CIED and HR Honor First Cohort of EDI Ambassadors

During the 2022-2023 academic year, a group of faculty and staff from the CUNY School of Professional Studies (CUNY SPS) earned a special distinction for their commitment to equity, diversity, and inclusion (EDI). The Office of Human Resources (HR) and the Committee on Institutional Equity and Diversity (CIED) jointly appointed this select group as EDI Ambassadors. To qualify for this recognition, the EDI Ambassadors completed a series of curated LinkedIn Learning courses focused on EDI learning opportunities.

The LinkedIn Learning program was first initiated in 2021 through the joint efforts of the CIED and HR. Building on that success, the LinkedIn Learning modules were then updated and expanded thanks to funding from CUNY SPS Participatory Budgeting, a democratically devised funding initiative dedicated to improving the School. The second round of training ran from September 2022 to June 2023.

Like the first cohort of the 2021 LinkedIn Learning training sessions, there were three module levels: introductory, intermediate, and advanced—each level with a curated set of courses selected by the CIED to provide baseline and expanded information on EDI concepts selected by the CIED. Because the modules were asynchronous, participants could advance at their own pace. Upon completion of the video courses, attendees could engage in a discussion facilitated by faculty and staff EDI specialists and third-party consultants.

Participants who completed the community learning program earned the honorary title of EDI Ambassadors along with special email signature badges. Additionally, the EDI Ambassadors were recognized by the CIED during their event “Leading Equity, Accessibility, Diversity, and Inclusion Together (Lead It)” held on Thursday, September 28. 

The EDI Ambassadors, who completed all three training levels and who have been recognized for their commitment to learning and advancing EDI on campus, are:

• Trevaughn Bynum, academic program specialist, Business
• Kate Moss, doctoral lecturer, General Education and Liberal Studies
• Jan Oosting, assistant professor, Nursing
• Lianna Scull, assistant director, Human Relations and Sociology  
• Antonia Levy, associate director of Office of Faculty Development and Instructional Technology (OFDIT), and adjunct sociology instructor
• Laura Collazo, instructional design/data assistant, OFDIT, and Test Flight facilitator, Office of Academic Affairs
• Nidia Cordova, alumni relations manager, Office of Development and Alumni Relations
• Nicholas Barratt, development specialist, Office of Development and Alumni Relations
• Rinchen Lama, coordinator, Human Resources

Dr. Moss, the EDI Ambassador from the General Education and Liberal Studies programs, shared her key takeaways from the training sessions. “The series highlighted the importance of leaders seeking out and listening to diverse voices, and this is something I think is very important in general, and certainly in regard to EDI,” she said. “This is something I aim to do when in a leadership position, and I value it when others in a leadership role do this.”

EDI Ambassador Laura Collazo noted how the EDI principles are equally important for life outside of the School community as well. “My goal therefore became more about how I can live out these things in my life as a whole, knowing this will then overflow into interactions I have at work,” said Collazo. “One of the things I found informative was the discussion around impact vs. intent. This [concept of impact vs. intent] provides a good check for myself if I feel myself getting defensive when someone shares that I’ve said or done something that has hurt or offended, and allows me to be gracious towards others when they’ve done the same. From this place, it’s much easier to move forward with curiosity and engage in productive conversation.”

Chief Diversity Officer and Title IX Coordinator Sahana Gupta, who is the co-chair of the CIED, expressed her heartfelt appreciation for the enthusiasm they brought to the training regimen. “We are indebted to our EDI Ambassadors who have shown their interest and support to the CIED mission and goals,” said Gupta. “Their commitment to this Learning Program has been the cornerstone of the EDI initiative, providing CIED with the basis for expanding and scaling up.”

To read more about the first cohort of EDI Ambassadors, visit the CUNY SPS blog. 

The CIED and HR are collaborating once again to research and develop more new LinkedIn Learning models for the academic year ‘23-’24. For more information, please contact equitydiversitycommittee@sps.cuny.edu.

About the CUNY School of Professional Studies

As New York's leading online school since 2006, the CUNY School of Professional Studies (CUNY SPS) offers the most online bachelor's and master's degree options at the City University of New York, and serves as the University's first undergraduate all-transfer college. With 26 degrees and numerous other non-degree and grant-funded workplace learning programs, CUNY SPS meets the needs of adults who wish to finish a bachelor's degree, progress from an associate's degree, earn a master's degree or certificate in a specialized field, and advance in the workplace or change careers. Consistently ranked highly by U.S. News & World Report for its online offerings, CUNY SPS has emerged as a nationwide leader in online education. The School's renowned and affordable online programs ensure that busy working adults may fulfill their educational goals on their own time and schedule.

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