Posted by Office of Diversity and Inclusion on Friday, September 23, 2022 at 12:24 PM PDT

Dear Campus Community, 

Welcome back to campus. I hope that you have had a fulfilling and meaningful summer. I am writing to share an important and exciting development in our collective effort to be a place of belonging and thriving for all who live, learn, and work at Seattle University.

As you might already know, under Reigniting Our Strategic Directions Goal 4, the University is implementing a Campus Climate Incident Reporting and Response Protocol (“Campus Climate Protocol”). The adoption of the protocol is a key aspect of our work under LIFT SU Goal 2 to develop and implement a plan of a centralized and coordinated approach to campus climate (also known as bias-related) incidents. This university protocol will facilitate the reporting of campus climate incidents; promote prompt responses and support to those impacted; and foster education, problem solving and professional development to enable a more welcoming and inclusive campus community.

Overall, this university protocol is an expression of our Ignatian value of cura personalis – care and concern for the development and thriving of the whole person. The protocol is one of the University’s efforts to empower a positive learning and working community. While not intended to be a cure-all, importantly, the implementation of this protocol is a partnership to bring greater coordination to current practices and strengthen the layers of support and growth for our campus. It is also a critical part of developing our ability to prevent such incidents and educate for productive engagement across difference.

We are excited to share more information about the Campus Climate Protocol with you in the coming weeks and months. Members of our team are scheduled to meet directly with schools, colleges, and units across campus. We are also holding two open forums:

• Open Forum #1: Thursday, September 29, 2022, from 12:30 – 1:30 pm, via zoom.
• Open Forum #2: Thursday, October 6, 2022, from 12:30 – 1:30 pm, in STCN 210.

*If you cannot attend either of these forums, one will be recorded and shared. In the meantime, you can also learn more about the protocol from our Strategic Conversations event this past May.

In connection with the adoption of this university protocol, we have also created a website where campus stakeholders can report a campus climate incident and learn more about the protocol and process. Please visit the website, as it includes additional information and a set of resources and frequently asked questions (FAQs).

Complementary Resources for Creating a Climate of Belonging:
In conjunction with the implementation of the Campus Climate Protocol, the ODI and OIE are partnering to support our campus community during this fall quarter in fostering intentional re-engagement for a thriving campus community.  Here are a couple of opportunities for additional support this fall quarter:

• Educating for Justice and Professional Development:
  Incorporating inclusion and equity practices into the fabric of our everyday lives takes practice and is a primary means of shifting a culture of benevolence toward a culture of action and reflection. University departments, units, colleges, or student organizations interested in learning more about developing these practices are invited to contact Dr. Jill Moffitt, Assistant Vice President for the Office of Institutional Equity, to schedule a curated conversation or training to learn more, develop skills, and practice equity in action. Jill can be reached via email at jmoffitt@seattleu.edu.
• Constructive Dialogue Series (Weekly Office) Hours:
  Additionally, for members of the campus community who can benefit from open discussion and reflection sessions around topics of inclusion, equity, and belonging, Jill Moffitt will hold open discussion and dialogue opportunities every Thursday from 12:30 p.m.-1:30 p.m. This initiative is one avenue toward examining topics of inclusion and belonging in an organic, constructive, and open-minded manner to advance the campus' collective learning. It is also a great way to connect with Jill if you have specific questions or concerns, and she is happy to assist you in this forum with the use of breakout rooms when needed to ensure privacy. The Constructive Dialogue Seriesis hosted via Zoom and all are invited to drop in when they are able.

Foundational work for this protocol began in late 2017 with the appointment of a task force. More recently, David Lance, Associate Provost, ably led a working group—Craig Birklid, Dominique Maryanski, Jill Moffitt, Professor Christina Roberts, and Anton Ward-Zanotto—to develop, refine, and complete the protocol. I want to express my deep gratitude to David, the members of the working group, previous task force members, and my ODI support team, including Paige Powers, Senior Executive Coordinator, and Brooke Coleman, Special Assistant to the Vice President for Diversity & Inclusion. Thank you also to Morgan Frost for her incredible assistance as a project manager and with our web design. And gratitude also to Dean Sarah Watstein and her team for helpful feedback on the protocol website.

Thank you in advance for your partnership in living our Jesuit mission and values of infusing inclusive excellence into all aspects of our university lives.

Sincerely,

Natasha Martin
Vice President for Diversity & Inclusion