The Office of Campus Equity and Inclusion is glad to support faculty and staff affinity groups. Please see the following descriptions, schedules, and contact information for existing and emerging groups. If you are interested in starting an affinity group that aligns to further Drake’s stated institutional mission for diversity, equity and inclusion, please reach out directly to Associate Provost for Campus Equity and Inclusion Jennifer Harvey.

The AAPI Faculty and Staff Affinity group welcomes all AAPI faculty and staff to join. You will be able to connect and network with other AAPI faculty and staff on campus. Please come to our visioning meeting on Monday, Sept. 27, at 3:30 p.m. We will meet outside at the covered space just east of Colliers-Scripps to determine how we can support the AAPI campus population. We will plan meetings and events based on what serves AAPI faculty and staff best. Please contact Maureen Yuen (maureen.yuen@drake.edu) with any questions and also  if you are unable to attend the meeting but wish to be included in AAPI Affinity communications and future events.

The Black Faculty and Staff Affinity group welcomes all Black faculty and staff to join us for our virtual Brown Bag Lunch Fellowship on Microsoft Teams. You will be able to connect and network with other Black faculty and staff on campus. We will meet on the first Friday of each month starting Oct. 1. We will hold space between 12 and 1:30 pm. You may join us from 12 p.m. to 1 p.m. or 12:30 p.m. to 1:30 pm or anytime in between. To receive a Teams invite, email brandi.l.miller@drake.edu.

The Jewish Affinity group: Shalom and welcome to a new school year at Drake! Jewish faculty staff are welcome and encouraged to join Drake’s Faculty and Staff Jewish Affinity Group. The group supports each other—and Jewish students on campus—at many times of the year. In the past, Jewish faculty and staff have noshed together on bagels, enjoyed Shabbat dinner and Passover Seders with Drake Hillel, and more. Affinity group members will also be on our email list for future communications. Please email Lilianna.bernstein@drake.edu to join our group.

The Latinx Affinity group is a space for LatinX faculty and staff to get to know one another socially and provide support for each other. We will be planning an outdoor gathering later this fall. Please email marina.verlengia@drake.edu to be included on our distribution list and to get information about our fall gathering. We also have a Facebook group, please click here to join.

The Office of Campus Equity and Inclusion is particularly interested in exploring whether faculty and staff with disabilities and/or who identify as lgbtq+ would like to form an affinity group to provide mutual support and connection. Please reach out directly to Jennifer Harvey if you would be interested in facilitating such a group.

— Jennifer Harvey, Campus Equity and Inclusion