Commitment to Diversity and Inclusion

Dear Fellow Community Members,

I believe that the only way for our university to be truly successful in achieving our founding purpose is to celebrate, support, and elevate a diverse collection of voices from across our campus community. As we join together to celebrate Black History Month, we have an opportunity to acknowledge and honor the vital role that the African-American community has played in helping Illinois Tech become what it is today.

As a school founded to kindle the flame of innovation, we are incredibly proud of our African-American alumni who have gone on to not only blaze a trail for others to follow, but also to lead and redefine their fields. From Ida Platt (LAW 1894), the first African-American woman lawyer in Illinois, to Wendell Campbell (ARCH ’56), founder and first president of the National Organization of Minority Architects, to Marc Hannah (EE ’77), co-founder of Silicon Graphics, Inc., we are honored to count an incredible amount of icons among our list of distinguished alumni.

In honor of our incredible alumni community, we hope that you will join us via Zoom on Thursday, February 24, from 4–5:30 p.m. for Built by Black History, a presentation of the numerous contributions made by Illinois Tech’s African-American alumni, along with some of the local pioneers who influenced Chicago Black history. The presentation was assembled by Louis S. Hureston (EE '82), the IIT African-American Alumni Association (IIT-4A) vice chair, in collaboration with Michael E. Hill (CS '82), the IIT-4A co-founder, chair emeritus, and current IIT-4A historian. Please register online, and please contact Dionna Anderson with any questions regarding the event.

In keeping with our commitment to purpose-driven citizenship, I have been honored to meet with and learn from community leaders throughout Bronzeville over the past several months. We all recognize the incredible history and importance of Bronzeville throughout the region and throughout the country, and I believe we have an opportunity to engage more actively with our neighbors to celebrate that history and tell the story of Bronzeville. Throughout these conversations, it is clear that Black history is continuing to happen all around us, particularly here in Bronzeville, and as an anchor institution within this community, we must embrace this opportunity to elevate and support these critical voices for the betterment of all. We must all strive to refamiliarize and engage with the African-American cultural legacy on our campus, including the Alpha Suffrage Club, South Side Settlement House, Binga Arcade, and Mecca Flats. In so doing, we both elevate the historical prominence of Bronzeville within the larger American cultural experience and support this incredible community that we are fortunate enough to call home.

During this Black History Month, I would like to extend my personal gratitude to all of you for continuing to strive to make our One Illinois Tech community a more welcoming and inclusive place for all.
 
Sincerely,

Raj Echambadi
President, Illinois Institute of Technology

Dear Fellow Community Members,

Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. said that “life’s most persistent and urgent question is, ‘What are you doing for others?’” At Illinois Tech, I believe that we are called to answer that question by living up to our founding purpose to serve as an engine of opportunity for all. One way we can learn how to make a difference is by listening to, and learning from, the wisdom of people who have helped make the world a better place.

As a part of the university’s 2022 Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day programming, I invite you to one such conversation that is taking place virtually on Friday, January 14, from 12:30–1:30 p.m.
 
Our university is proud to host “Lessons from Little Rock ,” a virtual discussion with Terrence Roberts, Ph.D., who, along with Illinois Tech alumna Gloria Ray Karlmark, was a member of the Little Rock Nine that integrated Little Rock Central High School in 1957. This discussion, organized by the Illinois Tech Office of Community Affairs and Outreach Programs, is being held in partnership with the Museum of Tolerance and Organic Oneness. I hope you will join us for this conversation with Roberts so that we may seek to leverage the lessons from his first-hand experience on the forefront of the modern civil rights movement. To attend, please register online.

Thank you for honoring the memory of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and for contributing to a more inclusive and equitable campus, community, and world.

Sincerely,

Raj Echambadi
President, Illinois Institute of Technology

Peter Kilpatrick
Provost, Illinois Institute of Technology

Dear Students, Faculty, and Staff,

As your president, I am committed to listening and leading based on the collective wisdom of our community. To begin that process this fall, I’m happy to share that we will hold a series of listening sessions throughout the next several weeks.

Through these discussions, I hope to gain a deeper understanding of the experiences, questions, and concerns of our university community, as well as to learn from diverse perspectives, in order to help guide the university through collaboration and co-creation. It’s important to emphasize that the below sessions are just a beginning. I plan to hold many more sessions and similar events focused on learning more about the lived experiences of all our many valued community members.

