Happy Women’s History Month!

I am pleased to share updates from the Office of Diversity and Inclusion (ODI) as well as campuswide diversity, equity, inclusion and accessibility (DEIA) efforts.

A focal point for ODI has been the development of our organizational structure. Our goal is to staff the office appropriately within our areas of focus: inclusion and belonging; disability access; strategic communications and initiatives; learning and development; and research and assessment.

Some highlights of our efforts to properly staff our team are the addition of disability access to the ODI team, completion of national searches and the establishment of a new program manager position at 119 Euclid—we are delighted to welcome Marissa Willingham in this role. We are also excited to announce our inaugural ODI administrative fellowship, a unique opportunity for mid-career level staff who would like to advance the priorities outlined in the Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Accessibility (DEIA) Strategic Plan.

As our office continues to grow, we will have even greater ability and agility that will allow us to expand upon our current efforts to strategically advance the DEIA work of this university. We thank our campus partners for assisting us in this work as we move from ideation to execution, and we thank you for your individual and collective efforts to make our university welcoming and inclusive to all.

DEIA Five-Year Strategic Plan

The Office of Diversity and Inclusion, as well as members of various diversity and inclusion councils, are reviewing the DEIA Strategic Plan and tracking progress to date. Updates are forthcoming and will also be included in our annual report this fall.

ODI Campus Forum

The spring Campus Forum with Vice President Almandrez was attended by nearly 200 students, faculty and staff members eager to understand DEIA updates and participate in interactive activities that centered on brainstorming resolutions for student-raised issues. 

Learning and Development

Christina Papaleo has joined ODI as its learning and development specialist. She provides DEIA education to the campus community and conducts sessions via request. 

Inclusion and Belonging

Armando Martinez serves as the office’s inaugural director of inclusion and belonging. In his role he focuses on data-driven, community-building efforts for campus members and will serve as the campus liaison for the Posse Leadership Scholarship.

Below are examples of the work our campus partners conduct to make the University more welcoming and inclusive to all:

• For the third year, the full-day Barnes Center Staff DEIA Annual Conference was held, with 110 staff members participating. Barnes student employees, of whom there are over 600, also attend DEIA training when they begin their employment and are highly encouraged to pursue further education via the DEIA Wellness Leadership Institute.
• “Sound Beat: Access Audio,” a storytelling initiative of the Special Collections Research Center at Syracuse University Libraries, launched a 12-part podcast series titled “The Land You’re On: Acknowledging the Haudenosaunee.”
• The School of Architecture has established initiatives for its newly formed DEIA Council. The initiatives include diversifying pedagogy, a DEIA student council, teaching workshops and meetings with all studios.
• The Office of Student Living held its 23rd annual student-of-color leadership retreat for 60 students.
• This academic year, the Indigenous Graduate Student Organization has been officially recognized.
• Accessibility enhancements have been made to the following locations: Link Hall Allyn Innovation Center, Syracuse Stage, Haven and Watson halls, Newhouse, Minnowbrook Conference Center, Shaffer Art Gallery and the JMA Wireless Dome.
• The Staff Disability Affinity Group has been established with a mission to create a group/space for staff who identify as having a disability as one of the aspects of the intersectional experience, and who view disability as a positive lived experience. Staff with a disability interested in joining the group may contact ada@syr.edu.
• Faculty from the College of Law both convened and presented on a panel at the American Association of Law Schools Conference titled “Multifaceted Strategies for Expanding the Pipeline of Diverse Law School Students and Attorneys of Color: Law School, Bar Association and Judicial Commission Collaboration.”

Audio Description: Persons with visual impairments require audio description to fully experience theater production or other art forms with visual elements. When planning events that include films or theatrical productions, include appropriate time and budget to ensure all who will engage with the experience can do so equitably. William Myhill, director of disability access and ADA coordinator, has developed a Guide for Audio Description to assist with this endeavor.

“Latinx”

“Latinx” serves as a gender-inclusive alternative to the terms Hispanic and Latino since Spanish is a language that incorporates gendered nouns and pronouns (e.g., Latino being the masculine version). “Latinx” has been debated for a variety of reasons: according to the Pew Research Center, in 2020 just 3% of self-identified U.S. Hispanics use the term “Latinx”; its use in academic settings, which may connote a certain elitism; a difference in opinions across generations on how they self-identify; and the deep affinity and pride many hold toward aspects of conventional Spanish. As a way to address the critique that adding an “X” to make a word gender-neutral is more aligned with the English language, some native Spanish-speakers, including people from Latin America, have been using “Latiné” as an alternative version along with “Latino/a/x.”

Ramadan

This year, Ramadan is recognized from the evening of March 22 through the evening of April 20. Ramadan is the ninth month in the Islamic calendar, which is a lunar calendar, and it is the most sacred month of the year. During Ramadan, Muslims fast from food or drink, smoking, sexual activities and bad thoughts or deeds. This fasting is meant to encourage self-discipline and closer growth to God among other things. For more information on Ramadan and Islam fundamentals visit our Resource Center.

• Office Hours: To provide community members with enhanced opportunities to engage with her, Vice President Almandrez holds office hours across campus. Walk-ins are encouraged, and appointments can be made by emailing diversity@syr.edu. This semester, open houses have been held at 119 Euclid, the Intercultural Collective and the Shaw Center; the remaining open house is on the following date:
  • Wednesday, April 20: 1:30-3:30 p.m., Center for Disability Resources, Services Area, ground floor of 111 Waverly Ave.
• “This is Not About Me” Film Screening and Q&A, Thursday, March 30, 5 to 7 p.m., Dineen Hall: What is it like to be autistic and non-speaking in a world that has already made up its mind about you? Co-sponsored by the School of Education’s Ganders Lecture Series, the Center on Disability and Inclusion, and the Office of Diversity and Inclusion.   
• AAPI Heritage Month Kickoff, Friday, March 31, 4 to 6:30 p.m., Schine Atrium: Vice President Almandrez will share welcome remarks to formally open the celebratory month.  
• “Fostering a Diverse and Healthy Democracy,” Friday, March 31, 6:30 p.m.: Michael Eric Dyson, of Vanderbilt University, and John McWhorter, of Columbia University, will express divergent views regarding free speech surrounding race and the portrayal of racial identity. Tickets are required for the event; visit Ticketmaster to claim your free ticket.
• Disability Pride Week, April 17-22: Events and activities that reclaim disability as diversity through education and advocacy.