Apr 21, 2021 | Uncategorized
April 20, 2021
A message from President Dennis Assanis and Interim Chief Diversity Officer Fatimah Conley
Dear UD Community,
Earlier today, a jury in Minneapolis convicted former police officer Derek Chauvin of second-degree murder, third-degree murder and manslaughter in the death of George Floyd, a case that sparked nationwide protests against systemic racism and injustice in America. The trial and verdict represent the latest chapter in our nation’s tragic legacy of race and prejudice — particularly anti-Black racism. We understand this has been an anxious and painful time for everyone, especially for Black people, and all members of our community here at the University of Delaware.
As our nation tries to make sense of the pervasive and destructive nature of anti-Black racism, our conversations rightly focus on our shared goals to create a better world — one characterized by justice, freedom, diversity, equity, inclusion, respect, humanity and understanding. As one University of Delaware community, we must challenge ourselves every day to ask the question: How can our values and our actions bring that society into existence?
At UD, we have the resources and the obligation to discover new knowledge, inspire each other, teach future generations and drive progress toward peace in our world. A UD education provides far more than career preparation. It compels us to challenge the status quo, put our experiences into historical and social context, and find meaning in the events that shape our lives. Indeed, today’s UD students will become tomorrow’s leaders of positive change pertaining to equity and inclusion and so much more. Educated and empowered, we all must understand not only “what” and “why” things happen, but “how” we can fix problems and seek solutions.
Here at UD, we will continue to take actions toward addressing these issues. We are proud of the work of UD’s Antiracism Initiative, a grassroots effort that grew out of last summer’s protests. Our student-athletes initiated a productive conversation with community leaders regarding policing practices and continues to engage with the UD Police Department. UDPD is committed to being a model of exemplary policing, with ongoing training in community engagement, de-escalation techniques and other best practices for modern law enforcement.
Students, faculty and staff will have the opportunity to share their reactions to the Chauvin verdict at these upcoming events:
- Dean of Students Adam Cantley will moderate two student community gatherings 4:30 to 6 p.m. Wednesday, April 21, and 5 to 6:30 p.m. Monday, April 26., for students to share reactions, emotions and thoughts about the verdict. Students will need to log in with their UD credentials and the passcode “ComConnect”.
- A faculty/staff community gathering is planned for noon Friday, April 23. Employees will need to log in with their UD credentials and the passcode “118182”.
A list of additional University resources and events is available below to help strengthen and advance our community in this important work.
As our society continues to face new challenges and hardships every day, our vision of a better tomorrow at the University of Delaware drives everything we do. Together, we can — we will — make that vision a reality.
Sincerely,
Dennis Assanis, President
Fatimah Conley, Interim Chief Diversity Officer
For everyone
Seeds of Change Speaker Series: “What Does ‘Defund the Police’ Mean? A Real Conversation” — 6 to 7:30 p.m. Thursday, April 22. Join Student Diversity and Inclusion and University of Delaware Alternative Breaks for a workshop and moderated Q&A on what defunding the police means in actual practice, and how we build more equitable futures with local racial and environmental justice organizer Christianne Marguerite.
For students
Wellbeing services and support are available. The Center for Counseling and Student Development is open and available remotely, and 24/7 mental health support remains available on the UD Helpline at 302-831-1001 for any student in need of someone to talk to.
For faculty and staff
The Employee Assistance Program is provided through ComPsych GuidanceResources. This is a free program available for State of Delaware Group Health Plan non-Medicare members and their dependents. As part of ComPsych’s commitment, EAP services are available through the end of the national COVID-19 public health emergency to all State of Delaware employees, including temporary, casual seasonal and benefit eligible employees who are not currently enrolled in a State of Delaware Highmark Delaware or Aetna health plan. In addition, Employee Health and Wellbeing has a variety of resources available to assist employees.
For alumni
Talk About Race Discussion with Hassan El-Amin — Join a thought-provoking virtual discussion with writer/director/actor Hassan El-Amin, creator of “Talk About Race,” an original audio production of the Resident Ensemble Players, UD’s professional theatre.
Apr 20, 2021 | Uncategorized
The Office of Institutional Equity, Diversity & Inclusion and the Division of Student Life will host two “virtual spaces” for students to share reactions, emotions or thoughts regarding the Derek Chauvin verdict.
The events will include an open discussion and sharing of other resources and events from staff and students present. Dean of Students, Adam Cantley will moderate the event.
