After accreditation struggle, St. Paul College makes ‘equity and inclusion’ part of its mission

Josh Verges, Pioneer Press
·2 min read

Motivated by the coronavirus pandemic, George Floyd’s murder and the school’s own accreditation battle, St. Paul College has adopted new mission and vision statements that place equity and inclusion at the center of its work.

The mission statement approved Tuesday by the Minnesota State Board of Trustees reads: “Grounded in equity and inclusion, Saint Paul College educates and empowers students to lead purposeful lives and discover rewarding careers.”

The new vision statement reads: “Saint Paul College advances racial equity; enriches community vibrancy; and inspires students to reach their full potential.”

President Deidra Peaslee said the guiding statements were rewritten while the two-year school was working on a new strategic plan.

Peaslee took over in June 2019, just before the Higher Learning Commission placed the college on probation for failing to systematically assess student learning. The accrediting agency also cited high administrative turnover, underqualified instructors and a “climate of fear and intimidation” under Peaslee’s predecessor, Rassoul Dastmozd.

Then, in 2020, the global pandemic and Floyd’s killing “highlighted the trauma and systemic racism experienced daily by members of the Saint Paul College community, particularly those of color,” the school said in materials for Tuesday’s meeting.

Although the commission restored the college’s full accreditation last June, college officials still feel a need to respond to the stressors facing their students – nearly two-thirds of whom are students of color – and the broader community.

Peaslee noted that 30 to 40 percent of students in K-12 schools experience anxiety or depression.

“We know as an institution this is not going away,” she said. “Those students who are experiencing that trauma today will become our students in the future.”

Leaders say the new mission and vision statements will guide them as they decide how to spend money and will convey their “commitment to equity and inclusion, hallmarks of anti-racism (and) trauma-informed practices.”

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