Office of Equity and Inclusion

Andriel Dees
Vice Chancellor for Equity and Inclusion
651-201-1484
andriel.dees@minnstate.edu

As Vice Chancellor for Equity and Inclusion, Andriel has oversight responsibilities for the system-wide strategy to support diversity, equity and inclusion. Prior to joining Minnesota State, Andriel served as the Director of Equity, Diversity and Inclusion at Capella University, Chief Diversity Officer at University of Wisconsin River-Falls, and Associate Dean of Multicultural Affairs at William Mitchell College of Law (now Mitchell Hamline).

 
Ka Her
Executive Assistant to the Vice Chancellor
651-201-1863
ka.her@minnstate.edu

Desiree' Clark
Civil Rights and Title IX Compliance Officer
651-201-1417
desiree.clark@minnstate.edu

On August 5, 2020 Mrs. Clark joined the Office of Equity and Inclusion as the Interim Civil Rights/Title IX Compliance Officer. In her role, Desireè will be responsible for guiding compliance efforts for federal and state nondiscrimination laws, along with the policies and procedures relevant to Minnesota State. Desireè comes to us from St. Cloud State University where she has been the Affirmative Action Officer and Title IX/1B.1/1B.3 Investigator in their Office for Institutional Equity & Access for the last 5 years.
Desireè is a proud alumni of St. Cloud State University where she earned her Master’s Degree in Social Responsibility. She also received her Bachelors of Fine Arts Degree with a focus on modern dance and ballet at University of Missouri, Kansas City.

Tarrence Robertson
Project Director of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion
651-201-1483
tarrence.robertson@minnstate.edu

Tarrence Robertson is an openly transgender man and currently serves as the Project Director for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion at the Minnesota State Office of Equity and Inclusion. His work focuses on driving several projects and strategies to advance equity and inclusion and address equity gaps for both employee and student stakeholder groups. Tarrence recently retired from the MN Army National Guard as a Major, where he led numerous strategic planning efforts and served as the champion of the MN Army National Guard LGBTQ+ Special Emphasis Council. 

He is currently pursuing graduate studies focusing on issues of race and equity at Metropolitan State University, St. Paul, Minnesota.  His undergraduate degree is biomedical science from St. Cloud State University, Minnesota. A few of his awards include: Bronze Star Medal,  (2) Meritorious Service Medals, Combat Action Badge, (3) Army Commendation Medals, (5) Army Achievement Medals, and numerous civilian recognitions.

Tarnjeet Kang
Director of Equity Assessment
tarnjeet.kang@minnstate.edu 

Tarnjeet K. Kang is an interdisciplinary researcher who advocates for community-centered, inter-sectional and participatory approaches to research. Recently, she has worked in South Sudan to support the research and evaluation needs of United Nations agencies and non-governmental organizations. Prior to this she has worked as a lecturer and in California's educational policy sector. She holds a Ph.D. in Education Policy Studies from the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign. 

“The Campus Diversity Officer or CDO strengthens the college or university local and national leadership in advancing institutional diversity; maintains a balanced advocacy role between historic considerations of access and equity for students and the expanded portfolio of institutional transformation; establishes and maintains strong, effective collaborative partnerships with peers across the college or university; and develops partnerships and programs with diverse communities and constituencies across the region or state to respond effectively to their needs.” - Mark Emmert, president of the National Collegiate Athletic Association and former president of the University of Washington.

The CDO is an integrative role that coordinates, leads, enhances, and in some instances supervises formal diversity capabilities of the institution in an effort to create an environment that is inclusive and excellent for all. Within this context, diversity is not merely a demographic goal but a strategic priority that is fundamental to creating a dynamic educational and work environment that fulfills the teaching, learning, research, and service mission of postsecondary institutions (Damon Williams, 2012). For additional information on the strategy, structure, and change management of campus chief diversity roles, refer to "The Chief Diversity Officer" by Damon Williams and Katrina C. Wade-Golden.

Minnesota State campus CDOs strive to build strategic diversity capacity at the institutional level. Key competencies as defined by the National Association of Diversity Officers in Higher Education include:

• Multidisciplinary appreciation of diverse cultures, communities, and histories that constitute American society.
• Understanding of American traditions of democracy, active citizenship and how they serve as a means to understand and resolve conflicts linked to race, ethnicity, gender, and class.
• Ability to describe the historical patterns and demographics of American society in terms of race, ethnicity, gender, and class.
• Ability to carry out an intellectual discourse with diverse peoples for the purpose of evaluating public policy and creating a shared vision for American society.
• Development of problem-solving and analytical skills for diverse issues, with an understanding of the diverse American culture and the higher education field.
• Knowledge of the origins and systemic nature of prejudice, discrimination, and oppression that has been directed toward people of diverse backgrounds and orientations.
• Capacity to visualize public situations and issues involving diversity from multiple perspectives.
• Understanding of current experiences and issues in the U.S. of different racial groups (including discrimination in all forms, experiences, and privilege).
• Ability to think about race in the U.S. context of global diversity, patterns of prejudice, and equity.

Campus Diversity Officers can find resources at the SO-Campus Diversity Officers Team Site. If you need access please contact oei@minnstate.edu with subject line: Access to CDO Team Site.