New Secretary Position Strives for Change
The 19th University Student Senate (USS) created an inclusion and equity secretary position for the 2019-2020 academic year at the end of the Spring 2019 semester to further the discussion of diversity on the senate floor.
Taylor Stokes ’22 was elected by USS to be the inaugural secretary of inclusion and equity during internal elections in April.
“My main goal overall is to have different student groups come together and have [an] open dialogue,” Stokes said. “To make sure the voices of marginalized groups on campus are being heard.”
This position will represent a number of different organizations on the senate floor, with the goal to increase collaboration between clubs and the USS, according to Adam Mullin ’20, president of USS.
Mullin said the position was created after many conversations within student senate during the course of the last semester.
“[The creation of the new position was] largely driven by the racial bias incident in December, an internal audit of our constitution and questions as to whether or not we as a senate are fully representing the student body,” Mullin said.
Stokes said her position will enable her to hold the members of USS accountable to the goals of diversity and inclusion.
“If I feel like someone on the exec board isn’t doing what they should do to make sure marginalized voices are being heard, then they should not be on senate anymore,” Stokes said.
Mullin said Stokes will be the main contact with the new chief diversity officer, working in collaboration to develop new ideas for the campus community. Additionally, the senate will create 3 or 4 additional sub-chair positions to help Stokes work with campus organizations.
“What those positions would look like moving forward is [to create] contact with the head of the Kinney Center, maybe the president of SJU Pride, of other organizations on campus,” Mullin said. “[Stokes] will be overseeing those efforts at a higher level,”
Cary Anderson, Ed.D., vice president and associate provost of Student Life and advisor for USS, said that the new senate position will increase the discussion of inclusion and diversity on campus.
“The position will help the senate incorporate inclusion and equity into their deliberations and ultimately their governing process and procedures,” Anderson said. “I applaud them for this commitment.”
