Tag: inclusion

By Taylor Summey, Class of 2020

Clemson home games aren’t just an opportunity to tailgate and support the football team. They are also a chance to pay tribute to those who make the university the incredible place that it is. This weekend, Lesly Temesvari and Curtis White were honored at Memorial Stadium as part of the Professor of the Game and Staff Member of the Game program, created by President Jim Clements in 2014 as a way to honor faculty and staff.

Temesvari, an alumni distinguished professor of biological sciences, has been at Clemson for 19 years. She researches pathogens that cause deadly infectious diseases, such as the parasite that causes dysentery. Currently, she is studying the properties of this parasite as well as its weaknesses, which is knowledge that may lead to vaccinations or life-saving drug treatments in the future. Temesvari is also part of a team of researchers that founded the Eukaryotic Pathogens Innovation Center, which has received more than $20 million in external grant funding, including $10.5 million in funding that she secured for the Center. On Saturday, she was accompanied onto the field by her husband, Karl Franek, Ph.D.

When asked about the importance of recognizing faculty and staff during football games, she explained that “it’s important to showcase the academic side of Clemson to the fans.”

“At the stadium during a game, the administration has the opportunity to showcase the work that faculty and staff are doing to an audience of [more than] 80,000 people,” she said. “This, in turn, enhances the reputation of the university.”

White agreed with her, explaining that Clemson works as a team.  “You have to have everybody as part of a team to make it all work,” he said. “That includes the faculty and staff.”

A Clemson alumnus, White is the faculty professional development and diversity coordinator for the Office of Inclusion and Equity. He is a retired faculty member – before his current position, he researched student learning styles and taught agricultural education at Clemson for 21 years. Currently, he leads efforts to recruit and retain faculty members from diverse backgrounds and coordinates professional development programs for faculty. He also coordinates the Pathfinder program, which gives minority doctoral and postdoctoral students from across the country the opportunity to learn about life as a Clemson faculty member. White’s wife, Eartha, accompanied him onto the field as he received his recognition.

Both honorees enjoyed their experiences immensely. White said that he felt “fantastic” the day of the game and that his wife, who accompanied him onto the field, was “mesmeriz[ed]” by the experience. Temesvari said that she felt “awestruck” by being on the field.  She explained that, in comparison to sitting in the stands, standing on the field made it feel smaller.

While the field may seem small when standing on it, the honor that White, Temesvari and every prior participant of the program have experienced is massive. By highlighting the contributions of faculty and staff, the program brings attention to the individuals who make Clemson University an incredible place to study and work.

A new Clemson initiative to coordinate campus climate improvement programs is bringing together organizations across campus to make Clemson as inclusive as possible. Spearheaded by Clemson Professor Melissa Vogel, this effort intends to raise awareness and educate the Clemson community on diversity and inclusion programs, efforts and resources.

By Alexa Emerson, Class of 2017

Many campus clubs and organizations offer services and programs to support an inclusive campus environment. But you don’t hear about them because there’s no central coordination.

Enter Melissa Vogel, an associate professor of anthropology in the College of Business and Behavioral Science. Vogel did what no one has done so far. She brought the organizations together.

The associate professor created what she calls Campus Climate Coordination, an initiative to organize campus inclusiveness efforts. Vogel thinks Clemson is at a pivotal point in enhancing diverse and inclusive campus climate. This program aims to take advantage of this transitional movement and consequently make Clemson a more diverse and inclusive community. And that’s exactly what the organizations taking part in this coordination effort strive to do.

As one of several efforts spurred from the Faculty Leadership Development program, Vogel organized a meeting of student, staff and faculty groups so that each group could share its upcoming events. The goal is to create a centralized space where everyone can easily access information about events that offer diversity and inclusion programming. These events range from entertainment and speakers to workshops and training. And what better place to do that then in the university calendar. By consolidating events in the calendar, organizations can avoid double-booking and can even form partnerships to collaborate or cross-promote events.

