Interfaith Task Force

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Purpose

San Jose State University is committed to fostering a campus environment
that respects the diverse identities and beliefs of all students, faculty, and
staff. Recognizing the significance of religious, spiritual, and secular
perspectives in shaping individual and communal life, The Interfaith Task
Force at San Jose State University (91ÁÔÆæ) is established to explore and
address the diverse expressions of religious, secular, and spiritual identities
and worldviews within our campus community. The task force aims to
enhance inclusivity, support, and understanding of these identities.

The Interfaith Task Force is charged with 1) assessing the current campus
climate surrounding religious, secular, and spiritual identities, 2) identifying
areas of strength and opportunities for improvement, 3) developing
recommendations to enhance support for all members of our community
around these identities, and 4) communicating its findings to the broader
campus community. The task force will report to the Campus Committee on
Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (CCDEI) and be chaired by the Chief
Diversity Officer.

The Task Force is charged with the following responsibilities:

  1. Conduct a comprehensive assessment of the current campus
    climate related to religious, secular, and spiritual identity:
    Identify existing religious, secular, and spiritual organizations
    and their needs
    1. Examine availability and accessibility of resources and services
      supporting these identities
    2. Review existing policies, programs, and resources related to
      these identities to assess their effectiveness and inclusivity
    3. Gather feedback from students, faculty, staff, and community
      members on their experiences related to religious, secular, and
      spiritual identities

  2. Identify opportunities to enhance support for religious, spiritual,
    and secular identity on campus:
    1. Explore opportunities for interfaith, secular, and interspiritual
      dialogue and collaboration
    2. Identify programs and initiatives that foster understanding and
      respect for diverse perspectives

  3. Develop recommendations for enhancing support for religious, secular, and spiritual identities on campus
    1. Recommend actions to address identified needs and opportunities
    2. Recommend policies that ensure respectful treatment and inclusivity for all religious, secular, and spiritual identities, where necessary
    3. Recommend strategies for ongoing assessment and evaluation of initiatives related to religious, secular and spiritual identities

  4. Communicate findings and recommendations to the University community through reports, presentations, and other appropriate means.
    1. Provide monthly progress updates
    2. Prepare a comprehensive report with actionable recommendations at the conclusion of its term
    3. Share final report with the entire 91ÁÔÆæ community to ensure transparency and promote campus-wide engagement

Proposed Timeline

The task force will function for a period of six months beginning January
2025 with the following key milestones:  

  • Month 1: Formation of task force and initial planning meetings
  • Month 2-3: Conduct surveys, focus groups, and community
    engagement activities
  • Month 3-4: Data analysis and development of preliminary
    recommendations
  • Month 5: Drafting and reviewing the final report
  • Month 6: Presentation of the final report and recommendations CCDEI
    and broader campus community

Proposed Composition

The Task Force will be composed of a diverse group of individuals
representing various constituencies within the University community,
including:

  • Students and employees from diverse religious, spiritual, and
    secular backgrounds
  • Faculty with expertise in religion, secularism, spirituality or related
    fields
  • Staff members involved in student affairs and diversity, equity, and
    inclusion initiatives
  • Administrators with relevant responsibilities

As of 11-26-2024

March 10, 2025 Communication to campus

Interfaith Task Force Update

 
Dear Campus Community:

We write to provide an update on the Interfaith Task Force launched in December 2024. The Task Force was established to explore and address the diverse expressions of religious, secular, and spiritual identities and worldviews within our campus community with the aim of enhancing inclusivity, support, and understanding of these identities. Task Force members have been selected and are listed below. We received close to 70 expressions of interest and nominations, far exceeding our expectations. We are very grateful to these individuals for agreeing to serve.

The Interfaith Task Force began meeting February 2025 and is currently focused on conducting a comprehensive assessment of the current campus climate related to religious, secular, and spiritual identity. Opportunities for campus community members to share feedback on their experiences related to these identities are forthcoming.

If you have any questions or concerns about the Interfaith Task Force, please contact , Chief Diversity Officer at kristin.dukes@sjsu.edu.

Interfaith Task Force Members

Faculty

Jonathan Fung, Senior Lecturer, Photography and Interdisciplinary Art
Funie Hsu/Chhî, Assistant Professor, American Studies
Cheryl Roddick, Professor, Mathematics
Karthika Sasikumar, Professor, Political Science

Staff

Clarissa Mae Calimbas, Assistant Director for Student Organizations, Student Involvement
Rachel Grad, Research Training and Engagement Specialist, 91ÁÔÆæ Research Foundation
Taranjit Kaur, Admissions Counselor/Recruiter, Student Outreach and Recruitment
Kevin Ross, Information Tech Consultant, College of Science

Students

Grace Austin, Undergraduate Student
Megan Bischof, Undergraduate Student
Joshua Heytler, Graduate Student
Aakash Krishnan, Undergraduate Student
Samuel Waterman, Graduate Student

Chair

Kristin Nicole Dukes, Chief Diversity Officer