Chief Diversity Officer David A. Gomes discusses the affirmative action ruling
Dear Members of the UMass Dartmouth Community,
Over the course of the past week, the United States Supreme Court issued several controversial decisions which will directly impact the lives of Americans from all walks of life—both now and for generations to come. I know that many of you will be deeply disappointed, as I was, to see the elimination of President Biden’s loan forgiveness program, the limitation of LGBTQIA+ civil rights protections, and the elimination of the race-conscious admission programs employed by the country’s most highly selective institutions.
As the nation grapples with the impact of these rulings, the UMass Dartmouth community will move forward together and will continue to affirm our values. As Chancellor Fuller and the leadership of our sister UMass campuses stated in response to the Supreme Court’s ruling on affirmative action, “The University of Massachusetts will continue to follow the law, and will do so while sustaining its deep and longstanding commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion.”
At UMass Dartmouth, this means that we will continue to recruit underrepresented students, including low-income and first-generation students, with the goal of enrolling a more diverse student body. Together with the UMass System and our state and federal legislators, we are also advocating for more financial aid and support for pipeline programs such as Upward Bound.
We will also continue to sustain a living and learning environment where all students can feel a sense of belonging. Earlier this year, we recruited our first-ever Dean of Student Belonging, Dr. Kevin Hamilton. We undertook a comprehensive campus climate survey, and last March, the Leduc Center spearheaded a national dialogue with leading scholars on advancing best practices for anti-racist community engagement.
Please know that UMass Dartmouth will continue striving to fully embody the principles of diversity, equity & inclusion in the furtherance of our goal of creating and maintaining a welcoming, socially just, and inclusive home in which our students, faculty, and staff can live, learn, work and thrive.
David A. Gomes
Chief Diversity Officer