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Syracuse University’s Diversity, Equity, Accessibility and Inclusion task force will begin compiling its strategic plan for improving campus climate.

SU’s Board of Trustees requested that the task force propose a strategic plan by June 1 for improving campus climate. The task force convened earlier this year to devise this plan, which will set long-term goals for the next five years and strategies for achieving them.

The task force is currently in its “brainstorming phase” and plans to begin drafting the plan in May, said Shiu-Kai Chin, a professor of electrical engineering and co-chair of the task force.

In addition to using data from a survey on campus climate, as well as a report from former U.S. Attorney General Loretta Lynch about the Department of Public Safety, the task force will hold several listening sessions to gauge input from the campus community, including students.

“A lot of what we’ve been doing has just been getting our heads around what those reports are saying,” Chin said. “We’re trying to make sense of where we are and what the strategic objectives should be.”

Damon Williams, an expert in diversity efforts, and the Center for Strategic Diversity Leadership and Social Innovation implemented the campus climate survey last fall. The survey found widespread dissatisfaction among students and employees, many of whom said they had experienced discrimination or doubted the university’s commitment to diversity and inclusion.

“It kind of speaks for itself that there’s tremendous dissatisfaction on campus that we have to address,” said Philip Arnold, an associate professor of religion and task force member. “The climate on campus is quite concerning for all kinds of students.”

The task force — which consists of several faculty, administrators and students — is led by Chief Diversity and Inclusion Officer Keith Alford and co-chairs Chin and Diane Murphy, dean of SU’s Falk College of Sport and Human Dynamics.

“We definitely need student input. And the student responses to the pulse survey will be very helpful in forming a plan of action for the next five years,” Arnold said.

The first listening session took place on March 31 over Zoom. In this session, the “Listening and Accountability” forum, Williams relayed results of the campus climate survey to the task force.

Several other sessions will take place throughout April. Each session will focus on a different topic, including general listening forums for faculty, staff and students, as well as diverse faculty recruitment and retention.

Yiwei He | Design Editor

The next session open for registration online is this Wednesday at 10 a.m. and will be a general session for all students. There will also be a general session for multicultural students later that day at 4 p.m.

The task force, along with SU’s Office of Diversity and Inclusion, facilitate these 60-minute listening sessions, which are open to registration for all SU students, faculty and staff.

“The purpose is essentially to hear everybody’s voice that wants to be heard,” Chin said.

The upcoming listening sessions will be helpful in informing the task force about the depth of challenges that students face on SU’s campus, Arnold said.

Chin and Arnold both encouraged students to attend the listening sessions this month, emphasizing that community input is especially critical to compiling a successful strategic plan.

“What we see is not only the data but what we all are bringing to the table, as well as the important feedback we’re getting from the community this month,” Chin said.

The best way for the SU community to help inform and assist the task force in developing its plan will be attending listening sessions, Arnold said.

“Students have already been involved, but we also need their involvement going forward in the next month or so,” he said.

Published on April 18, 2021 at 11:08 pm

Contact Sarah: [email protected] | @sarahalessan