University News
JIDE Director Interviews Set
July 28, 2022
MACOMB/MOLINE, IL – Interviews have been set for the new director of Justice, Inclusion, Diversity, and Equity (JIDE) at Western Illinois University. One candidate was on campus Friday, July 22, and two additional candidates will visit Monday, Aug. 1 and Tuesday, Aug. 2.
Jerry Granderson, former director of the Public Safety Academy for the State of Oregon's Department of Public Safety Standards and Training, interviewed Friday, July 22; Joseph Eubanks III, defense investigator for Kansas Holistic Defenders in Lawrence, KS, will interview Monday, Aug. 1 and Kim O'Reilly, principal consultant for Intercultural Solutions in Muscatine, IA, will interview Tuesday, Aug. 2.
Open sessions will be held at 1:30 p.m. (faculty/staff) and 2:30 p.m. (students) with Eubanks III and O'Reilly in the University Union Capitol Room during their interview days, and also via Zoom.
For those participating in the open session on Zoom, the registration must be completed in advance at tinyurl.com/GrandersonOpen1 (1 p.m. session) and tinyurl.com/GrandersonOpen2 (2 p.m. session), and tinyurl.com/EubanksOpen1 (1:30 p.m. session) and tinyurl.com/EubanksOpen2 (2:30 p.m. session). Registration for O'Reilly's open session with faculty and staff can be completed registered for at tinyurl.com/OReillyOpen1 (1:30 p.m. session, and tinyurl.com/OReillyOpen2 (2:30 p.m. session).
Granderson, who retired from the FBI, served in his previous role from 2021-2022. He served as an FBI Supervisory Special Agent for 23 years, retiring in April 2020. He has also been an instructor and program manager at the FBI Academy (Quantico), and has served as a legal analyst for the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA).
Granderson, who is a member of the 12th Special Forces Group (Reserves) and a U.S. Army 82nd Airborne Division veteran, received his master's and bachelor's degrees from WIU.
Eubanks has served as a defense investigator for Kansas Holistic Defenders since December 2021. Previously, he was a shelter manager at the Lawrence Community Shelter from April-December 2021. He has worked as a district sales manager for Hewlett Packard in New Orleans, and in retail management positions, along with serving as a law clerk in Ridgeland, MS.
Eubanks, who is a member of the Mississippi Army National Guard, also is a human resource specialist with the guard, a position he has held since 2013. He received his master's degree from the University of Kansas and his bachelor's degree from the University of Mississippi.
O'Reilly has served as the principal consultant to Intercultural Solutions sine 2018. Previously, she was a teacher education and human development professor for the University of Nevada, Reno's College of Education, from 2000-2017.
O'Reilly received her bachelor's degree from the University of Iowa, her master's degree from the University of Wisconsin, Madison, and her doctoral degree from the University of Iowa.
The JIDE director, which reports to the President, is responsible for strengthening and advancing the University's commitment to being a just, inclusive, diverse, and equitable institution. The director will actively engage with the University's students, faculty, staff, and administration to carry out the responsibilities of the position, including regular reports to the President and Senior Leadership Team on the status of JIDE initiatives and impact. The JIDE director will possess a comprehensive understanding of the key issues affecting justice, inclusion, diversity, and equity; lead and oversee the University's diversity plan; and shape and implement appropriate strategies, policies, and procedures for the Office. In addition to having overall organizational and operational responsibility for JIDE, the director will work collaboratively with university partners to develop and monitor student and staff diversity strategies. The director will also create and deliver educational workshops, programing, training, and tools to further support faculty, staff, and students in achieving a greater understanding of issues pertaining to JIDE. The selected candidate will be an effective communicator, and will provide information, direction, and support for new programing, as well as continue educating the campus community about the importance of institutional JIDE initiatives.
Complete candidate information can be found at wiu.edu/employment.
Posted By: University Communications (U-Communications@wiu.edu)
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