DEI Fridays


Spring 2024 SESSIONS

Register here



Register here



Register here

Register here




DEI Fridays is a practice of community building, reflection, and learning where we aim to improve our campus climate around issues of equity, inclusion, and justice. We also want to equip participants with knowledge and tools to engage in social transformation in their communities beyond Baruch.

The virtual sessions begin with a welcoming, the reading of Community Agreements (see below) and a brief grounding exercise to help participants enter the virtual space and set their intentions for the session. Then, there is a presentation of a topic (typically in an interactive interview format), followed by break-out sessions, share-outs, and informal discussion.

Topics address individual biases and prejudices; individual sense of belonging at Baruch and CUNY; and structural and institutional discriminatory policies, procedures and practices.

The series was conceptualized after Marxe School faculty and staff who attended a DEI training in June 2021 and wanted to continue to learn collaboratively identified there were no opportunities to gather regularly to engage in such activities. Additionally, at a Town Hall jointly held by the Master in Public Administration Club and the Marxe Dean’s Office following the murder of George Floyd in summer 2020, students explicitly requested more spaces to discuss structural racism and its manifestations in the country, the state, the College, and the School.

The DEI Fridays program supports Goal V of the 2018-2023 Baruch College Strategic Plan: “elevate and embed the principles of diversity, equity, inclusion, and cultural competency throughout the College” and Strategic Priority Area “Strengthen Our Collaborative and Engaged Community” of the 2023-2028 Baruch College Strategic Plan.

We look forward to being in community with all of you.

The 2023-2024 DEI Friday Series is sponsored by the Office of the Provost.

The 2022-2023 DEI Friday Series was sponsored by the Black Race and Ethnic Studies Initiative and the Marxe DEI Committee.

The 2021-2022 DEI Friday Series was sponsored by the Marxe DEI Committee.


PAST SESSION VIDEOS AND RESOURCES

Most sessions were recorded and are available on YouTube here.

Spring 2024

Fall 2023

Spring 2023

Fall 2022

Spring 2022

Fall 2021


COMMUNITY AGREEMENTS

  • We are a community in progress. We can struggle together; we can grow together.
  • We will practice active listening, respectful language, and kindness.
  • We can ask for “literacy moments” when there are terms we are not familiar with.
  • We assume positive intent and we also take responsibility for impact.
  • We value each other’s lived experiences and appreciate the vulnerability necessary to share them.
  • We are willing to slow discussions down to facilitate the exploration of complex, nuanced issues.
  • We are prepared for discomfort around these topics.
  • If content seems inappropriate or harmful, we will pause the discussion and may ask folks to discuss privately with the facilitators. If you need support during the presentation, please direct message the facilitator.

Please email Anna D’Souza (anna.dsouza@baruch.cuny.edu) with any questions or suggestions.