Senior Associate Dean for Faculty and Student Affairs and Chief Diversity Officer for the Graduate School of Education, University at Buffalo

Raechele (she/her/hers) is the Senior Associate Dean for Faculty and Student Affairs and the Chief Diversity Officer for the Graduate School of Education at the University at Buffalo. She is also a Professor of Higher Education and Student Affairs. Her scholarship interests and publications generally rely on a social and organizational analysis of equity, access, inclusion, justice, and engagement. Through an inclusive theory, practice, and advocacy lens, she examines the necessary concrete strategies, competencies, and practices to create and maintain multicultural campus environments. Her scholarship has challenged and transformed (a) how the field defines professional competence and efficacious practice, (b) the nature of traditional planned change strategies in student affairs, and (c) the relevance of student development theories and practices for minoritized students. Raechele is the lead author for both Multicultural Competence in Student Affairs: Advancing Social Justice and Inclusion (2019) and Creating Multicultural Change on Campus (2014). In addition, she is a co-editor of Why Aren’t We There Yet? Taking Personal Responsibility for Creating an Inclusive Campus. She is a recipient of the ACPA Contribution to Knowledge Award, an ACPA Senior Scholar Diplomate, a recipient of the NASPA Robert H. Shaffer Award for Academic Excellence as a Graduate Faculty Member, and a former NASPA Faculty Fellow.
Raechele’s Episodes

This episode was inspired by the recent article by Drs. Shaun Harper and Oscar Patrón, Three Decades of Campus Racial Climate Studies and 25 New Directions for Future Research, which builds on the foundational work of Dr. Sylvia Hurtado. Together, their scholarship has profoundly shaped how we understand race, racism, and belonging in higher education….

Vicarious trauma is real, it’s widespread, and it’s not the same thing as “needing more self-care.” In this episode, Dr. Jill Bassett-Cameron joins Student Affairs NOW to explain what vicarious trauma is, how it shows up in our work, and why student affairs professionals must stop ignoring or minimizing it. Dr. Bassett-Cameron offers a timely…

This episode discusses the identities and experiences of Jewish students on campus today.. Many Jewish students have reported feeling unsafe and traumatized amidst the rise of antisemitism on campus, in our nation, and across the globe. Our guest, Dr. Elisa Abes, offers a critical perspective to deeply examine the realities of anti-semitism on college campuses…

The leadership of Black women in student affairs and higher education is part of the essential story of the success and challenges of our colleges and universities. Unfortunately, these stories are often erased and thus their contributions minimized. Black women’s experiences as supervisors and supervisees is a key part of their leadership journey. It’s time…

In this episode we are discussing serving minoritized students and the unique institutional types that focus on supporting minoritized students. Our hope is to focus on ways we can serve minoritized student populations at institutions that may not have been created with these populations in mind but are now playing an important role in providing…

