As the semester ends, many changes are happening within the new Equity and Inclusive Excellence Division. Below are some changes that are effective immediately and others you will see when you return in the fall.
Title IX/Non-discrimination
The Office of Title IX at Goucher is committed to cultivating a safe and inclusive campus community free from gender-based violence and grounded in healthy, pleasure-centered relationship practices.
With the transition of Dr. Juan Hernandez, the Office of Title IX will be led by Kirsten Wood. Kirsten has been a member of the Goucher community since 2021 and prioritizes relationships and holistic well-being in all interactions with her students. Since she’s been here, she has contributed to a decrease in reported incidents and an increase in sexual violence prevention education initiatives, harm reduction, and peer education.
You can schedule an appointment with Kirsten at any time using the Office of Title IX’s Bookings page. The Office of Title IX manages the Nondiscrimination Policy and Procedures. The Title IX/Nondiscrimination/Bias reporting mechanisms remain the same:
- Reporting forms:
- Email: titleixcoordinator@goucher.edu or Bias@goucher.edu (for bias-related inquiries)
- In-Person by Appointment: Mary Fisher 315
*Every report submitted will be responded to, with an option to pursue a formal complaint and investigation if interested. If you are unsure of which form to fill out, we can support you. You do not need to file a formal complaint to receive support from the Office of Title IX – please contact us, and we will do everything we can to support you.
Goucher’s Title IX/Nondiscrimination processes also include several on- and off-campus partners:
- Grand River Solutions – outside consulting and process supports
- Miles & Stockbridge – outside legal services
- Campus Advisors – trained faculty and staff who have volunteered to support students going through reporting and investigation processes
Check out the NEW Title IX Resource Library. This growing virtual resource hub offers students, faculty, and staff easy-to-access and easy-to-use resources for navigating various experiences.
Welcome Catia to the Center for Race Equity and Identity (CREI)
On April 8, CREI welcomed Catia Rembert as the new Assistant Director. Catia comes to us from Penn State, Abington, where she supported students, staff, and colleagues in developing cultural competency and a deep sense of belonging. Catia is excited to bring new energy and programming to CREI and can be reached at catia.rembert@goucher.edu.
Please join Catia and celebrate graduates at any open Affinity Graduation Ceremony this week.
Religion and Spiritual Life now in EIE
On February 1, Goucher’s Director of Religion and Spiritual Life and Chaplain, Reverend Maeba Jonas, and all Religion and Spiritual Life programming shifted over to the Equity and Inclusive Excellence Division. In this new capacity, Rev. Maeba will continue supporting religious and/or spiritual students, interfaith programming, and campus partners who serve as student organization advisors. In addition to her previous work, Rev. Maeba is excited to use this shift as an opportunity to build and expand social justice dialogue work at Goucher. Rev. Maeba can be reached at chaplain@goucher.edu.
LAUNCH Scholars Network now in CREI
This semester, we shifted our efforts to strengthen the academic focus of the newly renamed LAUNCH Scholars Network. The LAUNCH Scholars Network, which is focused on supporting first-generation and Pell Grant-eligible students, is also a part of the EIE Division and is led by director Melissa Alexander. Melissa is a proud Higher Education Opportunity Program graduate, like LAUNCH Scholars, at her alma mater. Melissa has been a member of the Goucher Community since 2021. Melissa has relocated her office and LAUNCH operations to CREI to honor the intersection of student identities. Community members can now visit her in 125 ATH.
DEIJ Campus Coordinating Committee – Thank you!
The DEIJ Campus Coordinating Committee is a campus-wide committee of faculty, staff, and students who work year-round to support and coordinate equity and inclusion efforts across the campus. The committee’s formal charge includes tracking and supporting progress on annual DEIJ goals; serving as a divisional liaison and representative; coordinating campus-wide events and programs; amplifying campus-wide culture and climate issues; and providing advice and guidance to institutional administration.
This year, the committee engaged in various ways, including participating in eight Liberal Arts College Racial Equity Alliance (LACRELA) live trainings, implementing regular campus-wide climate and culture pulse checks, and driving progress toward the completion of over 66 DEIJ goals in the following categories:
- Campus Climate and Culture
- Education/Training/Employee Development
- Curriculum and Pedagogy
- Institutional Programming
- Institutional Structure
- Accountability
- Historical Reckoning
- Campus-wide Communications
The committee also added a focus on increasing awareness, knowledge, and skills regarding accessibility and disability as a category of focus for 2024-2025.
Many thanks to those who have contributed to all of these efforts during the past year:
- Arte Warren, Student Affairs
- Catia Rembert, Equity and Inclusive Excellence
- Jaelan Gabriel & Amel Lightfoot, DEI Director, Student Government Association
- J’aime Elskoe-Drayton, Advancement
- Isabel Moreno-Lopez, Academic Affairs/Faculty, Spanish and Latin American Studies
- Lillian Snortland, Marketing and Communications
- Odessa Armstrong, Enrollment Management/Admissions
- Sylvia Doud, Student Affairs
- Tiffany Justice, Campus Operations
- Juan Hernandez, Equity and Inclusive Excellence
See you in the Fall!
In the fall, EIE is excited to build on the dynamic DEI commitments already established at Goucher by building social justice dialogue programming, strengthening our bias education, streamlining our reporting processes, and overhauling current DEI training, including mandatory training for faculty, staff, and students.
Immediate opportunities for you to engage:
- Dialogue Across Difference Training: The final 2024 offering for Dialogue Across Difference training will be held on Tuesday, June 4, from 12:00 – 4:00 pm. During this 4-hour training, you will engage in multiple interactive ways, including small group discussions, personal reflections, pair-shares, and physical movement. Please come prepared to participate for the full 4-hours, dressed comfortably and ready to engage actively. Register Here.
- Common Ground Dialogues: We are piloting a new dialogue cohort for first- and second-year students. Common Ground Dialogues will be a five-week cohort program focused on supporting students in practicing the necessary skills to dialogue across differences, become inclusive leaders, and build coalitions for change while building community and belonging. We are looking for interested students who want to be trained as facilitators! If you would like more information, email inclusion@goucher.edu
- Title IX Advisor Training: Advisors serve as critical support for students navigating Title IX or discrimination processes. We are offering a two-hour training session, sponsored by Grand River Solutions, to volunteer faculty and staff. Advisors help answer student questions, provide clarity on the process and serve as an additional listening ear. If you are willing and interested, please email titleix@goucher.edu
In conclusion, we would like to thank everyone in the Goucher community for their support and partnership this past year. We look forward to working with you in the coming academic year to continue making Goucher a more equitable, inclusive, and loving campus.
With Goucher Pride,
Catia, Melissa, Kirsten, Rev. Maeba and Dr. Jasmine Lee