The Office of Diversity & Inclusion (ODI) will experience numerous changes in the coming spring 2014 semester, including an office relocation, a new director and enhancements to pre-existing programs.
This past spring semester, Dr. Jamie Riley, previous director of the ODI, left his position to serve as Director of the LEAD Center at the University of California after almost two years at Longwood.
Interim Director of the Office of Diversity & Inclusion Courtney Jones-Addisonbeganher position February 2013.
Speaking on Riley, Addison said, “He did a lot of great work just in terms of providing great programming, providing more opportunities for under- represented students to gain more leadership skills.”
Addison stated that the search for a new director has not yet begun, but there are plans to start searching in March 2014 with a potential start date in June 2014.
Once a new director is hired, Addison stated that her position will change from interim director to associate director.
The ODI is expected to relocate to the ground floor of the Lankford Student Union in the Lankford Lounge where the bowling alley was previously located.
Addison commented that she is excited for the move and that she hopes to receive more student traffic into the office with the new location.
The N. H. Scott Center for Diversity & Inclusion will move along with the ODI.
Addison stated, “The name is not tied to this actual space, but it’s the idea of the Center. So, wherever we move, the name will also come with us.”
N. H. Scott was Longwood University’s first African- American graduate. The Center for Diversity & Inclusion was renamed to honor her in the spring 2013 semester.
Addison described Scott as a “trailblazer” who “faced a lot of trials and tribulations while here.”
With Scott being represented by the ODI, Addison said, “We want anyone who is under- represented or [anyone who has] any other under-represented identities to feel like they have a space to call their own.”
Addison said that she hopes for a rededication of the N. H. Scott Center with the ODI’s relocation as well as another rededication once the ODI moves into the University Center that will be constructed on the location where the Cunningham Residence Halls are currently located.
The Office of Student Affairs was recently restructured with the merging of ODI and the Office of Leadership & Service Learning as well as the hiring of Associate Dean of Student Engagement Dr. Peter Fagan in August of this year, reported Addison.
“I’m really excited about the idea of our offices merging and becoming one, and once we hire a director, we’re hoping that that person will really be able to provide some vision and drive, give us some kind of direction and really help us put a stable or create a solid idea for what diversity and inclusion, social justice, leadership and civic learning will be at Longwood’s campus,” Addison said.
Addison described her goals as interim director, saying, “My goal is to evaluate the programs that were created and try to enhance them in any way that I can.”
She stated that she hopes to do more outreach and educational programming within the ODI. Already, the creation of a new program, called the Experiential Learning Trip has come underway.
The program involves a day trip to a different or unfamiliar culture for students.
This Saturday, the ODI will host its first Experiential Learning Trip, focusing on learning about American Indian culture.
Addison commented positively on the program for “giving the students the opportunity to not just sit in a presentation or hear a speaker, but actually immerse themselves in a culture that is different from their own.”
Addison stated that her goal is to have one Experiential Learning Trip each semester.
Growth this semester within the ODI includes further expansion of the Crash on Campus program.
The program allows students to host prospective students on campus. Students who apply to the program are required to do training before hosting.
Addison hopes to provide more training for student hosts, stating that this year provided three training sessions, whereas in previous years student hosts only needed to complete one training session.
The annual Multicultural Student Organization Awards (MSA’s) Ceremony will also expect some changes.
The MSA’s are held every April and involves recognizing graduating students, organizations and faculty members who have promoted diversity and inclusion on campus.
Addison plans to include an African tradition to the event that she describes as similar to “a rites of passage.”
Students who are recognized at the MSA’s choose one faculty or staff member who they believe played an integral role in their success at Longwood.
This year, Addison said that students' chosen faculty or staff member will don the student with a kente stole at the event.
Addison described the kente stoles as a cloth that is draped around one’s shoulders with symbols designed on it.
The kente stoles that will be given to graduating students at the MSA’s will have “ODI” on one side of the cloth and “2014” on the other.
For the annual Social Justice in Action Leadership Summit (SJALS) that occurs in the spring semester, Addison stated that one change to the program is that it will be open to neighboring Virginia universities.
The keynote speaker who has been chosen for SJALS in the spring 2014 semester is Dr. Maura Cullen.
According to Cullen’s website, she has 25 years of experience as a diversity trainer and speaker and has spoken to over 500 universities and organizations.
While preparing for the spring semester, Addison said, “I’m just really excited about the spring semester, and I’m excited to get a full year under my belt.”
