Dear Pacificans,

The start of the new academic year is abundant with hope and anticipation for all that lies ahead. I am filled with immense pride as I reflect on all that we accomplished together this past year and what we will achieve together this year. 

I’d like to share highlights from this summer: 

Summer Institute for Equity in the Academic Experience
Through an opportunity facilitated by Regent Randall Bass ’81, Pacific was selected among 50 U.S. colleges and universities to serve as a leadership site in the 2022 Summer Institute for Equity in the Academic Experience. An interdisciplinary, cross functional team of Pacificans joined 250 higher education professionals from universities across the country to strengthen our resolve to become a model DEI institution. The Pacific team was charged with developing a plan to address key barriers to diversity, equity and student success.

WASC Special Visit
In July Pacific received a final report from the WASC Senior College and University Commission (WSCUC) following a special visit in April. The commission commended our faculty, staff and students for efforts made to advance diversity, equity and inclusion and acknowledged the broad, shared commitment for making DEI central in our governance, evaluation, curriculum and professional development activities.

Reproductive Rights and Justice 
To bring the community together, the Office of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion hosted a virtual community learning space on reproductive rights and justice with legal scholar, attorney and judge Ederlina Co from McGeorge School of Law. Professor Co explained historical legal precedents and made pertinent connections to current social and cultural shifts to help us understand the ruling. The discussion is archived in the library’s Scholarly Commons for future teaching, learning and research. 

DEI Employee Summer Learning Series
A series of four workshops was designed to engage university employees in thoughtful dialogue and reflection to advance our goal of becoming a model anti-racist university. Each workshop was facilitated by subject matter experts: Ciara Swan from the Learning and Writing Center, Mario Enriquez from the Center for Identity and Inclusion, Elizabeth Trayner from the Office of Equitable Rights and Responsibility and Title IX, Leslie Bayersfrom the Center for Teaching and Learning and Veronica Wells from the William Knox Holt Memorial Library and Learning Center. 

Disability Resource Guide – William Knox Holt Memorial Library and Learning Center
The library’s DEI student assistant, Raquel “Rocky” Johnson created a new disability resource guide. The guide is an engaging educational tool that includes library assets, videos, campus and online resources focused on disabilities.

Foundational to our work this year will be building on the Board of Regents’ DEI priorities. Becoming an inclusive, humanizing community takes time, energy and care. Our collective work in DEI creates a place of belonging for all and invites us to care for and love one another. 

I want to thank our talented faculty, staff and students for their investment in facilitating learning that will bring us closer to our goal. Thank you for helping us to accomplish this essential, equity-advancing work. I look forward to collaborating with you this new academic year.

Sincerely,

Mary J. Lomax-Ghirarduzzi
Vice President for Diversity, Equity and Inclusion
Professor of Communication