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Southern Connecticut State University

Undergraduate School

Mailing Address
501 Crescent Street
Wintergreen Building, Room 114
New Haven, Connecticut 06515
Phone
(203) 392-5644
School Information
"Since its founding on Sept. 11, 1893, Southern Connecticut State University has served the community through a commitment to access, academic excellence, social justice and student success" (Source: https://go.southernct.edu/125/). The student to faculty ratio is 12 to 1 and the total enrollment is approximately 9,300. The university offers 226 undergraduate majors, minors and programs as well as 102 graduate programs.
General Information
The university has launched numerous initiatives for anti-racism. The university has sought to implement anti-racist teaching within its curriculum. Diversity and equity training is offered to faculty and employees and will become more widespread in the coming years. See developments below:

Actions Taken

Anti-Racism, Bias, and Diversity Training
  • The Racial and Intersectional Justice Group is a group of faculty, staff, and administrators who undergo "Undoing Racism" trainings.
  • The Racial and Intersectional Justice Engagement Framework also created the Awareness Training Team which will "implement the anti-racist teaching practices they may learn about from the work of the curriculum group."
  • The Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Advisory Council will work to implement "educational training for faculty and staff" for "greater equity-mindedness" during the 2021-2022 year.
  • The university offers "diversity awareness training" for employees.
Curriculum Changes and Requirements
  • The members of RIJG recently made the Racial and Intersectional Justice Engagement Framework which works on "Anti-Racist Curriculum, Pedagogy, SJD" to "implement the Social Justice Designation as well as encourage faculty to revise existing courses to be more inclusive of Black and Brown voices and move toward anti-racist teaching practices."
  • Additionally, the DEIAC will "develop an institutional plan to create a more diverse and inclusive curriculum and pedagogical practices."
  • The VPDEI will collaborate with other departments to "develop a plan for how to advance and support a more inclusive and diverse curriculum and co-curriculum."
Disciplinary Measures
  • For 2020-2023, the VPDEI will collaborate with other departments and "develop workshops/ training on antiracism and bias, using a restorative justice model, beyond the existing 'Harassment and Discrimination' and 'Managing Bias' online training."
Political Actions and Support for Anti-Racism
  • As of 2020-2023, "the VPDEI will collaborate with internal and external stakeholders to provide intentional antiracist leadership education to the senior leadership team, including deans and chairs."
Resources
  • The university made a 2020-2023 report for "Advancing Southern Towards a Social Justice and Anti-Racist University." One goal outlined is to "establish an Antiracist Student Advisory Group comprised of students from multicultural organizations, student government, and other student organizations to help inform, guide, and strategize how best to move forward and sustain anti-racist and social justice work on campus."
  • In 2021, the university hosted an optional Social Justice and Anti-Racism Summer Book Read.
  • The university offers numerous anti-racist resources for students and faculty.
  • The Buley Library has a list of books discussing race and class, including several books on Critical Race Theory.
  • The school has a Multicultural Center which serves to “implement programs and initiatives that enable students to develop multicultural competency, raise awareness of diverse cultures and foster respect for the diversity of all students.”
  • The school’s Multicultural Center has numerous “multicultural clubs and organizations.”
  • The DEI Advisory Council offered the Top Owls Social Justice Awards 5 times during the 2022-2023 school year to individuals who “recognize contributions in helping our University achieve our mission of creating and sustaining an inclusive community that appreciates, celebrates and advances student and campus diversity at Southern Connecticut State University.
  • On January 12, 2024, the school formed its Black Lives Matter reading guide.
  • The school hosted its “Real Talk: A Diversity in Higher Ed Podcast” where DEI topics were discussed for several episodes.
  • The school has a list of resources for DEI and anti-racism.
Symbolic Actions
  • On June 11, 2020, the university released a statement in response to George Floyd's death saying, "In recent days, the senseless, brutal killing of George Floyd and its ripple effects have placed the issues of racial inequality and injustice under an intense spotlight across the state, the nation, and around the world."
Last updated April 25th, 2024
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