JAMESTOWN, N.Y. — The Board of Trustees at SUNY Jamestown Community College recently approved a formal statement prioritizing diversity at the college.
The diversity statement, adopted unanimously by the board during its July 20 meeting, reads: “We embrace the varied identities, histories, and experiences of every member of our college community. We actively pursue diversity, equity, and inclusion, recognizing that we are always learning.”
“This statement is the first in the college’s history and was crafted by JCC’s Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion task force, which was formed in January to formalize JCC’s commitment to creating a campus community that embraces and responds to an increasingly diverse and globalized world,” said Daniel DeMarte, JCC president.
“So much of what we communicate in our daily lives is shaped and informed by our identity,” said Simone Sellstrom, DEI task force chair. “When we start talking about diversity, equity, and inclusion as a college, diversity statements are important guideposts to ensure that we are operating with the identities of our students and employees in mind.”
Sellstrom noted that the task force wanted the statement to be accessible to a variety of audiences, show belongingness and inclusion, be sincere, and recognize that learning is a priority of the diversity initiative at the college.
“The approval of this statement by the board marks only the beginning of our DEI work here at JCC,” Sellstrom added. “This work calls for continued conversation and a never-ending desire to do better for our students and campus community.”
To learn more about the college’s DEI initiative, visit sunyjcc.edu/DEI.