Division of Inclusive Excellence Newsletter - March 2022
Dear SCU Family:
As we approach the final weeks of the Winter quarter, I am pleased to provide the first monthly newsletter from the Division of Inclusive Excellence. This monthly update is designed to ensure continued communication and engagement with the broader SCU community around the important diversity, equity and inclusion work that is taking place.
On December 1, 2021, I announced the creation of a new Division of Inclusive Excellence that brought together the following offices:
This new Division is the first step in our shared vision for enhancing and expanding inclusive excellence. I am working with the respective directors on their plans for growth and development, and long-term goals. Our next big focus is laying the groundwork for the SCU Justice, Equity, Diversity and Inclusion (JEDI) strategic plan.
Warmly,
Shá Duncan Smith
JEDI Strategic Plan
Since January 2022, Ray Plaza and I have been working with a group of Inclusive Excellence Liaisons, who represent each of the colleges/schools, Vice President areas, and Centers for Excellence. A total of 20 individuals have been busy engaging with their respective units. In addition, the Multicultural Center is engaging students in their Blueprint and strategic planning process in collaboration with institutional JEDI initiaitives. We are grateful to the entire SCU Family for your continued support.
One of the first projects for these Liaisons was to undertake a formal SWOT Analysis to determine the Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats per each area through the diversity and inclusion lens. These SWOTs are critical in helping to identify the broad themes and trends as the group develops the scaffolding for the JEDI framework.
Our goal is that by the end of June 2022, we will be able to share the broad framework for JEDI, and begin to get your input and perspective through planning processes underway in your units. We will be highlighting the progress in the monthly updates.
UNIT UPDATES
I. Division of Inclusive Excellence
- Hosted the Black History 101 Mobile Museum by Dr. Khalid el-Hakim on February 17th. Special thanks to the de Saisset Museum for their assistance.
- Working with the Inclusive Excellence Student Advisory Council (IESAC), and their efforts as Inclusive Excellence Fellows working on a variety of projects
- In partnership with the Division for Mission and Ministry, working with the new Campus Safety Advisory Committee
II. LEAD Scholars
- On February 16, the LEAD Scholars Program held a virtual LEAD Symposium during which 105 first-year LEAD Scholars shared and discussed research they are conducting in their ENGL CTW 2 courses with their peers, alumni, faculty, staff and friends of LEAD.
- Throughout February, we offered a range of workshops for LEAD Scholars including our How To Series that covered such topics as moving off campus, applying for LEAD microgrant funding and filing your taxes. We are also preparing
- In lieu of Family Weekend, LEAD is preparing care packages for LEAD families that will contain information about the program and small gift items that will be sent out early in March.
- We will wrap up the quarter, with events held by LEAD Council, our student run leadership group, including a game night and a destressor event during finals week.
III. Office for Diversity and Inclusion
- ODI provided behind the scenes support for the annual Fred T. Korematsu Day of Civil Liberties and the Constitution that took place on Sunday, January 30th. A video of the event is available at: https://youtu.be/PHkm6B_HT8o
- ODI serves as the convener of the Transfer Student Working Group, formed in March 2021 to bring together those offices and departments that work with Transfer students. A Virtual Winter Quarter welcoming took place in January and an in-person event took place on February 17th.
- In addition, ODI works closely in supporting SCU Student Veterans and working with colleagues from the Registrar's Office, Admission, Financial Aid and One Stop through the Veterans Student Support Group.
- ODI continues to provide various workshops to the university community ranging from Inclusive Search Workshops, Safe Space Trainings for faculty and staff, UndocuAlly workshops and other tailored opportunities.
IV. Office for Equal Opportunity and Title IX
- Effective January 1, 2022, per Senate Bill 493, all staff and faculty members are considered Mandatory Reporters of incidents or concerns involving Gender Based Discrimination, Harassment and Sexual Misconduct. The term Mandatory Reporter or "Responsible Employee" means an employee who has the authority to take action to redress sexual harassment or provide supportive measures to students, or who has the duty to report sexual harassment to an appropriate school official who has that authority. Incidents of such nature can be reported by contacting Interim Director and Title IX Coordinator Jenna Elliott at jrelliott@scu.edu or by submitting a Request for Support and Assistance Form via the website. Please visit our website for more information including our updated policy to reflect these changes.
V. Office for Multicultural Learning
- The Office for Multicultural Learning (OML) provides two educational opportunities for all members of the campus community to engage in: Racial Justice Workshops and Safe Space Trainings. Both opportunities are a tailored experience which focuses on topics directly impacting the work done in your respective department/unit/group/club. If you have any questions or would like to schedule a consultation for a workshop, please contact the Office for Multicultural Learning at oml@scu.edu for a Racial Justice Workshop and/or the Rainbow Resource Center at rrc@scu.edu for a Safe Space Training.
- OML and the RRC will be hosting its annual Multicultural Recognition Ceremonies June 4th and June 9th to recognize students of color and LGBTQIA+ students in the graduating Class of 2022. All six ceremonies are open to both undergraduate and graduate students. In addition, all members of the community are welcome to attend the ceremonies - whether you identify as a part of the identity groups we are celebrating or identify as an ally! More information, including an RSVP form, will be sent to the campus community via email at the beginning of Spring Quarter.
- Have you listened to word on the street, the podcast from OML and the RRC? If not, make sure to check out the audio of each episode on Spotify and the video of each episode on our YouTube channel. Student Inclusion Educators in OML and RRC co-host each episode with topics ranging from colonization and the LGBTQ+ community to culinary racism. If you would like to be featured on the podcast or have an idea for an episode, feel free to email OML at oml@scu.edu.
VI. Office of the Ombuds (new)
- The Search for the new Ombuds is underway as the Office of the Ombuds is created. The Search Committee chaired by Justin Boren and Shá Duncan Smith, has been reviewing applications and will be moving forward with the next steps.
- Screening interviews are scheduled from March 7 - 11th, with on-campus interviews tentatively set for March 28th and 29th
- The goal is for the individual to start by July 1, 2022.
- We want to give a special thank you in advance to the Ombuds Search Committee and Nelda Harris, who is staffing the committee for working in collaboration to find the University’s first Ombudsperson.
- This position has been a priority for many members of our community for some time. We look forward to being in communication with the SCU community about the results of the search.
We want to acknowledge the ongoing war affecting Ukraine and its effect on members of our SCU community and global communities. As a community we must acknowledge that our collective work and commitment to justice, equity, diversity and inclusion is a global movement.
As Dr. King said, “Injustice anywhere is a threat to Justice everywhere.” We understand that our liberation is interwined and because of this we act, while pushing the boundaries of our sphere of influence to leave this world better than we found it.
We encourage you to join the Prayer Vigil for Peace in Ukraine on Sunday, March 6th at 7:30 pm on the steps of the Mission Church.
SAVE THE DATE
Thursday, April 28th from 4:30 – 7:00pm
for a campus-wide Diversity celebration and recognition event
