Mission, Diversity, and Inclusion

Purpose Statement

The purpose of the academic affairs and curriculum workstream is to develop, implement, and recognize anti-racist and other inclusive practices within the curricula at La Salle University. This will include: addressing issues in course material-the Honors Triple especially- and to develop new programs such as Black and LGBTQ+ studies. Other initiatives may include studying and recommending changes to improve the retention and success of BIPOC students. This workstream will work to develop training modules; these will initially be offered to La Salle faculty but may be expanded to the larger community in the future. Finally, we will also seek out programs that will or have already developed anti-racist practices to publicize and reward their efforts.

Membership

Rosemary Barbera

Brian DeHaven, Coordinator

Jack Drummond

Trent McLaurin

Tyrique Mack-Georges

Luisa Ossa

Areas of Focus

Pedagogy

New Programs

Anti-Racist Training

Purpose Statement

The purpose of the Administrative Policies, Procedures, and Protocols workstream is to review several current university policies, protocols and procedures spanning all facets of operation and how they are practiced and applied from both macro- and micro-cosmic levels in the La Salle Community. This workstream understands that a bird’s eye view and knowledge of guiding principles is integral in effecting the campus culture shift in our community that is desired by the overall work of the Joint Commission.

Membership

Laura Cilia, Coordinator

Shakeya Foreman

Ludmille Glaude

Evelyn Ramos

Jamila Wilson

Areas of Focus

Address current policies and protocols that may be outdated, biased, or too ambiguous/irrelevant to our current community
New Programs

Provide edits and feedback (and potential recommendations for additional written material)

Purpose Statement

Our purpose is to support the transformative student life experience at La Salle University by recognizing the importance of neighborhood, city, and national events and culture, and creating co-curricular learning opportunities around them Co-curricular engagements complement the formal curriculum and include the arts, civic, cultural, and spiritual programming for student enrichment and consciousness raising around issues of justice, quality, diversity, and inclusion. We consider these myriad encounters critical as part of a wide intersectional horizon deepening the aesthetic, cultural, intellectual, spiritual, and social development of students. We recognize that robust co-curricular engagements can help students build positive relationships, stay healthy, succeed, and find joy. Finally, we understand that co-curricular programming must recognize and respect the dignity and rights of all persons, and that justice, diversity, equity, and inclusion are inherent to our goals.

Membership

Austin Angiolilo

Thomas Harris

James Mancinelli

Ernest J. Miller, FSC

Cherylyn Rush, Coordinator

Areas of Focus

Welcoming, Safe and Inclusive Environment

Enhancing Cultural Life on Campus

Creating a Lasallian Leadership Institute

Reimagining Organizational Structures

Purpose Statement

The Campus DEI Education workstream’s purpose is to address gaps in understanding and awareness about key JEDI issues including racism, sexism, homophobia, transphobia and ableism. We aim to address ignorance and foster cultural humility within all segments of the university community. Our ultimate goal is to devise and help implement actionable policies and education initiatives that produce tangible results in the form of a culture change at La Salle.

Membership

Jason Diaz, Coordinator

Leah Brown

Shakeya Foreman

Ariel McNulty

Areas of Focus

Cultural Humility

American racial education gap (including modern, subtle forms of racism)

Education around LGBTQ+ communities and issues

Education around sexism on campus and in the workplace (distinct from Title IX training)

Education around ableism (physical and mental)

Purpose Statement

The Joint Commission is guided by a commitment to pursuing the common good, creating an atmosphere of mutual respect and trust, and generating opportunities that acknowledge a diversity of lived experiences and transform lives. The Neighborhood Collaboration workstream recognizes these principles extend beyond La Salle’s campus. Our workstream is dedicated to identifying concrete strategies that will further affirm the university’s standing as an active civic partner that invests its time and resources building capacity and fellowship with the broader community. The workstream understands La Salle’s responsibility as a Catholic, mission-driven anchor institution to co-create opportunities for shared learning in collaboration with partners, to foreground its neighbors’ goals and perspectives, and to invest in social impact. We consider these actions a moral imperative in order for the university to fully embrace its Lasallian heritage rooted in intellectual discovery, global citizenship, and social justice.

Membership

Tara Carr-Lemke

Ernest J. Miller, FSC

Candace Robertson-James

Patrick Terranova, Coordinator

Eileen Thanner

Areas of Focus

Internal Infrastructure, Polices, and Procedures

External Relations

Strategic Investments + Special Projects

Purpose Statement

Our purpose is to understand how institutional racism and other forms of oppression have historically and continue to function at La Salle so we can enact strategies to achieve a more diverse faculty and staff while pursuing greater equity among current faculty and staff. Key initiatives might include developing strategic plans for recruiting, hiring, and retaining diverse faculty and staff as well as developing standards for tenure and promotion that account for diverse populations and needs. The workstream seeks initiatives that create long-lasting change in policy and practice, including strategies for holding the institution accountable for recruitment, hiring, and retention diverse faculty and staff.

Membership

Brian Baptiste

Kenneth Cruz-Dillard

Luisa Ossa

Caitlin Taylor, Coordinator

Shea Wright

Areas of Focus

Recruitment

Hiring

Retention

Tenure & Promotion (Faculty Track)

Benefits (Staff Track)