Senior lecturer promoted to Associate Dean for Diversity, Equity and Inclusion

Kerri Fisher, a full-time, senior lecturer at the Garland School of Social Work was recently promoted to the position of associate dean for diversity, equity and inclusion.

Fisher will serve the school in a variety of ways in this new role, including bringing vision, and accountability.

“The duty of the position is generously honoring, educating and co-laboring with the vast variety of humans who learn and work in our school and beyond,” she said.

When Fisher first learned about her promotion, she said she was extremely honored and moved by the announcement. She said she was so grateful that her efforts in making the world a more “just and loving place” were being recognized and would be cultivated to flourish in this new role.

“I am most excited to develop systems, such as policies, processes, positions, programs, and paperwork that continually assess and adjust the DNA of our community,” Fisher said. “Equity and inclusion are not just things we do when there is an internal epiphany or external pressure, but rather it is woven into the fabric of all that we consider and do.”

The Associate Dean for Diversity, Equity and Inclusion plays a major role in campus unity and accountability, and with this role comes plenty of goals and aspirations. Fisher noted one such goal is to develop processes for each Garland School committee to make annual diversity, equity and inclusion goals specific to their areas of expertise. She also expressed that as associate dean, she wants to encourage everyone in the GSSW to “take a non-binary/diunital approach to any and all of our thinking and doing”. In other words, a both/and approach rather than either/or that can encompass a variety of different perspectives.

Dr. Jon Singletary, dean of the GSSW, said he was excited to have Fisher join the GSSW leadership team. He explained that Fisher had previously served in a voluntary role of diversity, equity and inclusion consultant for two years, but now, Fisher’s important work “has now been officially recognized by the Provost and the University with the creation of this new position.”

“The heart of Kerri's work is to bring her expertise to our teaching, research and strategic planning,” he said. “We are so grateful Kerri has accepted the call to serve the GSSW and Baylor in this way.”