Hearing DetailsJoint Committee on Racial Equity, Civil Rights, and Inclusion

Event Details

Status:

Completed

Event Date:

Tuesday, October 14, 2025

Start Time:

1:00 PM

Location:

B-1 and Virtual

Event Description

Protecting Equity in Higher Education in Massachusetts

The purpose of this informational hearing is to assess the impact of recent federal actions on Equity in Higher Education in Massachusetts. The hearing will be livestreamed on the General Court's website, https://malegislature.gov/, will be recorded and posted publicly at the Joint Committee on Racial Equity, Civil Rights, and Inclusion webpage.

Oral Testimony is by Invitation Only. Witnesses Include:

Jonathan Feingold, Associate Professor of Law, BU School of Law (virtual)

Bahar Akman Imboden, Ph.D., Managing Director, Hildreth Institute (virtual)

Noe Ortega, Ph.D., Commissioner of Higher Education

Panel on the Impact on State Universities

· Vincent Pedone, Executive Director, State Universities Council of Presidents

· Nancy Nieme, President, Framingham State University

· Erica Pucci-O'Brien, Director of International Education, Massachusetts College of Art and Design

· Dr. Sabrina Gentlewarrior, VP of Student Success, Equity and Diversity, Bridgewater State University

· Panel on the Impact on Community Colleges

· Dr. Jonathan K. Jefferson, President, Roxbury Community College

· Michelle Tufau Afriyie, VP for Strategic Enrollment & Student Engagement, Quinsigamond Community College

· Kayla Kittredge, Student, Middlesex Community College

· Melissa Horne, Student Trustee, Northern Essex Community College

Rob McCarron, President and CEO, Association of Independent Colleges and Universities in Massachusetts

Oren Sellstrom, Litigation Director, Lawyers for Civil Rights

Panel on the Impact on Black Students, Faculty, and Staff

· Denise Brown, Founder & Principal Sister (SABLE), M.S., CIM, Ed.D. MLFTC-ASU

· Kaz Abif, Member, Greater Boston Pan-Hellenic Council, Eta Phi Chapter of Omega Psi Phi Fraternity

· Erica M. Roberts, CEO, X Is Possible, LLC & Creator of HBCU Pathways Program (Virtual)

· Leroy Nesbitt, Jr., Esq. Senior Consultant & Strategic Advisor for Postsecondary Pathways and Economic Mobility, X Is Possible, LLC (Virtual)

· Additional Witness: TBD

· Panel on the Impact on Latino Students, Faculty, and Staff

· Jorge Fanjul, Executive Director, Latinos for Education

· Additional Witness: TBD

Written testimony may be submitted by any member of the public by close of business on Friday, October 17, 2025 addressed to: House Chair, Bud L. Williams and Senate Chair, Liz Miranda and may be submitted by email to Brendan.Morris@mahouse.gov or by sending correspondence to: Rep. Bud Williams, House Chair, Joint Committee on Racial Equity, Civil Rights, and Inclusion, Massachusetts State House, Attn: Brendan Morris, Esq. 24 Beacon Street, Room 236, Boston, MA 02133

The Committee will work to coordinate reasonable accommodations required to ensure that people with disabilities are able to participate fully in the hearing process. Requests for accessibility accommodations, such as assistive listening devices and systems, sign language interpreting services, closed captioning and transcription services, will be provided upon request. Requests for services should be submitted by completing the state house accessibility form, https://malegislature.gov/StateHouse/AccessibilityForm/. You may also make a request by email to: Carl Richardson at (carl.richardson@mass.gov).

Please be advised that the schedule and agenda are subject to change at the agreement of the Chairs.

If you have Accessibility needs, click here.

Item Name	Start Time	Duration	Webcast
Joint Committee On Racial Equity, Civil Rights, And Inclusion - 10-14-2025	10/14/2025 1:00 PM	04:03:06

Present (7)

Bud L. Williams (HOU)

Russell E. Holmes (HOU)

Vanna Howard (HOU)

Orlando Ramos (HOU)

Amy Mah Sangiolo (HOU)

Erika Uyterhoeven (HOU)

Donald H. Wong (HOU)

Absent (4)

David F. DeCoste (HOU) *

Kip A. Diggs (HOU) *

Mary S. Keefe (HOU) *

Rita A. Mendes (HOU) *

Hearing DetailsJoint Committee on Racial Equity, Civil Rights, and Inclusion

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