Dear Campus Community,
I am writing today to share an important update on the status of our search for the next Vice President for Institutional Equity and Diversity. For the reasons described below, I have decided to pause the search for now and have confirmed with the search firm that this should not affect the overall timeline. I will be following up with the campus community once the spring semester starts to provide a further update.
One reason for the pause is that we have not yet confirmed all appointments to the search committee. This timing means that realistically we will not be able to make any substantive progress on the search until after the winter break.
In addition, the Faculty Meeting last week revealed a need for more conversation with the faculty to develop a mutually understood process for faculty representation on the committee that is consonant with the responsibilities the president has for the position and allows for meaningful engagement from faculty. I understand the Faculty Senate is already thinking about this process, and I expect to engage in further conversations with them upon our return for the spring semester.
We remain committed to the important work of the Office of Institutional Equity and Diversity in creating an inclusive campus, supporting a sense of belonging for all members of our community, and overseeing campus initiatives and projects aligned with these goals. I am grateful every day for everyone’s contributions to making our campus inclusive and welcoming. We all have a continuing role to play in this regard. As noted above, I will provide a further update to the campus community later in January 2026. Until then, I wish you a wonderful winter break and very happy holidays.
Sincerely,
Isiaah Crawford, Ph.D. | President