“I am proud and honored to have the opportunity to fill the position of Interim Chief Diversity Officer here at Alfred University,” Saltsman commented. “This position, as an addition to my current continuing role as Director of Student Diversity and Inclusion, will allow me to further lend my voice and experience in the critical areas of diversity, inclusion, and equity.”
As Chief Diversity Officer, Saltsman is tasked with three specific objectives: overseeing the creation and the execution of a comprehensive implicit bias and anti-bias training module for Alfred University search committees; providing administrative and logistic assistance to the President's Committee on Diversity; and collaborating with student, faculty, and staff to facilitate the building of community and institutional practices that are inclusive, diverse, and equitable.
“I will do my utmost best to advocate for, work with, and prioritize the voices of our diverse constituents and communities to help the University realize and achieve its potential, while actively recognizing, acknowledging, and challenging its biases for the betterment of all,” Saltsman said. “I am grateful to President Mark Zupan, Provost Beth Ann Dobie, and the University leadership for their faith and confidence in selecting me to fill this interim position at this moment in our University’s history.”
Saltsman was appointed Alfred University’s first-ever director of Student Diversity and Inclusion in July of 2018. In that role, he proposes, develops and implements programs designed to increase the participation of diverse students in campus-wide events and activities and deepen their engagement in the University. His responsibilities include serving as advisor to the student-directed Institute for Cultural Unity (ICU), a collective of 15 student organizations. He also mentors students leaders involved in these organizations and oversees the ICU, supervising and training Agents of Change.
He serves on various committees, including the Bias Response Team, President’s Committee on Diversity, and the Social Justice Curriculum Committee. He is the co-director of the Africana Studies minor, is a Qualified Administrator for the Intercultural Development Index (IDI), and works with the Athletics Department as a liaison to the NCAA for Diversity and Inclusion Initiatives.
Saltsman came to Alfred University with nearly two decades of experience in higher education. He was at Allegheny College in Meadville, PA, from 2009-16, serving as assistant professor in the Psychology and Black Studies departments. He is a trained facilitator in the Sustained Dialogues program, Safe Zone, and aspiring allyship. He served at Allegheny as a Faculty Athletic Representative and as both Director and Associate Director of the Center for Intercultural Advancement and Student Success (CIASS).
Prior to coming to Allegheny College, Saltsman was an instructor for two years (2007-09) in the Biobehavioral Health Department at Pennsylvania State University, teaching general education and biobehavioral health classes. He earned a bachelor’s degree in biobehavioral health from Pennsylvania State University in 2001. In 2007, he earned a doctoral degree in biobehavioral health from Penn State, with emphases in racial and ethnic identity, intercultural health disparities, and adoptive familial development.
