Inclusive Excellence Newsletter - October 2022
Dear SCU Community:
As we enter this third week of the academic quarter, we are grateful for the level of engagement that we have experienced throughout the campus community. It is this engagement that highlights the continued need to ensure that we have a campus community focused on belonging and inclusion.
We are excited for the inauguration of Dr. Julie Sullivan as the 30th President of Santa Clara University and hope that all members can participate in these historic events. We are also excited to engage and welcome alumni during the upcoming Grand Reunion events taking place this weekend.
With Yom Kippur beginning at sundown on Tuesday, October 4th, the holiest of the Jewish holidays, we want to remind the SCU community of the importance of understanding of how we each individually observe our traditional religious holidays. A guide to religious holidays is available and if you don’t see your spiritual holiday represented, please reach out to inclusiveexcellence@scu.edu.
JEDI Strategic Plan
For new members of the SCU community, the framework for the Justice, Equity, Diversity and Inclusion (JEDI) strategic plan will be focused on the Inclusive Excellence Framework. This framework consists of five areas – Access & Success, Education & Scholarship, Infrastructure & Accountability, Community Engagement, and Climate & Intergroup Relations. Based on additional discussions, we are adding a sixth area – that of Wellness.
The JEDI Strategic Plan will be one of the integral pillars for the new University Strategic Plan as that planning process gets underway later this academic year. We are working with the respective Inclusive Excellence Liaisons to finalize their respective plans Over the next month, focused discussions will be taking place within the different areas on the JEDI Strategic Plan.
UNIT UPDATES
I. Inclusive Excellence Division
- A special thank you to the Staff and Faculty Senates for their collaboration with the TGIF Belonging Social that was held on September 30th to welcome new faculty and staff.
- Vice President Shá Duncan Smith will begin to host offices hours soon.
- Save the Date for the Fall Quarter Diversity Forum on Monday, October 17th from 5:30pm – 7:00pm. More details will be shared via email. The Diversity Forum is facilitated by the Inclusive Excellence Student Advisory Council (IESAC).
II. LEAD Scholars
- The LEAD Scholars Program was excited to welcome 119 first-year and transfer students for LEAD Week, our intensive orientation, from Sept 11-16 which include a welcome with Dr. Sullivan and a multilingual family information session on day 1, and academic and community building activities throughout the week.
- During week 1, LEAD hosted a Welcome Back for continuing students, and an Open House for students, faculty and staff.
- All are welcome to join us for LEAD @ Grand Reunion on Saturday, October 8 from 2-4 PM in the Williman Room and Patio, Benson Center.
- As part of National First-generation College Celebration, LEAD will be hosting events throughout the week of November 7th. More details to come!
III. Office of Accessible Education (OAE)
- With the start of the new academic year, OAE has been busy with student intakes to ensure that students have the necessary accommodations.
- We encourage all instructors to contact OAE if you have questions about any student accommodation needs.
- New organizational changes within OAE:
- In early August, James Marik was promoted from Associate Director to Director.
- As of October 1st, Heather Stephan, who just celebrated her 25th anniversary at SCU, has been promoted from Accommodations Coordinator to Assistant Director.
IV. Office for Diversity and Inclusion
- The first Community Conversation of the Fall quarter is scheduled for Tuesday, October 4th from 12:00pm – 1:30pm. This Community Conversation is focused on Understanding the U.S. Supreme Court Ruling on Abortion and its implications. Please check your email for the zoom link details or contact rplaza@scu.edu for the link.
- The Transfer Student Working Group held a successful Transfer Student Welcome Social on Tuesday, September 27th. Thanks to all of the transfer students that attended and we look forward to working closely with the different campus partners for additional efforts.
- The first Graduate Welcome Celebration took place on Saturday, October 1st. Graduate students from all of the programs came together for a tailgate cookout prior to the Women’s Soccer match and then post-match social and games. We look forward to working with the Graduate Student Inclusive Excellence Council to further focus on graduate student belonging on the campus.
- In collaboration with Alumni, a number of identity-focused receptions will be taking place as part of Grand Reunion. These receptions and events are free.
- Friday, 10/7:
- Black Alumni Community Social (4:30pm – 6:00pm)
- LGBTQ+ Alumni Community Social (5:00pm – 6:30pm)
- Chicanx Latinx Alumni Community Social (5:30pm – 7:00pm)
- Saturday, 10/8:
- Veterans Alumni Breakfast (9:00am – 10:30am)
- Asian Pacific Islander Community Breakfast (10am – 11am)
- MENA Alumni Community Brunch (10am – 11am)
- Native Alumni Gathering (10am – 11am)
- A number of Tenure Track positions for the 2023-2024 academic year have been posted. Please share information about these exciting openings with your colleagues and peers at other institutions. To learn more, please visit: https://www.scu.edu/hr/careers/
- Dates and times for Fall quarter Safe Space and UndocuAlly Workshops are now available on the ODI website. Workshops begin the week of October 10th.
