Jesse Bernal Leaving Position

Director of Office for Diversity and Inclusion to Work at Another University

Krista ClawsonTHE SANTA CLARAFebruary 12, 2014 

[dropcap]J[/dropcap]esse Bernal, director of the Office for Diversity and Inclusion, will leave Santa Clara tomorrow to work as vice president for inclusion and equity at Grand Valley State University in Michigan.

During his year at Santa Clara, Bernal’s efforts made the Office for Diversity and Inclusion more prominent.

Bernal also assisted the Alumni Association in welcoming the return of Santa Clara’s first African American graduate, Mel Lewis, and collaborated with Undergraduate Admissions on programming the annual “SCU Trio” yield events for students of Latino, Asian-Pacific Islander and African descent.

He conducted training sessions on unconscious bias and safe spaces, helped form faculty and staff workshops to increase awareness about issues of diversity and inclusion and contributed to programs hosted by the Office for Multicultural Learning.

Aldo Billingslea, associate provost for diversity and inclusion, said Bernal’s greatest contribution to Santa Clara is “the faculty hiring toolkit, which offers department chairs, search chairs and deans a set of guidelines for creating an inclusive search based on best practices.”

He established the ODI Advisory Council and helped bring the Blind Cafe to Santa Clara, a dinner that allows participants to simulate the experience of being blind. Bernal also helped organize a campus rally and march on Martin Luther King Jr.’s birthday.

“(Bernal) is an extraordinary employee and replacing him will not be easy,” Billingslea said. “Fortunately, the process has begun, and while we won’t put a timeline on it, we hope to replace him sooner rather than later.”

Contact Krista Clawson at kclawson@scu.edu or call (408) 554-4852.