Equity Advocate Program
Equity advocates are employees that serve as consultants, resources and advisors to search committees. Their roles are designed to enhance the process by which we attract and engage with prospective candidates.
Recruitment & Hiring Inclusive Excellence Statement
SUNY Plattsburgh values, and is committed to, the range of human experiences that represent our prospective employees. SUNY Plattsburgh affirms that when our recruitment and hiring procedures intentionally provide equal access and opportunity to employment for candidates from minoritized and marginalized identities, we make inclusion excellent. The university believes that search committees play a pivotal role in sourcing, recruiting, assessing, and recommending the most qualified and diverse candidates for employment. Search committees are one of SUNY Plattsburgh’s most valuable assets. They are the body that represents the university to prospective employees.
About the Equity Advocate Program
- Importance of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion in Higher Education
Diversity: Diversity includes the range of human experiences and refers to the visible and invisible forms of identity and intersectionality that human beings experience.
Equality: The uniform distribution of a good or service to everyone in equal amounts no matter what the distribution and regardless of the individual and circumstances.
Equity: An intentional and deliberate stance to provide a fair distribution of goods and services to individuals based upon need. Equity recognizes that not everyone starts from the same place, and focuses on the restoration of justice by addressing imbalances and the lack of access and opportunity.
Inclusion: The practice or policy of providing equal access to information, resources, and opportunities to all people, especially those who might otherwise be historically or presently excluded or marginalized. Words, actions, and physical representations that promote belonging and a welcoming environment to all.
- Roles & Responsibilities of the Equity Advocate
Equity advocates work closely with the hiring authority, search committee chair, affirmative action officer and Office of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion to advocate for principles and practices related to diversity, inclusion and equity throughout the search. Equity advocates are encouraged to use an equity lens to think critically about ways that institutional and structural racism, sexism, gender-based identity and transgender discrimination, religious biases, etc. impact vulnerable populations. This lens is pivotal in disrupting biases and misuses of power that often manifest during the hiring process.
Roles
- Equity advocates (EAs) can be nominated by a university community member or they can be self-nominated. Once trained, and after outreach has occurred with division leadership or directors, equity advocates are assigned to searches to facilitate effective, and equal access and opportunity for all candidates for the search committee.
- Those making the selection should consider the following:
- State employees (faculty or staff, classified or unclassified),
- Good listening, communication, and conflict resolution skills,
- Availability to be a resource to search committees and hiring authorities,
- Informed about equity-related policies, procedures, and campus resources, and
- Exhibit an ongoing commitment to equity and inclusion to diversify the campus workforce.
- The equity advocate is appointed to their role as the “Authorization to Recruit” moves through the approval process. This occurs alongside the finalization of the search committee membership.
- The equity advocate’s membership should facilitate an odd number of members on the search committee.
- Equity advocates are full, voting members of search committees.
- Equity advocates are mandatory members of search committees for UUP and M/C positions at SUNY Plattsburgh. The role is optional, and encouraged for all other searches.
- Equity advocates serve on search committees associated with vacancies in schools, departments and divisions in which they are not a member, pending availability.
- Equity advocates serve a maximum three-year term but can assume the role for additional terms as long as they participate in ongoing training/recertification and professional development.
- Through specialized training and workshops, equity advocates gain useful information and skills that allow them to understand local, national and global issues and trends that impact the workforce.
Responsibilities
- Equity advocates must attend an initial training with the Office of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion and Affirmative Action.
- Prior to serving on search committees, EAs must complete required professional development
that includes:
- Understanding and avoiding unconscious bias in the hiring process
- Labor market discrimination and its impact
- Understanding microaggressions
- Interviewing diverse candidates
- Equity advocates play a pivotal role in addressing issues of inequity, perceived bias, and microaggressions that may impact search committees. Follow-up is always encouraged with the hiring authority, affirmative action officer, and/or the vice president for Diversity, Equity and Inclusion.
- Equity advocates will have access to ongoing professional development and training.
- Equity advocates assist in providing feedback to ensure continuous quality improvement to assess and evaluate the effectiveness of the program.
