Seattle Central College
PA-4: Diversity and Equity Coordination

The Office for Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (ODEI) provides strategic leadership and administrative responsibility for researching, developing, implementing and maintaining a range of successful practices for supporting a campus culture that values equity, diversity and inclusiveness. This office leads the work of assessing the effectiveness of institutional diversity and equity goals and outreach efforts, and is expected to lead Seattle Central College to measurable improvements in educational and organizational climate and the recruitment/retention of a diverse workforce and student body.

Student Leadership's Global Engagement Team (GET) and International Education Programs recently created a new program for students, faculty, and staff to help increase their global understanding of cultures around the world. The Global Competency Certificate program comprises two 10-week modules that focus on the ability to understand, learn from, and work with people from diverse backgrounds and cultures. The first module includes 1) taking the Intercultural Development Inventory (IDI) to establish a baseline of global competency, 2) participate in internationally-focused activities, including visits to museums and cultural events, globally-focused events at Seattle Central, meals at enthic restaurants, or movies with a cross-cultural theme, and 2) meeting regularly with one or more program participants for reflection and discussion to expand global awareness and understanding. Multicultural Services office sponsored, co-sponsored, and facilitated over 20 events comprised of workshops, guest speakers, community events and partnership events with other institutions that served over 700 students. Some of the 2016-17 events and activities were: New Student of Color Meet and Greet Events (African American/Black, Latinx, and Asian/Asian American), University of Washington Office of Minority Affairs & Diversity Informational Transfer event, GSBA/Pride Foundation Scholarship Workshop, Scholarship and Personal Statement Writing workshops (7 workshops), 27th Annual Students of Color Conference, Susan Quimpo – Women Across the DMZ (guest speaker), Day of Remembrance, University Prep Social Justice Day presentation at Seattle Central, Kognito LGBTQ Awareness Training, Dr. Kent Wong – Dreams Deported (guest speaker), Microaggressions Workshop (partnership with TRiO), Stop the Hate: Identifying & Responding to Bias and Hate Trainings (2 trainings), MLK Day Celebration viewing at Seattle Central, Between the World and Me – facilitated dialogue around privilege, Olympic College Diversity Conference, Stop the Hate/Kognito training for Public Safety personnel. The Office for Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (ODEI) provides various trainings and activities. Some examples include the Seattle Race Conference (off-campus, team professional development), Winona LaDuke lecture, #blacklivesmatter lecture, Annual Day of Remembrance honoring the experiences of Americans of Japanese descent during WWII, Reframing the Search and Hiring Process for Equity and Diversity, An Overview of Title IX (large group, on-campus professional development), National Conference of Race and Ethnicity (NCORE [off-campus, team professional development], Faculty of Color Mentorship Program (off-campus, team professional development), and many more.