Statement On Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion

Preamble

ÒùÐÔÊÓƵ promotes an open exchange of ideas in a setting that embodies the values of academic freedom, responsibility, integrity, cooperation, and social justice. The University’s commitment to diversity promotes important social values for democratic citizenship. Therefore, as a distinctive public regional academic community, we strive to increase diversity representation in ÒùÐÔÊÓƵ’s workforce that reflects the diversity of the region and the State of New Jersey.

Students and employees benefit from working, learning, and living in diverse environments that represent a multitude of voices and perspectives. Students and employees learn more from exposure to unfamiliar topics, issues and perspectives than from material that reinforces previously held beliefs. Recognizing our individual levels of cultural competence and understanding the significance of our similarities and differences will ultimately foster appreciation for others and enrich the individual, the campus, and the community at large.

Mission

ÒùÐÔÊÓƵ’s mission is to develop engaged and effective citizens with a commitment to life-long learning and the capacity to adapt to change in a multi-cultural, interdependent world. As a public university, ÒùÐÔÊÓƵ provides an environment for excellence to a diverse student body, including those from underrepresented populations, through an interdisciplinary approach to liberal arts, sciences and professional education.

Diversity

ÒùÐÔÊÓƵ is committed to building a diverse and respectful community that values individual and group/social differences of race, creed, color, national origin, nationality, ancestry, age, sex/gender (including pregnancy), marital status, civil union status, domestic partnership status, familial status, religion, affectional or sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, atypical hereditary cellular or blood trait, genetic information, liability for service in the Armed Forces of the United States, or disability.

Diversity is crucial to achieving the mission of a broad, liberal arts education. Structural, curricular/co-curricular, and interactional campus diversity creates an inclusive and respectful environment for all students and employees.

Equity

Members of ÒùÐÔÊÓƵ’s diverse community demonstrates awareness and willingness to:

• create and preserve an environment that is free from prohibited discrimination (Employee Policy and Student Policy and associated internal procedures for individuals to file complaints of discrimination/harassment);
• maintain a safe, respectful, and affirming environment for each other to live, learn, and work, as well as to grow without fear of bias incidents or hate crimes;
• address reported bias incidents and hate crimes as they may arise on campus;
• address equity issues as they may arise on campus;
• close achievement gaps in student success and completion; and
• offer professional employee growth opportunities and develop resource networks that are capable of closing the demographic disparities in leadership roles in all spheres of institutional functioning.

Inclusion

ÒùÐÔÊÓƵ strives to have an active, intentional, and ongoing engagement with diversity—in the curriculum, in the co-curriculum, and in its internal and external communities where individuals connect. Individuals cannot be characterized by stereotypes and overgeneralizations. Therefore, the University strives to promote in ways that increase awareness, content knowledge, cognitive sophistication, and empathic understanding of the complex ways individuals interact within systems and institutions.

Last Approved 9/28/2005
Rev: October 19, 2017