Racial Justice Committee

The University at Albany is committed to achieving a status of true diversity, equity, and inclusion across its campus. 

As a University, we have a critical role to play in ensuring that our academic community develops a thorough understanding of the history of racial injustice in the United States, its impact on higher education, and its implications for the current status of diversity here at UAlbany.  

Acquiring this background information is imperative if we are to fully comprehend how the people of color in our community experience the UAlbany campus climate.

Based on this understanding, we as a campus will develop initiatives, policies, and practices that will result in creating the inclusive environment we envision.  

To that end, the committee is charged with the following responsibilities:   

• Developing a comprehensive plan to: 

  • deepen our understanding of race and racial justice and promote appreciation of diversity and inclusion 

  • promote a harmonious community culture that addresses micro-aggressions and other toxic behaviors and calls them out wherever they surface

  • develop a vision for an inclusive campus climate to be incorporated into all campus diversity and inclusion operational plans
        

• Implementing programming, including: 

  • listening sessions with senior-level staff, looking at the history of racial injustice in the U.S., its impact on higher education, and its effects on the status of diversity at UAlbany 

  • campus community dialogues that unpack factors that create racial injustices 

  • ally training sessions and ally building across campus 
     

• Developing metrics to systematically assess the progress of efforts  
   

• Presenting semi-annual reports to ODI on outcomes, accomplishments, and challenges 

Co-Chairs

Joyce Dewitt-Parker, Assistant Vice President for Health and Well-Being and Licensed Psychologist 
University Hall, Room 203 | [email protected] | 518-956-8140 

Karyn Loscocco, Professor of Sociology 
Arts and Sciences 321 | [email protected] |518-442-4621 

Members

Darcie Abbatiello, Museum Registrar for Art Museum
Fine Arts 101 | [email protected] | 518-442-4035

Alejandra Bronfman, Associate Professor and Chair of Latin American, Caribbean & Latina/o Studies 
Social Science 250 | [email protected] | 518-442-4890 

Berly L Brown, Education and Public Engagement Coordinator for Art Museum
Fine Arts 101 | [email protected] | 518-442-4035

Samuel Caldwell, Chief Diversity Officer and Associate Vice President, Office of Diversity and Inclusion 
University Hall 207 | [email protected] | 518-956-8112 

Yu-Hui Chen, Subject Librarian for Education and East Asian Studies 
LI 304 | [email protected] | 518-442-3586 

Ho Kwan Cheung, Assistant Professor of Psychology 
Social Science 377 | [email protected] | 518-442-4820 

Angie Y Chung, Professor and Director of Sociology Honors Program
Arts and Science 304 | [email protected]

Ekow King, Assistant to Vice President of Student Affairs, Director of Intercultural Student Engagement 
Campus Center 130 | [email protected] | 518-442-5565 

Paul S Grondahl, Director of NYS Writers Institute
Science Library 320 | [email protected] | 518-442-5620

Qing (Tingting) Liu, Sociology
Arts and Science 351 | [email protected] | 518-442-4690

Ineke Murakami, Associate Professor of English, Director of Medieval and Renaissance Studies
Humanities 328 | [email protected] | 518-442-4072

Sheila Seery, Vice President of Government & Community Relations 
University Hall 104F | [email protected] | 518-956-8163

Brian Tang, Associate Professor of Atmospheric & Environmental Sciences 
Earth Science 324 | [email protected] | 518-442-4572 

Elizabeth Vasquez, Associate Professor of Epidemiology & Biostatistics 
Health Sciences Campus 129 GEC | [email protected] | 518-408-2362 

Vivian S Wilson-Hwang, Staff Psychologist/Prevention Specialist for Counseling & Psychological Services
Dutch Quad | [email protected] | 518-442-5800

Student Representatives

Christine Choi, Graduate Student
[email protected]

Ivan Kristhiane G Daquial
[email protected]

Zhifan Luo, Graduate Student
[email protected]

Shakera Tems, Equity and Inclusion Chair, Graduate Student Association 
[email protected]

Jaci Yong, Undergraduate Psychology Major
[email protected]