Employee Resource Groups (ERGs)

Group Leads

Emily Topacio
Rukmal Ryder
Sovicheth Boun

To join the Asian American Employee Resource Group, contact asianERG@salemstate.edu.

Mission Statement

The mission of the university’s Asian Employee Resource Group is to foster networking, professional development, mentoring, and leadership opportunities with a focus on the recruitment, retention, learning, and advancement of Asians at this institution.

Objectives

• Embrace a culture of inclusion and build awareness and appreciation for diversity
• Participate in the development of a diverse, pluralistic, and international community, which is one of the cornerstones of our university’s overall mission
• Facilitate networking and career development opportunities by connecting members with similar professional and personal interests by developing and encouraging a supportive network of Asian Americans in the university community
• Facilitate informal mentoring opportunities by providing guidance, advice, and training as well as sharing the exciting work being done throughout the university
• Sponsor professional and personal development workshops, seminars, and lectures featuring distinguished speakers
• Ensure that information about events of interest and members’ achievements is effectively distributed throughout the university
• Foster awareness of Asian issues by providing information to the university community about the historical and present contributions of Asians to American culture and society
• Promote and encourage shared cultural and social interests of the AERG membership, and the sharing of these interests with the greater university community
• Facilitate academic and administrative policies that recognize the professional accomplishments of the Asian faculty and staff and that reinforce worker equity for all Asian employees at the university
• Support the dignity of each member’s professional and working careers, giving assistance in the areas of promotion, tenure, upward mobility, academic success, and fair treatment

Group Leads

Ashleyne Alexis
Franklin Chilaka

To join the Black Employee Resource Group, contact berg@salemstate.edu.

Mission Statement

The mission of the university’s Black Employee Resource Group is to foster networking, professional development, mentoring, and leadership opportunities with a focus on the recruitment, retention, learning, and advancement of Black people at this institution.

Objectives

• Participate in the development of a diverse, pluralistic, and international community, which is one of the cornerstones of our university’s overall mission
• Facilitate networking and career development opportunities by connecting members with similar professional and personal interests by developing and encouraging a supportive network of Black people in the university community
• Facilitate informal mentoring opportunities by providing guidance, advice, and training as well as sharing the exciting work being done throughout the university
• Sponsor professional and personal development workshops, seminars, and lectures featuring distinguished speakers
• Ensure that information about events of interest and members’ achievements is effectively distributed throughout the university
• Foster awareness of issues in the Black community by providing information to the university about the historical and present contributions of Black people to American culture and society
• Promote and encourage shared cultural and social interests of the BERG membership, and the sharing of these interests with the greater university community
• Facilitate academic and administrative policies that recognize the professional accomplishments of Black faculty and staff and that reinforce worker equity for all Black employees at the university
• Support the dignity of each member’s professional and working careers, giving assistance in the areas of promotion, tenure, upward mobility, academic success, and fair treatment

Group Leads

Ezekiel Holt (Interim)
Megan Penyack

To join the Family/ Caregiver Employee Resource Group, contact caregiverserg@salemstate.edu.

Mission Statement

The mission and purpose of the university’s Family Caregivers Employee Resource Group is to suggest and influence policies, practices, and resources that will create a family-friendly environment that supports employees and students who serve as caretakers for children, parents, and/or other family members.

Objectives

• Embrace a culture of inclusion for employees and students who are family caregivers
• Bring awareness of and appreciation for the diversity that employees and students who are family caregivers bring to the university
• Facilitate forums and focus groups to assess the needs of faculty, staff, and students who are caregivers
• Conduct research into the best practices for family-friendliness in higher education institutions
• Propose and facilitate academic and administrative policies that recognize the professional accomplishments and needs of employees who are family caregivers that reinforce worker equity
• Support the dignity of each member’s professional and working career, giving assistance in the areas of promotion, tenure, upward mobility, academic success, and fair treatment
• Help students create a support group for student parents

Group Leads

Michele Davila Goncalves
Lucy Corchado

To join the Latinx Employee Resource Group, contact latinxerg@salemstate.edu.

