In this Messy Conversation, we will once again check in with the University-wide Antiracist Taskforce. Since its formation in the summer of 2020, what has the Taskforce accomplished, what difficulties has it encountered and what can we expect going forward? Join us for a lively conversation with the current Co-Chairs of the Taskforce, Melissa A. Kirk, EdD and Maria-Judith Rodriguez Herrera, MA/MBA.
This conversation was private to the Antioch community and was not recorded.
Melissa A. Kirk, EdD joined Antioch University in January 2020 as the Assistant Vice Chancellor for Student Success. In July 2020, she transitioned into the role of Associate Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs. She serves as the University’s Chief Student Services Officer, Chief Retention Officer, and Title IX Officer. Additionally, she oversees numerous academic affairs and student services areas, including the University Registrar, Institutional Effectiveness, the University-Wide Institutional Review Board (IRB), Integrated Student Services (ISS), Student Conduct, the Virtual Writing Center, and International Student Services. She also works directly with the Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs and University Provost on strategic academic affairs projects central to Antioch’s mission.
Prior to joining Antioch, Melissa served as a member of two Academic and Student Affairs leadership teams for more than seventeen years: CUNY Bronx Community College and CUNY Lehman College. Most recently, she served as the Chief of Staff to the Provost and Senior Vice President of Academic Affairs and Student Success at Lehman College.
Melissa holds a BA in Sociology from the State University of New York at Cortland, an MA in Special Education with K-12 certification, from Fairfield University, and an EdD in Education Policy and Administration from the University of Minnesota. She is passionate about Antioch's bold mission and is thankful for her role on the Anti-Racism Taskforce and our collective commitment to advance Antioch as a just, equitable, anti-racist institution.
Maria-Judith Rodriguez Herrera, MA/MBA serves as the Vice Chancellor for Human Resources at Antioch University. In this role, she oversees all aspects of the HR function and sets the strategic direction and efforts in alignment with the institution’s mission and growth directions.
Prior to Antioch, she served as Chief HR Officer and Title IX deputy Coordinator at Amherst College for a decade and earlier headed HR at the Puerto Rico-based Arecibo Observatory, a research center managed by Cornell University. She has a diverse professional background, which includes experiences within a variety of industries including education, consulting, pharmaceutical and manufacturing. She holds her MA in Industrial Organizational Psychology from the InterAmerican University of Puerto Rico and her MBA in Human Resources Management from the University of Phoenix.
Maria-Judith reports directly to the Chancellor and serves on the Chancellor’s Executive Team. She believes HR plays a critical strategic role in key areas of institutional success by fostering individual and organizational development, leading strategic efforts, and nurturing a work culture that embraces diversity and inclusion. She also believes in the importance of being an active citizen through community work, both professionally and personally.
Contacts:
Antiracism Taskforce - antiracism@antioch.edu
Melissa A. Kirk, EdD - mkirk@antioch.edu
As a start for the staff’s entry into leading an anti-racist life: https://pisab.org/