Inclusive Excellence Council

The Inclusive Excellence Council (IEC) functions as an extension of the Division of Inclusive Excellence and an institutional DEIA brain trust. The IEC contributes to divisional and institutional efforts to advance diversity, equity, inclusion, and antiracism. The IEC convenes each month during the academic year and maintains four active sub-committees. IEC members contribute insights to institutional DEIA work based on their lived experience or expertise, help fill DEIA awareness gaps, and inspire innovative approaches to advancing inclusive excellence at Whitman. The IEC is a working committee and IEC members assist the Division of Inclusive Excellence with coordinated efforts to enhance the campus climate and transforming strategic plan recommendations into feasible and measurable DEIA goals.

Subcommittee Information

Community Learning Days

Community Learning Days is a collection of DEIA-related workshops/education sessions organized by the College and held prior to the start of the semester. The sessions target faculty and staff, with the goal of providing critical and timely DEIA competency development for Whitman community members. Past CLD sessions have focused on ableism, cultural taxation, queer identities, inclusive pedagogy, managing bandwidth and boundaries for minoritized staff, and other valuable topics. The Community Learning Days subcommittee works on designing, coordinating and delivering a substantive DEIA learning experience for the Whitman community at the start of each semester.

Microlessons and Skillshops

As part of a strategic capacity building effort, microlessons and skillshops are an effective way to deliver diversity, equity, inclusion, antiracism and accessibility content that is digestible and actionable for learners. The Microlessons and Skillshops subcommittee coordinates a series of learning opportunities each semester that are offered by current Whitman faculty and staff and provide a platform for the community to share and grow our collective DEIA competencies. A microlesson on Cyberbullying or Affirmative Consent could be meaningful and helpful. A skillshop on how to add Alt-Text on social media posts can be valuable. A review of our Principles of Inclusive Excellence or a short session on why “Happy Holidays” might be a more inclusive holiday greeting can help produce a more inclusive campus climate. The Microlessons and Skillshops subcommittee identifies presenters, reviews and/or designs content, and coordinates the delivery and assessment of these regular DEIA learning sessions across campus.

Climate and Data

What’s the NACCC? What does HEDS stand for? Who is IPEDS? The College collects a considerable amount of data on the Whitman experience, from demographic data that provides a sense of the compositional diversity, to climate and engagement data that helps paint a picture of community wellbeing and experiences of harm. Community literacy about the role, value and results of research on inclusive excellence is an important part of building an inclusive community. The Climate and Data subcommittee works to increase campus awareness and understanding of inclusive excellence metrics and outcomes.

Grants and Awards

In 2022, the Division of Diversity and Inclusion began accepting applications for DEIA Cultivation Grants. The next year, the Division launched the Inclusive Excellence Awards. The Division of Inclusive Excellence takes its responsibility seriously to cultivate, recognize, and celebrate inclusive excellence at Whitman. The Grants and Awards subcommittee reviews grant applications and award nominations and assists with the coordination and planning of the Annual Inclusive Excellence Awards and Recognition Ceremony.

Inclusive Excellence Committee 2024-25 Roster

Tebraie Banda-Johns – Director of the Intercultural Center, Division of Inclusive Excellence (Ex Officio).
Jonathan Barnett – Registrar, Academic Affairs. Staff representative (2-year term ends August 2026).
Cassandre Beccai – Director of Equity and Compliance / Title IX Coordinator; member of Campus Accessibility Committee (Ex Officio).
Neal Christopherson – Director of Institutional Research, Academic Affairs. Staff representative (Ex Officio).
Isabel Eromosele ‘27 – Student-At-Large representative (1-year term ends August 2025).
Callie Gilchrist – Community Director, Residence Life and Housing, Student Life. Staff representative (1-year term ends August 2025).
Ricky Gonzalez ‘26 – President, Associated Students of Whitman College. Student representative (Ex Officio).
Jeanine Gordon – Special Assistant to the President for Native American Outreach, Office of the President; member of Pášx̣apa Advisory Council for CTUIR Collaboration. Staff representative (Ex Officio).
Shelby Hearn – Director of LGBTQIA+ Student Services, Division of Inclusive Excellence. Staff representative (Ex Officio).
Monica Hernandez Williams – Marketing Writer, Communications. Staff representative (2-year term ends June 2025)
Aaliyah-Ari Howard ‘27 – Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Chair, Associated Students of Whitman College. Student representative (Ex Officio)
John Johnson – Vice President for Inclusive Excellence, Division of Inclusive Excellence. Administrative Sponsor and IEC Chair
Adam Kirtley – Interfaith Chaplain, Office of Religious and Spiritual Life, Division of Inclusive Excellence. Staff representative (Ex Officio).
Liv Liponis – Resident Director, Residence Life and Housing, Student Life. Staff representative (1-year term ends August 2025).
Mary Raschko – Associate Dean for Faculty Development, Academic Affairs; Associate Professor of English. Faculty representative (Ex Officio).
Jace Saplan, Senior Director of Identity and Belonging, Division of Inclusive Excellence. Staff representative (Ex Officio).
Nadine Stecklein – Associate Director for Employer Engagement and Internship Programs, Career and Community Engagement Center, Academic Affairs. Staff representative (2-year term ends June 2025).

IEC Subcommittees

Climate and Data Subcommittee

Jonathan Barnett – Registrar, Academic Affairs
Neal Christopherson – Director of Institutional Research, Academic Affairs
Shelby Hearn – Director of LGBTQIA+ Student Services, Division of Inclusive Excellence
John Johnson – Vice President for Inclusive Excellence, Division of Inclusive Excellence

Community Learning Days Subcommittee

Isabel Eromosele ‘27
Jeanine Gordon – Special Assistant to the President for Native American Outreach, Office of the President; member of Pášx̣apa Advisory Council for CTUIR Collaboration
Mary Raschko – Associate Dean for Faculty Development, Academic Affairs; Associate Professor of English
Nadine Stecklein – Associate Director for Employer Engagement and Internship Programs, Career and Community Engagement Center, Academic Affairs

Grants and Awards Subcommittee

Cassandre Beccai – Director of Equity and Compliance / Title IX Coordinator
Ricky Gonzalez ‘26 – President, Associated Students of Whitman College
Monica Hernandez Williams – Marketing Writer, Communications
Adam Kirtley – Interfaith Chaplain, Office of Religious and Spiritual Life, Division of Inclusive Excellence

Microlessons and Skillshops Subcommittee

Tebraie Banda-Johns – Director of the Intercultural Center, Division of Inclusive
Callie Gilchrist – Community Director, Residence Life and Housing, Student Life
Aaliyah-Ari Howard ‘27 – Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Chair, Associated Students of Whitman College
Liv Liponis – Resident Director, Residence Life and Housing, Student Life
Jace Saplan, Senior Director of Identity and Belonging, Division of Inclusive Excellence