Division of Inclusive Excellence Quarterly Update
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Feature by: Division of Inclusive Excellence
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In January, the Office of Religious and Spiritual Life hosted the annual Holocaust Remembrance Day luncheon featuring Barbara Adler West who participated virtually to tell the harrowing story of her father’s escape from Nazi persecution through the Kindertransport.
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The Division of Inclusive Excellence continues its work to move the needle on diversity, equity, inclusion, accessibility and anti-racism. Earlier this week, the division hosted the Biannual Conference for LADO, a professional organization of Liberal Arts Diversity Officers. Equity-focused higher education professionals from Kenyon, Haverford, Sarah Lawrence and several other liberal arts institutions participated. Last week, the division hosted the Third Annual Inclusive Excellence Awards and Recognition Ceremony. The lunchtime banquet was well attended and awards were handed out for inclusive excellence in teaching, leadership and service.
The division continues to work with individual departments on their DEIA Maturity Matrix work (learn more). As part of our work to address accessibility and ableism, we have teamed up with the Northwest ADA Center to coordinate a series of webinars related to the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). The first webinar is scheduled for this Friday at noon, with two more webinars in the following weeks focused on different ADA-related topics. Additionally, we have continued our practice of making the Association for Higher Education and Disability (AHEAD) webinars available to the entire campus community. Since the last update, we also hosted a webinar on neurodiversity with Landmark College. Landmark College is an accredited institution designed for students who learn differently, and their Assistant Director of Professional Development, Emily Helft, provided a substantive webinar on neurodiversity for the Whitman community. We have also recently formed a Digital Accessibility Working Group that will convene regularly during the 2025–2026 academic year to ensure Whitman compliance with the August 2026 deadline for digital accessibility in higher education.
Read more.
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Emeritus Professor Publishes Essays on the State of US Higher Education
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Baker Ferguson Professor of Politics and Leadership Emeritus Timothy Kaufman-Osborn recently published three essays about the current state of higher education in the United States:
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Katie Wagner ’04, Associate Professor of Botany at the University of Wyoming, will present the 2024–2025 Rempel Lecture in Biology on Wednesday, April 9, at 7:15 p.m. in Maxey Auditorium. In her talk, titled “Natural Histories: Using Genomics To Understand Life’s Diversity,” Wagner will discuss her research on how species evolve, adapt and interact with each other.
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French, History & Sociology Guest Lecture Tomorrow
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Sarah Buchanan, Associate Professor of French at the University of Minnesota Morris, will deliver a guest lecture on Thursday, April 10, at 4 p.m. in Olin 129. Buchanan will detail her theory of the “Inside Realm of Immigrant Imagined Community” and show how it manifests in the Yamina Benguigui film “Inch‘Allah Dimanche.” This lecture is sponsored by Whitman’s French, Sociology and History departments, with additional funding provided by the Virginia Penrose Cagley Lectureship in Foreign Languages and Literatures. (Flyer attached.)
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Salmon Conservation Club Film Screening Tomorrow
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The Salmon Conservation Club will host a film screening of “The Grand Salmon” on Thursday, April 10, at 7 p.m. in Olin Auditorium. The documentary film follows three women on a 1,000+ mile paddling expedition through the Salmon, Snake and Columbia Rivers, following wild salmon routes and observing the ecological impact of the dams on these rivers. Following the film, Brooke Hess, one of the women featured in the film, will participate in a virtual Q&A with the audience. (Watch the trailer.)
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Sign Up for Tri-College Community Day
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Tri-College Community Day is a day of service and connection where Whitman College collaborates with Walla Walla University and Walla Walla Community College to participate in various service projects around town. This year, the annual event takes place on Sunday, April 13, from noon–4 p.m., beginning and ending at Fort Walla Walla Park. A free catered lunch will be provided to volunteers who sign up in advance.(Flyer attached.)
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Photo (Audrey Overstreet): A parent of a prospective student visited campus on Saturday for Spring Into Whitman Days and shared this photo as one of the highlights of their visit—seeing the “Walk a Mile in Her Shoes” fundraising event co-hosted by Whitman’s Beta Theta Pi fraternity and the Walla Walla YWCA.
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Reid Campus Center, Lower Level
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Penrose Library, Lounge ’41
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Sherwood Athletic Center, Room 222
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Reid Campus Center, Room G02
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Hall of Music, Chism Recital Hall
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Would you like to share an event with campus? Submit the information to the Events Calendar.
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Whitman Today is emailed to Whitman College staff, faculty and students each weekday during the academic year and twice a week during breaks. An archive of previous issues is available online.
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