Pareena Lawrence

Bridging the Tension between Inclusiveness and Free Speech

Possessing more than 20 years of experience in the field of higher education, Dr. Pareena Lawrence is now a senior fellow in the Office of International Affairs at Yale University and with the Association of American Colleges & Universities (AAC&U). A large part of Dr. Pareena Lawrence’s work focuses on promoting diversity and inclusion through personnel development and the implementation of innovative programs, and she has written a variety of articles and spoken at conferences on these topics.

In her paper “When Core Values Collide: Diversity, Inclusion, and Free Speech,” she takes into consideration two core values, freedom of speech and diversity and inclusion, within higher education and how to creatively manage the conflict or tension between them.

While Americans have the freedom to express their opinions at institutions of higher education and in public spaces, this can sometimes clash with the idea of diversity and inclusion when free speech is used to dismiss or belittle someone’s identity, such as their gender, ethnicity, or sexual orientation.

According to the author, members of colleges and universities nationwide are facing the dilemma between what is covered by our right to freedom of expression and our desire to build an inclusive community that sees the intrinsic worth of every individual. When such freedom of speech attacks or threatens the core identity of individuals, it prevents students from feeling like they belong at the institutions and can create conflict, fear, and uncertainty and it must be addressed.

The solution to the conflict is to ensure that all students feel a sense of belonging. How to do so is a matter of creativity and sensitivity. We need to create conversation and dialogue instead of labeling and finger-pointing. Creating an environment where all students feel like they belong requires clear principles that should be stated in a positive, inclusive, and simple way. These principles should help to ensure that free speech is preserved while continuing to promote diversity and inclusion. While this may not guarantee success it is a critical step towards building a society that can think critically without constraints and cherishes the active participation and success of each of its members.

Fellowship with the American Conference of Academic Deans

For over two decades, Pareena Lawrence has held leadership positions at several institutions of higher education. Now a visiting scholar at Yale University, Pareena Lawrence has many accolades to her name, including a 4-year term served on the board of the American Conference of Academic Deans.

The American Conference of Academic Deans (ACAD) celebrates its 75th anniversary this year. Founded in January of 1945, ACAD prides itself on providing academic administrators a place to network, share resources, and learn from each other. To commemorate its 75th year, ACAD announced the ACAD 75th Anniversary Fellows Program. This program appoints up to five fellows annually to bring fresh perspectives to the organization. In return for their service, the fellows receive a year of membership to the ACAD, as well as various free registrations and stipends to attend ACAD events. Once their year of fellowship has ended, the fellows are expected to assist in appointing their successors.

Supporting Students from Underrepresented Groups in Higher Education

Following more than two decades as an educator and senior administrator in higher education, Dr. Pareena Lawrence began her tenure at Yale University as a visiting fellow. Throughout her academic career, Dr. Pareena Lawrence has focused on student learning and success with an emphasis on inclusion and equity in outcomes. As the provost at Augustana College, Dr. Lawrence worked with the campus community and her team to increase and improve both the number of students and staff of color and their retention and success. While serving as president of Hollins University, she also established new programs dedicated to engaging and supporting students from traditionally underrepresented groups in higher education.

Students of color or ALANA students, members of the LGBTQ+ community, single parents, adult students, first-generation college students, and students from lower-income backgrounds are all considered as part of the underrepresented groups in the majority of higher education institutions. Without proper support, these students are much less likely to complete their education and earn a degree or have access to deep learning opportunities that lead to higher engagement and improved learning outcomes. For these reasons, many colleges and universities have developed outreach and support programs to meet the unique needs of these demographic groups.

For example, many campuses offer a welcoming, inclusive, identity-specific student clubs and organizations so that students from underrepresented groups can find and build a community. Additionally, early orientation programs invite students on campus before the school year begins to introduce them to the faculty and increase awareness of on-campus resources, including financial aid offices, career counseling, and academic support to reduce invisible knowledge and barriers. Connecting faculty and staff and upper-class students with incoming first-year students through a mentorship program or and advising team approach also increases feelings of belonging, probability of success and reduces the likelihood of dropping out.

Exploring Careers and Designing a Life of Consequence

Woman in white in sleeves — Woman loving life Photo by **Julian Jagtenberg** from **Pexels**

A former board member of the American Conference of Academic Deans, Pareena Lawrence is a visiting fellow at Yale University and senior fellow at the Association of American Colleges & Universities. Pareena Lawrence has spoken in several national forums on student success and support, university leadership, as well as integrating career development within liberal arts college experience.

An ardent believer and advocate of the value of a liberal arts education, Dr. Lawrence believes that a liberal arts education in a residential college setting provides the most transformative experience and prepares students to engage in a productive life of purpose. It helps students develop core skills that transcend fields and fosters agility and adaptability. Students educated in the tradition of the liberal arts can solve complex problems creatively, think critically, communicate effectively, and act ethically even in trying circumstances. This holistic approach to education challenges students to create their path for constructive contributions to the world at large and to be responsible global citizens. In her work as provost at Augustana College, Dr. Lawrence was instrumental in the creation of CORE (Careers Opportunities Research Exploration) Center. The primary rationale for establishing CORE was to ensure equity and access to opportunities for all students. The mission of CORE was to offer student-centered learning experiences that help students discover their purpose and passions and connect them to their career aspirations. Dr. Lawrence and her team completely revamped the traditional career development model. They moved away from a transactional model of career services to an educational and developmental model of professional development. The focus was on fostering exploration of one’s interests and passions and helping students experience opportunities as they actively designed their experiences to build towards a life of consequence. The programming offered by CORE was also woven into the work of other offices and organizations such as multi-cultural student programming, first-year experience, and AugieFirst programming, team events for athletics, and other organizations to ensure maximum access and participation.

The broader vision that Dr. Lawrence and her colleagues developed for the Office of Career Development that worked in tandem with the academic departments was to foremost create a place that supported students in learning and discovering who they are and called to be. Secondly, in preparing students over the four years to secure their first full-time job or graduate school placement in their senior year or upon graduation, and finally, to build a lifelong relationship with the alumni and actively support them throughout their careers.