Dear Berkeley Staff Colleagues:
It's with mixed emotions that we announce the retirement of Dr. Sidalia (Sid) G. Reel, Director of Staff Diversity Initiatives. We are truly grateful to her for making the Division of Equity & Inclusion and the campus a better workplace for all.
Sid joined the Division of Equity & Inclusion in June 2008 as the third official employee of the division. She is the incumbent Staff Diversity Initiative Director, and she held space for staff diversity, equity and inclusion best practices for 11 years. Sid came to Berkeley with over 15 years of global corporate diversity leadership experience, and she is the first ever Director of Staff Diversity in the UC system. Sid provided leadership, guidance, education and program development in service of creating a work environment for staff of all identities to experience an equitable, inclusive and welcoming workplace.
Among her multiple contributions to the campus, Sid administered the first Staff Campus Climate Survey in 2008; she contributed to the development of the Equity, Inclusion and Diversity Strategic Plan 2008-2018; co-sponsored the Interactive Theater Program; co-introduced “Staff Family Days” at the Lawrence Hall of Science; conceived and inaugurated the NOW (Next Opportunity at Work) Staff Career Development Conference, that provides staff direct access to a high caliber career and professional development conference on campus. Additionally, she sponsored and promoted the development and expansion of the Coalition of Ethnic Staff Organizations (CESO), by also securing funding for CESO to conduct “Rising Together: Career Development for Staff of Color” conference in 2015. Sid sponsored and managed the initial Berkeley Staff Assembly (BSA) Mentoring Program Coordinator role; led the design, development, and implementation of the Multi cultural Education Program (MEP) that includes a 3-workshop certificate program and engaged over 80 campus teams on diversity consulting and facilitated a staff study group that examines Whiteness, Privilege, and Power. Sid successfully established collaborative relationships with HR – Learning & Development, Recruiting, Affirmative Action/Equal Employment Opportunity, Employee & Labor Relations and HR Policy; the Staff Ombudsperson Office, the Office for the Prevention of Harassment and Discrimination, University Health Services, Student Affairs, the General Counsel’s Office, UC Police Department and the Office of the Chancellor.
As a part of our Divisional strategic and organizational planning process, we will be engaging in a transition planning process to ensure that the purpose, intentionality, and foundation of this work is elevated, expanded, and embedded to continue to impact the campus.
Please join us on Wednesday, June 26th from 2-4pm to congratulate Sid on a job well done and a well-deserved retirement. A formal invitation to her retirement celebration will follow.
Best regards,
Oscar Dubon, Jr. Vice Chancellor of Equity & Inclusion
Mia Settles-Tidwell, Assistant Vice Chancellor and Chief of Staff