Office of Equity and Diversity Initiatives
The Director of the Office of Equity and Diversity Initiatives reports to the Associate to the President for Institutional Effectiveness and Strategic Initiatives. The Director is responsible for working with various members of the College community to further the Colleges inclusion initiatives.
The Office also supports the LEAD (Learn Encourage and Do) Institute, a college access program. The program is used as a tool to help underrepresented and underserved students explore post-secondary careers options that are in high demand i.e., Engineering, Computer Science, Health and Medical Professions, Mathematics and Communications.
The LEAD Institute supports the College’s strategic plan in two key ways. First, it provides access to the College for a broad base of individuals. Additionally, it promotes academic success by providing tangible resources for students, including a learning assistance lab to foster student empowerment.
The Office also sponsors the Faculty Diversity Initiatives Support Grant by providing college faculty resources to support teaching and learning aimed at developing a more inclusive college community. Possible projects include research on incorporating diversity themes into existing courses, developing new courses that pertain to issues of inclusion, and using specific teaching methods (e.g., teams, case studies, etc.) to enhance diverse experiences amongst all students.
The Office assumes a leadership role in all appropriate activities that would achieve positive, continuous, non-discriminatory and compliance efforts that go beyond the fulfillment of basic regulatory and procedural requirements. These activities are conducted via sponsoring professional development activities through the Center for Teaching and Learning for faculty and staff as well as facilitating diversity related presentations to students and the community through the College’s Speakers Bureau.
The Office maintains an active role in developing internal and external community relations, as well as with student issues as they pertain to equity and diversity concerns.
The Director serves as the institution’s Equal Employment Officer and is responsible for providing leadership and direction for the continued development, implementation evaluation and employment functions of the Equal Employment activities, Sexual Harassment Policy, compliance with ADA, Title IX and Section 504.
