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Why Inclusion

Basic Definitions

The Office of Diversity & Inclusion (ODI), in collaboration with the Office of Civil Rights & Sexual Misconduct (OCRSM), developed definitions of diversity, equity, inclusion and social justice as part of their mission-building project of 2020. To find these definitions, please visit the ODI Mission & Vision page.

These definitions are not intended to be exhaustive. Rather, they provide clarity for how our work embodies these terms as found in our Vision and Mission statements.

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Diversity

The full spectrum of human identities, backgrounds, experiences, and their intersections.

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Equity

Fairness.

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Inclusion

Full participation by all.

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Social Justice

Justice in terms of the distribution of resources, opportunities, and privileges within a society.

Why Diversity & Inclusion?

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Diversifying Population

Increasing student diversity of race, gender, income, disability, etc.

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Land Grant Mission

Responsible to serve our whole community, one of the most diverse in the nation.

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Diverse Student Needs

Greater mental health challenges, more financial need, generational expectation of more holistic support.

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Current Reality

Bias incidents reported every year; representation of employees does not match population we serve.

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Improved Learning

Diverse & inclusive classrooms & faculty lead to better retention, more complex thinking, better preparation for "real" world.

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Better Business

Diverse & inclusive workplaces lead to higher job satisfaction, lower turnover, higher productivity, better earnings, etc.

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How Do We Create a Diverse & Inclusive Culture?

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Build Respect

Treat employees with respect. Feeling respected is a top priority for employees, but 54% in the US say they don't receive respect from leaders. Respect leads to open dialogue & better ideas.

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Recognize Value

Develop and recognize strengths for increased self-awareness, better interpersonal relationships, and greater likelihood of feeling included and seeing the value in each other.

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Do What's Right

Build trust through transparent, compassionate discussions of diversity. Set clear, high expectations and provide sufficient resources. Make the tough calls. Inclusion does not mean anything goes.

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Use Data

Look for problems in the employee lifecycle, identify points where bias is more likely, & track how changes impact employees.

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Resist Bias

Create objective processes that allow you to review for potential bias. Use professional development to uncover personal biases and control for them.

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Improve Representation

Lift up marginalized voices. Make sure you cite diverse experts. Create an environment where diverse people want to work.

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