| Overall Rating | Gold |
|---|---|
| Overall Score | 71.29 |
| Liaison | Holly Andersen |
| Submission Date | March 30, 2022 |
Bennington College
PA-5: Diversity and Equity Coordination
| Status | Score | Responsible Party |
|---|---|---|
|
2.00 / 2.00 |
"---"
indicates that no data was submitted for this field
Part 1
Yes
Does the committee, office and/or officer focus on students, employees, or both?:
Both students and employees
None
A brief description of the diversity and equity committee, office and/or officer, including purview and activities:
During this academic year, the Vice President for Institutional Inclusion, Equity, and Leadership Development
Delia Saenz is a nationally-recognized expert in the area of understanding diversity in groups, and has been a leader in conversations about diversity and inclusion, women and people of color in STEM fields, and sustainability. Delia left the College at the end of the spring term in 2021.
deliasaenz@bennington.edu
Saenz is the Vice President for Institutional Inclusion, Equity, and Leadership Development and served as a visiting faculty member at Bennington in Spring 2017. Prior to Bennington, she was an associate professor in the Department of Psychology, and a research professor in the Hispanic Research Center, at Arizona State University (ASU). She received her doctorate in Social Psychology from Princeton University in 1987. Saenz has served administratively as vice provost for undergraduate education, and as vice provost for international and institutional inclusion at ASU. Her scholarly research focuses on diversity, tokenism, intergroup processes, inclusion, acculturation, and sustainability. This work, often cited for its innovation and contributions to the understanding of diversity in groups, has been funded by the National Institutes of Mental Health, the National Science Foundation, the Ford and WT Grant Foundations, the US Department of Energy, and the US Agency for International Development. Her recent work has centered on broadening the participation of women and people of color in STEM. She served as co-PI on Vocational Training and Education for Clean Energy (VOCTEC), a project focused on enhancing knowledge, awareness, and capacity-building in renewable energy technologies among developing nations.
Saenz served as director of diversity and inclusion on two multi-university engineering research centers, Quantum Energy & Sustainable Solar Technologies, and Center for Biomediated and Bioinspired Geotechnics. In this capacity, she engaged faculty, students, and staff in advancing a culture of inclusion. Beyond her contributions to scholarship and administration, Saenz has been recognized institutionally and nationally for outstanding teaching and mentoring of both undergraduate and graduate students.
Delia Saenz is a nationally-recognized expert in the area of understanding diversity in groups, and has been a leader in conversations about diversity and inclusion, women and people of color in STEM fields, and sustainability. Delia left the College at the end of the spring term in 2021.
deliasaenz@bennington.edu
Saenz is the Vice President for Institutional Inclusion, Equity, and Leadership Development and served as a visiting faculty member at Bennington in Spring 2017. Prior to Bennington, she was an associate professor in the Department of Psychology, and a research professor in the Hispanic Research Center, at Arizona State University (ASU). She received her doctorate in Social Psychology from Princeton University in 1987. Saenz has served administratively as vice provost for undergraduate education, and as vice provost for international and institutional inclusion at ASU. Her scholarly research focuses on diversity, tokenism, intergroup processes, inclusion, acculturation, and sustainability. This work, often cited for its innovation and contributions to the understanding of diversity in groups, has been funded by the National Institutes of Mental Health, the National Science Foundation, the Ford and WT Grant Foundations, the US Department of Energy, and the US Agency for International Development. Her recent work has centered on broadening the participation of women and people of color in STEM. She served as co-PI on Vocational Training and Education for Clean Energy (VOCTEC), a project focused on enhancing knowledge, awareness, and capacity-building in renewable energy technologies among developing nations.
Saenz served as director of diversity and inclusion on two multi-university engineering research centers, Quantum Energy & Sustainable Solar Technologies, and Center for Biomediated and Bioinspired Geotechnics. In this capacity, she engaged faculty, students, and staff in advancing a culture of inclusion. Beyond her contributions to scholarship and administration, Saenz has been recognized institutionally and nationally for outstanding teaching and mentoring of both undergraduate and graduate students.
Part 2
All
Estimated proportion of academic staff that has participated in cultural competence, anti-oppression, anti-racism, and/or social inclusion trainings and activities:
All
Estimated proportion of non-academic staff that has participated in cultural competence, anti-oppression, anti-racism, and/or social inclusion trainings and activities:
All
If trainings are made available, provide:
The first annual conference focused on promoting Inclusion as a Social Practice norm at Bennington. The conference is the culmination of creativity, advanced work, and collaboration on the part of student members of the Bennington College Community Builders (BCCB). Both as individuals and as members of distinct and intersecting identity groups, we have experienced first-hand the challenges and frustration of exclusion and bias. At times, we have witnessed expressed commitment to diversity and inclusion but rarely have these words yielded sustainable change. We firmly believe that creating a more diverse and inclusive community is important for the well-being of the student body and the success of the College as a whole.
Optional Fields
Additional documentation to support the submission:
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Data source(s) and notes about the submission:
During this academic year, all staff and faculty were required to also attend microaggression training.
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