Division News & Statements
Fall 2023 Message from Vice President Bernal
November 14, 2023
The Division of Inclusion and Equity at GVSU has an unwavering commitment to foster stronger connections across the university and the broader community. We are excited to embark on this journey of increased communication, sharing the work within our division and the impactful strides toward advancing inclusion and equity at both the university and in the community.
To guide our path towards shared equity leadership (SEL), we have identified key pillars: strategy, coordination, collaboration, communication, and accountability. SEL is the driving force behind our actions, challenging the traditional “leader-follower” dynamic and extending an open invitation to everyone, regardless of their position, to actively participate in our charge. By sharing responsibilities and fortifying partnerships and accountability with internal and external stakeholders, our intention is to empower one another to effect significant change and cultivate a truly inclusive campus community. A crucial aspect of SEL involves formal recognition of roles and their significance, exemplified by initiatives like the I&E Activation and Accountability Leadership Team (AALT) and the revitalization of our Faculty/Staff Associations through a leadership council. We encourage you to connect with your division or college liaison to AALT for further insights, opportunities for involvement, or to join one of our FSA networks.
All your efforts have played a pivotal role in advancing our Reach Higher 2025 metrics, which underscore our dedication to fostering a culture of educational equity and an inclusive campus climate. Some notable achievements include:
- Fall 2023 saw a student enrollment of color at 20.1%, compared to our fall 2021 baseline of 17.3%.
- Fall 2023 employees of color now represent 17.6% of our entire workforce, up from the fall 2021 baseline of 16.0%.
- In terms of personal sense of belonging at GVSU, satisfaction has increased to 72.5% in fall 2023, up from 61.1% in 2021 among employees and students.
As we celebrate these milestones, we recognize the importance of doubling down on our actions. With the enrollment of the largest and most diverse class in our history, it is imperative that we work collectively to ensure the successful graduation of these students—let’s now graduate the largest and most diverse classes in our history.
Part of this effort requires our ongoing learning and development. Thank you to all those who contributed to the once again record-breaking attendance at this year’s Teach-In. For those who missed the moving and inspiration opening plenary with Dr. Robin Wall Kimmerer, please check out the video which will be available only for a short time. You’ll find other opportunities for ongoing education in the newsletter linked below.
Additionally, the division is committed to prioritizing the experiences of our most marginalized community members in our work. Recent data and reports emphasize their unique challenges, and we are committed to addressing them. Along these lines, the Division is proud to re-launch our I&E Associates Program. For 2024, we are seeking faculty or staff with expertise and focus on the Transgender/Non-Binary and Native American/Indigenous communities.
In a world where Islamophobia and antisemitism are on the rise, both on college campuses and globally, we reaffirm our core value – an inclusive and equitable community. We extend an invitation to all to join us in nurturing relationships grounded in respect, compassion, empathy, and a shared commitment to understanding one another.
Thank you for being an integral part of our journey towards a more inclusive and equitable future.
Jesse M. Bernal, Ph.D.
Vice President for Inclusion &
Equity
Chief of Staff to the President