• Undergraduate Student Listening Session: September 29, 4–5 p.m.
  • MTCC Auditorium
• Graduate Student Listening Session: September 30, 3–4 p.m.
  • MTCC Auditorium
• Faculty Listening Session: October 4, 3–4 p.m.
  • MTCC Auditorium
• Staff Listening Session: October 8, 1–2 p.m.
  • MTCC Auditorium

All of these listening sessions will also be live streamed at www.iit.edu/president/listeningtour for your convenience. Auditorium space will be limited, so we please ask that you kindly register by clicking here.

In addition, I am pleased to announce a new “Ask the President” question form in an effort to capture your ongoing questions and feedback throughout the year.

As I said during my inaugural address, it is my sincerely held belief that our students, faculty, and staff are the university's greatest resource, and I look forward to learning from and collaborating with you in the coming weeks.

Sincerely,

Raj Echambadi
President, Illinois Institute of Technology

Dear Students, Faculty, and Staff,
 
As you know, June marks Pride Month, an opportunity to honor and celebrate the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ+) members of our community. Our LGBTQ+ students, faculty, staff, and alumni continue to be an integral part of the strength of our Illinois Tech community, helping us to meet our university’s founding purpose to serve as a place that advances technology and progress for all.

We hope that you will join us in honoring Pride Month and the important history behind it by picking up your Pride ribbons and buttons from The McCormick Tribune Campus Center, Room 203 on Tuesday, June 8, from 9 a.m.–3 p.m. and by celebrating throughout the city at events such as Chicago Pride Fest on North Halsted Street (June 19–20) and Chicago Pride in the Park at Grant Park (June 26–27). Additionally, the Office of Campus Life has compiled a list of a podcast, a playlist, and resources to help recognize and support Pride Month.

As we celebrate the accomplishments of the LGBTQ+ community, we must be vigilant in opposing and speaking out against discrimination directed toward LGBTQ+ community members. No one should fear violence or attack because of who they are, and Illinois Tech stands against, and will always stand against, such hate and intolerance. We must all continue to work together toward a more inclusive and equitable campus, community, and nation. 
 
Sincerely,
 
Alan W. Cramb
President, Illinois Institute of Technology
 
Peter Kilpatrick
Provost, Illinois Institute of Technology

Dear Students, Faculty, and Staff,
 
Today we acknowledge and celebrate Jewish American Heritage Month, a commemoration of the Jewish American experience and the incredible impact of the Jewish American community on our campus, our city, and our nation. 
 
Our Jewish American students, faculty, staff, and alumni have enriched our university greatly, and we are proud of the strength and leadership they show in representing the spirit of equitable innovation that has come to define Illinois Tech.
 
Recently, we have witnessed a new wave of antisemitism in the United States that we as a community must stand together to condemn and work against in every form. Illinois Tech was founded on the principle that everyone deserves a seat at the table of innovation, regardless of race, gender, socioeconomic background, or belief system. Intolerance is contrary to the fundamental purpose of our university, and we remain committed to providing a safe campus community that empowers not only our Jewish American community members, but also individuals from all backgrounds to thrive here at Illinois Tech.
 
We thank you for all of your earnest efforts as we work together toward a more inclusive and equitable future.
 
Sincerely,
 
Alan W. Cramb
President, Illinois Institute of Technology
 
Peter Kilpatrick
Provost, Illinois Institute of Technology

Dear Students, Faculty, and Staff,
 
Today marks one year since the heartbreaking murder of George Floyd by a police officer in Minnesota. The killing of George Floyd led to a long-overdue reckoning of the racial injustice that continues to afflict our nation. Although this national reflection began too late for the Floyd family, it is a necessary journey that must continue to forge new growth. Illinois Tech has embarked on a journey of deep learning, along with many other businesses and universities across the nation, to reflect on how we can work to dismantle systemic inequity and racial disparity and how we can each play a part in bringing about a more just and inclusive future.

We must continue to embrace the opportunity to dismantle broken systems and rebuild trust. We must meet these challenges—and meet them with meaningful action. Critical discussions around all facets of social justice are important first steps, but, to truly honor the life of George Floyd and countless others, we must take what we’ve learned from those conversations and operationalize them. We must carve new paths with new systems that treat everyone with the humanity and dignity that each of us deserves.  