- Active Equity Advocate Roster
First Name Last Name Department/Office Gray Adkins Student Support Services Kathryn (Katie) Alton Education Nana Ankrah Biological Sciences Fredrica “Freddy” Appau-Wemette Campus Housing & Community Living Hakima Bachar Sponsored Research & Programs Tonya Baker Undergraduate Admissions Kenneth Baldwin Exercise and Nutrition Sciences Margaret Baranoff Library (Feinberg) Darren Barcomb University Police Suzanna (Sue) Bartlett Academic Affairs Emma Bartscherer SUNY Plattsburgh at Queensbury Joshua Beatty Library (Feinberg) Jenna Beauregard Procurement Services Christina Bedard University Police Jennifer Bleaux Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Kayla Boise Undergraduate Admissions Michelle Bonati Education Alyssa Bordeau Human Resource Services Benjamin Boyea School of Business & Economics Lindsey Bradley Library (Feinberg) Aubrey Bresett Institutional Advancement Neil Buckley Biological Sciences Vincent Carey History Bruce Carlin Communication Studies Wanda Carroll Supply Chain Management & International Business Chris Chamars Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Sarah Charles Nursing Suzannah Chatlos Psychology Wendy Coons Academic Advising & Learning Center Christa Covel-Reyell Journalism & Public Relations Tonya Cribb Art Museum Dexter Criss Chemistry & Biochemistry Sarah Cunningham Strategic Communications & Marketing Jennifer Curry Accessibility Resources Office Rachel Day School of Education, Health & Human Services Jesse Decosse Student Financial Services Ilhan Demirer Management, Information Systems & Analytics Gabrielle Dion Accessibility Resources Office Gerianne Downs Strategic Communications & Marketing Hannah Downs Strategic Communications & Marketing Rebecca Drollette Library (Feinberg) Lauren Dube University Police Steven Dube University Police Jamie Dupell Career Development Center Ashley Durocher Student Support Services Taj Ellis Educational Opportunity Program Sarah Erno Global Education Office Autumn Esposito Cardinal Achievement Program Jessica Facteau University Police Carter Frechette University Police Thomas Friedrich English Mohamed Gaber Accounting (Academic) Ashley Gambino Communication Sciences & Disorders Cameron Garceau University Police Amy Gervich Education Curt Gervich Earth & Environmental Science Alyssa Gleichsner Biological Sciences Ashlee Goddeau Educational Opportunity Program Andrew “Drew” Goerlitz Art Jamel Golden Undergraduate Admissions Lauren Gonyea Student Support Services Travis Gorham Accessibility Resources Office Bernie Grabczewski Network Operations (ITS) Cherice Granger President's Office David Gregoire Institutional Advancement Tracie Guzzio Honors Program Bridget Haina Communication Studies Anne Hansen Institutional Advancement Tyler Hargraves Center for Student Involvement Delbert Hart Computer Science Heather Haskins Strategic Communications & Marketing Tobi Hay Career Development Center Allison Heard Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Holly Heller-Ross Library (Feinberg) Morgan Hicks Graduate Admissions Emily Hoeh Education Marisa Hoogkamp Student Financial Services Kim Irland Title IX Kirsten Isgro Communication Studies Kara Jefts Art Museum Diane Jennette-Costin Academic Advising & Learning Center Troy Joseph Undergraduate Admissions Cheryl Kabeli Nursing Robert Keever Mathematics Karin Killough Learning Center Lolita Kincade Human Development & Family Relations Kylie King Institutional Effectiveness Rosy Knowles Budget & Financial Reporting Serv Felicia Krieg Strategic Communications & Marketing Gary Kroll History Lyndsey Lafountain Enrollment & Student Success Conrad LaVarnway University Police Megan Lawless Education Brooke Layhee Global Education Office Faith Leach Institutional Advancement Jason Lee Accounting (Academic) Regan Levitte Learning Center Shatawndra Lister Special Programs John Locke Technology Enhanced Learning (ITS) Jessica (Jess) Loveless Strategic Communications & Marketing Justin Lowry Anthropology Kerry Lubold Student Financial Services Jim Lucas Network Operations (ITS) Amelia Lushia School of Business & Economics Crystal Lytle Library (Feinberg) Levi Martinez Information Technology Services Jamie McClatchie School of Business & Economics Kevin McCullen Computer Science Alyssa McGovern Customer & Classroom Support Services (ITS) Joanne McGovern Academic Advising Megan McGreevy Academic Advising John McMahon Political Science Shawna Mefferd Kelty Theatre Peter Meuser Customer & Classroom Support Services (ITS) Todd Moravec Student Financial Services Glenn Morello Chemistry & Biochemistry Amy Mountcastle Anthropology Sara Munson Student Support Services Karen Naaman Accounting (Academic) Shannon Nephew School of Arts & Sciences Brian Neureuther School of Business & Economics Elaine Ostry English Connie Oxford Gender and Women's Studies Joel Parker Biological Sciences John Parmelee Management, Information Systems & Analytics Nancy Parri Chemistry & Biochemistry Priyanka Patel Human Development & Family Relations Meg Pearson School of Arts & Sciences Morgan Pellerin Career Development Center Trisha Pellerin Campus Housing & Community Living Erich Pflanz University Police Kelley Pickreign Academic Advising Ayla Poovey Library (Feinberg) Rohit Rampal Management, Information Systems & Analytics Shakuntala Rao Communication Studies Robert Reams Mathematics Zachary Reese University Police Eli Remillard Registrar Maryssa Romeo Undergraduate Admissions Christopher Ryan School of Education, Health, & Human Services Preeti Samudra Psychology Jessica (Jess) Santos Educational Opportunity Program Nithya Shankar Marketing & Entrepreneurship Connie Shemo History Denise Simard School of Education, Health, & Human Services Virginia Siskavich-Bosley Strategic Communications & Marketing Maureen Squires Education Michelle St. Onge Graduate Admissions Kristie Stanton Library (Feinberg) Rajesh Sunasee Chemistry & Biochemistry Kelly Theisen Chemistry & Biochemistry/CTE Malina Thiede Library (Feinberg) Michael Thompson Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Lee Thorpe Sociology Michelle Trombley Human Resource Services Trisha Trombly Human Resource Services Sally Urban Career Development Center Megan Valentine Biological Sciences Terrance Vance Exercise and Nutrition Sciences Karen Volkman Library (Feinberg) Joshua Weiss Library (Feinberg) Steffaney Wilcox Upward Bound Jamie Winters School of Arts & Sciences Greg Withrow Academic Affairs Carrie Woodward Graduate Admissions Ben Wright Theatre Nathaniel Yeager University Police Yong Yu Education Eric Zielinski University Police