Smeal Update: August 14, 2020

Smeal creates Diversity Task Force

In an effort to support the college in its growth, development, and enhancement of diversity and inclusion, Smeal has created the Diversity Task Force, which includes faculty and staff, as well as members of the administration. That group, and its subcomittees on engagement, training and employment, have met several times over the summer. It is working on a Diversity Statement that will be shared with the Smeal community in the fall semester. In the short term, it has committed to these student-related initiatives:

• Hire an outside firm to do an equity audit, which will examine our policies, and conduct listening sessions with students, staff, and faculty who are in the minority, including people of color, the LGBTQ+ community, Indigenous groups, women, and more.
• Work with faculty to incorporate more examples of underrepresented groups in the classroom
• Develop training programs for our students, faculty, and staff (and made available to alumni) that teach us how to be better allies to oppressed communities
• Investigate the reason behind, and what we can do to address, the gap between the racial make-up of Pennsylvania as a whole and the racial make-up of Smeal students
• Research best practices by companies in diversity, equity, and inclusion
• Build an inclusive culture that welcomes, respects, and celebrates diversity

Penn State launches new public health campaign

Penn State has launched an integrated effort to remind faculty, staff and students at all campuses and in adjacent communities of the importance of doing their part to limit the spread of COVID-19.  "Mask Up or Pack Up" is a research-based campaign that is also launched in State College to create a seamless message for students and other members of the community. Keep an eye out for additional information about how we will all work together to keep our building, campus and community safe when we all come together again.