Wednesday, February 25, 2026
This week, The Equal Opportunity & Diversity Advisory Committee (EODAC) and BCSGA
hosted their first Campus Equity Conversation – a panel discussion intended to deepen
understanding, clarify terms, and create space for respectful engagement. The topic
of discussion was Why Equity Still Matters: Understanding DEI in Today’s Climate.
The panel included Diana Wolf, Adjunct Faculty in Behavioral Science at BC; Manny
Mourtzanos, Executive Dean of Instruction at BC; Timothy LaFondez, Program Manager
of Tutoring Services at BC; Keith Wolaridge, Associate Professor of Business at BC;
and Lawrence Ochoa, current BC student.
The moderator for the event was Gilbert Ayuk, BC Physics Professor. Throughout the
event, he would ask specific questions and each panelist was given the chance to respond.
He opened the discussion by asking about DEI‘s importance in higher education. Diana
Wolf was the first to answer, “Equity is giving support where it is needed, and being
able to identify where there are barriers that can create unequal opportunity,” she
said, “and that can be difficult and challenging.” Timothy LaFondez shared a similar
sentiment, “DEI in higher education is not a political concept, but it is a practical
concept,” he said, “equity is simply recognizing that we do not start from the same
place and allowing avenues for success regardless of background.”
Each panelist also shared a little of their background, their career paths, and other
experiences that shaped their view on equity and inclusion. When asked about practical
examples of DEI at BC, Keith Wolaridge shared his perspective, “A specific example
of equity, for me as a professor, is meeting students where they are,” he said, “for
example, I don’t think (the cost of) a textbook should stop a student from learning.
So, there is the adoption of, or going to, zero-cost textbooks – that is something
specific that we can do to meet our student where they are.”
The event concluded with a time of socializing and attendees were invited to enjoy
a slice of pizza. Overall, the event provided a great atmosphere to discuss the top
of diversity, equity, and inclusion and to focus on why it is an important topic for
institutions of higher education. Thank you to all the panelists for taking time to
share and to everyone who helped put this event together.
