NEWS

Dr. Lindsey Keith-Vincent, Associate Dean in the College of Education, and other members of her cohort from the University of Louisiana System’s Management and Leadership Institute (MLI) shared findings from their self-study project at the 93rd Annual Eastern Psychological Association Conference. The conference symposium was titled Advancing Student and Faculty Diversity in the Academy.

ULS continues to focus on equity and inclusion for faculty, staff, and students through a number of programs, including the Reginald F. Lewis Scholars Program and MLI.

Other members of the cohort who worked on the study that recommended solutions for improving hiring practices were Vice President Steven Kenney from Nicholls State University, Vice President Rudolph Ellis from Grambling State University, and Dean Fran Lemoine of Northwestern State University.

“I am grateful to serve at Louisiana Tech and in the University of Louisiana System where inclusion and equity in higher education is a priority,” Keith-Vincent said. “Our group identified opportunities for improvement with respect to recruitment and retention policies, helping ensure we can better recruit a diversified faculty to our institutions to serve our students and the broader community.”

“The feedback we received from the attendees reinforces the need for unified interdisciplinary collaborations,” said Temple University’s Dr. Amml Hussein, who led the panel. “What I loved about our discussion was that we explored the topic from multiple angles and unpacked systemic issues that must be confronted with innovative solutions at multiple systemic levels. The panel explored our unified commitments to advancing diversity, equity, and inclusion from a governance standpoint at our respective institutions, amplifying pathways from K-12 to post-secondary education, we explored innovative practice models, as well as the importance of developing brave spaces in our classrooms that activate student learning and engagement.  I was humbled to share this space with phenomenal thought leaders.”