Liberal Arts Colleges Racial Equity Leadership Alliance (LACRELA)

Susquehanna University is a member of a prestigious coalition of colleges and universities across the country, formed to examine race and equity on college campuses. The Liberal Arts College Racial Equity Leadership Alliance (LACRELA) fosters greater understanding in combating these issues. LACRELA began when Lori White, president for DePauw University (Indiana), worked with Shaun Harper, Ph.D., founder and executive director of the University of Southern California (USC) Race and Equity Center, and leaders at four other other liberal arts colleges to establish this alliance to collaborate on antiracist work. (Anderson, 2020)

LACRELA seeks to help professionals at colleges develop and achieve equity goals, correct problems, avoid and recover from racial incidents and foster sustainable cultures of inclusion.

The program addresses various topics and strategies designed to increase knowledge on issues around diversity, equity and inclusion in higher education. It seeks to provide an opportunity for institutional leaders to convene and share ideas, knowledge and resources that will bring positive and lasting change to the students, faculty, staff and the greater communities they serve.

Colleges in the alliance will be able to send any 10 employees — from presidents to campus facility and staff members — to monthly virtual seminars featuring experts on race and higher education from the USC center and elsewhere.