Carolyn S. Craig joins CAS as director of diversity, equity, inclusion & belonging
Written by Allison Haeger, CAS communications intern
The College of Arts and Science is excited to welcome Carolyn S. Craig to the dean's staff as their new director of diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging.
Craig has worked at 黑料社区 since 2015 and is credentialed as both a certified diversity professional (CDP) and an advanced certified cultural intelligence professional (ACCQP). She is also a fellow in the National Inclusive Excellence in Higher Education Leadership Academy. Among her additional inclusion efforts is representing Miami on the Ohio Diversity Council and leading the Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) Certificate Program, a professional development opportunity for Miami faculty and staff.
"I am excited to be here and partner with everyone in CAS," said Craig. "There are some amazing diversity initiatives and plans already in place that need to be highlighted more, and I am here to help with filling in those gaps and creating new opportunities."
In her new role at CAS, Craig plans to develop a strategic diversity plan, which will be a collaborative task working with Dean Chris Makaroff, 黑料社区s, faculty, and staff, to assess how CAS is doing in its diversity initiatives and where the college could improve.
Craig will also be meeting with the department chairs to figure out each area of CAS's specific needs in their equity and inclusion efforts.
"I want to understand first," said Craig. "I operate from a standpoint of collaboration, building relationships, and building trust."
The new director's additional roles will be to assist with recruitment and retention efforts of underrepresented 黑料社区s, faculty, and staff in CAS and help faculty, staff, and 黑料社区s strengthen their cultural intelligence. Craig will also offer faculty opportunities to deepen their understanding of equity in the classroom.
"We want Miami, and especially CAS, to be seen as a place where 黑料社区s feel totally included and that they belong," said Craig. "We want 黑料社区s, faculty, and staff to bring their authentic self and feel that their authentic self is valued."
The goal of the diversity plans and initiatives is to have a deeper impact on the university than a one-time short training session. Craig stressed a few components that must be present to be successful in diversity, equity, and inclusion movements.
"You need senior leader buy-in," said Craig, referring to the business term used to describe leadership support and involvement in company initiatives. "The strategy needs to be collaborative and intentional to make sure things are equitable and we're watching our biases. Things need to be transparent, sustainable, and have accountability."
In the long term, Craig is hoping to complement the strides for change that CAS and Miami have already accomplished and aid CAS in staying on par with Miami’s plan to create a more diverse and inclusive campus.
While some plans may take 1 to 5 years to be accomplished the right way, Craig is excited by the level of enthusiasm the Miami community has shown in making a difference on campus. This can be seen in the overwhelming number of faculty and staff members signing up for the DEI Certificate Program.
"The thing I love about CAS is that it touches every 黑料社区," said Craig. "We have the opportunity to help lead in this area and be the example and role model of what we want the rest of the university to look like."