Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Belonging Committee

Mission

• Actively pursue diversity, equity, and inclusion
• Foster inclusive excellence in teaching, research, and extension
• Empower and support the growth of every individual

Core Goals

• Value, respect and have dignity for individuals – who they are, their ideas and contributions
• Cultivate and promote a healthy productive environment for all A&H members
• Operate with transparency, fairness, integrity, and honesty in all the things we do – with each other and our stakeholders

Why does Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Belonging (DEIB) matter to A&H?

DEIB will:

• attract a diverse and wide talent of students, faculty, and staff.
• help generate unique solutions to wicked problems locally and globally.
• cultivate an environment that propels students, staff, and faculty to grow their contribution to long-term success in scholarship in all three mission areas.
• promote excellence in mentoring and student development.
• facilitate creation of effective teams internally and externally and break down networking barriers.
• teach students, faculty, and staff to model DEIB values to stakeholders.

Roles and Responsibilities

• Provide opportunities for A&H personnel to actively engage through:
  • Organized workshops, dialog, conversations, and reflections (personal, team, committee)
  • Sharing of information with department through regular communication
  • Connecting with IANR and University level DEIB efforts
• Evaluate the department’s climate
  • Assess department’s climate on diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging
  • Recommend to the department about gaps and opportunities
• Provide recommendations on how diversity and inclusion can be incorporated into:
  • Teaching, learning, and mentoring
  • Faculty and staff recruitment and searches
  • Student recruitment
• Recommend plans to ensure that underrepresented groups—faculty, staff, and students— have support in the department to foster retention.
• Collaborate with graduate, curriculum, seminar, staff advisory, faculty advisory, scholarship committees and A&H alumni to integrate efforts of diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging.

Membership

The AH DEIB committee will consist of 7 members – 3 faculty, 3 staff, and a graduate student rep. Members are appointed by the department administration in consultation with the A&H Faculty Advisory Committee. Considerations in appointment will include gender, experience level, and background. Members will serve a 2-year term, however, initial committee membership for some maybe 3-years to ensure that all members are not rotating off at the same time.