Georgia State students and faculty began many projects over the summer that are now influencing and changing the fall semester’s trajectory.
The Public Health Preparedness Task Force launched on March 4, and the Task Force for Racial Equality was announced on June 9. Among these efforts, Georgia State continues to create programs and find members within the community who will help improve recent issues plaguing the university.
The Website
On Aug. 26, Provost Wendy Hensel announced a website that centers around diversity and promoting racial equity.
The emailed announcement reiterated that Georgia State University President Mark Becker and Provost Wendy Hensel were developing a new “digital hub.”
“During the national reckoning over continued racial injustice, especially following recent police violence against Black civilians in the past week, it has never been clearer that Georgia State must be part of the solution,” the email stated.
The “digital hub” corresponds with the Office of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion announced by Becker on July 27.
Beginning as a page on the Provost website for DEI assistance, the website includes information and resources to address racial inequality and injustice better.
“There, you will find a myriad of resources about the actions Georgia State is taking to advance DEI at the university and in our society, as well as information about how you can get involved in creating change,” Hensel said.
Resources include information about upcoming activities, updates on the Racial Equality Task Force and a diversity database.
“Key to this site is our new, unique Diversity Database,” Hensel said. “There, you will find a searchable repository of nearly 140 DEI-related programs and initiatives from across the university.”
The repository enables students and faculty to search by keywords, programs and more.
The DEI website informs students who are working on what project, where students can find information and how they can help.
Students with a new initiative for the Institute of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion can submit their ideas to the survey.
The Campaign
Along with addressing racial inequality issues, the Georgia State community has been tackling COVID-19 since the start of the outbreak. On Sept. 9, the Georgia State School of Public Health announced a 7-step Public Health Campaign.
The Student Emergency Response Team, or SERT, is responsible for leading the campaign.
According to the School of Public Health’s website, “SERT is a part of the Campus of Care Committee, a collaborative effort between the School of Public Health and the Division of Student Success.” These students are considered COVID-19 ambassadors for the Georgia State community.
SERT ambassadors are to create a 7-step public health campaign that provides COVID-19 information while empowering students to wear masks and “act on public health knowledge to address health disparities.”
The campaign includes COVID-19 information modules, student-created videos and more.
The 2020 SERT Ambassadors are:
- Khadija Munye
- Fernanda Carlosama-Ruiz
- Jake Coldiron
- Daria Dozier
- Richie Perry, Jr.
Richie Perry said that the ambassadors meet once a week to discuss new methods of assisting the Georgia State community through these times.
“We have meetings on Friday,” he said. “We are supposed to be helping Georgia State handle emergencies, right now coronavirus.”
Students can submit a SERT ambassador request form to discuss COVID-19 and the university’s 7-step campaign with an ambassador.