Nov 20, 2020 | Uncategorized
Article by UDaily staff November 20, 2020
Fatimah Conley to lead Office of Institutional Equity, Diversity and Inclusion
Diversity activities across several University of Delaware areas have been integrated into a central Office of Institutional Equity, Diversity and Inclusion (OIEDE) to improve coordination and better leverage assets in this important area, University President Dennis Assanis announced today.
“The University of Delaware is deeply committed to addressing the challenges in our society that affect equity and social and racial justice,” Assanis said. “We know that more must be done in this ongoing fight, both nationally and at the University. Last month, when we announced the appointment of Fatimah Conley as our interim chief diversity officer, I noted that we must be strategic and innovative in the use of our resources so that we can maximize our effectiveness and our impact. This reorganization is the next step in that process.”
The UD Office of Institutional Equity, Diversity and Inclusion will be led by Conley, who serves as senior adviser to the president on this topic, and it will encompass all the units primarily responsible for all diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives at the University, including
- the Vice Provost for Diversity, who works to advance the University’s academic mission and goals in this area;
- Student Diversity and Inclusion, which is committed to providing programming, advocacy, services and support resources throughout Student Life;
- the Center for Black Culture, which creates a supportive environment for Black students and other underrepresented students and works to educate the larger community on their challenges, needs and interests;
- the Office of Disability Support Services, which supports the academic experience of individuals with disabilities; and
- the Office of Equity and Inclusion, which provides leadership and support in creating an equitable, diverse and inclusive working and learning environment.
“The social and racial justice issues facing the University and the country are not new. Systemic inequities and disparities have always existed in America,“ Conley said. “For decades, many UD faculty, students and staff have been dedicated to doing the critical, progressive and challenging work of improving the cultural climate at UD. This restructuring is the next step in renewing and enhancing the University’s commitment to the values of diversity, equity and inclusion that lie at the heart of our mission. I look forward to working closely with this talented team in the days ahead.”
As part of the restructure, which has the full support of Provost Robin Morgan and Vice President for Student Life José-Luis Riera, the specific units will be able to better leverage staff talents and resources; enhance coordination of campus-wide activities, initiatives and programs; and more holistically maximize progress, impact and service within the University community.
“All the individuals working in these units bring a wealth of diverse interests, talents and expertise to the tasks at hand,” Assanis said, “but they all share a common commitment to the importance of this work and its lasting impact on our University.”
Student leaders such as Samantha Bingaman, president of the Graduate Student Government and a master’s degree student in marine policy, have expressed support for this decision. “This year, the graduate student body has renewed our emphasis on advocating for the betterment of our entire community and keeping our administration accountable,” Bingaman said. “With the merging of dedicated staff into one OIEDE, we are optimistic about this step and the crucial diversity improvements this streamline could soon bring to UD. We hope to work with the talented Fatimah Conley and her staff at every step of the way.”
Oct 16, 2020 | Uncategorized
Fatimah Conley named interim chief diversity officer at UD
Fatimah Conley, associate general counsel at the University of Delaware, has been promoted to the position of interim chief diversity officer (CDO) at the University effective immediately, President Dennis Assanis announced today.
“During this time when our nation is confronting challenges in pursuit of equity and social and racial justice, there is an urgency for action. Even under the current circumstances of constrained resources, our commitment to the progress and advancement of inclusive excellence throughout the University of Delaware must remain steadfast. Our success will rely on strategic and innovative use of the resources UD is investing and maximize effectiveness,” Assanis said.
In her role as interim chief diversity officer, Conley will serve as the senior adviser to the president regarding all diversity, equity and inclusion (“DEI”) initiatives at the University. She will advise and collaborate with senior leadership and other University groups to develop and implement DEI programs that promote a welcoming campus culture for all faculty, students and staff. Conley will work closely with the president and the UD community to realize a clear vision for success for DEI efforts by engaging all stakeholder groups – students, faculty, staff, administrators, trustees, alumni, community. This will further solidify the foundation for actions that sustainably advance DEI as part of the University’s core mission.
“Fatimah’s experience, insights and drive will serve UD well as she takes on this new post,” Assanis added. “She will inspire, catalyze and coordinate our university-wide DEI efforts to reinforce and build upon one another. I look forward to working together to advance the DEI agenda for the UD community.”
Conley brings to this challenge a deep understanding of UD’s organization, culture, and aspirations. Over the past five years, she has worked closely with the Office of Equity and Inclusion, serving as interim director and Title IX coordinator for eight months, all the while consistently demonstrating steadfast commitment to the ideals of diversity, equity and inclusion at the University.
