Penn State will host a virtual town hall on race and bias at 3 p.m. on Monday, June 29. There, administrators will discuss President Eric Barron’s messages to the community and the university’s plans to model inclusivity and embrace diversity.

Barron will be joined by several administrators, including the three co-chairs of the Select Penn State Presidential Commission on Racism, Bias, and Community Safety:

• Danielle M. Conway, dean and Donald J. Farage Professor of Law at Dickinson Law
• Clarence E. Lang, Susan Welch Dean of the College of Liberal Arts and professor of African American studies
• Elizabeth Seymor, chair of the University Faculty Senate and Penn State Altoona anthropology, communications, history, and women’s, gender, and sexuality studies

Additionally, Brandon Short, chair for the Board of Trustee’s oversight group on racism, bias, and community safety, as well as Marcus White, vice provost for educational equity, will join the event.

Barron will provide an overview of the university’s initiatives and the establishment of the new commission. Co-chairs will share their commitments to the commission, discuss their experiences, and describe the qualities they want in committee members and participants.

Earlier this month, Barron announced the university would take several measures to combat racism and bias, including implementing mandatory bias training for faculty and staff and reexamining Penn State’s Student Code of Conduct.

This week, Penn State put out a call for volunteers to join two separate commissions tasked with reexamining the Student Code of Conduct and working to curb racism and bias in the community.