Keith A. Alford Appointed Syracuse University’s First Chief Diversity and Inclusion Officer
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Syracuse, May 13, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The search
committee for a chief diversity and inclusion officer was
tasked last November with
identifying an innovative and inspiring leader who would work
collaboratively to create a more welcoming, diverse,
accessible and inclusive community. Nearly 200 talented
individuals expressed interest in the position, but the
committee ultimately recommended the person who has been
successfully serving in an interim capacity since
last July. Today, Chancellor Kent Syverud announced that Dr.
Keith A. Alford will serve as Syracuse University’s first
chief diversity and inclusion officer. Alford’s appointment
was approved by the Executive Committee of the Board of
Trustees.
Alford’s appointment fulfills a key priority of the
Chancellor’s Workgroup on Diversity and Inclusion, which, in
2016, delivered wide-ranging recommendations aimed at
creating a more welcoming, respectful campus climate.
“In his capacity as interim chief diversity officer, Keith
has exceeded expectations, serving as both a leader and a
bridge, bringing together diverse groups and viewpoints in
constructive dialogue that has produced action,” says
Chancellor Syverud. “I am grateful that the search committee
diligently considered a strong lineup of candidates, and I am
delighted that they found the most impressive candidate to be
the person already doing the job in an innovative and
effective way.”
As chief diversity and inclusion officer, Alford reports
directly to the Chancellor, serves on the Chancellor’s
Executive Team and provides executive leadership, oversight
and vision in the administration of services, programs,
policies and procedures related to advancing Syracuse
University’s commitment to diversity and inclusion. Alford
will also lead the implementation of a University-wide
strategic plan for diversity and inclusion that will provide
students with an education informed by multiple points of
view, life experiences, abilities, ethnicities, cultures and
belief systems.
“Diversity requires inclusion, which means actively
acknowledging, incorporating, engaging and facilitating
participation from all groups,” says Alford. “Targeted
university endeavors from all divisional operations are
strengthened when diversity and inclusion are given credence
and fully embraced. Certainly, at Syracuse University, one’s
commitment to excellence must be strong—ensuring a diverse,
equitable, inclusive, and accessible campus environment for
all. Positive coexistence leads to rich collaboration,
cooperation and camaraderie. The more we increase campus
diversity on a number of fronts, the more educational
advantages increase for everyone associated with campus life.
I’m honored to serve in this capacity.”
As chief diversity and inclusion officer, Alford will also
work to centralize diversity and inclusion efforts in
partnership with the University’s 13 schools and colleges;
work to curate resources and expertise for the University to
use to develop a diverse, equitable, inclusive and accessible
environment; and develop and collaborate to create
educational opportunities on diversity, inclusion and
equity.
As interim chief diversity officer, Alford helped bring
together faculty and staff members from each of the
University’s schools and colleges who lead diversity and
inclusion efforts in their respective units to form the
Inclusive Leadership Assembly. The group, chaired by Alford,
discusses best practices, and its members exchange ideas to
better support students, faculty and staff. Alford, who is a
member of the Council on Diversity and Inclusion, has also
worked with students and faculty and staff partners across
campus, including within the Office of Academic Affairs and
its Center for Teaching and Learning Excellence and Center
for Faculty Leadership and Professional Development, to bring
programming and workshops on diversity and inclusion and
understanding bias to the campus community.
LaVonda Reed, professor of law and associate provost for
faculty affairs, who along with Dolan Evanovich, senior vice
president for enrollment and the student experience,
co-chaired the search committee, says the committee was
impressed with the caliber, experience and achievements of
the candidate pool. But it was Alford’s proven ability to
cultivate cross-campus relationships, his commitment to
effecting meaningful change and his depth of tangible and
applicable experience that elevated him above other
candidates.
“Through his commitment to outreach and dialogue, and his
continuous advocacy for issues related to inclusion and
engagement over his professional career, Keith has become the
chief diversity and inclusion officer we were seeking,” says
Reed. “As a member of our faculty, he has established himself
as a thoughtful scholar and one who understands the capacity
each of us possess to grow intellectually and in our
interactions with the world around us. He is an attentive
listener who strives to understand the challenges, ideas and
aspirations of our University community as evidenced by his
interactions with many students and student groups, faculty
and staff. He is a patient, thoughtful and dedicated leader
who is willing to tackle the most difficult challenges. The
University has already been the beneficiary of the positive
and productive initiatives he has implemented to achieve our
aspirational vision.” She noted that Alford has kept the
University community well-informed of initiatives and
opportunities for engagement, through his campus-wide emails
and the diversity website.
Alford has served as associate professor and chair of the
Falk College’s School of Social Work. He has also served as
the graduate program director. Alford’s areas of
specialization include mental health service delivery to
children and families, culturally specific programming for
children in out-of-home care, contemporary rites of passage
programming and loss/grief reactions among African American
families. Through his teaching, he is involved with a
National Science Foundation grant supporting the training of
diverse undergraduates in conducting trauma research with
veterans. He also serves on the Faculty Senate Committee on
Diversity, is a member of the Division of Enrollment and the
Student Experience’s Diversity and Inclusion Advisory Council
and serves as an advisor to the Student of Color Advisory
Committee.
Alford received a Ph.D. from the College of Social Work at
The Ohio State University in Columbus, Ohio. He earned a
master of social work also from OSU, and a bachelor of arts
degree in history and sociology from Coker College in
Hartsville, South Carolina.
About Syracuse University
Syracuse
University is a private, international research university
with distinctive academics, diversely unique offerings and an
undeniable spirit. Located in the geographic heart of New
York State, with a global footprint and nearly 150 years of
history, Syracuse University offers a quintessential college
experience, as well as innovative online learning
environments. The scope of Syracuse University is a testament
to its strengths. At Syracuse University, we offer a choice
of more than 200 majors and 100 minors offered through 13
schools and colleges and 18 online degree programs. We have
more than 15,000 undergraduates and 7,500 graduate students,
more than a quarter of a million alumni in 160 countries and
a student population from all 50 U.S. states and 123
countries. For more information, please visit
http://syracuse.edu.
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Ellen Mbuqe Syracuse University 315-443-1897 ejmbuqe@syr.edu
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