deselecting library resources. Prior to joining Syracuse University, Cheng was the collection strategy…
As associate provost for strategic initiatives in the Office of Academic Affairs, Marcelle Haddix wants the work of her office to have an impact on the academic enterprise and the experiences of students—and to connect the University’s academic efforts with…
If you need help with your subscription, contact sunews@syr.edu.
