The Graduate College is pleased to announce the appointment of Dr. Joseph H. Hancock, II, PhD, as chair of the Diversity Advisory Council (DAC).

Under the leadership of Dr. Tsz Kwok, Director of Academic Administration and Director of Multicultural and Equity Affairs, 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, and the greater Drexel community. 

Dr. Hancock has served more than twenty years at Drexel University with a strategic focus on diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI). Inspired by the book Beyond Race and Gender: Unleashing the Power of Your Total Workforce by Managing Diversity by Roosevelt Thomas in 1992, Dr. Hancock began his mission to ensure equality and social justice for all in the workplace at his previous employers of The Gap Inc, L.Brands and Target Corporation where he served in mid-senior leadership and regional roles for over eighteen years.
 
Dr. Hancock's own scholarship in DEI, branding, communication and retail has made him a landmark author with his book Fashion Brand Stories now celebrating its third edition and 15 years in print. His work examines diversity amongst brands, retailers and merchandisers celebrating all psychographics and demographics that makeup consumers. Dr. Hancock has served as the LGBTQIA+ liaison for the Office of Faculty Advancement for over a decade and help with the founding of the Black Faculty & Staff Group (now BEAD). Dr. Hancock teaches across multiple colleges and has received awards from the Provost's Office, Pennoni Honors College, the Goodwin College, Steinbright Career Development Center, and the Antoinette Westphal College of Media Arts & Design.
 
Dr. Hancock is honored to assume this role as chair. He will continue the focus of the DAC as they have worked over the past four years to ensure it is operating with the goal of social justice. Over the past year we have identified our mission statement, understanding it is a living artifact that will grow as we continue to grow as a community. We also are dedicated to our role of holding the Graduate College accountable, ensuring we are prioritizing equity and justice in our words and actions. Finally, we are working on ways to support faculty in ensuring their syllabi are anti-racist and include diverse voices.

About the Council

The Graduate College formed the Diversity Advisory Council (DAC) in spring 2020 to address issues of institutional racism, unconscious bias and racial inequalities within the Drexel community, raise awareness of these issues, implement action items, and support our Black and Brown community members.
 
Since then, the Graduate College has furthered its commitment to justice, equity, diversity and inclusion (JEDI) as part of a five-year strategic plan (2021-2026) and in alignment with the Drexel 2030 – Designing the Future Strategic Plan (2020-2030) and culture of equity imperative. Five core principles of the Graduate College’s commitment to JEDI include inclusive environment, Anti-Racism, JEDI programs and initiatives, belonging, and collaborative community.
 
DAC members, which include faculty, professional staff members, graduate students, and alumni, liaise with academic and administrative units and are actively working to implement the recommendations of the University's Anti-Racism Task Force (ARTF). The DAC is charged with holding the Graduate College and graduate community members accountable for our commitment to JEDI, making recommendations on how we can achieve our goals, and providing support for community members in addressing these issues.
 
The DAC will continue to work closely with campus stakeholders, such as the Office for Institutional Equity and Inclusive Culture (EIC) and ARTF, Office of the Vice Provost for Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, Office of Faculty Advancement and Teaching and Learning Center, Steinbright Career Development Center (SCDC), Faculty Senate, and the Culture of Equity imperative team of the Drexel 2030 Strategic Plan to advance this work. 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]
 
While there is more work to be done, the Graduate College joins the University community in celebrating our recent recognition as a recipient of the 2023 INSIGHT Into Diversity Magazine Higher Education Excellence in Diversity (HEED) Award! This award reaffirms our commitment and that we are on a path toward achieving our goal of being a more welcoming and inclusive place for all.