July 15, 2020

Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Action Plan Update

Dear Students, Faculty and Staff,

I am writing to you following weeks of introspection and conversation taking place across the College, and to let you know that, in the interest of moving from words to action, the College has developed a Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Action Plan to address systemic issues at ArtCenter that also exist across the landscape of higher education.

While the plan offers us a way forward, we respect the feedback we are getting regarding the necessity for developing a timeline, identifying those responsible for completing our initiatives, and reporting back to the community. Therefore, before distribution, I want to ensure the plan contains goals that are specific, measurable, attainable, relevant and time-bound. In addition, we need to take the time for appropriate shared governance groups to review the plan, share their perspectives and collaborate on its content. The first iteration of what will clearly be an evolving plan will be made publicly available in the coming weeks.

While the College has made significant progress in recent years, we know there’s a lot more work to be done. We need to do better at communicating our successes, acknowledging areas for improvement and accelerating our commitment to maintaining a safe, welcoming and inclusive environment where our community can thrive.

More pressing, we want to reaffirm our commitment to creating an anti-racist environment that is free from all forms of discrimination, harassment and micro-aggressions. We are deeply concerned by the serious issues being raised on social media and encourage individuals to discuss their experiences and concerns with people who are equipped to provide guidance, offer support and investigate reports.

• Incidents of sex and gender discrimination should be reported to Kristen Entringer, our Title IX director, at kristen.entringer@artcenter.edu
• Incidents of discrimination, harassment and retaliation (DHR), other than sex and gender, involving staff should be reported to Lisa Sanchez, the vice president of Human Resources, at vphr@artcenter.edu
• Students with DHR complaints about other students should make a report to Jessica Krause, our associate director for student equity in the Center for the Student Experience, at jessica.krause@artcenter.edu
• Incidents of DHR involving faculty should be reported to Ted Young, the dean of Faculty Affairs, at ted.young@artcenter.edu

The Center for Diversity, Equity and Inclusion is here to advocate for and maintain an inclusive and equitable climate across all aspects of campus life. The team we have assembled over the past year and a half is working with individuals and departments across the College to develop curricular plans, offer community-building programs, assist business operations, and champion the need for cultural change. We are available to serve as a resource and conduit for your concerns. You can reach us at aaron.bruce@artcenter.edu or dei@artcenter.edu.

Sincerely,

Aaron I. Bruce, MIBA, Ph.D.

Vice President, Chief Diversity Officer
ArtCenter College of Design