Currently, there are more than 45 organizations involved with Campus Climate Coordination, and those numbers may grow. For Vogel, it is encouraging that so many people are willing to devote their time and energy to such an important issue.

“Diversity is something that is relevant to everyone,” she said. “There are so many people at Clemson who care enough about this issue to make a difference. They believe there is a need to redefine the Clemson family.” This opportunity, said Vogel, must be taken to centralize efforts and work toward changing the way everyone thinks about diversity and campus inclusiveness.

While Vogel’s meeting took place in the fall semester, the associate professor believes that the dialogue should continue. She’s already thinking about hosting another meeting in the spring.

Campus Climate Coordination is a long-term initiative and is now linked to efforts from the Provost’s office. Anyone can get involved by submitting their diversity and inclusion events to the university calendar and using the “Diversity and Inclusion” tag when entering the event.

To read more about diversity and inclusion at Clemson, click here.

We are continuing our search for a Chief Diversity Officer, who will have a key role in implementing the diversity plan I outlined for the Board of Trustees in July.

The plan was developed after dozens of meetings with faculty, staff, students and alumni about how to improve the climate for diversity and inclusion at Clemson.

I will charge the CDO with developing and implementing a strategic plan to increase the diversity of the student body, staff, faculty and administration, with measurable goals.

The CDO search committee, chaired by Provost Bob Jones, already has interviewed two well-regarded candidates and will be seeking additional candidates as soon as possible.

I want your continued involvement in this process. Here’s how you can help:

1. Visit the CDO job posting and share it with your professional networks.
2. Attend the on-campus forums so that you can get to know the candidates. These forums are also live streamed on ClemsonTV.
3. Continue to share your feedback.

When additional candidate forums are scheduled you will be notified via Inside Clemson.

– President Jim Clements

By Bob Jones
Executive Vice president for Academic Affairs and Provost

The search for Clemson’s new Chief Diversity Officer (CDO) continues.

Two well-regarded candidates recently participated in on-campus interviews and forums. After receiving great feedback from the campus community, we will be seeking additional candidates who have the knowledge, talent and enthusiasm to drive Clemson forward with our diversity and inclusiveness efforts.

The CDO search committee, which I am chairing, will work with Human Resources to begin reviewing additional candidates as soon as possible.

We want your continued involvement in this process. Here’s how you can help:

1. Visit the CDO job posting and share it with your professional networks.
2. Attend the on-campus forums so that you can get to know the candidates. These forums are also live streamed on ClemsonTV.
3. Continue to share your feedback.

Thank you for your involvement in this process. We will announce when we will have additional candidates visiting campus and encourage your participation.

Margaret Camp, M.Ed. has joined Clemson as the director of Student Disability Services. Camp succeeds Arlene Stewart, who retired from the university in June. The new director has worked with students with disabilities for more than two decades and comes to the university from USC-Upstate, where she served as director of disability services for more than 10 years.

“I’m very excited to join Clemson, which has such a great national reputation,” Camp said. “I’m anxious to hit the ground running and will be working closely with faculty, staff and students to enhance educational and inclusion opportunities.”

The North Carolina native currently serves on the Association on Higher Education and Disability (AHEAD) Standing Committee on Professional Development, the Southeast ADA Center Roundtable of Advisors and the Spartanburg Mayor’s Form on People with Disabilities.
Camp was selected as one of 25 disability services providers across the country to participate in the three-year Department of Education funded training grant, Project ShIFT (Shaping Inclusion through Foundational Transformation). She has held leadership positions and speaking engagements at the local, state and national levels, including service as the program chair for the AHEAD 2011 Annual Conference and as Chair of the South Carolina AHEAD affiliate group.

Camp earned a B.S. in psychology from Guilford College, a M.Ed. in school psychology from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and has completed Ph.D. coursework in school psychology from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.