TO: The Faculty and Staff
FROM: Timothy E. Sams, President
DATE: September 28, 2022
RE: An Invitation for Social Justice Training
Dear Members of the Faculty and Staff,
I am writing to invite you to participate in an exciting opportunity that could strengthen our campus' work, and further our position us as a leading social justice focused institution in SUNY and on Long Island.
Old Westbury was recently selected to receive a training grant from College & Community Fellowship (CCF) – an organization that enables women with criminal convictions to earn their college degree. CCF has worked for more than 20 years at the intersection of criminal justice reform and higher education, and it offers training and capacity building to organizations seeking evidence-based and promising practices.
CCF’s THRIVE Technical Assistance Program provides colleges and other organizations that serve, employ, or are looking to support system impacted people, with their nationally recognized training for the successful reintegration of criminal justice-affected people. Many organizations across the country, including several CUNY schools, have received the THRIVE training. Old Westbury will be the first SUNY school and the first institution on Long Island to receive the THRIVE training. Old Westbury was selected to receive a grant for this training in large part due to our commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion, and because of the foundation of social justice on which we were built.
Beginning this November, the THRIVE training program will be offered at Old Westbury as a 4-day, 2-hour a day program. The training will allow members of the college community to develop the skills, and gain access to the information needed to help Old Westbury strengthen its role as a unique, inclusive and transformative institution prepared to serve and educate those seeking a second chance.
I encourage faculty and staff members who are interested in securing the tools needed to service, recruit and support members of our campus community who were system impacted to attend. The program promises to be exciting and enlightening. The dates and times for the live, online training sessions are:
- Friday, November 4th – 10 a.m. to 12 p.m.
- Friday, November 11th – 12 p.m. to 2 p.m.
- Friday, November 18th – 10 a.m. to 12 p.m.
- Friday, December 9th – 12 p.m. to 2 p.m.
All members who complete the 4-session training will receive a certificate from CCF and will be part of the cohort who will be able to help implement learned practices across the campus.
I hope that you choose to participate in this exciting opportunity. Register by October 14th at: https://forms.office.com/r/42vMrHsdj0
Additional information about CCF and THRIVE are attached for your reference. Should you have any questions about this effort, please contact Cristina Notaro at notaroc@oldwestbury.edu.
Sincerely,
Timothy E. SamsPresident