Center for Social Justice
From its very beginning, St. Thomas Aquinas College has been deeply dedicated to the principles of social justice and equity. Through the Center for Social Justice (CSJ), led by President Ken Daly and Ms. Samantha Bazile, the College’s Chief Diversity Officer and Director of Admissions, the College builds on this history to foster critical discussions on a range of social problems that propagate inequality, marginalization, and injustice.
With two pillars — The Social Justice and Equity Forum and The Justice Studies Institute — the St. Thomas Aquinas Center for Social Justice expands and reinforces our commitment to the ideals of justice and equality. The Justice Studies Institute is led by Dean of the School of Arts & Social Sciences, Heath Bowen.
The Social Justice and Equity Forum explores relevant and contemporary issues from the perspective of the students and includes local and regional public figures. The SJE Forum was launched on July 1, 2020 — President Daly’s first day in office — and met 13 times throughout the Fall semester with students, faculty, alumni, trustees, and other members of the College community. Among the many focus areas were voter registration and education campaigns, Social Justice and Equity week programming, and awareness forums with over 200 students attending.
Chair: Ms. Samantha Bazile
Committee: Dr. Ben Wagner, Dr. Neerja Chaturvedi, Maria Coupe
The Justice Studies Institute, working within the School of Arts and Sciences, will advance interdisciplinary examination and collaboration on crucial justice-based issues. A central aim of the Institute is to promote conversation and scholarship, and to provide faculty with the support needed to integrate principles of justice into a liberal arts education. These goals will be achieved through sponsored programs and events for the college and broader Hudson Valley community.
Chief Administrator: Dr. Heath Bowen, Dean of the School of Arts and Social Sciences
Interim Director: Dr. Carolyn Fraker
Advisory Committee: Dr. Neerja Chaturvedi, Dr. Ellen Chayet, Dr. Don Johnson, Dr. Craig Martin, and Dr. Stacy Sewell.