Dear Member of the Saint Paul College Community,

Since the horrific death of George Floyd on Monday, May 25, the leadership of Saint Paul College has been listening carefully to many voices and discussing how our institution should expand its commitments to inclusion and social justice in the wake of these events.

Calls for action are widespread. As leaders of Saint Paul College, we know there are calls for us to act as well. We have heard those calls and we take them very seriously.

Saint Paul College will become a trauma-informed and anti-racist institution. This commitment requires more specific and transformational efforts than those expected from our long-standing commitment to being a safe, welcoming and respectful learning community and workplace.

These are the initial actions we will take:

• Create a campus workgroup to formulate a plan for Saint Paul College to become a trauma-informed, anti-racist institution. This workgroup will be representative of the Saint Paul College community and led by Dean of Student Success, Equity and Inclusion Wendy Roberson. The workgroup’s charge will include discussion of creating an on-campus memorial to social justice.
• Evaluate existing statements of mission and vision, as well as College Strategic and Equity and Inclusion plans. This evaluation will include a candid assessment of progress made and, where necessary, a renewed effort for those steps that align with us becoming a trauma-informed, anti-racist institution.

Additionally, these specific actions will be taken in support of expanding the College’s standing commitment to social justice and inclusion:

• A half-day Summer Equity event providing an opportunity to explore what we can do, faculty and staff, to put an end to systemic racism will be held on Monday, June 15, 2020.
• An equity assessment of all current Saint Paul College policies and procedures will be conducted by Spring 2021.
• Both the Cabinet and the College Leadership Team will receive training on becoming a trauma-informed, anti-racist institution.

We make these commitments to improve our College and our learning community by making it more supportive and responsive to the needs of all individuals in society. First and foremost, we do it in the memory of George Floyd and the many individuals before him who have paid with their lives due to racial injustice. Saint Paul College is committed to doing all it can to help ensure that racial injustice is eliminated in our community and our nation.

Sincerely,

Members of the Saint Paul College Cabinet

Dee Dee Peaslee, Interim President
Kristen Raney, Vice President of Academic Affairs
Laura King, Vice President of Student Affairs
Scott Wilson, Vice President of Finance and Operations
Wendy Roberson, Dean of Student Success, Equity and Inclusion
Nichole Sorenson, Dean of Institutional Research, Planning and Grants
Ellen Roster, Chief Information Officer
Craig Morris, Senior Human Resource Officer
David Kline, Executive Director of the Friends of Saint Paul College Foundation​
Jennie Lewis, Executive Assistant to the President