SE Valley Times

Arizona State University (ASU) continues to embed support for Black students, faculty, and staff into its culture as part of the LIFT Initiative. The initiative, launched in 2020 by ASU President Michael Crow, aims to create meaningful change at the university and contribute to a national agenda for social justice.

On September 3, several dozen ASU faculty, staff members, and students gathered for the third annual LIFT Summit titled “Providing a LIFT Ladder.” Colleen Jennings-Roggensack, vice president of cultural affairs at ASU, emphasized the integration of these efforts into daily operations: “We are constantly thinking, ‘How does this become part of what we do every single day at ASU?’ It’s not a special thing. It’s not an initiative. It’s something we do all the time.”

Jennings-Roggensack co-chairs the Advisory Council on African American Affairs with Jeffrey Wilson, associate dean of research and inclusive excellence in the W. P. Carey School of Business.

The summit covered progress on action goals such as increased hiring from underrepresented groups to create a faculty pipeline. Amalia Pallares, vice provost for inclusive excellence, highlighted "constellation hiring," which involves recruiting accomplished senior scholars who then mentor other talented individuals. Examples include Ayanna Thompson in the Department of English and Natalie Diaz in poetry.

ASU has also been building relationships with historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs). Chris Howard, executive vice president and chief operating officer of ASU, mentioned partnerships like the Immersive Storytelling Project with Morehouse College, Spelman College, and Clark Atlanta University. Additionally, an agreement with Grambling State University will offer real estate development courses to increase diversity in that field.

The Graduate College launched Community Advocates last spring to provide peer support for first-year Black graduate students through mentorship from more advanced peers.

Cassandra Aska, deputy vice president for student services and co-chair of the Black Student Success Initiative stressed awareness and communication about resources available for Black students: “What students shared with us is that when they’re connecting with a faculty or staff person who does not understand what the Black student experience is at ASU, it has an impact on their sense of belonging at the university.”

President Crow referenced Heather McGhee's book "The Sum of Us" as inspiration for removing racially based barriers: “My skin was crawling... And the truth was very painful.” He stated that ASU strives to be a "sum of us" university by lowering barriers to entry and ensuring inclusivity.

Crow concluded by emphasizing ongoing efforts: “We are still looking for more ways to follow the golden rule in the way we run this institution. No one will be left out for any reason because the sum of us is too important.”