Texas State’s Faculty Senate received an update from the “Institutional Inclusive Excellence” team, which seeks to hire a non-profit organization for consultation as the group works to promote equity and demonstrate cross-cultural awareness across Texas State campuses.

The Institutional Inclusive Excellence team is part of the Office of Student Diversity and Inclusion. Over the summer, the IIE team sponsored two virtual town halls, the first focusing on transgenerational trauma and the second on storytelling and restorative practices for students.

The team consists of six members, including Dr. Sherri Benn, assistant vice president for Institutional Inclusive Excellence, who says the team was able to receive student feedback and decided to bring in an outside consultant group that would assist with addressing student needs.

The organization Benn presented was Life Anew. The consultant group will better conceptualize and create a framework for sustainable practices by the IIE team, including looking at ways to build meaningful relationships across all students, faculty and staff of all identities.

“One of the issues that continue to come up with Texas State students is policing and the University Police Department, so it was important for them to have a group that does restorative practice with police and law enforcement,” Benn said. 

Senate member Ben Martin questioned whether Life Anew had previous experience with universities specifically. Benn says that it has experience working with community groups, educational organizations, institutions and school districts.

Senate Chair Janet Bezner says she supported the effort from Benn, but she was more interested in hearing about student responses. Benn says the IIE team works to keep students involved and engaged throughout the process of determining their primary needs.

“We provide students with updates in our group meetings, and they give us their inputs,” Benn said. “Additionally, we meet with different student organizations presidents. We included the Student Government and Student Leadership Group because they represent the voice and the needs and concerns at the voice of their peers.”