Center for Social Justice

The Center completed its second JEDI conversation tour. Each session consisted of the exploration of a JEDI Framework for participants’ individual and collective intercultural development. All units are following up with their first annual application of the Framework through the development of inclusive communication guidelines by the end of AY23. CSJ has also prepared the Framework for JEDI training and support to students through a video part of the Cornerstone course, to alums via a 2023 professional development series, and to partners and community organizations in the Capital Region and beyond through capacity building consulting.

Nine Excelsior identity/allyship rope teams are now public at communities.excelsior.edu. These are hubs of connections, opportunities, resources and experiences, or support villages, curated and integrated by the identities or allyships that matter to students and Excelsior community members. CSJ is encouraging all Excelsior stakeholders to get involved with a rope team. Rope teams activity is already taking place, including celebrations, guest speakers, meditation sessions, special topic conversations, and regular support sessions.

CSJ is coordinating the planning of a June, 2023 JEDI Integration in the Curriculum & Instruction Summit to promote current JEDI integration in the curriculum and instruction practices, explore challenges and solutions, and gather input on our faculty JEDI training and JEDI learning outcome implementation across the curricula. Ashley Finley, AAC&U VP of Assessment & Sr. Advisor to the President will be the Summit’s keynote speaker.

In collaboration with multiple Excelsior areas, the Center is engaging with local Housing Authority chapters. As an initial result, CSJ has received a first gift of $15,000 from Aflac Community Giving. The Center is also exploring partnerships with NYS Minorities in Criminal Justice, the American Legion of Puerto Rico, EnGen and the NYS Office for New Americans, the Technical Education Research Centers, and others. The Center also now houses the Community Engagement Group to further focus Excelsior’s community engagement on the access partnerships we are developing.

CSJ continues collaborating with an interdisciplinary group of Excelsior areas and Hanover Research to conduct market, ROI analyses and to develop a formal recommendation on the strategy to launch an ¡Adelante! pilot, a program for Spanish-as-a-first-language students combining ESL curriculum and Excelsior program courses in Spanish.

CSJ, HR, Academic Affairs, and Analytics & Data Support have identified initial goals and metrics for enhancing recruitment and retention of Excelsior’s diverse faculty. This work will soon be expanded to include Excelsior staff as well. In parallel, CSJ is participating in the redesign of Excelsior’s Leadership Academy, including its focus on the facilitation of equitable professional development opportunities.

CSJ has had the opportunity to form and lead the Capital Region JEDI Consortium, a group of JEDI leaders from over 20 institutions in the region. Most recently, the Consortium has been in conversation with Mohawk Nation Justice Hall to explore learning and collaboration opportunities. In addition, CSJ has been invited to publish through the Forbes Nonprofit Council and Future Talent Council. The Center is preparing for its participation in a fourth podcast, and had the opportunity to keynote and facilitate workshops at a NYS Minorities in Criminal Justice Summit, an OCIDES international meeting in Chile, the Tupperware DEI Summit, and is scheduled to present at upcoming AAC&U and NACE conferences.

The Center is in the process of generating applications of the identity/allyship rope teams in Excelsior’s external community through the development of broader identity/allyship networks and community engagement opportunities. CSJ is also preparing to offer JEDI training and support to Excelsior partners and community members/organizations of the Capital Region and beyond, including CSJ’s recent certification to administer the Intercultural Development Inventory with individuals and organizations and the inception of a JEDI podcast.