CAZENOVIA — On Monday, Nov. 15, Cazenovia College students skipped morning classes to protest on the campus grounds.

According to Sydney Lemire, Class of 2022, student leaders from marginalized communities organized the walkout in response to “many recent events” at the college surrounding equity, diversity, and inclusion.

Lemire pointed specifically to the recent resignation of Katiuzca Loaiza-Espinoza, former director of multicultural affairs and residential education — an action that the student claimed was a result of “the racism she faced” while serving in her position.

Loaiza-Espinoza, who was born in Ecuador, joined the college in mid-September 2020.

According to Cazenovia College Director of Communications and Marketing Tim Greene, her position was created that year as an outgrowth of the President’s Commission on Equity and Diversity to promote education and training relative to diversity and inclusion.

“I’m charged with making sure the college is doing all it can to assure and enhance an environment supporting diversity, equity, and inclusion practices,” Loaiza-Espinoza said in a Feb. 17, 2021 Staff Spotlight interview on the college website. “Another focus is working to assure that students have a voice, that they can enhance that voice, and that they have an advocate for their viewpoints and needs. By overseeing The MOSAIC Center and our MOSAIC student directors, I hope that we as a team can bring cultural programming that impacts our students to be more reflective on their own experiences and privileges. I also co-chair the President’s Commission on Equity and Diversity with faculty representative Dr. Rachel Dinero.”

According to Lemire, Loaiza-Espinoza was very close to many students of marginalized identities during her time on campus.

“She has openly disclosed to many of us since leaving that her resignation was a direct result of the adverse racism she experienced from the college administration,” Lemire said.

The college declined to comment on Loaiza-Espinoza’s exit, apart from stating that it intends to post and fill her position.

“As standard personnel policy, the college doesn’t comment about the departure of employees,” explained Greene.

Prior to the student protest, Lemire offered insight into the purpose of the public demonstration.

“We are pursuing this course of action because we feel as though we have exhausted all other routes, through both public and private channels, and we believe that the only way that we can expect change to be made on this campus from here on out is to be heard and seen in numbers,” she said on Nov. 11. “. . . We are hoping to have a sizable turnout, not just as proof that we are more than just a few noisy students who are upset, but also as a demonstration of the solidarity that exists on a campus such as Cazenovia.”

The protest drew nearly 100 individuals, including students, members of the faculty and administration, and media representatives.

After gathering on and around the porch of Joy Hall, which houses the president’s office, the student leaders invited their peers to speak.

Adetayo “Tayo” Odutayo, Class of 2023, was the first to take the “stage.”

“I came here freshman year, and I was surprised to see Black people,” said Odutayo, who serves as president of the Students of Every Diversity (SoED) group. “I’m not even going to lie to you, that made me feel a little bit better, like ‘OK, I’m not here by myself.’ I joined SoED my freshman year, and there were a lot of people in the club, and we talked about things that mattered. But as time went on, I feel like this school kind of fell off. Actually, I don’t know if it was ever on, to be honest with you. Katiuzca, who was a big person on campus, was only here for one year. [She] did a lot for diversity, inclusion and equity on this campus . . .The fact that we don’t have a person for diversity right now, and the fact that we are kind of left alone and we don’t have anybody to lean on or anybody to really go to on this campus, [is a problem]. . . In my opinion, I think that right now is the time for change, and you guys — everybody out here — is proving that.”

Later, Odutayo spoke again and highlighted several members of the college faculty who he described as “good apples” — individuals who may not understand the challenges facing students of color but genuinely listen and do their best to offer guidance and assistance.

Student Body President Claire Gallucci, Class of 2024, also addressed the crowd.

“I can’t say that I understand what everyone here has experienced,” Gallucci said. “I have listened to my residents. I’ve listened to the people who come into the [student government association], I’ve advocated in a private environment, and truthfully, I wasn’t listened to either. They can say that they hear us all they want, but no one is ever [truly] listening. Ever. As the president of the student government, with my vice president standing next to me, [I want you to know that we, along with the rest of our executive board,] all hear you and are with you, and we want to advocate for you.”

Finnley Mosenson, Class of 2025, spoke about his on-campus experience as a trans man.

“I only came out recently,” Mosenson said. “I came from an area that was very transphobic. I was terrified going to school every day. . . I came here and I thought things were going to be different. I thought that people would respect me. I thought people would treat me like a human being. But it’s not different. I am terrified of telling people my pronouns here. I’m terrified of correcting people. I’m so scared of not locking my door and having someone come in and try to hurt me. That’s the [stuff] that happens to us. It’s not OK anymore; it’s never been OK. I’m tired of hiding. I’m tired of being scared. I’m tired of my own teachers calling me she, calling me her, and I’m tired of seeing my dead name on the stupid rollcall. I changed it before I came here. I told them my name is Finnley.”

According to Lemire, who is co-president of Cazenovia College’s on-campus LGBTQ+ organization, Safe Place at Caz (SPAC), her group is currently working on ways to help avoid the use of incorrect pronouns in the future.

“[SPAC works] to create a more accepting environment for LGBTQ+ students through advocacy, events, support and community,” Lemire said. “Additionally, we have been working with our advisor Dr. Rachel Dinero on creating an updated pronoun system so that some of the issues [that were] spoken about today can be avoided in the future, so students’ names and pronouns will be in the system correctly.”

Other student protesters voiced their concerns regarding issues they believe exist on campus, such as a lack of Latinx representation on campus, accessibility problems for individuals with disabilities/mobility issues, incidences of racism and homophobia, and the inaction of the administration.

