September 20, 2021
Dear William Paterson Faculty and Staff,
I hope everyone enjoyed the final weekend of summer and is looking forward to a great fall on campus.
I am pleased to share the news that Chief Diversity Officer Dr. David E. Jones will join the Office of the President from the Division of Human Resources. He will now report to me through Chief of Staff Loretta Mc Laughlin Vignier. This change, effective next week, reflects the growing importance of David’s diversity and inclusion work to our entire University community. He will continue to lead and support key institutional diversity, equity, and inclusion priorities and organizational diversity strategy efforts to help create a more inclusive organizational and campus culture. This will include focusing on creating an awareness of equity practices among employees, developing and implementing initiatives that advance the University culture, and employee engagement that aids in the recruitment and retention of diverse talent.
David’s role will also expand to include overseeing an Associate Director, whose duties will include ensuring the University's compliance with Title IX and Title VII, overseeing and investigating complaints of sexual violence, dating and domestic violence, stalking, harassment, discrimination, and other sex-based complaints. The Associate Director will continue to work closely with Student Development on education and prevention efforts and continue to utilize and expand the existing team of investigators. A search will begin in the coming days to work toward filling this important role.
David’s move is also part of a broader transformation and re-alignment in HR that will provide enhanced customer service and support employees and University leadership to best serve our students in a fiscally responsible way. Vice President Allison Boucher-Jarvis will share further details in an email to the community later this week.
The latest example of the great diversity, equity, and inclusion work going on all across William Paterson is the new Center for Latinidad. Please join us for a special ceremony to launch this important Center tomorrow, Tuesday, September 21 at 4:00 p.m. in UC 211. Along with the Center for Diversity and Inclusion and the Black Cultural Center, the Center for Latinidad will demonstrate our commitment to providing support resources and affirming environments for all of the University’s wonderfully diverse students.
This week’s WP: We are Proud – We can all be proud of our students for being active in helping their community through a variety of civic engagement programs. They were particularly busy on Saturday, September 11, when approximately 100 students participated in Pioneer Service Venture activities, including weeding, cleaning, and harvesting the campus produce garden to benefit the Pioneer Pantry, packaging a total of 10,000 meals to benefit Rise Against Hunger, and participating in a campus cleanup. In addition to their good work, students discussed and learned about related issues of local and global food insecurity, and environmental and animal justice. Thanks to all participating students for their efforts and to the organizers: Donna Minnich Spuhler, director, and Maribel Rodriguez, associate director of Campus Activities, Service & Leadership; Yolany Gonell, Director for Student Diversity & Inclusion; Kian Downes, WP AmeriCorps Changebuilder Coordinator; and Gabriela Lora ’19. Pioneers are doing great things across campus and throughout our community.
Have a great week.
