Hello UMW Family,
I hope this message finds you thriving as you navigate the second part of this semester. It is hard to believe that nearly three months on the job have quickly flown by. It has been my pleasure to meet many of you at events to celebrate heritage months, in committee meetings, via email, or just walking around campus. If we have not yet had the chance to meet, please do not worry, there are upcoming opportunities.
One such occasion is through a listening session that I will be holding on Zoom. I invite you to come to this session so that I can learn more about you and your thoughts about how we can make UMW the most equitable and inclusive campus around. While the listening session will not be recorded to allow for open conversation, this will be the first of many future recurring sessions.
Please join me:
April 19 from 3:30 to 4:30 p.m.
Advance registration is at https://umw-sso.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_Nwrz1lP1SUGJ41n18H0Zcg.
Another opportunity for us to connect will be at a campus-wide training open to the entire UMW community titled “What is Social Justice?” This, too, will take place via Zoom. In this training, we will learn what social justice is and the steps we can take to promote our commitments to social justice, no matter what our role is here at UMW. This training will be recorded and shared with the campus community. Please sign up for this training session:
April 13 from 4 to 5 p.m.
Advance registration is at https://umw-sso.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_-4XNgR2KS9KDKh3u4q_fqQ.
Additionally, I would like to share with you the ways in which I have been spending my time. To gain more insights into some of the DEI work taking place on campus, please take a look at the report I gave at the most recent Board of Visitors meeting. (My report is at the beginning.)
In conclusion, I ask that you continue to be an engaged citizen in our campus, local, and national community. It is unfortunately very easy to find numerous examples of discrimination and hatred that are impacting so many of us as well as our brethren. It takes the actions of all of us to truly change our world. I am so happy to be a part of a community where we ASPIRE to do just that.
I hope to see you soon,
Shavonne Shorter, Ph.D.
Associate Provost for Equity and Inclusion and Chief Diversity Officer