Mission Statement

The mission of the university’s Latinx ERG is to foster networking, professional development, mentoring, and leadership opportunities with a focus on the recruitment, retention, learning, and advancement of Latinx members at this institution.

Objectives

1. Embrace a culture of inclusion and build awareness and appreciation for diversity.
2. Participate in the development of a diverse, pluralistic, and international community, which is one of the cornerstones of our university’s overall mission.
3. Facilitate networking and career development opportunities by connecting members with similar professional and personal interests by developing and encouraging a supportive network of Latinx faculty and staff in the university community.
4. Facilitate informal mentoring opportunities by providing guidance, advice, and training as well as sharing the exciting work being done throughout the university.
5. Sponsor faculty and staff for professional and personal development workshops, seminars, and lectures featuring distinguished speakers, and ensure that information about events of interest and members’ achievements is effectively distributed throughout the university.
6. Foster awareness of Latinx issues by providing information to the university community about the historical and present contributions of Latinx peoples to American culture and society.
7. Promote and encourage shared cultural and social interests of the Latinx ERG, and the sharing of these interests with the greater university community.
8. Facilitate academic and administrative policies that recognize the professional accomplishments of the Latinx faculty and staff and that reinforce worker equity for all Latinx employees at the university.
9. Support the dignity of each member’s professional and working careers, giving assistance in the areas of promotion, tenure, upward mobility, academic success, and fair treatment.

Group Leads

Tom Durkee
Jesus Montoya

To join the LGBTQ+ Employee Resource Group, contact lgbtqerg@salemstate.edu.

Mission Statement

The mission of the university’s LGBTQ+ ERG is to promote the personal and professional growth and support of all faculty, staff, and administrators employed in any capacity at the institution. The ERG is committed to creating a welcoming, safe, and supportive work environment for members and/or allies of the LGBTQ+ community. The ERG promotes an affirmation of the unique intersectionality of identities that compose the LGBTQ+ community through recruitment, retention, professional development, networking, mentorship, and accessing various resources.

Objectives

1. Embrace a culture of inclusion and build awareness and appreciation for diversity.
2. Participate in the development of a diverse, pluralistic, and international community, which is one of the cornerstones of our university’s overall mission.
3. Facilitate networking and career development opportunities by connecting members with similar professional and personal interests by developing and encouraging a supportive network of LGBTQ+ faculty, staff and administrators and/or their allies in the university community.
4. Facilitate informal mentoring opportunities by providing guidance, advice, and training as well as sharing the exciting work being done throughout the university.
5. Sponsor faculty, staff and administrators in an effort to expand their personal and professional development though participation in workshops, seminars, and lectures featuring distinguished speakers that have or continue to impact the LGBTQ+ community.
6. Promote the visibility of the LGBTQ+ community at the university through the effective dissemination of faculty, staff, and administrator contributions and achievements within their work to advance the progress of our collective community.
7. Foster awareness of LGBTQ+ issues by providing information, perspective, and context to the university community about the historical and present contributions of LGBTQ+ peoples to American culture and society.
8. Develop and facilitate social experiences for the LGBTQ+ community and its allies that contribute to strong and supportive relationships between faculty, staff, and administrators with the intention of furthering networking and mentorship opportunities.
9. Support and affirm university policies and positions that recognize the integral role of LGBTQ+ community members in contributing to the advancement of social justice and global citizenship.
10. Support a commitment to worker equity for all LGBTQ+ faculty, staff, and administrators in their continued efforts to maintain dignity around their professional careers by offering assistance and mentorship in the areas of promotion, tenure, upward mobility, academic success and fair treatment in the workplace.

Group Leads

Michelle Pierce
Bonnie Galinski

To join the Women Empowerment Employee Resource Group, contact werg@salemstate.edu.

Mission Statement

The mission of the university’s women’s resource group is to develop programming on campus that provides support, promotes collaboration, fosters networking, and encourages education and advancement of women on campus.

Objectives

1. Outreach to the Salem State community to understand the issues they’re facing as working women and develop programming and tools that educate and provide support to women.
2. Facilitate collaboration and encourage mentorship for emerging women leaders.
3. Sponsor professional workshops that provide relevant tools that women need to succeed in the workforce.
4. Host events that address current issues women are facing.