Middlesex Community College: MCC Selected To Participate In Institute For Racial Equity Work

Press release from the Middlesex Community College:

Caitlin Buckley

5/27/2021

Dedicated to providing an equitable and accessible education for all students, Middlesex Community College strives to create an inclusive environment through conversations and informed changes. To build upon the college’s commitment to racial equity, Middlesex was selected to participate in the 2021 Institute on Truth, Racial Healing & Transformation (TRHT) Campus Centers by the Association of American Colleges & Universities (AAC&U).

The only institution in Massachusetts participating, Middlesex is one of 78 institutions chosen for the national institute that will run virtually in June. Phil Sisson, MCC’s President-elect, said MCC is proud to be one of only a few community colleges throughout the country invited to attend.

“This institute will allow us to further amplify the diversity, equity and inclusion work that is such an important part of the college’s growth and our future strategic plan,” President-elect Sisson said. “In addition, the TRHT Center we seek to establish at Middlesex can become a critical resource for our community partners as we work together to combat systemic racism and heal our communities.”

The annual institute relies on “intentional efforts and deep commitment,” according to a press release from AAC&U. Participants will have the opportunity to share the work they are doing, as well as learn new strategies that will “promote racial equity and healing on their campuses and in their communities,” according to the release.

In the release, the partnership between AAC&U and higher education institutions is described as an opportunity to “prepare the next generation of strategic leaders and thinkers to break down racial hierarchies and dismantle the belief in the hierarchy of human value.”

TRHT framework is based on five components that are supported at the individual, communal and systemic levels: narrative change, racial healing and relationship building, separation, law and economy.

Through focused participation in the institute, MCC will be able to strengthen its commitment to racial equity, said Darcy Orellana, MCC’s Director of HR, Compliance & Talent Development/CDO/Title IX Coordinator.

“This is an important opportunity to engage in college-wide honest dialogues on race, and to serve as a resource and partner with our communities,” Orellana said. “By becoming increasingly intentional about racial healing – and confronting racism through ongoing examinations of our systems, policies, and practices – together we can build a culture and community that values diversity and fosters equitable opportunities and outcomes for our community.”

President-elect Sisson and Orellana co-lead a diverse task force focused on equity, comprised of Cabinet-level leadership, faculty, staff and administrators at the college. This Leading for Change initiative began in 2013 after an event at Bridgewater State University where MCC became a part of a consortium of colleges – four-year and two-year, public and private – focused on equity.

Participating in the institute – along with other endeavors – and opening minds up to situations they may not have yet realized helps ensure everyone at the college has a place for themselves to feel safe and to succeed, according to the Leading for Change team.

In a prime position to be leader at the higher education level for racial equity work, Middlesex is including equity in the college’s strategic plan in order to move to a higher level of understanding and dedication to eliminating barriers. MCC’s Leading for Change team describes this process as creating an inclusive environment that fosters conversation and lends to student success.

For more information about Middlesex – including registration options for the for Summer and Fall 2021 semesters – visit www.middlesex.mass.edu/registration/ or call 1-800-818-3434.

Discover your path at Middlesex Community College. As one of the largest, most comprehensive community colleges in Massachusetts, MCC has been a proven leader in online education for more than 20 years. We educate, engage and empower a diverse community of learners, offering more than 80 degree and certificate programs – plus hundreds of noncredit courses. Middlesex Community College: Student success starts here!

This press release was produced by the Middlesex Community College. The views expressed here are the author’s own.