SUNY Oswego announced on Friday that Lisa Evaneski, the Title IX coordinator, is joining the institution’s Office of Diversity and Inclusion, the office for Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI)..

SUNY Oswego President Peter Nwosu sent an email to members of the campus community on Friday, providing readers with information regarding various changes within each office.

“To best support the important range of work in prevention, response, compliance and professional development that this office will now oversee, Title IX Coordinator, Lisa Evaneski has joined the Office of Diversity and Inclusion,” Nwosu stated.

In an interview, Evaneski says many of Title IX’s services will remain the same.

“Other than maybe improving how we take reports and offering support of intersectional identities, looking at vulnerable populations, I think that’s really important,” Evaneski said. “We’re making sure there aren’t any barriers to reporting.”

Evaneski said that the office is looking to improve its services.

“We’re always on this continuous plan of improvement of trying to see what we’re missing and trying to fill those voids,” Evaneski said. “I think that there won’t be a change to anything we’re currently offering, just always continuing to improve it.”

Evaneski is looking to contribute to events with the DEI office.

“I will be contributing to the work that we do and seeing what opportunities there are for collaboration and coordination around programming, training and taking reports of things that could happen,” Evaneski said. “I think we’ll be figuring that out in the months to come.”

Evaneski said that diversity means a lot to her.

“I think there are people that have characteristics that identify them as diverse, whether it’s racial or sexual orientation or gender identity,” Evaneski said. “It’s important to consider people’s intersecting identities.” 

Evaneski also mentioned her work in social justice in relation to diversity.

“In a lot of the work I’ve done over the years in social justice, it’s been helping people to understand microaggressions and understand the power of language,” Evaneski said. “For me, it’s about understanding my own privilege and including more people at the table.”

In July 2022, Evaneski received the Chancellor’s Award for Excellence in Professional Service. She was also recognized as a diamond honoree for the American College Personnel Association.

Additionally, Anneke McEvoy, the associate director of the Triandiflou Institute, was promoted to the position of Affirmative Action Officer and Deputy Chief and Inclusion Officer.

“Anneke has created DEI programming, workshop curriculum, and forward-facing resources for all constituents of the campus community,” Nwosu said. “She is trained in Intergroup Dialogue facilitation and Restorative Practices, and has helped build institutional infrastructure and capacity for critical conversations across differences.”

Nwosu included further information about changes within diversity, equity and inclusion. The latest changes are in coordination with Nwosu’s Vision 4040 document, where he is looking to improve DEI commitment towards members across the university.

“As I wrote in the Vision 4040 document, the expansion of SUNY Oswego’s promise is undergirded by our unwavering commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion,” Nwosu said. “The changes in the Office of Diversity and Inclusion to include compliance are key to creating and maintaining an equitable campus climate free of bias and discrimination.”

Resources on Title IX and DEI can be found on SUNY Oswego’s website or at the campus’ DEI office. The DEI Office is located on the second floor of Penfield Library.

Title IX’s office is located on the fourth floor of Culkin Hall in room 407.

Photo via: SUNY Oswego