Marist Teams Up with CEO Action for Diversity & Inclusion to Help People “Check Their Blind Spots” for Unconscious Bias
The “Check Your Blind Spots” tour offers visitors an educational experience on unconscious bias. Unconscious bias is when a person’s background, personal experiences, societal stereotypes and cultural context can have an impact on decisions and actions without them realizing. “Research show that the unconscious mind makes the majority of a person’s decisions and creates blind spots—unconscious biases that can narrow our vision of others and influence behavior,” said Freddimir Garcia, Special Assistant to the President for Diversity, Inclusion, and Community Engagement at Marist.
The “Check Your Blind Spots” event educates through videos, quizzes, and other information. Visitors will be exposed to the nuances of unconscious bias and will have the opportunity to learn about affecting change toward a more inclusive society.
Earlier this year, Marist joined CEO Action for Diversity & Inclusion, a growing coalition of employers pledging to advance diversity and inclusion in the workplace. Marist President David Yellen has been deeply committed to increasing diversity at the College since taking the helm in 2016. The collective of more than 350 signatories includes more than 40 college and university presidents. Participating colleges and companies have shared more than 300 best known actions, exchanging tangible learning opportunities, and creating collaborative conversations via the initiative’s unified hub, CEOAction.com. The actions showcase real-life examples of the open and transparent conversations to cultivate more diverse and inclusive workplace environments. A recent study found that 85 percent of those surveyed reported that diversity is a key component to fostering innovation.
The College is currently conducting a campus climate survey and has sought ways to increase the diversity of its workforce. Moving ahead, the College will utilize data from the campus climate survey to inform new diversity initiatives. The actions from CEO Action partners will also be integral to this work.
“A diverse and inclusive workforce facilitates community, but also drives innovation and creativity,” said Garcia.
About CEO Action for Diversity & Inclusion™
CEO Action for Diversity & Inclusion™ is led by a steering committee of CEOs and leaders from Accenture, BCG, Deloitte US, The Executive Leadership Council, EY, General Atlantic, KPMG, New York Life, Procter & Gamble, and PwC. The coalition represents 85 industries, all 50 U.S. States, and millions of employees globally.
About Marist
Located on the banks of the historic Hudson River and at its Florence, Italy campus, Marist College is a comprehensive, independent institution grounded in the liberal arts. Its mission is to “help students develop the intellect, character, and skills required for enlightened, ethical, and productive lives in the global community of the 21st century.” Marist is consistently recognized for excellence by The Princeton Review (Colleges That Create Futures and The Best 381 Colleges), U.S. News & World Report (9th Best Regional University/North), Kiplinger’s Personal Finance (“Best College Values”), and others. Marist educates approximately 5,000 traditional-age undergraduate students and 1,400 adult and graduate students in 47 undergraduate majors and 15 graduate programs, including fully online MBA, MPA, MS, and MA degrees. www.marist.it.marist.edu
