In February 2021, Meredith College began working towards hiring a full-time diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) professional. According to the Meredith College Anti-Racism Initiative, “The College has committed to hiring a full-time DEI professional and establishing a DEI office in 2021-22.” The search for a DEI professional was led by Academic Search, a firm that has previously helped Meredith hire people for leadership positions, and a Meredith-based search committee, the Search Committee for Coordinator and Special Assistant to the President for Diversity, Equity and Inclusion.
Members of the committee include President Jo Allen, Dean of Library Information Services Laura Davidson, Director for Human Resources Pamela Davis Galloway, Assistant Dean of Arts and Humanities Alisa Johnson, Dilnavaz Mirza Sharma, Grace Sugg, Kaylin Tsukayama, Chief of Police Al White and two students, Black Student Union President Chorro Jobe and SGA President Sarah Powell.
On Nov. 23, 2021, the Meredith community received an email from the Search Committee announcing that finalists for the position will complete “a presentation about emerging trends in DEI and a training session” which will be open to all members of the Meredith campus community. Members of the Meredith community are asked to attend at least one virtual training or informational session with each candidate, if possible. After each session there will be an anonymous survey available for attendees to provide their feedback about the candidate.
Prior to the sessions, the Meredith community will receive each candidates’ resume, cover letter, appropriate links and post-visit evaluations. Attendees must pre-register for each session. The search committee requests that if anyone has any specific concerns or questions about a certain candidate that they reach out to a member of the search committee. Information about the first candidate, Melissa Faircloth, can be found in an email sent on Nov. 28 from Melyssa Allen on behalf of the search committee. This email contains Faircloth’s CV and the links to each session on Monday.
According to the Nov. 23 email, the presentation and training session schedule is as follows:
Candidate A:
Monday, November 29, 2021
3:00-3:50 pm – Presentation on emerging trends in DEI followed by Q&A
Register in advance: https://meredith.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN__ATyDWwvQnWJ4s_C6aCcQA
4:30-5:20 pm – Training session open to campus community followed by Q&A
Register in advance: https://meredith.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_AD3feKNgRHCEuqfLu84iBQ
Candidate B:
Tuesday, November 30, 2021
2:30-3:20 p.m. – Presentation on emerging trends in DEI followed by Q&A
4:00-4:50 p.m. – Training session open to campus community followed by Q&A
Candidate C:
Wednesday, December 1, 2021
12:30-1:20 p.m. – Presentation on emerging trends in DEI followed by Q&A
2:00-2:50 p.m. – Training session open to campus community followed by Q&A
Candidate D:
Thursday, December 2, 2021
2:00-2:50 p.m. – Presentation on emerging trends in DEI followed by Q&A
3:30-4:20 p.m. – Training session open to campus community followed by Q&A
By Elinor Shelp-Peck, Co-Editor in Chief