As President Janet Dudley-Eshbach stated yesterday, discriminatory behavior clearly is not

tolerated at Salisbury University. The comments and concerns weve heard about this incident
from students of many backgrounds underscore that the campus community shares the
Presidents belief that there is no place for such intolerance here or elsewhere.
When President Dudley-Eshbach arrived at SU in 2000, the campus was the least racially diverse
of the traditionally white institutions within the University System of Maryland. During her
tenure, she has provided transformational leadership, implementing a strategic vision that has
resulted in SUs growth in size and reputation. Part of that vision included a more diverse,
international and inclusive campus, and many initiatives have been implemented to support these
goals.
In 2001, she launched a presidential diversity initiative. From 2005-2015, SUs minority faculty
grew by 89.7 percent, and minority staff grew by 36.3 percent. During that same time, the
number of minority undergraduate students more than doubled, while minority graduate student
enrollment expanded by 89.9 percent.
But its not just the numbers that tell SUs story. In 2009, the University unveiled a bronze
sculpture of Underground Railroad hero Harriet Tubman outside its Teacher Education and
Technology Center, believed to be the first life-sized, three-dimensional representative of
Tubman on her native Eastern Shore. In 2011, The Hispanic Outlook in Higher Education
magazine highlighted President Dudley-Eshbachs commitment to a diverse campus, and the
campus was again praised by the same publication in 2015. In 2013, the President enhanced SUs
Office of Diversity with the creation of the Office of Institutional Equity: Fair Practices,
Diversity and Inclusion.
Other initiatives being planned or having already occurred this semester include the
development of a Vice Presidents Student Diversity Advisory Board, which will meet quarterly;
meetings with the University System of Maryland Board of Regents to discuss diversity at SU
and throughout the USM; surveys on LGBTQIA issues done through highly committed and
passionate faculty, and student satisfaction levels based on ethnicity; expansion of the Admitted
Student Day Multicultural Alliance Reception; development of a program on institutional racism
using the Flint, MI, water crisis as a springboard for discussion (scheduled for April 28); and the
initiation of a new Latina sorority, Lambda Theta Alpha, this semester.
In addition, SUs Multicultural Student Services Office offers a Powerful Connections program
for minority students, an Enlightened Speaker Series, Multicultural Leadership and Visitation
weekends and an annual Multicultural Festival, among other events. SU hosts a Residence Life
Diversity Team. The Student Government Association sponsors an annual Unity Through
Diversity Week, Stop Hatin Week (promoting diversity and tolerance) and Multicultural
Showcase. Through cultural programming, the University celebrates African-American,
Womens History, Hispanic Heritage and Native American Heritage months. SU also is home to
five diverse Greek organizations and nearly 30 registered student organizations based on
background, religion and sexual orientation.

During meetings scheduled with students last fall and by students earlier this semester, SUs
administration has heard from campus community members who feel that, while the Universitys
population is diverse, a sense of inclusiveness could be strengthened further. We have listened to
suggestions, and we are moving forward on several initiatives.
The Office of Institutional Equity has announced several priorities to be implemented in the
upcoming months. These include the development of a diversity and inclusion strategic plan. It
will be used for decision-making, planning, program evaluation and improvement. SUs current
strategic plan calls for an assessment plan to monitor progress toward these goals. This will
begin with an affirmative action plan to be finalized this summer, followed by a campus climate
survey in the fall. In addition, the University will intensify strategies in the recruiting of all
faculty and staff positions, targeting diverse applicants. More initiatives are expected as the
process continues.
After nine months of dedicated work, SUs Diversity and Inclusion Consortium Committee had
crafted a new statement to convey the Universitys commitment to diversity and inclusion. Titled
a Just Community, it reads:
Diversity and inclusion are core values of Salisbury University. A diverse and inclusive campus
community brings irreplaceable value to our educational experience and work environment, and
strengthens us all. Diversity encompasses more dimensions than just the legally protected
categories. All people have talent and potential that is spread across communities and groups,
local and globally. Inclusion means creating an environment of respect, connection and
involvement among people with different experiences and perspectives. We strive to create a
truly diverse and inclusive environment where the richness of ideas, backgrounds, and
perspectives of our community is harnessed to create value for our institution, today and in the
future.
Those are not just words on paper, but words to live by. We expect our students, faculty and staff
to live up to those expectations.
Dane Foust, D.ed
Vice President of Student Affairs
Salisbury University
Humberto Aristizabal
Associate Vice President of Institutional Equity and Title IX Coordinator
Office of Institutional Equity
Salisbury University