Diversity initiatives show SU is committed to lasting change

Dear Editor,

Achieving lasting change takes focus, perseverance, and hard work. We have begun and will continue, building on a foundation forged by individuals and groups across campus. The creation of my office is one of those initiatives, among many others:

• Awarding more than $282 million for the 2018-19 academic year via scholarships and grants to students from across a diverse socio-economic spectrum, ensuring promising students have access to Syracuse University with a planned increase for 2019-20; over the past three years, more than 40 percent of financial aid has been awarded to students of color.
• Training more than 1,000 faculty and staff on creating an inclusive classroom and preventing sexual harassment, unconscious bias, microaggressions, and discrimination.
• Adding to the human resources talent management team to assist faculty search committees in diversity hiring and adding staff specializing in integrating diversity initiatives into faculty hiring, salary review, and retention.
• The Department of Public Safety (DPS) established the Student of Color Advisory Committee. DPS officers completed training on unconscious bias and hiring 90 Residential Security Officers to provide support to, engage with and build trust among students.
• The Office of First-Year and Transfer Programs hired an assistant director for international student orientation to enhance the experience for new international students, coordinating social programs and supporting communication efforts.
• New reporting mechanisms are in place to help those who have experienced or witnessed bias through the Stop Bias initiative that educates the campus community about bias and provides resources to report and receive support for bias-related incidents. 
• Neil Powless G’08 was appointed University Ombuds, providing staff, faculty and graduate students an informal, confidential, impartial and independent resource to address interpersonal issues.
• Counseling staff at the Barnes Center at The Arch hired four additional full-time professionals who self-identify as people of color and added six graduate student trainees. Three of the new professionals are bilingual or multilingual.

Members of our community have worked collaboratively for months to implement the changes outlined above. Their work is not finished. Their progress deserves to be acknowledged and built upon in our effort to create lasting change. It’s important to recognize the commitment and achievements of the many people working to create an inclusive climate for students, faculty, and staff. They are central to the transformative work we continue today, creating the kind of change that is sustainable.

There is much left to do and there is room at the table for all of us. Our commitment is real. Our community will be better for it.

In solidarity,

Keith Alford

Chief Diversity and Inclusion Officer