Vice President of Inclusive Excellence and University Diversity Officer Mia Settles-Tidwell’s farewell letter sent to The State Hornet on April 28, reflects on her two and a half years at Sacramento State.
Settles-Tidwell has been at Sac State since November 2021 when she started as vice president of Inclusive Excellence, implementing the beginning stages of the Antiracism and Inclusive Campus Plan that will be in effect for the next five years.
In Settles-Tidwell’s career spanning 32 years, she has worked with multiple diverse communities in both the K-12 and higher education systems such as peoples with disabilities, LGBTQ+, Jewish, Asian American and much more.
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Over the past two years Settles-Tidwell was able to work with the community and the Chancellor’s Office by making plans to host the CSU-wide Juneteenth Symposium from June 13-14, 2024.
With the help of Settles-Tidwell, Sac State was able to find the inaugural Executive Director of the Asian American Native Hawaiian Pacific Islander Student Achievement Center. In addition, the Black Student Success Center was awarded $250,000 from the Chancellor’s Office and the division conducting the inventory and making a proposal for Black Student Success.
Additionally, Settles-Tidwell developed the Cozen Title IX implementation plan to prevent sexual harassment and assault.
In a campus-wide email on April 11, President Luke Wood announced Settles-Tidwell would be leaving Sac State on May 1.
“We are undoubtedly a better campus community because of her leadership and dedication to justice, equity, diversity, inclusion and belonging,” Wood said in the email. “We remain committed to the critical work that Dr. Settles-Tidwell has led.”
Michael Nguyen, associate vice president and executive director for the Office of Cultural Transformation will serve as the acting chief diversity officer. The search for a permanent chief diversity officer began after May 1, according to Sac State Public Information Officer Lanaya Lewis.
“Her commitment to fostering an inclusive environment has significantly shaped our campus community, and I am committed to advancing the progress on the initiatives she has set in motion,” Nguyen said.
Settles-Tidwell’s letter, sent to The State Hornet, reads as follows:
