Conversation of Understanding to look at building a stronger SIU community

September 22, 2026

Conversation of Understanding to look at building a stronger SIU community

A virtual Conversation of Understanding on Wednesday, Sept. 23 will explore findings from the 2026 SIU System Viewfinder Campus Climate Survey and what it reveals about the experiences of students, faculty and staff. 

The virtual session, “What We Heard. What the Findings Reveal. Where We Go From Here. From Findings to Action: Building a Stronger SIU Community,” is from noon to 1 p.m. on the SIU System’s YouTube channel. 

SIU System President Dan Mahony and Sheila Caldwell, SIU System vice president for antiracism, diversity, equity and inclusion, and chief diversity officer, will present detailed findings from the survey. 

They will examine shared student and employee experiences across SIU Carbondale, SIU Edwardsville, SIUE East St. Louis Center and the SIU School of Medicine in Springfield. 

This includes: 

• Exploring what students, faculty, and staff shared about belonging, inclusion, institutional climate, and their experiences learning and working within the SIU System.
• Moving beyond reporting the data to consider what the findings reveal about our university community.
• Highlighting areas of strength as well as opportunities for continued attention and improvement.
• Considering how the findings can inform our collective path forward across the SIU System. 

A Q&A session will allow the online audience to participate by using the YouTube comment section. 

The presentation will be recorded and posted on the SIU System YouTube channel, providing those who are unable to view on Wednesday an opportunity to view the discussion at later time.  

The SIU System President’s Office and the SIU System Diversity Advisory Council sponsor the Conversation of Understanding series, which began in June 2020.