Division of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, summer 2022

The Division of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion serves as a strategic partner to the University, advancing the mission of creating a welcoming environment for everyone. To this end, we continue to provide leadership and professional development opportunities to the campus community for search orientation, bias incident reporting, Active Ally and a host of other workshops geared toward cultural competency and inclusive excellence. The division provided oversight to 94 professional job searches on the state payroll and the Research Foundation; 75 searches for the state payroll, and 19 searches for the Research Foundation. Our work continues to evolve as we identify ways to support each of the respective colleges and operational units across campus; this works also is demonstrative in our external partnerships with the Community Foundation of South Central New York, Greater Binghamton Chamber of Commerce and the local public school districts.

Affirmative Action and bias response

The Affirmative Action Office received 10 bias incident reports this quarter. Affirmative Action conducted two departmental trainings for Bias Incident Response Protocol with an approximate total of 50 participants. The Bias Incident Response Team (BIRT) continues to meet each month to review and consult on significant cases. In addition, each month an in-service is provided on a specific topic or population relevant to bias cases that have occurred (e. g. hate speech/First Amendment, disability rights and international students). A search was launched in April for a newly created position, a DEI/Affirmative Action Coordinator, to further support the needs and initiatives of the Affirmative Action Office.

UDiversity Educational Institute

During this quarter, the UDiversity Educational Institute provided workshops six workshops for students, two workshops for staff and faculty, and three workshops for community members with a total of 117 participants (85 undergraduate students, three graduate students, 17 faculty, 0 staff and 12 community members). UDiversity conducted its Building Bridges to Cultural Competency workshop for students and with Harpur’s Ferry. This workshop examined ways to build cultural awareness and foster inclusivity within healthcare.

UDiversity provided its diversity education workshop series, Inclusive Organizations with students from WHRW and a workshop on Inclusive Leadership for the Center for Civic Engagement. We also continued our workshop series on Inclusive Organizations for the Greater Binghamton Chamber of Commerce for this year’s Binghamton Leadership Institute cohort, which included leaders and professionals from across the region. During this series, participants explored team power dynamics and practices, their influence on organizational culture, and how to create inclusive policies and programs within their respective departments or organizations.

UDiversity provided training on fostering communication and team building for the Chemistry Department’s DEIR Committee as part of their “Lunch & Learn” program. The program focused on providing tools for active listening and methods for inclusive dialogue within the department.

Training also was provided training for Alpha Omega Epsilon, a professional and social engineering and technical science sorority, which focuses on promoting friendship, leadership and professionalism.

Presentations this quarter were:

April 2022

• Creating Inclusive Organizations: GBCC (community members, one session)
• Stereotypes/Perception Workshop: Alpha Omega Epsilon (students, one session)
• Cultural Competency in Healthcare: Harpur’s Ferry (students, two sessions)
• Inclusive Leadership: CCE Student Staff (students, one session)

May 2022

• Cultural Competency Advanced: WHRW (students, one session)
• Creating Inclusive Organizations: GBCC (community members, two sessions)
• Team - Communications Building: Chemistry DEIR (grad students, faculty, one session)

June 2022

• Building Bridges for Cultural Competence for Orientation Advisors
• Connections in the Classroom: Upward Bound