School of Human Services holds DEIBSJ retreat in Albany

Faculty and staff in the School for Human Services at the Steven and Harriet Myers Residence in Albany, New York.
Faculty and staff in the School for Human Services at the Steven and Harriet Myers Residence in Albany, New York.
Posted On: June 18, 2024

(SARATOGA SPRINGS, NY – JUNE 18, 2024) The School of Human Services held a diversity, equity, inclusion, belonging, and social justice (DEIBSJ) retreat in Albany, New York in May.

The retreat was the result of a working group formed in 2020 following the death of George Floyd. The focus of the group is to analyze anti-racist and DEIBSJ topics relevant to working with each other, students, and the curriculum within the School of Human Services.

“These events are important to promote collegial relationships,” Deslayn De-Souza, dean of the School of Human Services, said. “It provides colleagues an opportunity to listen to and understand one another on a different level beyond a Microsoft Teams meeting. The intent is for attendees to learn more about themselves, the community and world around them, and to apply their knowledge and learning in positive interactions with one another, students, and the community.”

During the retreat, the group visited the Underground Railroad Education Center, touring the Steven and Harriet Myers Residence, speaking with co-founders Paul and Mary Liz Stewart about the history of activism rooted in New York state and the work Steven and Harriet Mayers did to free slaves in the 1850s.

“To listen to Paul and Mary Liz share the stories of the Myers family, while we sat in the parlor of their home, made history come alive,” De-Souza said.

This year’s retreat focused on curriculum within the School of Human Services. The working group, comprised of faculty, professional employees, and Dean Desalyn De-Souza revised the School of Human Services program statement to integrate anti-racist and DEI language, developed shared resources for faculty related to DEI, and developed a new course on social justice in human services that meets the diversity general education requirement. Additionally, 12 courses were revised.

De-Souza said she hopes to make the retreat an annual event for the School of Human Services.

“Next year, the plan is to include all roles from the School of Human Services that work and interact with students, including all faculty, professional employees, and support staff,” De-Souza said.