Call to Action
The path to resolution is change. The journey of change is moving from idea and intention to movement and action. From the words of Mahatma Gandhi we must “be the change that you wish to see in the world.”
As such, the Office of Diversity and Compliance is issuing a Call to Action to the entire college community. As our office begins to facilitate change on our campus, we are asking you to be an ally and partner with us to take action.
With your commitment to work together we can take steps and make strides to encourage and invoke change in our communities; here at Purchase, within our own neighborhoods, and within society as a whole.
In the spirit of change, on our campus, we must unite and systemically move beyond simply not being racist, or bias or discriminatory to being anti-racist and anti-bias.
Actions for Change
As to not lose momentum in seeking change and in response to our Call to Action, here are nine efforts and actions we will be undertaking. The number nine is symbolic as it is in recognition of the almost nine minutes that the ex-officer’s knee was on Mr. George Floyd’s neck, which ultimately caused his death.
This list is not ordered by importance or prioritization and will be taking place now and in the very near future.
1. Online Bias Training
We are launching the campus wide online/virtual bias training program. We are aiming for 100% participation. We are urging the entire campus community; faculty, staff, administration, leadership and students, to take action and commit to completing this training.
This educational training module will provide awareness, insight and understanding into your personal habits, behaviors, interactions and perceptions that may be biased. Only by understanding the implicit and explicit biases that we all have can we correct them.
It is our hope that once you have an understanding of biases you will utilize the knowledge you obtained to align with colleges’ values. Again, I urge everyone to take the time to complete the training.
February 2021 Update
On August 17, as part of our Stop the Clock on racism initiative we implemented our campus diversity and implicit/explicit bias training via the EVERFI learning platform. The goal of the training was to provide awareness, insight, and understanding into personal habits, behaviors, interactions, and perceptions that may be biased. Approximately 88% of our employees (855 total faculty, staff, and leadership) and 71% of our students (2,553 total students) have completed the EVERFI bias training as of December 1, 2020. These high levels of participation and completion by our campus leadership, College Council, faculty, staff, and students of this first level of bias training has positively positioned the Purchase community on its journey of progression and transformation.
2. Grants and Scholarships
The college will be seeking external funding (grants, scholarships, endowments) to acquire monies to allow us to fund diversity initiatives and provide support and resources to the campus community.
Our enrollment numbers are very close to qualifying for the designation of a Hispanic Serving Institution (HSI), which would make us eligible to receive federal title monies to support student recruitment and retention efforts.
February 2021 Update
Our enrollment numbers have qualified us to be designated as a Hispanic Serving Institution (HSI), which will make us eligible to receive federal title monies and seek other external funding sources to support student recruitment and retention efforts.
The Purchase College Foundation has established the George Perry Floyd Jr. scholarship to provide aide and financial support to: a) a Purchase College rising senior that is nominated by their advisor or faculty member; b) that has a demonstrated commitment to the necessary work of civility, civic engagement, and social justice; and c) that has a financial need for the completion of their academic studies. This life-changing and impactful scholarship is meant to serve as a supportive instrumental tool for the scholarship recipients as they actively and continually transform our society. For more information regarding scholarships or if you are interested in contributing towards this effort, please visit the Giving page.
3. Faculty Diversification
Research shows that increased enrollment, retention, and matriculation (time to graduation) rates are directly correlated to students of color being taught, advised, and mentored by those that look like them and come from similar backgrounds.
February 2021 Update
Diversifying our faculty remains a priority on our campus. This past fall, by way of the SUNY PRODIG faculty diversity grant program, the college completed the recruitment and search process and hired three of the five grant allocated assistant professor tenure track positions to teach interdisciplinarily in our Global Black Studies, Latin American, Caribbean, and Latinx Studies, Biology, and School of the Arts curricula programs. We are hoping to be able to move forward with the recruitment and search process for the additional faculty positions for the 2021-2022 academic year. For faculty diversification and PRODIG updates, please visit the PRODIG page.
4. Process and Policy Review
February 2021 Update
To ensure that diversity, equity, and inclusion are woven into the fabric of our institutional policies, protocols, and practices, our office will be reviewing and revising campus admissions and employment search, recruitment, and retention policies and procedures that may inadvertently perpetuate systemic/institutional practices that are not fully equitable and inclusive.
This campus wide examination will also include a review of the faculty tenure process. The ideal result will be the creation of enhanced policies and practices that demonstrate the college’s on-going commitment and investment to diversity, equity, and inclusion, with the ultimate goal of transforming the campus and the culture of our community.
5. Diversity Plan
In the coming academic year, we will work collaboratively with our newly appointed president, Dr. Milagros “Milly” Peña, administration, the College Senate, the DEIC, PSGA, and other key stakeholders to compose our next College Diversity Plan.
February 2021 Update
In alignment with the college’s planning and compliance processes and structures, ODC has begun the Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) Strategic planning process. The colleges’ five year DEI plan will be an action-oriented document that outlines the college’s diversity, equity, and inclusion goals, an action implementation timeline, and details learning outcomes, performance indicators, and assessment measures that will be used to evaluate our progress and impact.
A cross-representative DEI strategic planning committee will coordinate the writing efforts and assist with the facilitation of the campus climate survey that will be administered this spring.
6. Working with Minority Owned Businesses
February 2021 Update
While the entire campus has been doing this for some time, we maintain our commitment to prioritize working with and hiring minority owned businesses and contractors.
7. Town Hall Meetings
We will host and moderate frequent Town Halls between key administrators and students. These necessary forums are in response to students who have expressed feeling disconnected and/or cut off from administration.
The purpose of these forums is to build a bridge of communication, engagement, and connection to encourage dialogue on the current state of affairs as it relates to diversity, equity, and inclusion matters on our campus.
February 2021 Update
COVID-19 has exacerbated the feelings of disconnectedness on our campus. In response to these feelings we will host monthly town halls and/or diversity dialogues with key administrators and the community to encourage togetherness, engagement, and connection.
Our first diversity dialogue will be later this month during the week of February 22. The title of the diversity dialogue for February is “If you don’t see color then how do you see me?”
8. Bias Response Team
We have launched and operationalized a Bias Response Team, to review, assess, and respond to campus-wide incidents of bias that may occur.
9. The Multicultural Center
We plan on resuming the search for a new assistant director for the Multicultural Center (MCC). However, in the interim we have identified temporary center leadership to oversee MCC operations to ensure that the MCC is operational as our epicenter of inclusivity and is available for use when we are able to return to campus.
February 2021 Update
As a result of the COVID-19 pandemic we have paused search and recruitment activities for permanent MCC leadership.
We will, however, offer insightful and educational programs and activities to encourage connection. As the campus’ epicenter of inclusivity, the MCC will be working with the Center for Engagement, the DEIC, the PSGA, and other campus stakeholders to facilitate programming throughout the semester. For more information on events and programs, please visit the Events page.