- SCU will be marking Indigenous People’s Day on Monday, October 10th with a showcase by the Native American Coalition for Change (NACC) and the Multicultural Center (MCC) in the area between Benson and the Library from 11am - 3pm. This will be followed by a Town Hall on SCU’s Indigenous Efforts from 3:30 – 5pm. More details will be sent via email.
V. Office for Multicultural Learning
- October 1st begins LGBTQ+ History Month! Join the Rainbow Resource Center and Office for Multicultural Learning as we celebrate our queer history - locally, nationally, and globally. Our Student Inclusion Educators are preparing a new podcast episode in honor of National Coming Out Day on October 11th. Additionally, October 20th is Spirit Day, where people all over the world wear purple to take a stand against bullying of LGBTQ+ youth. To learn more about Spirit Day, visit the following website, sponsored by GLAAD.
- Rainbow Reads is a book club hosted by OML, RRC, and Campus Ministry which centers Queer and BIPOC authors. The book club picks up again for the new year on October 10th. In honor of Latinx Heritage Month, the group will be reading The Lesbiana's Guide to Catholic School by Sonora Reyes. To sign up and get a free copy of the book, click here!
- Did You Know that OML/RRC has a podcast called "word on the street"? This quarter marks the start of Season 5! If you have topics you want covered in the podcast, fill out our Listener Inbox form and we will review your feedback for our next episode!
VI. Office of Title IX and Equal Opportunity
- BRONCOS RISE: A new support group opportunity is now being offered on campus for students who identify as survivors of sexual assault. This is a closed and confidential group that will take place at the Wellness Center and is hosted by the ERA Center.
- #WeAreResilient: October is National Domestic Violence Awareness Month
- Domestic Violence, Dating Violence and Intimate Partner Violence can impact all types of people and relationships. It is important to seek support if you or someone you know may be involved in a negatively impacting situation. Domestic violence is the willful intimidation, physical assault, battery, sexual assault, and/or other abusive behavior as part of a systematic pattern of power and control perpetrated by one intimate partner against another. It includes physical violence, sexual violence, psychological violence, and emotional abuse. The frequency and severity of domestic violence can vary dramatically; however, the one constant component of domestic violence is one partner’s consistent efforts to maintain power and control over the other.
- SCU has partnered with the One Love Foundation to further educate our students on their #thatsnotlove campaign. You can get involved in this work by contacting the Wellness Center and joining the Violence Prevention Educators (VPEs).
- You can find information about the University's definitions and policies of Domestic and Dating Violence on page 25 of our Policy.
- MANDATORY REPORTERS
- As a reminder, all faculty, staff and residence life student staff are mandatory reporters with regard to incidents of gender based harassment, discrimination or sexual misconduct. You can email the Interim Director and Title IX Coordinator Jenna Elliott (jrelliott@scu.edu) directly or you can submit a Request for Support and Assistance Form for follow up to the concern. The goal in having information reported to our office is to ensure that the impacted student, staff or faculty member has knowledge of and access to support resources and supportive measures. The Complainant always retains agency in determining next best steps for their case for example, whether or not to pursue an investigation. Please reach out to Jenna Elliott (jrelliott@scu.edu) with any questions or concerns. An FAQ for our faculty members has also been created as we recognize that there are unique circumstances for information being reported in the classroom setting.
VII. Office of the University Ombuds
- Meet the Ombuds - The Office of the Ombuds is up and running and the Ombuds is ready to meet you. Whether you’re seeking assistance or information about services for yourself or you would like the ombuds to speak to your office or department, you are invited to reach out directly to ombuds@scu.edu to schedule a conversation.
- The ombuds is a confidential, informal, independent and impartial resource for faculty and staff to enhance communication, address interpersonal issues and departmental climate concerns. The ombuds listens to assist visitors to the Office to clarify issues, define goals, and discuss options. From there, the ombuds may assist with communication skills, mediation, group facilitation, and referrals to additional resources when appropriate. To learn more, contact the ombuds at ombuds@scu.edu or call 408-551-3542.
CAMPUS PARTNER
Reimagining Reparations In California: From The Broken Promise Of “Forty Acres And A Mule”
To The CA Task Force To Study And Develop Reparations Proposals For African Americans
October 14, 2022, 1 – 5 p.m., followed by a reception
St. Clare Room, University Library, Santa Clara University
Event Registration Link
Symposium Program
CAMPUS DIVERSITY CALENDAR
The Inclusive Excellence Division is committed to expanding awareness of the different diversity-related programming taking place on-campus. For those that use the Live-Whale Calendar, you can use the “diversity” tag to ensure that events will appear on the Diversity calendar that will soon be added to the Inclusive Excellence website. You can also send your program information to inclusiveexcellence@scu.edu.
If you would like to have items included in future newsletters, please contact rplaza@scu.edu
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