As we step into a new school year, one filled with possibility, energy, and purpose, I am thrilled to share exciting updates about the Division of Institutional Equity and Belonging (IEB) and our plans for the year ahead. 

At CC, our mission reminds us that everything we do begins and ends with our students. With that in mind, I am overjoyed to announce that the Butler Center, International Student and Scholar Services (ISSS), and our Elder in Residence will now be part of IEB. This transition reflects national best practices and deepens our collective commitment to ensuring that student diversity, equity, and belonging are embraced as core academic and institutional priorities.  

These offices play a vital role in providing programming, advocacy, and support for students from historically marginalized communities. Connecting directly with the College Diversity Officer gives the voices, needs, and aspirations of these students a straightforward pathway to influence the systems and structures of our college. Importantly, this move does not change the focus, partnerships, or programming of these areas. Instead, it strengthens their capacity for impact by fostering deeper cross-divisional collaboration. “While our colleagues in these areas will no longer be officially within Student Life, they remain key partners in supporting student success. Our daily collaboration will not only continue but will grow stronger as we center IEB in our shared work” says Dean of Students, Lacy Karpilo.  

This realignment is not just restructuring; it’s a reunion and revitalization of previously connected efforts, now united under a shared umbrella of support. Please join me in welcoming the Butler Center, ISSS, and the Elder in Residence to the IEB. Together, let us embark on this year with a renewed commitment to antiracism, equity, and belonging at CC. 

In solidarity, 

Rosalie 

As we continue to monitor the national landscape and its constant changes, we can take a moment to breathe in some relief as a federal court in Maryland has ruled against the Department of Education’s anti-DEI memo from Feb. 14, 2025. You can read more about this decision on National Public Radio  or in the Chronicle of Higher Education. 

At the same time, we remain vigilant to protect those in the crosshairs of increased immigration enforcement rife with stereotyping. We remind you that if at any point you see someone you believe to be targeting members of our campus community, or entering buildings or programs uninvited, immediately reach out to Campus Safety for assistance. Full guidance for interacting with immigration enforcement can be found on the IEB website.

In 2025-26, IDEAL will become a standing operational governance group with the formerly temporary operational group, International People and Practices (IPP), becoming a permanent subcommittee of that group. 

This year we will open opportunities for IDEAL to review policies and procedures from across campus using an ADEI lens, collaborating on programming, and generating guidance that can help provide consistency around accessibility, access, and equity.  

We are excited to announce this year’s Antiracist Book Club selections – Nuclear Nuevomexico: Colonialism and the Effects of the Nuclear Industrial Complex on Nuevomexicanos by Myrriah Gómez is our Fall selection and Noor by Nnedi Okorafor is our Spring Selection. Both books are available at the CC Bookstore and can be picked up with your CC ID.

In the past, IEB has selected three or four books each year to enrich our campus community’s knowledge of antiracism, social justice, and liberation. This year we are focusing on two books so that we can create more engagement opportunities throughout the academic year.   

Nuclear Nuevo Mexico is our Sense of Place selection. Gomez, a Nuevomexicana from the Pojoaque Valley, began this investigation “as a mapping of inchoate narratives to contribute to decolonizing the modern account of New Mexico atomic history and U.S. national myth…[and] has since evolved to examine the nuclear industrial complex through New Mexico, beginning with Site Y of the Manhattan Project.” Through research and storytelling, Gomez reveals the impact of nuclear weapons, science, and research on the people, communities, and land of New Mexico. Myrriah Gomez is an assistant professor in the Honors College at the University of New Mexico. 

Noor is a science fiction novel set in near future Nigeria. Through characters, time, and setting Okorafor, born in the United States to Nigerian immigrant parents, creates a world in which biotechnology, disability, gender, and capitalism converge and allows the reader to reflect on humanity and our collective future. Nnedi Okorafor is an award-winning New York Times Bestselling writer of science fiction and fantasy for both children and adults. The more specific terms for her works are africanfuturism and africanjujuism. 

Please join the Antiracist Book Club MS Team to receive quickest communication and updates about upcoming ABC programming. And please connect with Nancy at nrios@coloradocollege.edu if you have proposals or ideas for programming.  