On behalf of the leadership of Illinois Tech, we pledge to continue the important work ahead of us; to make sure that our university is a place that feels safe, supportive, inclusive, and welcoming for all our students, faculty, and staff; and to ensure that equity and a sense of belonging are at the center of these efforts. Working together we can use our voices to drive real change across this nation. Let us live up to our founding mission and truly create and innovate a world that is just and equitable. 
 
Sincerely,
 
Alan W. Cramb
President, Illinois Institute of Technology
 
Peter Kilpatrick
Provost, Illinois Institute of Technology

Dear Students, Faculty, and Staff,
 
This month, we celebrate Asian American and Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander Heritage Month and offer deep gratitude for the immeasurable contributions that AANHPI students, faculty, and staff make to Illinois Tech.
 
As we reflect on the origins of this celebration—which commemorates both the arrival of the first Japanese immigrants to the United States and the completion of the transcontinental railroad, which was built in large part by disenfranchised Chinese laborers—we must acknowledge the reality of past injustices and move forward to a better and more equitable future together.
 
As you know, this year has seen a rise in anti-Asian hate crimes across our nation. In the face of these incidents, we must recognize and work together against such injustices by supporting every member of the Illinois Tech community. As we have said before, racism and intolerance have no place on our campus, and in honor of Asian American and Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander Heritage Month, we call on every member of the Scarlet Hawks community to ask themselves what they can do—not only this month, but throughout the entire year—to help make our campus a more welcoming, safe, and inclusive community for all.
 
We hope that you will take the time to partake in some of the many community events this month honoring the AANHPI experience, including:

●  Tours of the Chinese American Museum of Chicago
●. Volunteer opportunities with Asian Americans Advancing Justice
●. A virtual screening and discussion session for the film Far East, Deep South on Saturday, May 15, presented by the Illinois Tech Office of Community Affairs
 
Thank you for all that you do to continue to inspire and ensure a diverse, inclusive, and welcoming campus culture.
 
Sincerely,
 
Alan W. Cramb
President, Illinois Institute of Technology
 
Peter Kilpatrick
Provost, Illinois Institute of Technology

Dear Students, Faculty, and Staff,
 
We are deeply saddened and outraged over the acts of bigotry, hatred, and intolerance targeting members of Asian-American and Pacific Islander communities this week in Atlanta, and over the last year in California, Chicago, and New York. These attacks are part of a disturbing trend of increased hate crimes against AAPI community members across the nation. We have always had a very large AAPI community within Illinois Tech—within our student body, our faculty, and our staff. Every member of this community is vital to our success as a university, as well as being our friends, our colleagues, and part of our university family.
 
We must all commit ourselves to doing everything in our power to seek out the root causes of bigotry whenever we see it and to put a stop to it, both on our campus and throughout our communities. At this time, we would ask you, as one Illinois Tech community, to show true support, care, and concern for our fellow students, faculty, and staff.  
 
One of the most important feelings that we can develop is a sense of belonging, where all of our community members see our university not only as a safe haven, where they can work and study and grow, but also a place where they are appreciated and valued by each other. At this time, as we reach out to our AAPI community, we should also reach out to our other communities—our African-American, our undocumented, our Muslim, and our LGBTQ communities, who have also been subjected to intolerance and abuse—and continue to support them.
 
Thank you for your support for one another and for always working to strengthen our community. We pledge to continue partnering with each of you to make our community more welcoming, inclusive, and equitable—where everyone can develop a true sense of belonging. This should be the Illinois Tech way.
 
Sincerely,
 
Alan W. Cramb
President, Illinois Institute of Technology
 
Peter Kilpatrick
Provost, Illinois Institute of Technology

Dear Students, Faculty, and Staff,

As our country and our university celebrate Black History Month this February, we would like to recognize some of Illinois Tech’s Black alumni, students, faculty, staff, and friends whose inspiring contributions to Illinois Tech have shaped our university as much for its academic excellence as for its inclusivity and diversity.

From Illinois Tech’s founding as a university that lifts up people from all backgrounds through access to a world-class education, Illinois Tech has remained committed to liberating the collective power of difference to advance technology and progress for all. We simply would not be where we are today without the dedication and selfless work of the Black members of our community who have furthered this legacy by creating new opportunities for future generations of Illinois Tech students and, in the words of President Barack Obama, by choosing to be “the change that we seek.”

