UPDATE: The College will release its plan for immediate and long-term steps to improve diversity and inclusion by the end of next week. It will include areas such as ongoing outreach to various constituencies; faculty, staff, and student training; curriculum; hiring practices and mentoring; admissions; the process for investigating bias; presidential search; and our commitment to our local community. Below please find a statement unanimously adopted by the Marist College Board of Trustees.

---

At Marist College, we are committed to establishing a community in which everyone feels welcomed, valued, and supported. We realize also that that community must reflect the diversity of our nation and world if our students are to develop the qualities necessary for effective collaboration and leadership in today’s global society.

The College is working to ensure greater access to a Marist education and to foster an environment in which equality, mutual respect, tolerance, and active engagement are the building blocks of growth among our students.

Consequently, we condemn the systemic racism that for centuries has allowed violence to continue against our Black brothers and sisters. Today, we are at a moral tipping point; the heritage upon which our College was founded held life as precious and to be cherished. We at Marist believe that Black lives matter. We make this statement based not only on our College’s values, but also because of our moral beliefs and the principles enumerated in the 13th, 14th, and 15th amendments to our US Constitution.