Students at SUNY Brockport are once again protesting the firing of Chief Diversity Officer Dr. Cephas Archie. Dozens of students gathered at the Allen Administration building, holding signs, some saying "I stand with Dr. Archie," who was hired in August 2017 and led efforts to promote inclusion on campus. Student leaders say his dismissal hurt them because he was a direct connection to college leadership for their concerns.
The university says Dr. Archie's dismissal is a personnel matter and won't discuss the reason. But Brockport President Heidi Macpherson says the college is launching a five-point plan to address student concerns.
Macpherson says the college is hiring Dr. Rodman King as its new Chief Diversity Officer. He will be on special assignment from SUNY's Chancellor to Brockport and will lead an effort to revamp the college's entire bias-reporting system. In addition, she will require key faculty members and the college's leadership team to go through bias training and will review its diversity status in all departments.