Dear COLSA Community Members,
The COLSA Diversity, Inclusion, and Equity Committee stands in solidarity with those across the country who are rising up in support of Black lives. We, too, condemn the murders of Ahmaud Arbery, George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, and countless others. We join the Black community in calling for justice, accountability, and real change.
Our committee recognizes the need to take meaningful and sustained action against racism and to support Black colleagues and students in COLSA, and at UNH more broadly. There is urgent need to take concrete steps to promote an inclusive and equitable environment in COLSA that distributes support and resources to all its community members regardless of background and identity. In the near-term, we are working to implement the following:
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Collect baseline demographic and climate data specific to the COLSA community (underway).
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Host a Listening and Learning Exchange on Race and Equity for COLSA students, staff, and faculty (this was scheduled for March 2020, but was postponed to fall semester due to COVID-19).
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Amplify the voices of underrepresented members of COLSA through Diversity Spotlights on our webpage (under development).
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Work with COLSA instructors to develop student learning outcomes that address diversity, inclusivity, and equity as a way for the College to track its success at improving the College climate.
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Organize a STEM Diversity Summit to build awareness about diversity and inclusion programs and initiatives within STEM disciplines of relevance to COLSA.
It is all of our responsibility, regardless of race, to work together as catalysts for change. We all need to participate. We look forward to our continued efforts in collaboration with you, the COLSA community, in achieving an inclusive College environment.
In community,
COLSA Committee on Inclusion, Diversity, Equity and Access
(Sherman Bigornia, Serita Frey, David Plachetzki, Mindy Prieur, Adriana Romero-Olivares, and Athena Ryan)