News from the CACO Board

Let’s talk about diversity & inclusion. These are values we’re committed to here on the CACO Board. For our context, diversity refers to the representation of different types of people in a space or community, while inclusion looks at how people feel integrated and valued in that space.
 

Some of you may know this, but before I started my term as CACO President in 2021, I served as the vice-president of our Diversity & Inclusion committee. I’m proud to serve on a board that has carved out the space for this work to happen. Without putting structures in place such as committees, positions, written statements, and community guidelines, it’s common for this work to be put on the backburner or lost to turnover.
 

I’d like to applaud the leadership of the Class of 1987 who have taken note of that challenge and made changes to their class council to prevent that loss from happening. They have incorporated diversity & inclusion work into their official class structure by creating a new position on their class council. Anecdotally, it is the first such position that I’ve heard of on a class council, and I think it’s a great step for them. Further down in this email, you’ll find a little more information about their work.
 

Diversity & inclusion work can look different for every group or community! Committees can work in varied ways to improve communications, policies, or events to make them more inclusive. We would love to hear more about all of your experiences with D&I. What are programs or initiatives that you’ve seen or participated in that have inspired or energized you? Let us know by emailing caco@cornell.edu. Long or short, Cornell-related or otherwise, successful or still a work-in-progress, we welcome your messages as we continue this journey together.
 

We hope this spirit of reflection and growth carries you into this back-to-school season.