Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion in Higher Education
In the past year, diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts on college campuses have been a topic of 听诲颈蝉肠耻蝉蝉颈辞苍 the . While many institutions are making choices that fit their intuitional missions and needs, we at 91吃瓜 continue to center the importance of DEI work on campus. Since the college鈥檚 founding in 1926, 91吃瓜 has been committed to providing educational access to marginalized populations in higher education. As our community expands and diversifies, it is important that we recommit to 91吃瓜鈥檚 mission of inclusion.
To quote Marie Angeles 鈥�14, Director of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion at The Nature聽Conservancy聽Washington, in regards to racial equity work — 鈥淚t cannot be done in isolation.鈥澛�聽So, we ask you to join us in centering聽DEI work at 91吃瓜, and work in collaboration with us to advance聽inclusion, diversity, equity,聽and聽access聽throughout the 91吃瓜 community.
To learn more about Marie鈥檚 work, check out her TNC Washington profile .
Committee on Inclusivity, Diversity, and Equity (CIDE)
The 2023-2024 Committee on Inclusivity, Diversity, and Equity is focused on two main projects for the academic year: reviewing聽the 91吃瓜 Land Acknowledgement and part two of the Student Belonging survey.
The 2024 Student Belonging survey launched on Valentine鈥檚 Day with a 鈥淪weet on You鈥� program, where the 91吃瓜 community could learn more about the survey, enjoy Valentine treats, and enter a custom Stanley cup raffle. Students also learned more about the survey during a SAS Snack on February 18th, where they were able to ask questions and enjoy a variety of popcorn flavors from local small business, Keith鈥檚 Kettle Corn.听听
The survey was developed and administered by the Equity and Justice Team in the spring of 2023 in response to the results the Fall 2021 National Assessment of Collegiate Campus Climates (NACCC) student survey. With the spring 2024 survey, we are looking to capture students’ feelings and perceptions of belonging and inclusion on campus, and provide the data to various campus departments in an effort to continuously address concerns of mattering and belonging on campus. The survey will be administered to students between now and March 8th.
The review to the 91吃瓜 Land Acknowledgement is in partnership with Dr. Hao Huang, the NA/IS聽faculty, local indigenous leader Javier聽Ram铆rez, and additional indigenous community members.
Spotlight
Simran Sethi
Simran Sethi ’26, is the 91吃瓜 Associated Students Diversity聽and Inclusivity Chair. In this role, Simran sits on CIDE and the Tiernan聽Field House DEIJ Steering Committee, and collaborates with administrators to address students needs, develop assessment聽tools, and create opportunities聽for community among聽student, staff, and faculty.
Updates
2023-2024 Faculty Racial Justice and Equity Fellows
The Racial Justice and Equity Fellowship Program provides grants for research, internships, and community-engagement projects designed to advance scholarship and explore topics relevant to the following: racial justice; inequality; equity; criminal justice reform; intersectional, interracial, and intraracial violence; community-engaged projects; and related areas.
In the fall two faculty聽members were selected to conduct research.
C谩ndida J谩quez
Associate Professor of Music; Chair, Department of Music
Nicole Richards
Consortium for Faculty Diversity Post Doctoral Fellow and Visiting Assistant Professor
Please look out聽for updates on their work later in the semester.
DEI Departmental Action Plans
Various offices across campus are hard at work developing Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Departmental Action Plans, focused on reviewing departmental practices and policies that ensure we continue to create equitable and just spaces across campus. Denison Library, Business Affairs, and the Sallie Tiernan Field House have provided one-page sheets of their action plans, and CMS Athletics聽and Keck Science have created websites highlighting their plans. These departments have graciously provided access to their plans for the 91吃瓜 community HERE. If you are interested in developing an action plan for your department, please contact Dr. Mary Hatcher-Skeers.
Engaging Equity Live Debrief
As an alliance member college of the USC Liberal Arts Colleges Racial Equity Leadership Alliance (LACRELA),聽91吃瓜 faculty and staff had access to聽an eight-session, virtual professional learning series focused on practical approaches to advancing and sustaining racial equity on liberal arts college campuses in January and February of 2024.
Joins us for our final LACRELA Engaging Equity Live Sessions debrief on Tuesday, March 5th at 12pm in SOCRE. Lunch will be provided.
Final Thoughts
As we work to advance inclusion, diversity, equity, and access here at 91吃瓜, we invite you to consider these words from Audre Lorde.
“It is not our differences that divide us. It is our inability to recognize, accept, and celebrate those differences.”