7th Annual CDU President ’ s Breakfast Dives Into Voting Rights and Redistricting
The 7th annual CDU President ’ s Breakfast took place virtually in March 2022 . The annual event is an opportunity for informed voices to gather for thoughtful conversations about important topics related to CDU ’ s mission , vision , and goals … and this year was no exception .
This year ’ s event was held virtually and centered on “ Voting Rights and Redistricting : What ’ s at Stake ?” Attendees were treated to a featured conversation between CDU President and CEO Dr . David M . Carlisle and American author and activist Shaun King . Mr . King shared some of the experiences that motivated him to take action on social justice issues while offering his perspective on how to best address the attack on voting rights and the attempts to silence large swaths of the population for partisan gains .
This was followed by a panel discussion with special guests that was moderated by President Carlisle . Crystal Crawford , Executive Director , Western Center on Law and Poverty , John Yang , Executive Director of Asian Americans Advancing Justice , and Thomas A . Saenz , President and General Counsel for Mexican American Legal Defense and Education Fund , along with Shakari Byerly , Partner and Principal Researcher at Evitarus , engaged in a lively exchange about gerrymandering , election integrity , and various legislation impacting voting rights across America .
“ The state of our nation ’ s electoral process raises many questions ,” noted President Carlisle at the top of the event . “ Is redistricting a tool or a threat ? Can you out-organize voter suppression ? What happens when instead of the voters choosing their representatives , the representatives choose their voters ?”
The panel thoughtfully considered the perils around various restrictive voting policies put into place in some states , and how pending legislation like the John R . Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act could reverse recent erosion of voting rights for some populations .
“ Who we send to Washington , or the state , city , and local legislatures has a huge impact on everything including healthcare , education , and our economy in ways that can change the fate of minorities and suppress entire segments of our society for generations ” warned President Carlisle .
Dr . Sylvia Manning Appointed to Interim Provost Role
Dr . Sylvia Manning was appointed as the Charles R . Drew University of Medicine and Science Interim Executive Vice President for Academic Affairs and Interim Provost in June 2022 .
Dr . Manning comes to CDU as Interim Provost after several decades of experience in academic administration . Most recently , she served as Interim President of Western University of Health Sciences , as Interim President of Shepherd University in West Virginia , and as President of the Higher Learning Commission , the largest of the six regional accreditors .
Previously , she served as Executive Vice Provost for the University of Southern California , Vice President for Academic Affairs at the University of Illinois , and Chancellor at the University of Illinois at Chicago , where she focused on advancing the education of 25,000 diverse students , a rapidly expanding research portfolio , a full-spectrum healthcare enterprise , and extensive urban engagement .
She has given testimony before the US House Committee on Education and Labor regarding higher education and a federal definition of the credit hour , and the US Senate Committee on Health , Education , Labor , and Pensions regarding for-profit higher education .
Dr . Manning has also presented expert testimony on accreditation in California and Maryland courts . She holds dual US and Canadian citizenship , a B . A . degree from McGill University , M . A . and Ph . D . degrees in English Language and Literature from Yale University , and honorary doctorates of humane letters from Northeastern University , Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine and Science , and Western University of Health Sciences .
The appointment of Dr . Manning to the interim role at CDU has been made under the auspices of the Registry for College and University Presidents , which facilitates interim appointments for senior higher education leaders .
The event also served as a fundraiser and raised in excess of $ 100k in ticket sales and donations to support the emerging needs of CDU and its students . The entire event has been posted to CDU ’ s YouTube channel . Click here to enjoy a rebroadcast of the event .
2022 Annual Report Charles R . Drew University of Medicine and Science
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