Our community takes great pride in these individuals—alumni such as Charles Pierce (CHE 1901), the first graduate of our university’s chemical engineering program and the nation’s first-known African-American degree-holding chemical engineer, who dedicated his professional life to educating Black students in engineering and science. Frank Crossley (CHE ’45, M.S. MET ’47, Ph.D. ’50), the first person to earn a Ph.D. in metallurgical engineering at Illinois Tech and the first person of African ancestry in the world to earn a Ph.D. in the field, whose military successes helped lead to the desegregation of the U.S. Armed Forces. Alumna Gloria Ray Karlmark (CHEM, MATH ’65), one of the Little Rock Nine who stood up with fellow classmates against segregation at her Arkansas high school in 1957, whose career in science and technology helped to pave the way for others in fields where Black people are underrepresented. Jeff Donaldson (ID ’63), an artist and historian, and the painter and printmaker Barbara Jones-Hogu (ID ’70), who played central roles in the development of the prolific Wall of Respect mural on Chicago’s South Side and who were among the founders of AfriCobra (African Commune of Bad Relevant Artists), a group that promoted Black liberation, social responsibility, and unity through its art. Wilson Frost (LAW ’58), a Chicago alderman in the 1960s, ’70s, and ’80s who sought to inspire young Blacks to become elected officials. Charles “Chuck” Harrison (M.S. DSGN ’63), one of the first African-American industrial designers of his era and the first to lead a design department at a major corporation, Sears, Roebuck and Company, and the mind behind popular items such as the plastic trash can, the redesigned View-Master handheld image-reel viewer, and the riding lawn mower. And Nate Thomas, who established the Early Identification Program at Illinois Tech and personally recruited many young aspiring engineers, computer scientists, architects, and medical experts from diverse backgrounds to Illinois Tech.

As members of the Illinois Tech community, we are all beneficiaries of their courage and commitment. We are all responsible for honoring their work—and the work of many other Black alumni, students, faculty, staff, and friends—by further shaping a community that is actively and proactively open, welcoming, aware, and equitable. We are also responsible for standing up against bias and social structures that prevent equity. And we can do more. We can continue to inform ourselves, practice understanding, seek out diverse opinions, and approach one another with open hearts and minds. 

To this end, Illinois Tech’s Office of Community Affairs and Outreach has planned events this February that will provide our community with more opportunities to explore Black history and better understand the challenges that prevent equity. These include a film screening and discussion of The Color Tax: Origins of the Modern Day Racial Wealth Gap, which will be held on February 18, as well as a February 26 screening of 40th: The Story of Bishop Robert Williams and Roberts Temple, which documents Bishop William Roberts and the Roberts Temple Church of God in Christ, located just south of the university’s Mies Campus. 

We hope you will take time this month to celebrate our Black community members and their many wonderful contributions to our campus, community, and country, and to seek ways to contribute to and honor their work throughout the year.

Sincerely,

Alan W. Cramb
President
Illinois Institute of Technology

Peter Kilpatrick
Provost
Illinois Institute of Technology

Dear Students, Faculty, and Staff, 
 
As we enter our spring 2021 semester, we begin our new year with a day of remembrance, reflection, and reaffirmation of the principles taught by Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. 
 
This national holiday not only calls on us to look back at the troubled history and profound injustice of racial inequity in the United States, but also provides us with an opportunity to think about how we all can contribute to the “creation of the beloved community.” To quote Dr. King, “The time is always right to do what is right.” We must dedicate ourselves to dismantling injustice and systemic bias wherever we hold the space and privilege to do so. 
 
Over the last several months, many throughout the university have engaged in important work to ensure that we are guided by the principles of equity and inclusion so central to the university’s founding purpose. From that work, the university has committed to a number of important initiatives, including hiring a vice president for diversity, equity, and inclusion, increasing the number of Black students and facilitating their success on campus, increasing the number of Black faculty, increasing the number of scholarships available to Bronzeville and underrepresented Chicago-area students, increasing the number of Black staff leaders, supporting and listening to Black students, and strengthening cultural awareness across our entire community. 
 
Next week the Office of Community Affairs and Outreach Programs, headed by Alicia Bunton, will sponsor an MLK commemorative program that will focus on the intersection of race, power, and the law. Attorney James D. Montgomery Sr. will discuss his book Full Circle: Race, Law & Justice on Tuesday, January 26 at noon (CST). I hope that you will join this and future critical conversations about how to move our society and our campus community forward toward greater equity.
 
