SUNY Plattsburgh is a welcoming and diverse community of students and scholars.
Diversity, Equity & Inclusion
Our commitment to examining diversity & social justice inclusively involves our campus
and community.
Institutional Diversity, Equity & Inclusion
Inclusive Excellence
Making diversity, equity and inclusion a priority to how the college functions through
intentional actions. When these actions happen continuously, then we are excellent.
Why Diversity Matters
At SUNY Plattsburgh, we know that diversity is more than race, sex, gender, and sexual
orientation. It is the full range of human experiences.
Diversity includes age, class, ethnicity, race, gender identity, gender expression,
romantic orientation, nationality, (dis)ability, religion, sexual orientation, language,
personality, communication style, work style, veteran status and more.
What is Inclusion?
Diversity is only a start. Inclusion is what occurs when students feel a strong sense
of belonging. We are committed to offering a range of programs, policies, and practices
that engage with the unique range of human experience you bring to SUNY Plattsburgh.
Mission
At SUNY Plattsburgh, it is our mission to promote equity for all members of the campus
community by leading efforts and creating partnerships that cultivate an inclusive
academy-institution
Vision
SUNY Plattsburgh will promote equity through:
Learning experiences that include programs, policies and initiatives with alumni,
faculty, staff, students and the external community
Increasing retention and recruitment of diverse faculty and staff.
Creating and effectively managing data that will help to inform learning experiences
and retention and recruitment.
We need to give each other the space to grow, to be ourselves, to exercise our diversity.
We need to give each other space so that we may both give and receive such beautiful
things as ideas, openness, dignity, joy, healing, and inclusion.Max de Pree
SUNY Plattsburgh recognizes that building and fostering community is vital in enhancing
diversity and inclusion on and off-campus.
Academic Enrichment
We embrace academic achievement which helps our students build awareness of the diverse
world around them. As a liberal arts institution, we encourage diverse learning experiences
while offering different perspectives in and outside of the classroom to contribute
to student, staff, and faculty development.
Respect & Integrity
Respect compels us to exercise integrity and understanding despite a broad range of
individual experiences, perspectives, and actions. We vow to exercise each, despite
our differences.
Diversity
The college makes a commitment to expand opportunities to broaden the diversity of
faculty, staff, students, and visitors to our campus. We commit to the importance
of offering diverse educational opportunities that recognize multiple backgrounds,
learning styles, and work to offer learning that bridges gaps of misunderstanding.
Inclusion
We recognize that our campus is composed of students, faculty, and staff from a wide
range of diverse and unique backgrounds. We not only embrace our community members
but pledge to provide a campus environment that celebrates the intersection of identities
and experiences.
New Visions
SUNY Plattsburgh recognizes that each new year brings new energy, ideas, and members
to our campus community. We vow to stay open to new ideas and opportunities to continue
to expand and enrich our services and educational opportunities.
Accountability & Responsibility
SUNY Plattsburgh holds an expectation that we have a responsibility as individuals
and as an institution to uphold campus values and exercise power with good intent.
When a member of the campus community or the institution fails to do so, we make a
commitment to hold one another accountable with a focus on restoration and healing.
Leadership
The college understands that a major component of student and employee success is
positive and transformative leadership. We commit to making an effort to expand upon
opportunities for mentorship, positive role-modeling, and sustainable leadership which
fosters trust, growth, and inspiration.
Student Centered (Sustainability)
SUNY Plattsburgh strives to put its students first when making decisions that will
leave a lasting impact on their education and experiences. The college strives to
lay a strong foundation that will continue to adapt and support future students’ ever-changing
needs.
34%
Students who identify as minority or international
This is an initial first year strategic plan of goals and objectives based on three
imperatives; education, business, and economics
1. Education: Cultivating the Value of DEI
Based on knowledge and skill development related to diversity, inclusion, and belonging
which realize the outcome of enhancing campus climate. Building equity literacy.
Conduct campus climate assessment (employees + students) proposed for Spring 2020.
2. Business: Improving Student Outcomes
Based on strategies and initiatives to increase retention and student persistence
with emphasis on multicultural populations (e.g. First Generation, ALANA, LGBTQIA+,
DESI, International, minoritized). Designed to also recruit and retain minoritized
faculty and staff.