In addressing UD’s immediate priorities, the president has asked Conley to work closely with units and programs supporting campus-wide student, faculty and staff DEI efforts and provide recommendations on how to consolidate them into one cohesive structure reporting to the CDO. The goal of this effort is to improve coordination of our programs, and balance shared resources for enhanced impact, beginning with the establishment of a clearer accountability structure. As a first step in this process, the Office of Equity and Inclusion will report into her immediately, expanding its visibility and effectiveness while ensuring UD’s compliance with state and federal laws.
In consultation with senior leadership and building on information from an earlier study and results of a working group, she also will investigate potential spaces for a new multicultural center, seeking input from a diverse set of community members to help define the role of such a center and provide recommendations for the best path forward.
“I look forward to working with President Assanis, administrative leaders and the entire UD community to synthesize and integrate the University’s many diversity and inclusion efforts into a visible, meaningful, collaborative and effective strategy for enhancing diversity, equity, access and inclusion at UD,” Conley said. “In my role as interim chief diversity officer, I will engage our students, faculty, staff, alumni, trustees and UD community members to make significant progress for transformation.”
A staff member in the Office of the General Counsel at UD since 2015, Conley has also served since 2017 as senior counsel to the National Institute for Innovation in Manufacturing Biopharmaceuticals (NIIMBL), which is headquartered at UD and funded by the federal government to advance U.S. competitiveness in advanced manufacturing innovation. As she takes on this new role, Bradley Yops, assistant general counsel, will take over her duties at NIIMBL, which include advising the institute director on legal matters to ensure that decisions and outcomes are aligned with the University, working with the operations director to negotiate agreements for all projects and supporting NIIMBL’s sustainability efforts.
While at UD, Conley has worked directly with the Office of Equity and Inclusion, serving as interim director and Title IX coordinator from May to December in 2018 and as senior associate director of the office from 2015-16.
Before joining the University, she was an attorney at a law firm in New Orleans, handling all aspects of commercial transactions, and spent two years as a human resources consultant in higher education.
Conley is a member of the Louisiana State Bar Association and the National Association of College and University Attorneys. She earned her undergraduate degree at Fairleigh-Dickinson University and a law degree from Tulane Law School. Currently she is pursuing her MBA in UD’s Lerner College of Business and Economics.
Article by UDaily staff | October 16, 2020
May 29, 2020 | Uncategorized
CONTINUED LEADERSHIP FOR DIVERSITY AND INCLUSION
Article by UDaily staff Photo by Evan Krape May 28, 2020
Michael Vaughan appointed interim vice provost for diversity and inclusion full-time
Michael L. Vaughan, who has served as interim vice provost for diversity and inclusion at the University of Delaware since September, will now be devoting himself full-time to the role in the Office of the Provost, effective July 1.
Previously, Vaughan had also maintained his duties as associate dean for undergraduate education in the College of Engineering on a half-time basis.
A national search for a chief diversity officer at the University is currently paused in light of the campuswide hiring freeze, Vaughan will continue to serve as interim vice provost until further notice.
“I am honored and humbled to have the opportunity to devote my full-time attention to this critical work as the University continues its focus on evolving an increasingly diverse, equitable and inclusive campus culture,” Vaughan said. “As we all deal with the challenges, impact and uncertainty of crisis, it is clear that a commitment to access and equity has never been more important.”
In this important role, Vaughan works to advance the University’s academic mission and goals in the areas of diversity, equity, inclusion and human rights by leading efforts to define, assess and cultivate diversity as both an institutional value and an academic priority. He is senior adviser to the president and the provost on matters of diversity and collaborates with campus leaders and others on the development and implementation of initiatives designed to support UD’s diversity efforts.
Vaughan has spent more than 28 years at UD as an academic administrator. In his most recent role in the College of Engineering, he was responsible for the success of the college’s undergraduate education enterprise and led the overall college-level undergraduate academic infrastructure and processes.
Since 2014, he also has held a secondary faculty appointment as an instructor in the college.
Vaughan received his bachelor’s and master’s degrees in electrical engineering from North Carolina A&T State University and completed his Ph.D. in civil engineering at UD.
May 15, 2020 | Uncategorized
Students with disabilities, staff adjust to remote learning amid coronavirus
Article by Zachary Davis | Photos courtesy of Lizzy Phillips, Melissa Gatti and Igbal Attaelmanan
Melissa Gatti misses the Green.
“I loved walking around campus, seeing the activities going on,” said the first-year computer and information sciences major, who is part of the University of Delaware Center for Disabilities Studies’ Spectrum Scholars program for undergraduates with autism. However, with her daily commute to campus replaced by instant connection via Zoom and Canvas, Gatti found an unexpected space in her schedule for a social skills workshop she had been previously unable to attend.
