Update from One Merriman Lane | Improving Ripon’s Diversity and Inclusion Practices

Dear Ripon College community,

The murder of George Floyd in Minneapolis and the protests around the nation and the world in the past three weeks have delivered a long overdue message that institutions (and the individuals that lead and work within them) need to go beyond words of support and find solutions to become better and more inclusive organizations.

I have asked a group of faculty, staff, administrators and students to begin work this summer by critically examining Ripon College’s diversity and inclusion practices. Kara Kinas Jankowski, Chief of Staff to the President and the Dean of Faculty, will chair the committee and make recommendations from the group’s work to the Administrative Council.

While there is no limit to the areas of examination, I would like the group to particularly focus on how to improve the College’s admission and financial aid policies, use of student support services, hiring practices, and retention and graduation rates.

Now is the time for all of us to listen to each other, work together and respond. We need to do more than make statements of solidarity and become a fairer and more inclusive college (and nation). The work ahead may not be easy. The solutions will likely take many of us out of our comfort zones, but the time is now to find solutions. I know we can do better.

Best,

Zach Messitte
President


Related Posts

2023-2024 Ethics Bowl team

Ethics Bowl team represents Ripon at national competition

At the 28th annual National Ethics Bowl Competition held Feb. 25-26 in Cincinnati, Ohio, the Ripon College Ethics Bowl team won one preliminary round and […]

2024 MLK Spirit Awards presented to individuals representing ideals in philosophy and action

The Ripon College Center for Diversity and Inclusion and the Dean of Students office presented the 2024 MLK Spirit Awards Feb. 23 in honor of […]

Student singers performing

Ripon College choirs will perform Sunday

A choral concert presented by the Ripon College Choirs — Concert Choir, Choral Union and Chamber Singers — will begin at 3:15 p.m. Sunday, Feb. […]

Meredith Thiessen ’26, left, and Hannah Brockman ’24

Conference attendance allows education students to share ideas with those in the field

Hannah Brockman ’24 of Sun Prairie, Wisconsin, and Meredith Thiessen ’26 of Stoughton, Wisconsin, attended the 2023 Wisconsin Association for Language Teachers (WAFLT) conference in […]

Ripon College Logo