Alfred University names Angie Taylor interim Chief Diversity Officer

ALFRED, NY – Beth Ann Dobie, provost and chief operating officer at Alfred University, announces the appointment of Angie Taylor as interim chief diversity officer. Taylor, who begins her duties Sept. 19, will report to Dobie and be part of Vice President for Student Experience Amy DeKay’s team.

The chief diversity officer (CDO), a full-time position, promotes the importance and value of a diverse and inclusive university environment, cultivating a work and learning environment that embodies those values. In that role, Taylor will lead efforts to develop and implement proactive diversity, equity, inclusion, and access initiatives in support of the University’s strategic plan to ensure that all have an opportunity to succeed.

“We are thrilled to welcome Angie to the CDO position. Angie has built collaborative relationships across the Alfred community, and she always takes a student-centered approach. The work she has done to advance cultural competency and her passion for the DEIA (diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility) work of a CDO will serve us all well,” Dobie said. “At its core, Alfred University is committed to social justice. We are striving to create and nurture a thriving inclusive community. A full-time chief diversity officer will provide vital leadership in this endeavor.”

“Stepping into this new position as the chief diversity officer is an exhilarating achievement, and I am very overjoyed with this opportunity,” Taylor commented. “I am looking forward to cultivating a meaningful transformative new CDO office for Alfred University.”

Taylor’s responsibilities as CDO include:

        · Providing leadership for building a culture of equity, diversity, and inclusion, while partnering with campus leaders, faculty, students, staff, and internal and external constituencies to ensure programming that supports the university’s values and strategic goals.

        · Communicating cohesive, integrated strategy roadmap as well as progress towards diversity, equity, and inclusion to the campus community.

        · Representing Alfred University and the New York State College of Ceramics (NYSCC) at Alfred University as the Chief Diversity Officer with SUNY/NYS entities.

Taylor earned a bachelor’s degree in speech communications from Illinois State University, a Master of Public Administration degree from George Mason University, and a doctoral degree in leadership and higher education from Capella University. She takes on her new role as CDO after serving since spring of 2018 as head coach of the Alfred University men’s and women’s track and field teams.

Taylor has helped lead numerous efforts to promote DEIA initiatives during her professional career, including:

        · Serving as an independent board member for United States Olympic and Paralympic Wrestling National Governing Bodies (NGB) and the United States Olympic and Paralympic Track and Field NGB Leadership Program, which required DEIA training.

        · Leading and developing the strategic planning, policy development and operational leadership for the Ministry of Youth and Sports Development at the Presidency Level for the Federal Republic of Nigeria. Worked to establish the inclusion of athletes with disabilities at the Paralympic level for the country.

        · For one year at Harbin Engineering University, Harbin, China, guiding the University community in its development of a culture that is welcoming to a diverse international student population.

        · At Coppin State University, collaborating with university stakeholders to create, implement, and monitor academic, staff and student development programs designed to advance cultural competency, to enhance inclusion, and to ensure fair and equitable treatment of students, faculty, and staff.

        · At George Mason University, where she served as head coach of the women’s track and field team, providing leadership for building a culture of equity, diversity, and inclusion, partnering with campus leaders, faculty, students, staff, and internal and external constituencies to ensure programming that supported the university’s values and strategic goals.