Introducing the Office of Inclusion and Belonging (OIB)

I am sharing with you today that the Office of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (ODEI) will now be known as the Office of Inclusion and Belonging (OIB). While the name is new, the mission remains the same—and it will deepen. OIB will continue the important work of helping to build a campus where every person is seen, heard, known, and supported.

The name change aligns with who we are as a Lasallian, Catholic, liberal arts college. The work of OIB is grounded in our core principles: Respect for All Persons, Inclusive Community, Concern for the Poor and Social Justice, Quality Education, and Faith in the Presence of God. These are not slogans. They are daily commitments that should shape how we learn, live, lead, and serve one another.

In the spirit of these principles, OIB will continue to partner across the College to advance student support, strengthen faculty and staff development, and embed practices that promote belonging in all spaces, such as classrooms, residence halls, athletics fields, studios, theaters, labs, and offices. Programs, services, and collaborations that you know and trust will continue, with renewed focus on welcoming every Gael and ensuring that all members of our community can thrive.

I am grateful to our colleagues who lead this work with dedication and care. Dr. Terri Jett, previously Associate Vice President and Senior Diversity Officer in the Office of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion, will now serve as Associate Vice President, Office of Inclusion and Belonging. Please join me in thanking Dr. Jett and the OIB team for their ongoing service to our students, faculty, and staff.

Saint Mary’s will remain a place where everyone feels a sense of belonging and where inclusion is realized, not only named. I am proud of this community and confident in the work ahead.

Thank you for all that you do for Saint Mary’s.

Sincerely,

Roger J. Thompson, EdD
President