The year 2020 was unlike any other, and for many of us around the nation it gave us an opportunity to think more critically about our roles in society and the systemic racism that continues to afflict it. As we turn the page on a new year, we challenge every member of the Illinois Tech community to reflect on ways to positively contribute to our university’s founding purpose to liberate the collective power of difference to advance technology and progress for all.
 
Sincerely,
 
Alan W. Cramb
President, Illinois Institute of Technology
 
Peter Kilpatrick
Provost, Illinois Institute of Technology

Dear Students, Faculty, and Staff, 

As I watched the assault on Congress this week—an event that I never thought I would see in this country—I was moved to reflect on why I chose to move here and why I became a citizen. I came to America because I believed it stood for equality and liberty, that it was a place where anyone could be successful and where each person could chart the nation’s future through voting and peaceful civil discourse. I’m appalled by Wednesday’s events because they amount to an attack on the idea of America itself.

The civil unrest we witnessed did not change my view of what the United States of America represents. It has only reinforced the necessity for us to better understand and embrace the democratic process and to accept its results, whether we like them or not. 

I hope that as we move forward, we will all better appreciate that we are a country of laws that are not optional and do not change with circumstance. When we disagree, we must do so peacefully, acknowledging the right of others to do the same, without such differences causing division or rancor. 

Illinois Institute of Technology will always stand for and support a just, equitable, and democratic United States of America, where education allows us each to follow our dreams and where diversity and inclusion will always be embraced.

Sincerely,

Alan W. Cramb
President, Illinois Institute of Technology
 

Dear Students, Faculty, and Staff,
As the events following the tragic death of George Floyd in Minneapolis have created unrest in our city, state, and nation, I want to reaffirm our unwavering support of our students, faculty, staff, alumni, and Bronzeville neighbors of African descent. Simply put, the university unequivocally condemns discrimination and violence against all African Americans within our community and across the country. 

The pain and outrage that many of us feel at this time is palpable. I reaffirm this university’s ongoing and strong commitment against racism of all kinds. Our university is dedicated to peacefully working with our community to reject fear, violence, and injustice and to contribute to positive change in Chicago and in our nation. 

Our university was founded to bridge inequity in education and opportunity—and that informs every aspect of who we are as a university. As outlined in our Statement on Community, Inclusion, and Diversity, “We embrace the contributions that differences offer.”

Please stay safe during this difficult time.

Sincerely,
Alan W. Cramb
President, Illinois Institute of Technology

First of all, thank you to our faculty and staff who enabled our students to finish their spring semester and graduate on time. At that time we successfully took care of more than 500 students who chose to remain on campus. Currently, there are more than 200 in our housing. This experience gives us some confidence in our abilities to look after our on-campus students during this pandemic. Our priority is—and always will be—focused on the success of our students. And even though our Commencement was virtual for the first time, I think it was successful.

We are in a time like no other in our history. We are experiencing the COVID-19 pandemic, we must reopen in August, and it is not likely that any new international graduate students will join our university in the fall. In addition, we must also understand our role in addressing the systemic racism so apparent in our society. We must embrace and support the Black Lives Matter movement, and we must say clearly in one voice that Black Lives Matter.

This means we must renew our commitment to substantially increasing access for African-American students to our university, as well as increasing the number of African-American faculty and staff members and opening doors of opportunities for their advancement, as well as working to be an even better partner with our Bronzeville neighbors. 

In fact, planning and efforts are underway to address these important matters, sparked by significant conversations over the last several months with African-American trustees, alumni, and current students. I have met—and will continue to meet—with our students to better understand their needs. It is clear that our university must become more welcoming, must better understand how we can support student success, and must recognize that we have not done enough to make sure our African-American students feel supported and valued. I have heard very troubling concerns from our African-American students ranging from classroom interactions to a large disconnect between expectations and reality. I have received suggestions for change from our trustees and from our student body, and I will listen even more and communicate a detailed plan that is first discussed among our faculty and staff—as it is clear that a top-down solution will not be successful. We as a community must change.  

