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Dear campus community, Yesterday I announced the creation of the Social Justice Action Committee (SJAC). Since then, I have received an abundance of support, with many of you expressing the desire to participate on the committee and its working groups. First, thank you for your enthusiastic response. I am heartened that so many wish to be part of this important initiative. As I referenced in my announcement, we have designated the working groups for the committee and have finalized the chairs or co-chairs of the seven working groups, who will also serve on the broader SJAC. While we have given a great deal of thought to the membership of the working groups, we are still formulating the final makeup. I expect to issue invitations to potential participants by the end of this week. Regarding the many requests to participate in the working groups, we simply can’t accommodate all of them, but we still want to make sure that all voices and input are heard and considered. If you have feedback or ideas, please contact the working group chairs, whom we will announce shortly, or Associate Provost for Diversity and Inclusion and Chief Diversity Officer Marquita Chamblee, who will serve as ex officio on each working group. Additionally, we have provided the opportunity to submit feedback on the SJAC website, which will continue to expand with more information. Finally, while the SJAC committee and its work groups will be focused on completing their initial charge toward the end of this calendar year, the work of social justice will be far from over. This is a starting point. The implementation of recommendations, the emerging needs for innovative solutions, and the diligent pursuit of diversity, equity and inclusion across the campus require all of our ongoing efforts. Furthermore, I expect that some of the working groups will likely identify areas in need of additional exploration that may require the creation of more groups. Your expertise, knowledge, commitment and energy are paramount to our success, and I assure you that we will provide plenty of opportunities for your input and contributions. Sincerely,
M. Roy Wilson |
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