President’s Commission on Diversity and Inclusion
The purpose of the President’s Commission on Diversity & Inclusion is to advise the President of the College on issues pertaining to the creation and sustainability of policies, practices, and outreach that promote a more diverse and inclusive campus community. The Commission’s charge is to drive cultural and institutional change through exploration, education, understanding, and relationship building.
Statement on Diversity
The President’s Commission on Diversity and Inclusion (CDI) is committed to strengthening diversity and inclusive practices here at the College of Coastal Georgia. We believe that diversity and inclusion are vital components of academic excellence, and we hope to prepare our students for success in today’s diverse and globalized world. We aspire to establish the college as a local and national leader in diversity initiatives. We envision the future of Coastal Georgia as being a preeminent college that truly represents the rich array of human and intellectual diversity evident within the state of Georgia and beyond.
Goals
One of our core goals is engagement through inclusion. We believe the best way to achieve this is by building and bridging new partnerships within the community to establish a more diverse, inclusive, and welcoming climate here on campus.
Our second core goal is enrichment through diversity and equity-minded practices. We believe this can be best sustained by prioritizing ongoing evidence-based trainings and interventions.
Our third core goal is the placement of diversity, inclusion, and equity at the forefront of Coastal Georgia’s core values, strategic initiatives, and policies. We believe this can be best maintained through rigorous annual reviews and evaluations of college-wide values, initiatives, and policies.
The President’s Commission on Diversity and Inclusion is divided into three sub-committees focused on the following:
People
Developing strategies to increase campus diversity and foster partnership with surrounding communities.
Practice
Focusing on best practices to support diversity and inclusion in college programs, services, and initiatives.
Policy
Reviewing current College policies and make recommendations that support diversity and inclusion across the institution.
Members of the Commission of Diversity and Inclusion
- Dr. Aurora Ramos Nunez, Assistant Professor of Psychology
- Stephen Shehan-Nichols, Academic Services Coordinator
- Dr. Matt Mosley, Assistant Professor of Hospitality and Tourism
- Tiffany King, Staff Writer
- Dr. Kyle Fox, Assistant Professor of Communication
- Dr. Andrea Kwasny, Assistant Professor of English
- Dr. Nicole Pankiewicz, Assistant Professor of Political Science
- Jesse Watkins, Men’s Basketball Head Coach
- Kayla Markey, President of the Student Government Association
Definitions to Know
Bias
(a) tendency, inclination, or prejudice toward or against something or someone that is preconceived or unreasoned; (b) “stems from the internalization and institutionalization of particular values, beliefs, and assumptions. Not to be confused with bigotry, which is motivated by ill intent, bias can coexist unconsciously with good intentions, but nevertheless result in outcomes that are inclined to favor some groups over others” (Diversity Advisory Council, n.d., section B, Para. 1).
Discrimination
Unequal treatment of members of a group based on race, gender, religion, and other demographics (Institute of Democratic Renewal and Project Change Anti-Racism Institute, 2019, p. 6).
- Examples: (a) due to prejudice, not hiring someone from a particular racial or other identity group; (b) not hiring someone from a particular racial group or other identity group due to the belief that there is sufficient representation of that group already present; (c) not providing services or making services inaccessible for a particular racial group due to prejudice.
Prejudice
Pre-judgement or unjustifiable, and usually negative, attitude of one type of individual or groups toward another group and its members. Such negative attitudes are typically based on unsupported generalizations (or stereotypes) that deny the right of individual members of certain groups to be recognized and treated as individuals with individual characteristics (Institutes for Democratic Renewal and Project Change Anti-Racism Institute, 2019, p.15).
- Examples: (a) assuming homeless people of color are houseless because they have an addiction problem or mental health issues; (b) belief that all Black women are “angry”; (c) locking the doors when riding through urban neighborhoods perceived as predominately lower-socio economic sections of cities; (d) belief that all White female college students, especially sorority White females, are sexually promiscuous.
Racism
(a) specific ways in which institutional policies and practices create different outcomes for different racial groups. The policies may never mention specific racial groups, but their effect is to create advantages for Whites and oppression and disadvantage for people from groups classified as non-White (W.K Kellogg Foundation, n.d-a, p.164).
Antiracism Glossary for Education and Life published in the Journal of College Academic Support Programs, Spring/Summer 2021, volume 4, issue 1.
Progress Reports:
College of Coastal Georgia President Michelle Johnston and Goodwill Southeast Georgia Vice President of Mission Services Veronica Styron signed a memorandum of understanding to partner together for Goodwill’s Path to Success Program. The program w…