The IEB leadership team recognizes the need to support and promote educational opportunities beyond our current capacity. Many programs, activities, and events that embody antiracism, diversity, equity, and inclusion (ADEI) offer valuable professional development. To ensure budget constraints do not hinder those interested in furthering our mission and personal growth, we offer an IEB grant program to help offset some of the costs associated with participating, attending, or creating ADEI programming.    

The process is simple. Complete this form describing your funding needs. If you are requesting funds for Fall 2025, applications must be completed by October 1, 2025; if you are requesting funds for Spring 2026, applications must be complete by March 1, 2026. As grant request review and decision will require a minimum of two weeks, we firmly recommend submission at least one month in advance of the activity. The IEB leadership team will review your request, evaluating alignment with our mission and vision. You will be notified via email within two weeks about your award status or if additional information is needed. The grant will be open until all funds have been exhausted, at which time we will notify the campus ending that it has closed. We aim to offer the ACE grant annually to support ongoing engagement from staff, faculty, and students, as long as funding allows. 

We will be holding office hours every Tuesday in September from 2-4 p.m. in Worner 216 for those who would like to talk through potential submissions before the October 1 deadline.  

The Division of Institutional Equity and Belonging (IEB) provides financial co-sponsorship for campus events and activities that advance equity and justice initiatives. Academic departments or programs, administrative offices, student organizations, and athletic teams are all eligible to apply for this funding support. 

Co-sponsorship awards are available up to a maximum of $250. Applications are reviewed in the order they are received. Interested applicants should complete the co-sponsorship request form and submit it with all required documentation. 

The IEB team will review applications and notify applicants of funding decisions within two weeks of submission. Organizations that receive co-sponsorship funding are required to acknowledge this support by including “The Office of Institutional Equity and Belonging” in all event communications and displaying the IEB logo on promotional materials, flyers, and event programs. 

For questions about eligibility requirements or the application process, please belonging@coloradocollege.edu“> contact IEB directly.

Friday, Aug. 28, 2025, 12:15 – 12:45 p.m. Tava Quad

Smudge Circle with Elder Debbie

Please join our Elder in Residence, Debbie Howell, for a Smudge Circle to start the new academic year.  Smudge circles are open to all campus community members, regardless of faith, identity, and beliefs.

Sep. 8, 2025, 10:30 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. Location TBD 

Making Medicine  

Sep. 16, 2025, 10:30 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. Location TBD 

Food as Medicine

Join Professor Santiago Guerra’s SW259: Ritual and Medicine of the Southwest for an engaging exploration that builds on last year’s Antiracist Book Club selection, Eating the Landscape by Enrique Salmón. Students in this course will host two learning events open to students, faculty, staff, and community members. These events will focus on Indigenous knowledge systems, plant medicine, and traditional foods of the Southwest.

Stay tuned for announcements—and join us if you’re interested in exploring these important topics further.

Save the Date:  

Block 1 Block Break 

Sense of Place Field Engagement.  
Join IEB, the FAC Museum, and the Hulbert Center for Southwest Studies for an overnight service trip to Taos, NM, at the historic Duran Family Talpa Chapel. In preparation, we will offer learning opportunities about the FAC’s Talpa Chapel santos collection, the chapel’s current condition, and the FAC’s ongoing reparative efforts with the Duran Family. Details and a signup link will be shared soon in Today at CC. This trip is open to students, staff, and faculty.   

Blocks 2, 4, 6, and 8 

Queer Connect Faculty and Staff Lunch Hour 
Bring your lunch to an informal gathering created to foster community, connection, and conversation among LGBTQIA+ faculty and staff. 

Hosted by the Butler Center.

More information and registration here.

Block 3

July 26 marked the 35th anniversary of the signing of the Americans with Disabilities Act. This incredible civil rights law, which was also amended in 2008, protects individuals with disabilities. CC is excited to celebrate people with disabilities being included in our campus community and we look forward to more celebrations in Block 3—stay tuned! 

More information about campus access, creating accessible college events, and general information about the ADA can be found on the ADA/504 Coordinator website or by reaching out to Sara Rotunno at srotunno@coloradocollege.edu.   

Throughout the Block, there are many cultural and religious observances. Please visit our website to learn about the many ways you can engage and support these observances on campus and in the community.