Lizzy Phillips is also creating silver linings. In her first year of CDS’s Career and Life Studies Certificate (CLSC) program for students with intellectual disabilities, Phillips is keeping up with her clubs, including Support Our Troops and the Native American Student Alliance. She’s even organizing her own events, like a digital “Mary Poppins Returns” screening for several friends.
Remote learning in the era of coronavirus is “less than ideal,” said CLSC Program Manager Jay Sellers, but “we approach the experience as a uniquely valuable one.” As they navigate their new digital reality, students and staff in CDS’s two college transition programs are honing an essential skill: adaptability.
“That’s the whole point of the transition program,” Sellers said. “Learning how to enter new environments and carry your transferable skills with you.”
Melissa Gatti, a first-year UD student in CDS’s Spectrum Scholars program, appears on a Zoom call with her peer mentor, senior Sofia Mazza (inset).
Spectrum Scholars, a collaboration between UD and JPMorgan Chase, offers a system of support and career exploration opportunities to select undergraduates with autism. These include weekly get-togethers with peer mentors and twice-weekly one-on-one meetings with a point coach to reflect and set goals. Gatti has found her goals barely changed — she’s still aiming to make the dean’s list, find scholarships to apply for and reach out to professors with questions or concerns.
Spectrum Scholars Program Manager Pam Lubbers said that students’ self-advocacy, along with clear, direct communication from professors, is helping to smooth the adjustment. Even acts viewed as “easy” by some, such as emailing a professor or calling IT for tech support, can represent important learning opportunities. “Every college student has to have that ability to bounce back when things don’t go exactly as planned,” said Lubbers.
Phillips, who was homeschooled in grades 3–12, said the skills she developed then are helping her handle remote learning. While staying on top of classwork was “a little bit hard at first,” her bigger concern was “going a little bit into panic mode when I heard about the coronavirus hitting UD. But I learned to stay calm,” she said.
Igbal Attaelmanan is a Career and Life Studies Certificate program assistant for academic and career exploration.
CLSC students take several undergraduate classes during their time on campus as part of a curriculum that also includes learning job skills and daily living skills, as well as engaging as part of the campus community. Igbal Attaelmanan, the CLSC program assistant for academic and career exploration, said that shifting coursework online was a challenge.
“The first few weeks were really hard,” said Attaelmanan, “and all [the CLSC staff] did was try to maintain consistency, keeping a routine. But even when we are struggling, we do our best to maintain a ‘push forward’ attitude.’ Our students really took that to heart.”
A majority of CLSC students had to push forward when UD closed its campus. They were living in residence halls – an option that has been available to CLSC students for several years – but like the vast majority of UD students, they moved back home.
CLSC’s approach to career preparation has seen big changes, too. Usually, students start an internship in the spring semester of their first year, which continues through the second year. By the time they graduate, students will have applied for a job — either the same they held as interns or another that’s an even better fit. However, during the coronavirus pandemic, students do not have the opportunity to get first-hand experience on job sites. Instead they are doing more reflection and research on the career paths that interest them. They are also brushing up on job search skills, including sitting for mock interviews conducted over Zoom by staff from across the UD campus.
Spectrum Scholars is working with campus partners as well. Instructional coach Wes Garton and consultant Vince Varrassi are collaborating with the Office of Academic Enrichment on virtual note-taking and time management workshops open to the general student body. Program staff have also worked with the Center for Counseling and Student Development to present the Program for the Education and Enrichment of Relational Skills (PEERS) — the social relationships workshop Gatti was able to join — for students with autism.
Lubbers said these cross-campus collaborations “ensure that each Spectrum Scholar continues to be served comprehensively, while we continue to promote autism acceptance and inclusion across campus. We didn’t want any of those benefits to stop just because of the coronavirus.”
Sofia Mazza, a UD senior, said she feels those benefits acutely during the lockdown. Mazza is Gatti’s peer mentor and her PEERS social coach, which means they chat over Zoom every few days.
“Talking to Melissa is one of the highlights of my week,” said Mazza. “We talk about things she’s discovered. It’s a little pick-me-up throughout these weird times.”
Attaelmanan recalls getting a pick-me-up of her own on a gloomy morning a couple weeks ago: “I had a student lecture me on, ‘Let’s not think about the negatives right now. Let’s just get through this.’ ”
“Moments like that are what will keep us going,” Attaelmanan said.
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