A Call to Action...a message from the NEAIR Presidents

Dear NEAIR Colleagues and Friends:

In the wake of the funeral for George Floyd, one of many Black victims of police brutality, NEAIR recognizes what you may be feeling right now about the lack of progress our country has made in eradicating racism and ensuring justice for marginalized individuals.  Senseless violence, such as what we have seen recently, cannot continue.

NEAIR values a rich and diverse community of members that reflect the various sectors of postsecondary education and is welcoming to individuals with different backgrounds, experiences, and skills. The association focuses on facilitating the professional development of its members while promoting best practices and ensuring integrity in institutional research and assessment. One of our Core Competencies is to provide an inclusive and welcoming community for all to support their lifelong learning and professional development.  See https://www.neair.org/values_vision_mission.php. We will not tolerate discrimination, racism or harassment.

But just saying that is not enough—this is a call to action.  As IR/IE/A professionals, we can bring a diversity, equity and inclusion lens to our everyday work.  We can promote the ethical use of data to inform decisions. We can uncover inequalities through the analysis and leveraging of data, information, and evidence. We need to acknowledge our biases and privileges and commit to understanding the impact as we work to turn data into information. Do all you can, educate yourself and others, support organizations in their work to dismantle racism and eliminate racial disparities. We encourage honest and respectful dialogue and openness to feedback.

NEAIR is committed to our mission and core values. We are in the process of creating professional development opportunities that relate to diversity, equity, and inclusion. This will facilitate a clearer understanding of the issues in the effort to move to an anti-racist society. We are committed to creating spaces (virtually for now) for discussion. Please reach out to NEAIR leadership with any thoughts, suggestions, and insight on how we, as an organization, work towards a more inclusive community. We are here for you.  

Thank you. Stay well and stay safe. 

Jen Dunseath
President

Shama Akhtar
President-Elect

Shannon Tinney-Lichtinger
Immediate Past-President