Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Newsletter

Thursday, February 6, 2025

Dear Golden Eagles,

Welcome back! I hope you had a rest filled winter break. We made a lot of progress last semester and over the break as we continue our commitment to equity, diversity and inclusion. I’m happy to share the following good news and updates:

1. Charlotte Wade, our new assistant director for equity, diversity, and inclusion joined Brockport in December. They have jumped right in and taken the lead to administer OEDI programs, trainings, and workshops. If you are interested in a workshop and/or training, please contact Charlotte directly at chwade@brockport.edu.

2. The 2024-2029 EDI Strategic Plan is complete and has been ratified by our shared govrnance bodies: Brockport Student Government, Brockport University Senate, College Council, and the President’s Cabinet. This five-year plan has three overarching goals that focus on campus climate and sense of belonging; the recruitment, retention and engagement of diverse students, faculty, and staff; and accessibility and community engagement. You can read the full plan by visiting the Office of Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion website. I will be convening an implementation team to help move the plan forward, beginning this spring. Students, faculty, and staff are invited to serve on this committee. If you are interested in serving on the team, please complete the EDI Strategic Plan Implementation Team

3. The planning for the 23^rd Annual Diversity Conference: Uniting our Communities for a Better Brockport, is in full swing. The conference is Wednesday, April 2 in the Seymour Union Ballroom. I am excited to share we have confirmed the conference keynote speaker, Reverend Ben McBride!! A native of San Francisco, Rev. McBride is a practitioner at fostering belonging and serves as a national leader in reconstructing public safety systems and gun violence prevention work. He has trained more than 100 law enforcement departments and executives and is the author of Troubling the Water: The Urgent Work of Radical Belonging. You can learn more about Rev. McBride and the Diversity Conference on our website.

REMINDER: CALL FOR PROPOSALS

The deadline to submit a proposal is Saturday, February 15. Students, faculty, and staff are invited to submit a conference proposal that is aligned with this year’s theme. More information on how to submit a proposal is located on the OEDI website and/or in the proposal MachForm.

4. Campus Climate Committee members needed! The University has committed to conducting a campus climate survey every three years and it’s time to begin planning for our next survey. I am looking for faculty, staff, and students who are interested in serving on the committee. Please complete the Campus Climate Committee form if you’re interested in joining this effort.

5. Last semester, I shared news about the grant we received from SUNY to establish a new interfaith prayer and meditation space. The current space in the Seymour Union is not large enough to accommodate the needs of our community, so I’m excited to share that a second, larger space in Cooper Hall has been designated as a new interfaith prayer/meditation space. The space in the Union will remain available to our community, as well. Renovations on the new space will begin this semester, with an anticipated grand opening in the fall.

The grant also allows us to establish an interfaith council comprised of students, faculty, and staff from diverse faith traditions and backgrounds. Complete this form if you’d like to be considered for membership on the council.

Finally, I’m pleased to share the following upcoming events:

Open Forum with the CDO
Thursday, February 13, 2025, 11:00 am
Seymour Union, Room 119

Brown Bag Lunch and Learn Series:
Understanding International Students
Friday, February 14, 2025, 12:20 pm
Seymour Union, Room 220

Topic: To Be Determined
Friday, March 7, 2025, 12:20 pm
Seymour Union, Room 220

Safe Zone Training
Wednesday, February 26, 2025, 10:00 am – 12:00 pm
Seymour Union, Room 220

Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial Lecture
Thursday, February 27, 2025, 7:00 pm
Fannie Barrier Williams Liberal Arts Building

Community Conversations: Middle East Conflict
Tuesday, March 11, 2025
Seymour Union, Ballroom