The following are members of the Diversity Advisory Council (DAC). Below is a list of key initiatives for the council.

2024-2025 Council Members

• Council Advisor: Tsz Kwok, Graduate College, Westphal College of Media Arts & Design
• Faculty Chair: Joseph H. Hancock, II, Westphal College of Media Arts & Design
• Student Chair: Essien Oku Essien, College of Arts and Sciences
• Karen DeVose, College of Computing and Informatics
• Julia May, College of Arts and Sciences
• Jemy Noor, LeBow College of Business
• Ramesh Raghupathi, Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences and Professional Studies, College of Medicine

• Michael Ryan, Graduate College, College of Engineering
• George Schafer, School of Education
• Yassmine Sellami, Information Technology
• Anumpa Singh, Institutional Research

Call for Members

The Graduate College and DAC co-chairs welcome graduate and professional students, faculty and professional staff members who wish to participate or nominate members to the council to contact Dr. Joseph H. Hancock, II at jhh33@drexel.edu. In your email, please include a short diversity philosophy (no more that 250 words) that highlights your commitment to justice, equity, diversity and inclusion work within the graduate community.

About the Commitment

DAC members will be asked to serve a two-year term and attend bi-monthly meetings that will address critical JEDI issues impacting the graduate student experience. With that being said, we encourage anyone interested to reach out and participate as much as possible.

Council Goals

Under the leadership of Dr. Tsz Kwok and Dr. Joseph H. Hancock, II the DAC will focus on:

1. Cultivating a sense of community that welcomes, engages, and embraces a broad spectrum of cultural and social identities.
2. Establishing a brave space for the Drexel community to converse with members of the Diversity Advisory Committee (DAC).
3. Planning events and programming that celebrate and engage Drexel graduate students, faculty and professional staff, as well as the greater Drexel community.

Ongoing Initiatives

The Diversity Advisory Council (DAC) has focused on four major initiatives since its establishment in 2020:

1. Justice and Equity Statements

As a University, we have a shared vision and values. However, we discovered justice and equity statements were not being addressed in course syllabi. We created a working DEI statement for faculty to include in course syllabi to be held accountable.

2. Self-Evaluation Tool

The members of DAC created a self-evaluation tool for faculty to review and reflect on their own academic curriculum. They have formulated a general outline for self-evaluation and how the syllabus is related to JEDI. This is to ensure a pathway for student success. In this evaluation, there are different sample indicators for faculty to be held accountable.

3. Black and Brown Students on Academic Dismissal List

The members examined graduate students on the academic dismissal and permanent dismissal list in the fall term of AY 22-23. We looked at the root of the problem through Advisor Visit Tracking (AVT) interactions. Through our qualitative research, some students had academic and mental challenges and they did not receive the proper support. In other instances, some departments succeeded in checking in with students' academic progress throughout the term, while others could have done a better job. The recommendation was to create a guide that would assist Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) in finding resources and services to support their specific needs and help them flourish in a pre-dominantly white institution like Drexel. The guide also includes information and resources for those who may be new to the city, state, or country, such as our international student population. View the latest edition of the Community Guide to Drexel & Philadelphia below.

Community Guide to Drexel & Philadelphia

4. Special Student Cases Related to Black/Brown Students

There is a disproportional amount of Black/Brown students’ cases at the graduate level. Associate Dean Anne Converse Willkomm noticed many Black/Brown students encountered many more challenges than other ethnicity in the classroom when she began at the Graduate College. We are now at a point where we can produce profound recommendations to intervene and break the patterns.

Complete a Request Form

The DAC is pleased to announce a Qualtrics form for community members who are seeking guidance or support, who wish to engage in personal and professional development in JEDI, and/or who wish to learn more about the DAC and their initiatives and recommendations. The form also invites feedback and ideas.

Complete a Request Form [Qualtrics]