Valparaiso University
PA-5: Diversity and Equity Coordination
| Status | Score | Responsible Party |
|---|---|---|
|
Reporter |
Does the institution have a diversity and equity committee, office, and/or officer tasked by the administration or governing body to advise on and implement policies, programs, and trainings related to diversity, equity, inclusion and human rights?:
Does the committee, office and/or officer focus on students, employees, or both?:
A brief description of the diversity and equity committee, office and/or officer, including purview and activities:
Our office promotes the centrality of DEI in Valpo activities to ensure that each member of our community has the full opportunity to succeed in our institution.
Diversity: Increasing diversity is one of our goals. DEI is expressed in myriad forms, including race and ethnicity, gender and gender identity, sexual orientation, socioeconomic status, language, culture, national origin, religious commitments, age, (dis)ability status, and political perspective.
Equity: We work to challenge and respond to bias, harassment, and discrimination.
Inclusion: We promote deliberate efforts to ensure that our campus is a place where differences are welcomed, different perspectives are respectfully heard, and where every individual feels a sense of belonging. We strive to create a welcoming climate so we all can advance our collective capabilities.
Estimated proportion of students that has participated in cultural competence, anti-oppression, anti-racism, and/or social inclusion trainings and activities:
Estimated proportion of academic staff that has participated in cultural competence, anti-oppression, anti-racism, and/or social inclusion trainings and activities:
Estimated proportion of non-academic staff that has participated in cultural competence, anti-oppression, anti-racism, and/or social inclusion trainings and activities:
A brief description of the institution’s cultural competence, anti-oppression, anti-racism, and/or social inclusion trainings and activities:
The Basic Concepts & Activities for Racial Equity Work Training, based on the handout book Laying the groundwork: Concepts and activities for racial equity work produced by the Rossier School of Education at the University of Southern California, seeks to provide an awareness of the sociohistorical context of exclusionary practices and racism in higher education, and the effect of power asymmetries on opportunities and outcomes for racially minoritized students. This training seeks to foster a way of understanding and addressing social inequities framing racial inequity as a dysfunction of higher education’s policies and it offers practices and the ways to address these issues (Center for Urban Education, 2020).
Website URL where information about the institution’s diversity and equity office or trainings is available:
Additional documentation to support the submission:
Data source(s) and notes about the submission:
The information presented here is self-reported. While AASHE staff review portions of all STARS reports and institutions are welcome to seek additional forms of review, the data in STARS reports are not verified by AASHE. If you believe any of this information is erroneous or inconsistent with credit criteria, please review the process for inquiring about the information reported by an institution or simply email your inquiry to stars@aashe.org.