Thursday, June 24, 2021

Accomplished higher ed leader Sylvia Carey-Butler to lead institutional equity and diversity at Brown

CAUTION, RI [Brown University] – Sylvia R. Carey-Butler, an accomplished college professor with extensive experience leading diversity and inclusion initiatives, has been named Brown University’s next Vice President for Institutional Justice and Diversity, effective August 16, 2021.

Carey-Butler is currently the chief diversity officer at Kennesaw State University. She designed the Diversity and Inclusion curriculum for the American Council on Education’s scholarship program, was named to the Top 100 Diversity Officers by the National Diversity Council in 2021, and was named one of 35 Outstanding Women in Education by Diverse: Issues in Higher in 2020 for their contributions to higher education.

Brown President Christina H. Paxson said that when examining candidates, bringing on board a leader with the ability to innovate new approaches and solve complex challenges with a variety of perspectives from students, faculty, staff and other stakeholders , is of vital importance.

“We are excited to welcome an accomplished leader with a deep understanding of the essential roles of diversity, equity and inclusion in higher education,” said Paxson. “Sylvia has a proven ability as an inclusive worker and a respected problem solver who builds strong relationships across campus. These skills make her an exceptional choice to serve as Brown’s vice president of Institutional Justice and Diversity. “

Carey-Butler reports directly to Paxson and will lead the Office of Institutional Equity and Diversity, which will play a critical role in Brown’s continued implementation of its groundbreaking Diversity and Inclusion Action Plan (DIAP). Building on the increased diversity on campus over the first five years of the plan, Brown, Phase II started of the DIAP in April 2021 to focus on breaking down barriers to inclusion and creating a more equitable academic community that enables all members to distinguish themselves as leaders, thinkers and problem solvers.

Carey-Butler will strategize a wide range of programs and initiatives, coordinate education and training, and measure and report on progress in achieving the DIAP goals. It will also administer non-discrimination and other forms of protected class compliance, including compliance with Title IX, and oversee the investigation of complaints in these areas.

Her appointment follows a national search co-chaired by Paxson and Vice President, Campus Life and Student Services Eric Estes, who chaired a committee made up of students, faculty and staff.

“Sylvia was known for her impressive knowledge and experience,” said Estes. “She will make an immediate impact as a leader on campus, especially at a moment when a sustainable, thoughtful approach to working together is required to ensure justice and justice for all members of our community. I look forward to working closely with her to advance the institution’s work on diversity, equity and inclusion. “

Carey-Butler said she looks forward to building on Brown’s efforts to create a more diverse and inclusive campus through existing DIAP initiatives, and to work with students, faculty and staff to find new ways to embrace the essential role of diversity and Inclusion in the university fosters academic excellence.

“I am excited and humble to be selected as the next Brown University Vice President for Institutional Justice and Diversity,” she said. “I look forward to entering into cross-university collaborations to build on the hard work already underway with Phase II of Brown’s Action Plan for Diversity and Inclusion. i’m just as eager to work with internal and external stakeholders to make the lived experiences of all campus stakeholders at Brown even more inclusive, dynamic and fair. “

After a year of multiple challenges uncovering inequalities across the country, Carey-Butler pointed out the importance of addressing diversity and inclusion on campus in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic, as well as the growing one Concentration at the national level on structural barriers to inclusion based on race, gender and other attributes.

“I am aware that our work could prove difficult if we are fighting two national pandemics at the same time – COVID-19 and racism – but I am confident that the university is committed and able to address both.” , she said. “I also envision Brown as a leader in modeling how historical racial inequalities can be reduced.”

Since joining Kennesaw State University in Georgia in 2019, Carey-Butler has led the university’s initiative to develop a long-term action plan for diversity and inclusion. set clear, meaningful, and measurable goals and metrics; and developed strategies and programs aimed at successfully recruiting and retaining students, faculty and staff. Among other things, she heads the university’s Presidential Task Force on race, built diversity liaisons in all of the KSU’s academic colleges and implemented a team of student diversity ambassadors.

From 2013 to 2019, she was Assistant Chancellor for Academic Support for Inclusive Excellence at the University of Wisconsin Oshkosh, where she was responsible for building collaborative partnerships across campus to create a fair campus climate and inclusive learning environment.

As a former interim executive director of the Institute for Capacity Building of the United Negro College Fund (UNCF) and director of the UNCF’s Enrollment Management Program, Carey-Butler has also held numerous higher education positions in New York State. She previously served as the Assistant Probstess and Honorary Dean at Dillard University in New Orleans and as the Assistant Dean of Studies at Lafayette College in Easton, Pennsylvania.

In addition to her leadership positions at universities, Carey-Butler has researched and presented in depth on student recruitment and retention, African American administrators in academia, and African American men in higher education. She is the former chair of the Oshkosh, Wisconsin Area Community Food Pantry and the Oshkosh Housing Authority.

Carey-Butler earned a Ph.D. in higher education administration and policy from Vanderbilt University and a masters degree in social sciences from Binghamton University. She is from Schenectady, New York and holds a bachelor’s degree from the State University of New York at Oneonta.



source https://collegeeducationnewsllc.com/accomplished-higher-ed-leader-sylvia-carey-butler-to-lead-institutional-equity-and-diversity-at-brown/

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