Certain facts are clear:

• We must increase the number of African-American faculty in all of our schools and colleges. Our provost will lead this initiative.
• We must increase the number of African-American students on our various campus sites and develop a culture that allows them to be successful, not only during their student years, but also once they graduate. Mike Gosz will lead the initiative to increase our African-American students, and our provost, our deans, and our Student Life professionals, led by Katie Stetz, will be focused on developing an appropriate campus culture to allow and promote retention and graduation of these students. Our goal must be that ALL students have a similar experience that is inclusive, enriching, and enables them for success.
• We must increase the number of scholarships available in Bronzeville and in Chicago for students who graduate from high schools around us, and we must become a partner with these schools to enable future success. Ernie Iseminger and I, with our board, alumni, and friends, will work on this aspect of our future.
• We must increase the number of African-American faculty and staff leaders on our campus by developing a pathway program to develop such leaders. Peter Kilpatrick and Mike Horan will lead this effort.
• We must reinvigorate the development of our culture that supports ALL people, especially those who have been underrepresented on our campus, to allow for future success. Our deans and vice presidents, our Faculty Council, our Staff Council, and student leadership, under the guidance of the provost and I, will lead this effort.  
• Stating a desired outcome is not the same as achieving that outcome, and I am asking the above groups to meet and formulate concrete plans that we will implement going forward. This is not a short-term problem and will need long-term solutions. We will become the university where difference is important. Diversity has been baked into our community’s DNA for over a century, unlike other universities, for which this is a relatively new undertaking.

Our future as a university is changing significantly due to the pandemic but also due to the fact the national policy will make it less appealing for international students to come to the United States. In the past, we, as a strategy, decided to become a global university, and we became very successful under the guidance of Darsh Wasan; however, it is doubtful if this strategy will be successful in the future. We have been growing as an undergraduate university to mitigate decreasing international enrollment. The discussion of elimination of OPT, reduction in H1B visas, and increasing difficulty in becoming a citizen has led to a decreasing trend in student numbers over the past few years; and as numbers decrease we have seen much greater competition not only within the U.S., but also in other countries.

The pandemic has accelerated these issues, and now we are predicting no new international students in the fall semester and perhaps the spring semester. This became clear only at the end of May. At our board meeting I discussed this with our board members, and we were required to present a “worst case” financial scenario, which we shared with you on June 2, as that now seems to be realistic. Peter and Mike Horan will discuss this in detail, but we face a very tough year going forward. But it is a year we will overcome. Our strategy has been to maintain our full-time faculty and staff, and attempt to ensure that their take-home pay does not decrease and their jobs continue, thus the steps taken in the June 2 memo. The provost will discuss the steps taken to balance our income with our expenditures.

There have been questions, such as will administrators face the same cuts as faculty and staff, and the answer is of course. If there are no salary increases and benefit reductions, there are no salary increases and benefit reductions for everyone. Let me talk about bonuses. First of all, until the faculty and staff receive a salary increase and resumption of full retirement benefits, I will not receive the part of my salary that is based on board requirements negotiated each year. My salary is set up that if I make the criteria that the board requires, I receive my full salary—a salary that is comparable to the average of other university presidents. Thus, my salary is an incentive-based salary that I must achieve. It is not a conventional bonus system. If I do not achieve certain goals, my salary can decrease by up to 30 percent. Thus, this year, my salary will decrease by 25 percent compared to last year. By the way, I do not set my salary; the board does, and all increases of administrators are approved by the board, and the salary pool percentage for administrators is set at the salary average approved in our budget each year. There are, however, some people who are hired who have deferred salary, which they receive if they stay a certain amount of time. This also turns up as a bonus in IRS filings, but this is not a traditional bonus either, but a promise that the university must and will honor.

Lastly, we must reopen in the fall. Without students on our campus and in our housing, we are not financially viable—no traditional university is. Thus, we must reopen in the fall with an on-campus experience. It is also what our students want and expect. Bruce Watts will describe the reopening procedures to enable the potential for operation of our various campus sites in the fall.

I have reviewed all of the questions that were posted online before the meeting and tried to answer some of the very general comments during this time. After presentations by Peter Kilpatrick and Bruce Watts, Nick Menhart will moderate a session to answer a number of the online questions and, if there is time, he will open up for live questions. After the town hall, we will post answers to questions that could not be answered live.

Thank you.

Alan W. Cramb
President, Illinois Institute of Technology

Dear Students, Faculty, and Staff:

As you likely know, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) issued guidance on July 6 regarding fall 2020 semester registration for all F-1 international students. The department notes that this guidance will be formalized as a temporary final rule in the near future.  

Like many of you, I share deep concerns about the timing, motivation, and substance of the guidance. Our university, our city, and our nation are deeply enriched by the contributions of our international community members. Our university has been, and will continue to be, a place where all are welcomed and supported in their pursuit of educational excellence.

