Message from President Connell – Presidential Task Force on Racial Justice Update

Also see June 17, 2020 announcement.

In response to requests for more information about the status of the Presidential Task Force on Racial Justice, I am providing this update.  I hope and expect to be able to name the co-chairs of the Task Force within the next week or two.  The co-chairs and I will then work rapidly but thoughtfully over the summer to identify the remaining members of the task force. These members will include representatives of current students, alumni, faculty, administration, staff, and the Board of Trustees.  A preliminary list of possible candidates has been developed, but I welcome any additional names you would like to provide.  My goal is to announce all task force members before the start of the new academic year.

As mentioned in the original announcement, the mandate of the Presidential Task Force on Racial Justice is to conduct a comprehensive evaluation of the structures, policies, and cultural climate of ENC and recommend concrete ways in which we can improve. The Task Force will look at such areas as curriculum, academic policies, student life, athletics, chapel, employment, alumni relations, recruitment and retention, and governance structures.  Central to their work will be listening to the stories and experiences of our students, alumni, and employees of color.

The Task Force will begin its work at the start of the new academic year, and I hope to receive their recommendations no later than the close of the spring semester. This Task Force will be a top institutional priority in the coming year, and I ask you to pray for all they will be doing.   Please feel free to contact me at jack.connell@enc.edu with any questions or comments.  Further updates will be forthcoming.

Jack Connell, Ed.D, D.Min.
President
Eastern Nazarene College
(617) 745-3702