Liberal Arts College Racial Equity Leadership Alliance (LACRELA)

“We are building a strong infrastructure to sustain our institutional commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion to help get members of our community informed on issues and matters relevant to developing a more just, diverse, equitable, and inclusive climate.”

Utica University is a member of a prestigious coalition of colleges and universities across the country, formed to examine race and equity on college campuses. The Liberal Arts College Racial Equity Leadership Alliance (LACRELA) fosters greater understanding in combating these issues.

Developed by Shaun Harper, Race and Equity Center executive director at the University of Southern California (USC), LACRELA seeks to help professionals at colleges develop and achieve equity goals, better understand and correct problems, avoid and recover from racial incidents, and foster sustainable cultures of inclusion.

This program addresses different topics and strategies designed to increase knowledge on issues around diversity, equity, and inclusion in higher education. It seeks to provide an opportunity for institutional leaders to convene and share ideas, knowledge, and resources that will bring positive and lasting change to the students, faculty, staff, and the greater communities they serve.

“Utica’s partnership with LACRELA is a timely and welcomed resource, among others, such as the Intergroup Dialogue, Diversity Equity and Inclusion training module that the entire Utica workforce is required to complete,” said Anthony Baird, vice president for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion & Student Transitions and the Chief Diversity Officer. “We are building a strong infrastructure to sustain our institutional commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion to help get members of our community informed on issues and matters relevant to developing a more just, diverse, equitable, and inclusive climate.”