Please join the Academic Affairs Department in welcoming Fatima Rodriguez Johnson as the first associate dean for diversity and inclusion. Johnson will begin her new duties on Tuesday, February 19. She comes to Canisius from the State University at Geneseo, where she previously served as the associate dean of students for multicultural programs and services.
In that role, Johnson was an advocate for students from historically underrepresented backgrounds, implemented educational programs in support of the academic mission, supervised professional staff and students, and served as a resource for the college community. Working in partnership with colleagues, she has been an asset to the development of more than 85 programs each year, reaching some 8,000 students, supervising LGBTQ programs and services, serving as a resource for student recruitment and playing a role in the Equity Scorecard Project at Geneseo.
In her new role, Johnson will be responsible for developing and overseeing campus wide programs, services and initiatives that promote diversity, inclusion, equity and social justice while cultivating and communicating this mission as an essential element of a Canisius College education. She will work in collaboration with the African American, Latino/a American, Asian American and Native American (ALANA) Student Center, chair the college’s Racial Diversity Team, supervise the Academic Talent Search Program, and serve as director of the Higher Education Opportunity Program. Creating the position of associate dean for diversity and inclusion required restructuring responsibilities among the staff of the Canisius’ Opportunity Programs for Education (COPE) Office and the Academic Talent Search Program.
Johnson will report to the vice president for Academic Affairs and will maintain an office in the Academic Affairs Suite located in Bagen 103.
Submitted by: Margaret McCarthy, PhD, vice president, Academic Affairs
