OFFICE OF

Social Equity

Dear Clarion University family,
I am proud to offer a few comments
regarding the importance of our
university equity newsletter.

NEWSLETTER

WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE
BETWEEN
EQUITY
EQUALITY?

and

Publications such as these are
important, because they allow us
to celebrate the people and efforts
underway to advance our
commitments to diversity, inclusion
and equity. This newsletter is a portal to resources and
information which I strongly encourage each of us to review
and use in our roles as faculty, administers, staff, students
and alumni. We are all responsible for and benefit from
equity and inclusion.
I encourage you to read, reflect, act and contribute to the
newsletter and our many other efforts. To be successful
we all must work together.

Karen M. Whitney, President

EQUALITY

ALA.ORG

EQUALITY can be
defined as treating each
and every individual in
the same manner irrespective of needs and
requirements.

EQUITY can be defined
as the quality of treating
individuals fairly based
on their needs and
requirements.

and EQUITY IN AMERICA’S FOUNDATION

Equality

Equity

The ideal of equal access is fundamental to American
democracy. The 18th century notion that all (men) are
created equal, before God and the law, set up the
powerful expectation that every citizen deserves the same
opportunity to influence the course of democracy and to
benefit from the fruits of a good society. Consequently, the
notion succeeds or flounders, depending on the experiences
of citizens in gaining equal access to the means of
participating in the discourses that guide governance.
But when a society is stratified into poles of advantage and
disadvantage, with the inevitable consequences of privilege
and exclusion, the promise of equal access … rings hollow.

When some are excluded or lack the knowledge,
income, equipment or training necessary to participate fully
in public discourse, they must overcome obstacles to access
in order to ensure fairness. In other words, fairness also
demands remedies to redress historic injustices that have
prevented or diminished access in the first place, for, just as
there can be no fairness without equality, there can be none
without justice. That is, in order to maximize opportunities
for access experienced by certain groups, a good society
commits resources in order to level the playing field.

SPRING 2016

210 CARRIER

814-393-2109

STUDENT
PROFILE:

Megan Foster

PRESIDENTIAL
COMMISSIONS’

activities

ALL COMMISSIONS SUPPORTED:
• The update of the Non-Discrimination Policy
and Procedures
• The showing of “Life is Beautiful” as part of Clarion
University’s Holocaust Remembrance Week
• MLK Jr. Community Breakfast

Ask Megan Foster why she loves Clarion University, and
her eyes fill. She smiles and apologizes as she fans her face,
attempting to dry the tears.
The bubbly grad student from New Brighton takes a deep
breath.
“My first week here, as a freshman who was terrified of
being 90 minutes away from home, I was so homesick.
I have ADD, and I worked with Disability Services. They
helped me tremendously, as did Counseling Services,”
she said. She’s been reaching for the stars ever since.
Foster graduated magna cum laude with her bachelor’s
degree in 2014 and will graduate in May with her Master of
Science in Library Science. She is a black belt in shokotan
(a form of karate), writes role play fiction and is a selfdescribed “huge gamer.”
She has her own photography business, and she works at
Best Buy, where her goal is to brighten the day of everyone
she encounters.
For Foster, finishing her master’s degree is “the cherry
on top.” She plans to combine what she’s learned in the
classroom with skills acquired through campus jobs
and involvement with Campus Fest and Social Media
Roundtable, as well as with research experience and
interning at Clarion County Historical Society.
To thank Clarion, she created The Clarion Project,
photographing and collecting stories of the diverse people
who comprise the Clarion University family. The stories are
posted on her Let’s Try This Angle – Foster’s Photography
page on Facebook.
It is the policy of Clarion University of Pennsylvania that there shall be equal opportunity in all
of its educational programs, services and benefits, and there shall be no discrimination with
regard to a student’s or prospective student’s race, color, religion, sex, national origin, disability,
age, sexual orientation/affection, gender identity, veteran status or any other factors that are
protected under local, state, and federal laws. Direct related inquiries to the Director of Social
Equity, Second Floor Carrier Administration Building, Clarion University of Pennsylvania, Clarion,
PA 16214-1232. Email asalsgiver@clarion.edu or phone 814-393-2109.
The Social Equity Newsletter is published periodically by the Office of Social Equity, Clarion
University, 840 Wood Street, Clarion, PA 16214-1232. Articles within the publication reflect
the philosophy of the office and do not necessarily represent the official position of Clarion
University.

PRESIDENTIAL COMMISSION ON THE STATUS
OF WOMEN
• Co-sponsored “A Quiet Inquisition”
• Co-sponsored “The Hunting Ground” Screening
and Panel Discussion
• Co-funded a student to attend the PASSHE
Women’s Consortium meeting
PRESIDENTIAL COMMISSION ON LGBT CONCERNS
• Supported The Spoken Arts Reading Series poet
and scholar Robin Becker
• Supported ALLIES in the survey for gender neutral
bathrooms
• Co-chairs serve on the Gender Neutral Bathroom
Committee and Preferred Names Policy and
Procedure Committee
• Provided Safe Zone training in spring 2016
PRESIDENTIAL COMMISSION ON HUMAN RELATIONS
• Sponsored and coordinated the roundtable event
“Empowerment through Knowledge: Insight Against
a University Shooter” during Equity Week, fall 2015
PRESIDENTIAL COMMISSIONS ON DISABILITIES
• Sponsored Food Allergy Basics speaker from FARE
• Co-chairs serve on Gender Neutral Bathroom Committee
• Developed a reporting form for disability-related issues
PRESIDENTIAL COMMISSION ON SEXUAL HARASSMENT
• Updated brochure “Have You or Someone You Care
About Survived an Incident of Sexual Violence?”
• Co-sponsored and supported “It’s On Us, Pa.” campaign
• Supports the update of the Sexual Harassment Policy
and Procedures to incorporate new laws, regulation under
Title IX, VAWA, Campus SaVE and Clery

Active duty Army
personnel with
veteran Patrick
Littlewolf after
his performance
during Cultural
Week. The event
was sponsored,
in part, by the
Office of Social
Equity.