The Pan African Faculty and Staff Association (PAFSA) is one of ºÚÁÏÍø’s seven Employee Resource Groups (ERGs), and one of the oldest organizations of its kind in the our country. Celebrating 50 years of advocacy and service, PAFSA was founded in 1972 by the Institute for African American Affairs, formally the Department of Pan-African Studies.
The organization was formed to promote employment, participation in university affairs, and the intellectual contributions of the Pan-African community toward the growth and success of ºÚÁÏÍø. The association is open to all faculty and staff. Its primary goal is to build communications and promote diversity, equality and inclusion in education and employment throughout our eight-campus system.
According to the Harvard Business Review, ERGs have served and supported the culture of organizations in our country since the 1970s. They are usually organized around a shared identity like race, gender and age, and serve as a haven of belonging, offering a space for underrepresented employees to find one another, reduce the sense of isolation, and experience a reprieve from the daily aggressions they may endure in the workplace. A formal validation process for leadership is extremely important.
ERGs bring many benefits to organizations, including identifying and developing internal organizers, which can lead to higher retention rates. They also educate employees, including senior leaders, through internal events and employee panels. Additionally, they may help companies recruit and retain underrepresented individuals and develop a talent pipeline.