DEVELOPING THE DIVERSITY, EQUITY & INCLUSION STRATEGIC PLAN
This campus-wide strategic plan was created in partnership with GMercyU’ s Office of Diversity, Equity & Inclusion and a committee of faculty and staff from departments across the University. It serves as our roadmap toward creating a more equitable, inclusive campus culture, with four concrete goals and means for holding ourselves accountable to those goals.
The tragic and unjust death of George Floyd, the ongoing violence suffered by communities of color elevating the national conversation around racial justice once more, and a divisive political environment inspired us to respond not only with statements of solidarity but with action. What better way to act than by creating a strategic plan leading us to a culture of inclusive excellence?
To begin our work, the Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Working Group was formed in 2020 and was charged with developing concrete steps and metrics of progress for Diversity, Equity & Inclusion at GMercyU. The group has carefully considered how to infuse equity and inclusivity into all areas of our curriculum and cocurriculum, student development and leadership, our administrative structures, practices, and decisionmaking. In addition, we must consider our admissions, hiring, and promotions practices.
Through a year-long process of exchanging ideas, professional development, trainings, reviewing best practices and analyzing data currently available to us, the Working Group drafted our Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Strategic Plan. It’ s important to note that as we seek more data relevant to our cause, the group will respond to that data.
MEMBERS OF THE DEI WORKING GROUP INCLUDE:
• Catherine Pressimone Beckowski, Director of Assessment & Continuous Improvement
• Kim Cooney, Assistant Dean of Student Success and First-Year Initiatives / First Gen CRG Rep
• Tatiana Diaz, Assistant Vice President of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion
• Karen L. Geiger, Associate Dean of Student Success and Retention
• Mary Herman, Professor, Nursing
• Fanta Dukuly, Student Representative
• Andrew Harbaugh, Representative for Spectrum CRG and Staff Council
• Aimee Huffstetler, Vice President for Enrollment Management
• Zack Hulings, Director of Accessibility Services
• Alexandra Jabara Johnston, Director for Leadership Programs
• SoYoung Kang, Director Center for Teaching and Learning- Representative for FS Of Color CRG
• Anne Murphy, Director of Engagement and Affinity Giving
• Victory Osezua, Assistant Professor, Public Health
• Colin Pennington, Program Director, Exercise Science
• Meghan Walter, Associate Professor, College of Arts, Sciences, and Professional Studies
• Atasha Quarles, Associate Director of Financial Aid
• Alex Reynolds, Associate Director Residence Life
• Kirsten Swanson, Director of Marketing Communications and Social Media
• Jeffrey Wallace, Director of Mercy Center
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The Diversity, Equity & Inclusion plan for GMercyU challenges every member of our community of Mercy to a serious evaluation and re-evaluation of how we live our Core Values of Respect, Integrity, Service to Society, and Social Justice in a Diverse World every day on campus.
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– Jeff Wallace Director of Campus Ministry
This kind of ever-evolving work cannot be declared complete by 2024, however; it will always deserve our attention, nurturing, and a spirit of continuous improvement. We invite you to read the plan, ask questions, share your feedback, and seek out ways to get involved.
– Tatiana Diaz, Assistant Vice President of Diversity, Equity & Inclusion