Recently, I became a national co-chair of the Presidents’ Alliance on Higher Education and Immigration, a group of nearly 500 university and college presidents committed to advocating for undocumented and international students. Many universities across the nation share our concern with this new policy, and I am currently working with the Presidents’ Alliance to explore ways to support the legal challenge to these new government mandates. 

I want to assure all our affected international students that the university currently plans on in-person instruction this fall, with sufficient hybrid options. Though the final rule has not been issued by ICE, the university intends to work to make appropriate options available so that all affected students can meet the government’s requirements and remain on campus. 

The International Center along with academic advisers and the Office of the Registrar will work closely with all of our continuing  F-1 and J-1 international students to ensure that they are enrolled in as many in-person and/or hybrid courses as possible to remain compliant with the new regulations.

Please note that the fall 2020 semester course schedule is being revised to accommodate city and state reopening guidelines, and current course schedules in the portal may not be updated yet. The Office of the Registrar will notify all students when the schedule is available along with instructions explaining how to check schedules on the portal and make changes, if necessary.

Thank you for your continued contributions to our university.

Sincerely,

Alan W. Cramb, President
Illinois Institute of Technology

Dear Illinois Tech Students, Faculty, and Staff,

It is critical that we continue to say clearly with one voice that Black Lives Matter. 
The university leadership and I condemn all forms of racism—structural, institutional, and individual— directed toward Black people in the United States and across the world, and we are committed to ensuring inclusion and representation on campus. 

I recognize that the university needs to do more to create an atmosphere where Black people feel included, valued, and supported. Since fall 2019 I have met—and will continue to meet—with Black students, faculty, and staff to better understand their concerns and implement ideas for needed change across the university. We will significantly improve the environment and ensure that our university becomes a more welcoming place.

Vice President of Diversity, Equity, and, Inclusion
To ensure that the university makes substantial and rapid progress, I have decided to create the position of vice president of diversity, equity, and inclusion, which will report directly to me. A link to the full job description and directions for how to apply for this position will be shared with the university community soon. I strongly encourage interested staff and faculty at Illinois Tech to apply for this position.

The first goal of this new vice president will be to develop a comprehensive plan to support and expand diversity initiatives and measure outcomes at Illinois Tech. To assist in this effort, university leaders and the deans have been working to identify specific areas of focus and improvement. Although many areas of improvement were identified, they are all unified under the following key priorities: 
 
Increasing the Number of Black Students and Facilitating Their Success on Campus
Mike Gosz, vice president for enrollment and senior vice provost, is building new partnerships with Chicago Public Schools and other schools in Bronzeville and the South Side with the aim of substantially increasing the number of African-American students at Illinois Tech. Associate Vice President for Strategic Initiatives April Welch is working to facilitate connections between the African American Alumni Association and corporate partners to increase access for our students. Director of Community Affairs Alicia Bunton is working to facilitate connections between the Office of Undergraduate Admission and South Side high schools to make our educational resources more accessible to South Side students.
 
Dean of Students Katherine Stetz and her team are working to develop a more welcoming and supportive campus culture to promote the success of African-American students here at Illinois Tech and in their careers. As a first step in this initiative, the Office of Campus Life worked with students last year on the Multicultural Greek Initiative, which was confirmed as a registered student organization by the Student Government Association. This momentum has continued with the Change @ Illinois Tech initiative, co-led by SGA, UNITE, SHPE, ISA, UB, and Intinium. 
 
In addition to these efforts, we will continue to work with historically Black sororities and fraternities so our students will have the opportunity to join the connected communities of the “Divine Nine.” This fall, Illinois Tech welcomes Lambda, the Chicago city-wide chapter of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc., as part of the work done by the Multicultural Greek Initiative.
 
Further, registered student organizations such as the Black Student Union, the National Society of Black Engineers, Caribbean Visionaries, the National Organization of Minority Architecture Students, and the African Student Organization have been cornerstones of our campus and have directly supported students through a multitude of involvement and community opportunities. Illinois Tech will continue to support their missions.
 
Increasing the Number of African-American Faculty 
Provost Peter Kilpatrick is working to attract and recruit more African-American faculty because we know it is crucial that our faculty members represent both the community we serve and the diverse workforce that our graduates will join. To date, this year we have welcomed three new adjunct African-American faculty members including renowned architecture critic Lee Bey.
 
