Goucher founding member of Liberal Arts College Racial Equity Leadership Alliance
The Liberal Arts College Racial Equity Leadership Alliance brings together some of the most highly respected liberal arts colleges in America to collaborate on developing and achieving equity goals and fostering sustainable cultures of inclusion on their campuses.
Goucher College announces it will become one of the founding member institutions of the Liberal Arts College Racial Equity Leadership Alliance to be based at the University of Southern California Race and Equity Center. Joining Goucher College in this initiative are Barnard College, Carleton College, Colgate University, Middlebury College, Oberlin College, Pomona College, Swarthmore College, and Smith College, among others.
“Goucher College is proud to be a founding member of the Liberal Arts College Racial Equity Leadership Alliance,” says Kent Devereaux, Goucher College President. “Social justice is embedded in our community principles, so we welcome this opportunity to collaborate with our peer institutions to address systemic racism on college campuses nationwide and recommit ourselves to engaging in the hard work necessary to ensure greater equity and inclusion for all.”
The alliance will feature eConvenings covering a range of topics, including “Leading Productive Conversations about Racism,” “Using Survey Data to Improve Campus Racial Climate,” “Engaging Students of Color in High-Impact Educational Practices and Experiences,” and “Hiring and Retaining Faculty of Color.” The alliance also includes campus climate surveys and will create a Presidents United for Racial Equity group comprising presidents from member-institutions.
“Racism, racial tensions, and racial inequities all require collective action,” says Shaun Harper, USC Race and Equity Center founder and executive director. “We are bringing together Goucher College and 51 other institutions to collectively solve racial problems, learn with and from each other, and strategically and sustainably foster anti-racist campus environments.”
Goucher recently launched the President’s Council on Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion to build on the college’s commitment to respect, inclusion, service, social justice, and responsibility. Last year, the college launched the Hallowed Ground Project to further the college’s commitment to study and recognize the role of slavery and racism in the history of the land the college currently occupies. Goucher has also been recognized as one of the top performers on Social Mobility by U.S. News & World Report.