Dialogue with President Beth Paul

  I have a very timely “Prez Paul Podcast” episode to share with you today. Our Nazareth College community has grown a lot this year, facing the pain of racial struggles in our community and our country, and through our active movement to be an equity-minded community — one in which all are welcomed and belong, all are supported and empowered, and all are engaged in learning about and eliminating systemic racism to realize a better world for all.  March 21 is the International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination, and March 23 will be the one-year anniversary of Daniel Prude's arrest and restraint in Rochester. Mr. Prude died seven days later on March 30, 2020, after he was removed from life support. Beginning Sunday, March 21, we have a special guest visiting campus to help foster our Nazareth community’s continued learning and growth. Activist, musician, and storyteller Reggie Harris’ weeklong fellowship includes classes, programs, and workshops.   Regg...

Dear Nazareth community, I have in heart and mind today Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders (AAPI), in light of the recent tragedy in Atlanta, and amidst a history of acts of bias against this population near and far. We stand in solidarity with the AAPI population, and strongly condemn acts of bias and violence. And we are reminded of the ongoing,  daily commitment  our institution has made and we all must make, personally and professionally, to keep diversity, equity, and inclusion at the forefront of our learning and work together.  For students seeking support around these recent events, I encourage you to reach out to  Health and Counseling . And for staff and faculty, reach out to our  Employee Assistance Program .  In holding with the founding solidarity and social justice principles of our College, incidents of bias against anyone will not be tolerated. If you are a victim of, or witness to, a bias incident,  please report the incident  ...

Springtime signals renewal and emergence, and this year it is all the more poignant. Last week’s warm weather brought an opportunity for our community to gather safely outside. I loved seeing so many students at our Ready to Fly pop-up event on Wednesday, March 10, complete with T-shirts and snow cones. And I’m excited to do more pop-ups as we welcome spring.   The weight of the past year is slowly lifting and I am filled with a sense of hope and optimism. After this year of challenge, the bright spots and opportunities for connection that define our Naz community have become even more meaningful. One bright spot for our community to celebrate is that  Great Value Colleges has named Nazareth among the top 15 colleges in the nation for 2020 crisis response . Our values have stood strong as we kept student learning and well-being at the center of our planning and decisions, while continually prioritizing the advancement of social justice, inclusion, and equity. Thank you for all...

Artificial intelligence reaches more facets of our lives every day, and Nazareth College is one of the only liberal arts colleges focusing on  the ethics behind artificial intelligence and the need to prepare professionals and policymakers in this area.  I invite you to listen to the most recent “Prez Paul Podcast,” where we talk about Nazareth’s newly-formed  Institute for Technology, Artificial Intelligence, and Society (ITAS) , a pioneering initiative in higher education to train future professionals to guide and develop technology toward equitable and just ends. Listen on iTunes Listen on Podbean Here are a few highlights of the podcast and their time codes: 3:25 How Nazareth is setting itself apart from AI programs at big tech universities 7:11 AI biases: Netflix picking your next movie recommendation vs. an algorithm promoting disinformation in your news feed 12:17 Problem that arises when society uses emerging technologies like AI to solve enduring social issues 16...

  As we approach the one-year anniversary of deep social reckoning, I am reflecting on how hopeful I feel about Nazareth College and our place in our communities near and far. We’ve persevered and changed for the better, and that ingenious change will continue to help us grow well into the future. To help our strong community move forward, I have exciting news to share. Darrell Bell will join us in May as Nazareth’s new vice president for advancement. After a four-month search, the search committee overwhelmingly knew that Darrell is the right candidate for the job and for Nazareth. In my conversations with Darrell, it is clear to me that he shares our values and is excited by our mission. Darrell brings strong leadership skills and deep experience. I am excited that he is ready to jump into this exceptional opportunity for new vision and direction. I am eager to join with Darrell in engaging alumni and current and new donors to invest in Nazareth’s transformational role in our com...