Increasing the Number of Scholarships Available to Bronzeville and Chicago-Area Students
Ernie Iseminger, vice president for advancement, will prioritize fundraising for scholarships for students from Bronzeville and neighboring communities to provide them with increased access to an Illinois Tech education.
 
Increasing the Number of African-American Staff Leaders
Vice President for Finance and Treasurer Mike Horan and Hilary Hudson Hosek, AVP, head of human resources, are working to identify more effective ways to reach African-American candidates during the search and promotion process. 
 
Supporting and Listening to Black Students
Director of Community Affairs Alicia Bunton has been serving as liaison and advocate for all students of African descent since November 2019, and I will continue to work with her directly on ways to better support Black students across our campus.
 
Strengthening Cultural Awareness
The Office of Human Resources is working to incorporate cultural knowledge and competence into educational practice, policymaking, and infrastructure. The goal will be to create organizational norms that foster openness to—and respect for—discussing issues of cultural competence as well as to disseminate current information about all diversity initiatives.
 
As I mentioned in our June town hall, change will not happen overnight, but I am confident that we can work together to take concrete steps so we can build a more equitable and just campus.
 
In partnership,

Alan W. Cramb
President
Illinois Institute of Technology

Dear Students, Faculty, and Staff,

Today the Presidents’ Alliance on Higher Education and Immigration and partners filed a lawsuit against the federal government’s recent restrictive H1-B visa rules. As a national co-chair of the Presidents’ Alliance, I will work with our 500 college and university presidents to defend international students and our university from unwise immigration policies that would harm our educational mission and hinder economic opportunity.

Sincerely,

Alan W. Cramb, President
Illinois Institute of Technology

PRESIDENTS’ ALLIANCE FILES LAWSUIT AGAINST FEDERAL GOVERNMENT OVER UNLAWFUL H-1B REGULATIONS
Regulations would dramatically undermine H-1B program

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
October 20, 2020
Contact: Jose Magaña-Salgado (jose@presidentsalliance.org)

Washington, D.C.—Today, the Presidents’ Alliance on Higher Education and Immigration joined with a coalition of business organizations and higher education institutions and, represented by Paul Hughes of McDermott Will & Emery LLP, filed a lawsuit against the federal government challenging: (a) the U.S. Department of Labor’s interim final rule, which makes unreasonable and arbitrary changes to the required minimum wage to employ H-1B workers; and (b) the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s interim final rule, which would revise the definitions and standards for “specialty occupation” as well as “employer-employee relationship,” limiting petition validity for third-party placements. The promulgation of these rules significantly and adversely impacts the ability of higher education institutions to sponsor international researchers, staff, and faculty–all of whom serve critical roles on campus.  

You can view our complaint here.

Our nation’s knowledge economy depends on diverse talent from around the world, including skilled researchers, scholars, students, and workers. Higher education institutions and businesses are competing with institutions from around the world for the best minds, and we need to ensure that our immigration rules enhance, rather than deter, our ability to compete. Not only do institutions need to be able to recruit and hire the right people, but we also need to ensure that those who might seek to come here continue to see opportunities and not capricious barriers. Unfortunately, these new rules, combined with other harmful policies from the administration, make us less competitive.

Miriam Feldblum, Executive Director, Presidents’ Alliance on Higher Education and Immigration, stated: “The Presidents’ Alliance challenged these interim final rules not only because the administration procedurally short-circuited congressionally mandated public comment requirements, but also because these rules are substantially unreasonable and would cut off an important pipeline of talent, innovation and knowledge. There’s no question that Congress needs to enact comprehensive immigration reform to address challenges in our immigration system, but these rules put us on the wrong path. They will lead to job losses and not job gains for our national economy. A robust, fair, and effective immigration system is paramount for our nation’s recruitment and retention of international students and scholars. Yet, these rules undermine higher education’s ability to welcome and train international top talent, conduct critical research, carry out teaching, and nurture innovation and academic discovery.”

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The non-partisan, nonprofit Presidents’ Alliance on Higher Education and Immigration brings college and university presidents and chancellors together on the immigration issues that impact higher education. We work to advance just immigration policies and practices at the federal, state, and campus level that are consistent with our heritage as a ‘nation of immigrants’ and the academic values of equity and openness. The Alliance is composed of approximately 500 presidents and chancellors of public and private colleges and universities, representing over five million students in 42 states, D.C., and Puerto Rico.