Dear Members of the Barnard Community,
When I came to Barnard in 2019, I was energized by the College’s dedication to inclusive learning and scholarship, and the legacy of progress here. Every day since then, I have been in awe of the great commitment and determination among faculty, students, staff, and alums to cultivate supportive learning environments. It has been a pleasure to become part of a community where people do this together through dialogue, critical inquiry, friendship, experimentation and meaningful action.
It is with a profound appreciation for this shared commitment, and humility in the face of all the great work so many of you have already done, that I undertake my new role. From my own experiences in higher education, I know firsthand both what it means to be included and what it means to be excluded in communities of learning. This has informed my commitment toward integrating anti-oppressive values in teaching and learning. In my new role, I hope to expand my efforts in making inquiry, creative practice, and the pursuit of knowledge not only accessible but also inclusive endeavors. This requires working with and uplifting those who experience marginalization and creating conditions where everyone is able to bring their whole selves to the learning process and campus life.
As President Beilock has said many times, equity and inclusion are not the work of any one person, or even the designated offices and representatives. This work belongs to all of us.
Over the coming weeks and months, I will hear from as many of you as possible about how to shape a more inclusive culture for holistic learning and engaged being. One avenue for discussion will be through existing forums, including the DEI Cabinet, the Diversity Council, the Campus Safety Advisory Council, the Free Expression Committee, SGA, our Monday Assemblies for Racial Justice, and so many more. I will also be meeting informally with many of you who are at the heart of this work by virtue of your roles across campus and the constituencies you represent. I will maintain my office hours from 11 a.m.-1 p.m. on Tuesdays and I encourage any of you to sign up.
In April, I will also invite students, faculty and staff to join me in an open community conversation. I want to hear from you about how we can be bolder in our commitments to equity and justice. I look forward to working with all of you on how to make sure that our conversations about race, gender, economic equity, and other vital topics have meaningful consequences inside and beyond the classroom. And I want to hear from you about how we embark on this together.
With appreciation,
Jennifer Rosales
Vice President for Inclusion and Engaged Learning, and Chief Diversity Officer