Two of the protest organizers recited a list of demands compiled by Lemire, Odutayo, Victoria Sayers-Hope, Emily Ledyard, and Alaya Rivera, with assistance from faculty member Heather Maloney-Stassen, Ph.D., and Loaiza-Espinoza. The students read the following demands:

WE DEMAND THAT CAZENOVIA COLLEGE institutes mandatory equity, diversity, and inclusion (EDI) training for all administration members, including the Board of Trustees and Executive Vice Presidents, at least once a year in perpetuity and that refusal to complete this training is grounds for removal from position

WE DEMAND THAT CAZENOVIA COLLEGE creates and maintains a mandatory class on EDI for all students as a requirement for graduation; that the curriculum is re-ratified for accuracy and inclusivity every three years; and that marginalized student leaders are given a place at the table when discussing the objectives and goals of this curriculum

WE DEMAND THAT CAZENOVIA COLLEGE includes Students of Ethnic Diversity, Safe Place at Caz, and any other student clubs whose focus is underrepresented communities on campus as an essential resource in all discussions on campus diversity and all College policy created by the administration and Board of Trustees

WE DEMAND THAT CAZENOVIA COLLEGE acknowledges that the College exists as a product of colonialistic processes, and that the College resides on the lands of the Onʌyote’a•ka (Oneida), Onundagaonoga (Onondaga), Tuscarora, and Ho-de-no-sau-nee-ga (Haudenosaunee)

WE DEMAND THAT CAZENOVIA COLLEGE increase its accessibility for students with disabilities, specifically but not limited to: elevator access in Watts and Farber Halls; portable ramps in any and all buildings otherwise inaccessible by wheelchair or where elevators are not feasible; addition of Braille to all new and existing signage; furthermore, that further evaluation of dorms, halls, classrooms, restrooms, and other campus buildings and locations used by students including athletic facilities be completed within the next calendar year by an independent inspector trained in the institution of policies expected for newly built structures by the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA); that these recommendations be made public and completed within a timely manner to bring Cazenovia College up to the ADA standard that would be expected and mandated for any newly built structures; and that if funding for these changes is not readily available in the College’s budget, that efforts are made to pursue grant funding for these accessibility changes

WE DEMAND THAT CAZENOVIA COLLEGE create and maintain a meditation room available for students, faculty, and staff of all religious and spiritual beliefs; that the room decor and atmosphere should be conducive to meditation and healing; and that the decor be approved by a committee of students, faculty, and staff who embody multiple religious and spiritual beliefs to ensure that the room is as respectful and encompassing as possible

WE DEMAND THAT CAZENOVIA COLLEGE trains its nurses, medical practitioners, and mental health and counseling providers in how to appropriately serve and treat historically marginalized people, which includes having access to more medical providers of historically marginalized identities whose work is rooted in social justice, and that any further counselors, therapists, or psychiatrists which are hired by the college be from a historically marginalized population and/or be thoroughly educated in these topics

WE DEMAND THAT CAZENOVIA COLLEGE be publicly transparent in its history of and past dealings with race relations, and that any further actions related to this issue be documented transparently for all students and community members on the website, including demographic statics, EDI commission minutes, and any and all future actions, plans, or otherwise pertinent information related to historically marginalized peoples; that an open forum on EDI is planned wherein the President of the College and the Board of Trustees are present to learn about the experiences of marginalized people on campus

WE DEMAND THAT CAZENOVIA COLLEGE makes a concerted effort to hire and retain more faculty and staff across aspects of minority identities from both domestic and international backgrounds; that conditions for these minority faculty and staff to thrive are actively created and maintained so that further diverse faculty does not feel compelled to leave after just a year on the job, as is the case with the former Director of Multicultural Affairs and Residential Education; that hiring practices are amended to encourage the hiring and retention of diverse faculty and staff, including using a national search for all positions via national job posting organizations to appeal to a wide variety of applicants; and that students of historically marginalized backgrounds are given an opportunity to play a role in the hiring processes of historically marginalized faculty

WE DEMAND THAT CAZENOVIA COLLEGE redefines its commitment to “diversity” in a manner that always includes historically marginalized communities; that it be transparent and state who it means by “diversity” in all of its communications concerning this issue, and that it honor the commitments made to these communities; that is, if the College states that diversity includes groups such as people of color, immigrant populations, people with disabilities, people who identify as women, members of the LGBTQ+ community, first-generation students, and those from other underrepresented groups, then it must serve and support them in action and not just word

The list concluded with the following statement:

“We demand the university give marginalized students, faculty, and staff equal opportunity to implement change without threat of suspension, dismissal, and/or attacking our right to organize. Furthermore, we demand that a meeting be scheduled between student leaders of marginalized communities and the College’s President and Board of Trustees to discuss the fulfillment and implementation of each demand. We are dedicated to seeking equality and security for each historically marginalized student that attends Cazenovia College, and we will not stop until each demand is met.”

On Tuesday, Nov. 16, Greene stated that Cazenovia College President Ron Chesbrough, Ph.D., along with other college administrators, intend to meet with students and discuss their concerns and interests in whatever manner and at whatever time works for the students.

“We thank the students for caring enough to bring these issues to the forefront of our campus community,” Greene said on behalf of the college. “We respect their voices and their desire to make sure their college environment is a safe and inclusive space. Providing a supportive learning environment is central to the college’s mission. And while we have invested time, attention, people, and resources to increase awareness of and support for inclusion and diversity on campus, we understand that there is still work to be done.”

For more information on Cazenovia College Diversity & Inclusion, visit cazenovia.edu/life-on-campus/diversity-and-inclusion.