A letter to the community from Barry Glassner and Janet Steverson

Dear Lewis & Clark Community,

As you know, conversations and action about racism, respect, and equity are intensifying across the country. At Lewis & Clark, what we do personally, academically, and programmatically is key to the health of our community and, indeed, to our national dialogue. 

A dedication to diversity and inclusion has been integral to both of our careers and will continue to be so. An institutional commitment to a safe, welcoming, and equitable place is part of our daily life at Lewis & Clark. We will both continue to work to make this commitment a reality for all of our students.

We know that a number of our community members are confronted all too frequently with the prejudices and biases that we all carry. We will continue to support affected members, and we will continue to provide educational opportunities to address these issues. At the same time, we recognize that there are disagreements as to the best path forward. On that front, the Randall Kennedy and Linda Chavez event at last week’s 12th Annual Ray Warren Symposium on Race and Ethnic Studies was encouraging and instructive for both of us. 

Informed dialogue is at the heart of what we do as an academic community. At dinner and in Council Chamber that night, we heard and saw passionate and heartfelt debate. Although there was disagreement as to the proper role of affirmative action, the debate was grounded in mutual respect. We ask that you all join us as we engage in informed and respectful conversations concerning how we as an institution can best fulfill our commitment to a safe, welcoming, and equitable community for all.

The institution-wide Committee on Diversity and Inclusion (CDI) is central to our efforts. The members of this group represent the many of us who work on programs and initiatives relating to diversity and inclusion in all aspects of life at Lewis & Clark.

The CDI’s work has included the establishment of Lewis & Clark’s new policy on Discrimination, Harassment, and Hate- or Bias-Motivated Conduct, the establishment of the Bias Incident Assessment and Response Team (BART), and a number of programs, conversations, and trainings concerning diversity and inclusion-related topics for students, faculty, and staff on all three campuses. Please visit the website to learn more about the CDI’s work and for a list of community resources on issues of diversity and inclusion. In addition to the CDI, the CAS Office of Inclusion and Multicultural Engagement, the Graduate School of Education and Counseling broadly, and the Law School Committee on Diversity and Inclusion all engage in school-specific programs, trainings, and conversations on these vital topics.

The CDI’s members are as follows:

Jane Atkinson, vice president and provost, ex-officio

Nathan Baptiste, director of Inclusion and Multicultural Engagement, CAS

Janet Bixby, associate dean, graduate school

Cathy Busha, associate dean of student engagement, CAS

Michael Coiner, administrative specialist, CAS

Isaac Dixon, associate vice president and director of human resources

Mark Duntley, dean of the chapel

Se-ah-dom Edmo, coordinator of the Indigenous Ways of Knowing Program

David Ellis, vice president, secretary and general counsel, ex-officio

Linda Eguiluz-Gonzalez, student, graduate school

Erik Fast, director of corporate foundation relations

Mark Figueroa, associate provost for institutional research and planning, CAS

Marisol Garcia, assistant professor of counseling psychology, graduate school

Anna Gonzalez, dean of students, CAS

JB Kim, assistant dean for diversity and academic resources, law school

Stacey Kim, director of marketing and communications

Gabriela Rodriguez, student, CAS

Laura Shier, Director of Academic English Studies/Instructor, CAS

Liz Stanhope, associate professor of mathematical sciences, CAS

Janet Steverson (chair), Douglas K. Newell Professor of Teaching Excellence, law school

Yueping Zhang, associate professor of psychology, CAS

The work of the CDI is ongoing, and we will continue to keep you informed of Lewis & Clark’s diversity and inclusion efforts. Thank you for the work you do to make Lewis & Clark a better place for everyone.

Sincerely,

Barry Glassner, President and Professor

Janet Steverson, Douglas K. Newell Professor of Teaching Excellence and Chair of the Committee on Diversity and Inclusion