Employee Resource Groups (ERGs)

Employee Resource and Affinity Groups (ERGs)

SSU Employee Resource and Affinity Groups (ERGs) are voluntary and employee led. These groups are created and managed by university employees and receive collaborative support and modest funding from the Office of Inclusive Excellence.

ERGs can center on race, ethnicity, cultural and multicultural backgrounds, gender identity, disability status, sexual orientation, religion, military service and affiliation, and other shared identities, experiences and interests. ERGs are open and welcoming to all SSU faculty, staff and administrators.

At Salem State, ERGs advance a respectful and caring community by:

• Serving as a vehicle for leveraging university shared governance.
• Creating an open forum to share common interests/concerns and support one another in creatively addressing those concerns.
• Contributing to an inclusive workplace through recruiting, retaining and providing a welcoming environment to new employees.
• Providing networking and mentoring opportunities.
• Maintaining an open dialogue between community groups and senior leadership to address issues, needs, and policies.

Guiding Principles for ERGs

• ERG participation is voluntary and adhere to the university’s collective bargaining agreement.
• All ERGs are organized by and open to all Salem State employees, including full-time, part-time and contract faculty, staff and administrators.
• ERGs strive to provide long-term benefit to the university as well as professional and personal benefit to participants.
• ERGs promote diversity, openness, understanding, belonging and inclusiveness.

How to Join or Create an ERG

If you are interested in joining an existing ERG (listed below), we encourage you to contact the existing ERG’s lead. 

For additional information, support or assistance, please reach out to Jess Cook, Executive Assistant for Inclusive Excellence, who serves as the point of contact for ERGs across campus. 

Employee Resource and Affinity Group Leads, Mission Statements and Objectives

The following ERGs are open to all faculty, staff and administrators in the university community.