DEI Council

Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) Council Charge

As of October 2017, the Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) Council at Empire State University serves as the advisory and recommending body to the chief diversity officer (CDO), and liaisons to schools and offices across the university. The DEI Council will work closely with the chief diversity officer to help implement Empire’s diversity, equity, and inclusion action plan and to promote knowledge, skills, and best practices. The council will also represent a collective voice to advise the president and provost on the inculcation of best practices for structural change. This council is not part of governance; it is solely for the purpose of advising and supporting the CDO.

For the 2024-2025 academic year, the members of the SUNY Empire DEI Council are:

 

  • Ade Byron, Program Manager, Office of Diversity Equity and Inclusion

  • Aley O'Mara, Training Coordinator, Center for Autism Advocacy: Research, Education, and Supports 

  • Anne Sweet, Assistant Director of Veteran and Military Resource Center

  • Christol Wright, Student

  • Christy O' Callaghan-Leue,  Academic Advisor/Professional Mentor for the School of Social and Behavioral Sciences

  • Claudia Lovegrove, Visiting Assistant Professor of Spanish Language Bachelor of Business

  • Cirita Moffett Martin, Academic Advisor

  • Dana Brown, Senior Director of Enrichment an Opportunity Programs, Office of Academic Affairs

  • David Fullard, Mentor and Visiting Associate Professor, School of Human Services

  • Debra Monte, Assessment Specialist

  • Desiree Drindak, Director of Veteran and Military Resource Center

  • Frances Boyce, Mentor, School for Undergraduate Studies, School of Business

  • John Lawless, Mentor and Professor, School for Community and Human Services

  • Joshua Boardman, Interim Director of Student Engagement, Office of Student Success

  • Kathy P. Hairston, Director of Academic Review

  • Kristina Brousseau, Senior Institutional Research Coordinator, Office of Decision Support

  • Lauren Allen, Mentor and Assistant Professor, School for Graduate Studies, Education, and Assistant Director of CAARES

  • Lindsay Holcomb, Director of Human Resources, Office of Human Resources

  • Luis Camacho, Mentor and Assistant Professor, School for Undergraduate Studies, School of Business

  • Margaret Sithole, Mentor and Associate Professor, School for Undergraduate Studies, School of Business

  • Melissa Zgliczynski, Director of Accessibility Resources and Services, Office of Student Life/Title IX

  • Nadine Wedderburn, Associate Professor/ Mentor School of Social and Behavioral Sciences Department of Social Science and Public Affairs

  • Nedelka McLean, Coordinator of Student Services, Harry Van Arsdale Jr. School for Labor Studies

  • Noor Syed, Assistant Professor, Applied Behavior Analysis Founding Director & Susan H. Turben Director for Autism Advocacy, Center for Autism Advocacy: Research, Education and Supports (CAARES)

  • Quran Bell, Student Success and Development Coordinator, Alumna (’21, ’22)

  • Rodlyn Hines, Mentor and Assistant Professor, School of Human Services

  • Sophia Mavrogiannis, Director of Academic Support, Harry Van Arsdale Jr. School for Labor Studies

  • Theresa Higgins, Administrative Assistant 2, Office of Diversity Equity and Inclusion

  • Tina Evans, Alumna (’97) and Member of the Empire State University Foundation
     

For the 2024-2025 academic year, the members of the SUNY Empire DEI Council Working Groups are:

Student and Staff Advocacy, Support and Retention  

Provide guidance of best practice in the University's recruitment process for civil service (CSEA) and Professional (UUP) staff, to support the CDOs collaboration with Human Resources.  Including guidance on professional development for staff related to cultural competency, civility, equity, and inclusion.  Offer insight and guidance to support the retention of underrepresented staff and students. 

Members:  Dr. David Fullard (co-convener), Dr. Tina Evans(co-convener), Anne Sweet, and Christy O'Callaghan-Leue, Christol Wright

Inclusive Excellence  

In the spirit of inclusive excellence, this group will examine the culture of SUNY Empire and ways we can proactively work to eliminate discriminatory or exclusionary behavior. Working in collaboration with other groups to ensure that our ODEI is using best practices at the University to provide an environment of equity and inclusion. 

Members:  Rodlyn Hines (co-convener), Kristina Brousseau (co-convener), Sophia Mavrogiannis  

Curriculum & Education 

This group will explore ways to improve how our curriculum helps develop culturally competent students, identify needs, and recommend changes and/or initiatives to help create environment of learning and justice for all students and to prepare them to be active global citizens. 

 Members: Luis Camacho, Margaret Sithole and Claudia Lovegrove

Allyship & Advocacy 

This group will engage the community in defining what allyship looks like at SUNY Empire and explore practices that actively support colleagues and students from marginalized groups to create a community of allies. 

 Members: John Lawless (co-convener), Mark Abendroth (co-convener) Lauren Allen, Melissa Zgliczynski, Dr. David Fullard, Desiree Drindak, Dana Brown, Charlotte Echevarria, Nicole Kiss, Amy Hemming, Christol Wright

Events & Communications 

This group will explore how we develop and sustain meaningful DEI programs and create an active communication plan to support campus recognition of diversity and inclusion achievements. This working group will also help with the planning of a new ODEI Newsletter and the ongoing Reason & Respect Series. 

Members: Quran Bell (convener), Matthew Berge, Theresa Higgins, Tina Evans, Ade Byron, Joshua Boardman 

 

 

ALLYSHIP & ADVOCACY: 

  • In Progress - Expand the current Allyship and Advocacy group to reflect members from across the university community.  
  • In Progress – An online resource hub has been created in the SUNY Empire online library and continues to be updated. 
  • Complete - Conduct one workshop during the Spring Annual Meeting to provide deeper context on the importance of allyship and advocacy. 

EDUCATION & CURRICULUM 

  • In Progress - The working group is researching a mechanism to conduct a large-scale DEIB curriculum audit. 

EVENTS & COMMUNICATIONS 

  • In Progress - Reason and Respect – There has been a Reason and Respect conversation every month since January and the working group continues to produce ideas and a schedule. 
  • In Progress – The working group is currently working to research options for a virtual gallery. 
  • Pending - Develop a survey to determine what the community would like to see. 

STUDENT & STAFF ADVOCACY, SUPPORT, & RETENTION 

  • In Progress – The working group is reviewing data to determine the best ways forward in supporting students and staff. 

INCLUSIVE EXCELLENCE 

  • In Progress – The working group is reaching out to key stakeholders in October and November regarding the application for the Higher Education Excellence in Diversity (HEED) Award to submit the application for the March deadline.