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SU names Karen Davis as inclusive excellence dean for engineering school

Corey Henry | Photo Editor

Before working with Office of Inclusive Excellence, Davis was the director of the Career Services center for the College of Engineering and Computer Science for 14 years. 

By Natalie Rubio-Licht

The College of Engineering and Computer Science named Karen Davis as permanent assistant dean for the Office of Inclusive Excellence. 

Davis has led the Office of Inclusive Excellence in an interim capacity since October 2018. She led the first Inclusive Excellence Council, which includes students, faculty and staff from multiple departments and organizations.

The Office of Inclusive Excellence was created after Theta Tau, a professional engineering fraternity, made a video containing racist, anti-Semitic, homophobic and ableist comments. The office’s role is to look at the College of Engineering and Computer Science’s diversity and culture. 

During Davis’s time as interim assistant dean for the office, she led the council in conducting a diversity audit of the college. She also implemented the Inclusive Excellence Dialog Circles initiative. 

Davis and the council worked with Syracuse-based organization InterFaith Works to create and implement the Inclusive Excellence Dialogue Circles initiative, offered as six-week elective courses ECS 400 and 600. 



The goal of the initiative is to engage more than 500 students, faculty and staff in talks about diversity and campus climate over a two-year period. Davis helped surpass the initial goal for implementation of the initiative by 26%, according to a Wednesday SU News release. 

“The work that has been accomplished thus far was not done alone,” Davis said in the release. “I recognize and appreciate our college community members for embracing our vision and contributing to our ongoing success.”

Prior to her role with the office, Davis was the director of the Career Services center for the College of Engineering and Computer Science for 14 years. 

“Karen’s accomplishments over the past year in regard to diversity, equity and inclusion have touched every aspect of our college through education, research, dialogue, policy and assessment,” College of Engineering and Computer Science Dean J. Cole Smith said in the release.





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