Diversity Abroad network to follow trends in international learning; creating cohort
model for student associations for students of color.
Part of Leading for Change Racial Justice summit to increase retention and graduation
for minoritized students, especially students of color
Search committees, policies and targeted education for search committees
Created the base for 4 ERGs and will promote and launch these by X (Radius, POC, BIA)
Create a Multicultural Student Orientation in Summer 2020 for students and families
Providing programs that recognize and engage with student identities (e.g. First Generation
Luncheon).
3. Economic: Expand innovative ventures with IA to increase access to higher education;
build a culture of philanthropy
Based on developing capital, both economic and human, to support the realization of
the other imperatives.
Developed and implemented an alumni affinity event for alumni of color and LGBTQIA+
alumni
Formalize targeted affinity group meet ups every semester
Develop an inclusive excellence fund that supports important X
Intentional targeted DEI fundraising with institutional advancement
Key to Acronyms
ERG — Employee Resource groups
Rp — Restorative practices
ALANA — African American, Latino/a Asian Native American
The President's Inclusive Excellence Council, (PIEC), works to further the SUNY Plattsburgh
strategic plan, with particular emphasis on creating and maintaining an inclusive
and equitable curriculum, learning environment, and workplace that affirms the dignity
of all people.
Comprised of multifunctional college constituencies, the PIEC meets monthly to develop
strategies and tactics, assess ongoing implementation efforts, and identifies priorities
for the future.
It has been over a month since the murder of George Floyd and though I have not shared
directly with you what is on my heart, the work that has happened and that will be
happening, it is time to share our plans to make SUNY Plattsburgh a safe campus that
protects our Black students, faculty and staff — as well as other marginalized community
members.
I appreciated the emails, texts and calls from community members that shared their
concern and support for me, for my family and for our work at Plattsburgh. Know that
the terror, sadness, and horror you experienced with George Floyd’s homicide has traumatized
many of our students and alumni. They need our support more than ever, and not just
in words, but in actions.
To be transparent, as a Black Afro-Caribbean woman, I am exhausted, but I am propelled
by my hope for what we can do together. I came to Plattsburgh because I was moved
by the student activism that I saw as a result of the SnapChat racist comments, and
I came to be a change agent. Despite whatever emotions I feel, I am committed to the
work of equity and justice, and to lasting change. I am committed to supporting the
student activism I saw in 2018.
The idea that many of our students, faculty, staff, alumni, their families and friends
need to convince others that they are human and that they should be seen and that
they matter, is in itself dehumanizing. But wishing for a change is not enough. Writing
about change is not enough. As your Vice President for Diversity Equity and Inclusion,
I have to push for the change that will make SUNY Plattsburgh a more inclusive campus.
When we do that our students will feel a sense of belonging and know that our actions
match our words. And for me that is non-negotiable.
As I push away my fears and my frustrations with the current state of our Plattsburgh
community, the North Country, and the country’s state of race relations, I want to
insist that we double down our efforts for systemic reform. We can’t change everything,
but we can have an impact at SUNY Plattsburgh, in the communities around the college,
and in the communities we live in. But these are words and it is important for me
to share the actions we have done and plan to do for the summer, fall and spring.
These are the actions:
We began by hosting a Solidarity Night on May 29 for us to come together as a community
to grieve and acknowledge the lives of Ahmaud Arbery, Breonna Taylor, and George Floyd,
which were lost in the last months.
We continue to host caucuses or affinity groups over the summer which are digital
“Brave Spaces,” to support and lift up voices from within the SUNY Plattsburgh community
that are committed to the racial justice and anti-racism work.
We will host a webinar on July 30 for the bi-state; New York and Vermont region and
Canada called Supporting Black Employees, to provide employers with resources and
concrete action steps to support Black Employees.
We will continue in the fall by hosting community dialogues that bring together all
the affinity groups to share stories, disrupt unjust narratives and behaviors, and
speak as a community.
We will host a community-wide racial healing event in the fall to begin healing the
hurt that has occurred from racist incidents. We are finalizing the appearance of
a nationally renowned anti-racism educator.
We will also host a community event on Black Solidarity Day, November 2 to help catalyze
action.
With the help of our faculty, we will have a Super Teach-in in the spring to broaden
our anti-oppression efforts.
