Dear School of Interior Design community,

As we head into the summer months, let’s take time to acknowledge all persons of color who continue to be impacted by systemic racism and reflect on our role as designers for creating more inclusive environments in our School, our communities and workplaces, and at home. As students, 2020 graduates, faculty and staff of the School of Interior Design, we do not tolerate injustice and discrimination, and stand together in our commitment to increase diversity and equity. Black lives matter.

Our School’s mission is to provide students with a broad-based educational foundation for creative problem solving, sensitivity to human behavior in the built environment, and commitment to the health, safety, and welfare of the public. Embedded in these aspirations is the need to shape more inclusive environments in all aspects of teaching and learning, scholarship and service.

This week I attended the “You Matter” protest in the Quad organized by LSU students, and listened to the voices of students and alumni from across our campus. Advancing our listening skills is long overdue. When we return to campus in the fall, I plan to address issues of discrimination, injustice, implicit bias, and differential opportunity by establishing a working group comprised of School of Interior Design students and faculty to propose actions for cultivating a more inclusive environment that celebrates diversity, overcomes bias, promotes understanding, and prioritizes design thinking and solutions to support and serve all members of our society. Now, more than ever, it is time to act and use our skills and knowledge to ensure a more humane world.

Please let me know if you are interested in participating in this working group.

Thank you.

Marsha R. Cuddeback

NCIDQ, AIA, LEED AP BD+C
Director and Professor, School of Interior Design
Ruth Z. McCoy Professor in Interior Design
Louisiana State University, College of Art + Design
402 Design Building, Baton Rouge, LA 70803
office: 225-578-8422 | Fax: 225-578-8457
mcuddeb@lsu.edu