Dear Members of the SUNY Oswego Community-
I write to inform you of changes that are important to SUNY Oswego’s commitment to equity and inclusion. In early August, I worked with our Chief Diversity and Inclusion Officer, Kendra Cadogan, to consolidate key positions, which had formerly reported directly to the President, into the Office of Diversity and Inclusion. I have asked Kendra to provide oversight for the institution’s Title IX process, complaints of illegal discrimination process, and the bias prevention and response process.
To best support the important range of work in prevention, response, compliance, and professional development that this office will now oversee, TItle IX Coordinator, Lisa Evaneski has joined the Office of Diversity and Inclusion.
Lisa has worked in higher education for over 36 years, serving primarily in Title IX and student affairs functional areas. She has been instrumental in campus-wide compliance with Title IX at SUNY Oswego, and has presented and consulted at the national and regional level, specifically related to her work with Clery, Title IX and the Violence Against Women Act, and other social justice issues. Lisa was the founding President for the SUNY Title IX Coordinators Association, established in 2015, and is currently serving as Past President. She has also served at the state and national level as President of the Massachusetts College Personnel Association and in multiple directorate bodies for the American College Personnel Association.
In 2022, Lisa received the Chancellor's Award for Excellence in Professional Service and was recognized as an ACPA Diamond Honoree for her commitment to ACPA and the profession. Lisa holds a Master of Education in college student development and counseling from Northeastern University and a Bachelor of Science in education from Wheelock College.
We have also successfully concluded our national search for a full-time Affirmative Action Officer and Deputy Chief Diversity and Inclusion Officer. I am pleased to announce that Anneke McEvoy will be joining the Office of Diversity and Inclusion in this capacity, effective November 6, 2023.
Anneke first joined the Office of Diversity and Inclusion in 2019, and she has been the Associate Director of the Triandiflou Institute since fall 2021. In these capacities, she worked to develop, implement, and evolve efforts to foster an inclusive campus community. Working as the deputy coordinator in the Title IX office from fall 2019 through fall 2022, Anneke was able to build a strong understanding of compliance issues related to Title IX and the intersection of federal law with state law and the campus code of conduct, policy, and practice as well as the importance of fair, impartial, and trauma-informed investigative processes.
Anneke has created DEI programming, workshop curriculum, and forward-facing resources for all constituents of the campus community. She is trained in Intergroup Dialogue facilitation and Restorative Practices, and has helped build institutional infrastructure and capacity for critical conversations across differences. Recognizing a need for members of the community to better build relationships among participants with different social identities, she secured funding to roll-out the Oswego Dialogue Project pilot, now a five-year plan, in partnership with the El-Hindi Center for Dialogue and Action at Interfaith Works. Working collaboratively with campus partners in support of a more inclusive community, Anneke has participated on the Bias Prevention and Response team since its launch, co-chairs the Inclusive Practices LGBTQIA+ Working Group, leads the Dialogue Steering Committee, and chairs the Grand Challenges committee which is currently focused on Race, Racism, and Social Justice.
In fall 2022, Anneke was honored with the opportunity to serve as a Staff Fellow in the Office of the President and, in June 2023, was named to the American Association of State Colleges and Universities’ (AASCU’s) 2023 Emerging Leaders Program. Anneke holds a bachelor’s degree in English Literature from Wells College in Aurora, NY, and a master’s degree in TESOL from the School for International Training in Brattleboro, VT. Please join me in congratulating Anneke and supporting her in the important work she is undertaking on behalf of the university community.
As I wrote in the Vision 4040 document, the expansion of SUNY Oswego’s promise is undergirded by our unwavering commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion. The changes in the Office of Diversity and Inclusion to include compliance are key to creating and maintaining an equitable campus climate free of bias and discrimination. Together, we will continue to do the necessary work to foster an inclusive campus community where all feel welcome and have a sense of belonging.
Remain well,
Peter O. Nwosu, Ph.D.
President