MMC Unveils Sweeping Strategic Plan for Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion Efforts
Students, faculty, and staff joined College leadership to learn about MMC’s first Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (EDI) Strategic Plan and its implementation over the next five years.
MMC’s commitment to diversity and inclusion, which is highlighted in the College’s 2017 – 2021 Strategic Plan, Contemporary and Compelling: Envisioning MMC’s Future, requires the development of a path that achieves specific goals and fulfills measurable outcomes. Demonstrating a commitment to equitable practices is imperative as the community works toward MMC’s vision of being the nation’s premier destination for students seeking a contemporary and compelling small-college experience in the heart of New York City. The EDI Strategic Plan lays out an intentional approach to developing a College where all members feel welcome, valued, and respected. The Plan will build out a framework with priorities for the College to implement within a five-year time frame to make MMC more fully diverse and inclusive.
“To be successful, we must be deliberate,” explains President Kerry Walk. “I’m thrilled that the students, faculty, and staff on the College’s EDI Strategic Plan Committee have developed such a concrete guide to diversity, inclusion, and equity at Marymount Manhattan.”
Mattis-Pinard led the discussion, focusing on the four main goals of the plan.
- Goal #1: Improve the diversity of the Marymount Manhattan College community.
- Goal #2: Cultivate an inclusive campus environment for members of the MMC and surrounding community.
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Goal #3: Enhance learning and professional development opportunities focused on diversity and inclusion.
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Goal #4: Improve accountability around diversity initiatives, practices, and policies.
“I was happy to see the commitment from multiple levels of College employees, listening and sharing feedback,” Mattis-Pinard said after the meeting. “It was a different level of investment than I expected, so it’s great to know that people are interested in what’s happening with this work.”
The goal is to make a booklet describing the plan available to members of the community by July 1, 2019. The document will include not only the plan’s priorities and specific action points, but also a narrative on its significance within the College community.
Members of the EDI committee were present, including Michael Salmon, Assistant Vice President and Dean of the Center for Academic Excellence. “Personally, I think this plan is terrific,” he said. “I’ve been at MMC for 20 years and this is, in fact, the first major dent that I think we’ve really made in earnest in this area. We’ve spoken about [diversity] a lot, but I now feel good that we’ve put something on paper that will take us to where we want to go.”
Visit the Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Strategic Plan page for more information and to share your thoughts anonymously.
Published: May 03, 2019