As I create, I am asking you to join me, plan with me, lead with me, and when I reach
out for your help, please answer my call in both your words and your actions. I will
call on the community; faculty, staff, students, alumni, and external community members.
Thank you for hearing my voice. Know that your voices and experiences matter, and
let’s be open as a community to listen to the voices of others who want to share their
stories and work to move this mountain of injustice to a place of justice for those
in the margins.
We at SUNY Plattsburgh stand with our Chinese students, faculty, staff and other community
members of other Asian descent. We see you, you are valued, and your experiences related
to COVID-19 matter. We have no tolerance for racial or ethnic discrimination.
The Office of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion is committed to working with other members
of the college to keep the SUNY Plattsburgh community safe and informed. We encourage
community members to stay updated by visiting the campus COVID-19 information page.
As we continue to hear updates on COVID-19 and are impacted on local, state and global
levels, there have been heightened levels of uneasiness, uncertainty and a general
concern for the well-being of ourselves, friends, and family.
These levels of uneasiness and uncertainty have also caused an increase in broad generalizations,
assumptions, and acts of bias as it relates to individuals from China, other Asian
countries, and people of Asian descent. We’d like to share an earlier statement from
The National Council of Asian Pacific Americans (NCAPA) made on February 7:
“While the coronavirus represents a legitimate public health concern, it is not a
green light to target Asian Americans and Asian immigrants with racism and hate. We
are concerned with the growing xenophobic rhetoric that harkens back to the dehumanizing,
anti-Asian trope of the ‘yellow peril,’ that was used during the 19th century. We
have consistently stood against efforts to cast our community as ‘perpetual foreigners,’
and sadly, we find ourselves having to do so again. We call on news outlets and social
media platforms to do more to curb racist and inaccurate content in addition to removing
misinformation on the coronavirus alone.”
Making broad generalizations that people of Asian descent are dangerous or sick, or
making assumptions about a person’s nationality based on their physical features perpetuates long-standing histories of xenophobia and racism, whether intentional or not.
Our Asian students, faculty and staff are valued members of the SUNY Plattsburgh community.
We are here for you and want to emphasize and highlight the following:
If you or someone you know has experienced bias or discrimination please report these
incidents on the Bias Reporting Form and connect with someone you trust for social support.
See the Office of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion as a campus resource and seek our
assistance.
Recognize that acts of bias can negatively impact your physical and mental health.
Know that it is okay to seek medical and mental health care as needed and seek the
Student Health and Counseling Center if you are a student and our EAP resource if you are an employee.
If you find that you are maintaining distance from or worried about interacting with
people of Asian descent we urge you to strongly consider the following:
Avoid the inclination to make broad stereotypes about people of Asian descent and
explore the root causes of your fears and disdain. Confusion and uncertainty about COVID-19 can lead to increased anxiety and fear.
Projection of this fear onto entire groups of people often leads to dangerous behaviors.
These types of behaviors harm the physical and mental wellbeing of targeted groups
and does nothing to protect or keep others safe.
Educate and maintain perspective. Communicating the facts that viruses do not target specific racial or ethnic groups
and how COVID-19 actually spreads can help stop acts of bias. Continue to educate
yourself on the facts of COVID-19 and the accurate and evidence based ways to protect
yourself and each other.
Exercise empathy, compassion and a sense of community. We do not have to neglect and treat community members with disrespect or hostility.
Instead we can extend our collegiality and social support by standing with each other
in this time of crisis. Understand that people are worried about family or friends,
and be mindful of this as we interact with each other.
We continue to advise you to take care of yourself and each other. Treat each other
with care and compassion and demonstrate the Cardinal spirit by making our community
members all feel safe and that they belong. We are Cardinal Strong!
As an institution who takes great pride in conscious efforts towards building a more
inclusive community, we must take the time to acknowledge that our campus is situated
on land that belongs to the Iroquois, Western Abenaki, Mohican and Mohawk peoples.
This land and body of water, now known as Lake Champlain, was inhabited and nurtured
by these peoples for thousands of years. We must do the same to nurture and protect
this sacred land. This statement is only a mere fraction of the necessary steps it
will take to fight against systemic indigenous erasure.
SUNY Plattsburgh is a community of active learners and we pledge today that we will
continue to learn more about the history of the land our community is situated on
and of the people who it was stolen from.
