Event review assignment

Commitment to Diversity and Inclusivity

DIVERSITY STATEMENT FROM THE OFFICE OF THE VICE CHANCELLOR FOR STUDENT AFFAIRS

Student Affairs is committed to diversity.

As such, we strive to create an atmosphere and institutional culture that is welcoming to all individuals, inclusive of their race, ethnicity, religion, spirituality, gender, gender identity/expression, age, sexual orientation, ability/disability, socioeconomic class, and national origin.

Therefore, as the Division of Student Affairs at Illinois, we commit to the following:

At Illinois, we create a welcoming environment. Therefore, we as Student Affairs staff:

· Enhance, develop, and maintain structures and services committed to diversity.

· Build cross-cultural relationships that bridge traditional campus boundaries.

· Respect spaces that allow for the support and development of specific identities and communities.

· Solicit feedback frequently and respond to the various needs of students and other stakeholders.

At Illinois, we contribute to the cultural education of students. Therefore, we as Student Affairs staff:

· Encourage students to examine their responsibilities in a multicultural society.

· Engage students in experiences that educate them about the value of their history and perspectives while inviting them to learn more about the histories and perspectives of others.

· Provide services that offer students opportunities to build relationships that cross cultural boundaries.

At Illinois, we recognize and develop our own cultural understanding. Therefore, we as Student Affairs staff:

· Engage in self-reflection towards a deeper sense of the perspectives and experiences of others.

· Challenge each other to engage in meaningful dialogue with colleagues and students to create a campus climate of respect and fairness.

· Provide and participate in regular professional development to enhance our abilities to serve a diverse student body.

For more information, contact the Office of the Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs, (217) 333-1300 or  [email protected].

DIVERSITY STATEMENT FROM THE OFFICE OF THE VICE CHANCELLOR FOR STUDENT AFFAIRS

The very essence of a liberal arts education connotes the recognition of multiple identities and a commitment to equal opportunity. It provides a safe harbor for engagement in analytical and critical thinking and fosters a community whereby our citizens are empowered to contribute actively in our democratic and global society. The importance of our multiple identities is therefore woven into our fabric. It is the cornerstone of our respect for each other and our ideas and is central to our curriculum, admissions, and hiring practices. Nowhere is this commitment more evident than in the College’s four-fold mission: creation and dissemination of knowledge and scholarship at the highest level; preparation of graduate students to play leading roles in academia and the public and private sectors; preparation of undergraduate students for lifetimes of impact and leadership; advancement of Illinois, the United States, and the world through technology transfer, economic development, and preparation of future leaders. LAS embraces our social and moral responsibility and commits to our faculty, student body, and campus neighbors that we will provide on every level policies and processes that: (1) earnestly promote inclusivity in our recruitment and retention of faculty, staff, and students, (2) safeguard human dignity by removing systematic injustices, and (3) promote and support a diverse and expansive curriculum for our students to prepare them for participation in the globalized world.

INCLUSIVE ILLINOIS MISSION STATEMENT

Inclusive Illinois, one campus, many voices,  is the University’s commitment to cultivating a community at Illinois where everyone is welcomed, celebrated, and respected. Through education, engagement, and excellence, each voice creates the Inclusive Illinois Experience.

How can we appreciate difference to make a difference?

Illinois is the place where we embrace difference. We embrace it because we value it. We value it because we know that we have so much to learn from each other in our living, learning, and working environment.

Illinois is the place where we recognize the power of possibility and where great potential is realized. Inclusive Illinois is the vision of that place: a vision made real by leadership and commitment.

Illinois is the place where consensus is forged by discourse and where everyone’s contributions are recognized: significant contributions that elevate us because they are informed and enhanced by race, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation and gender identity, age, physical ability, religion, class, and national origin. We are enriched by these perspectives, and we are united by the very discourse that brings these views together.

It is a process. It is transformative. And we celebrate the remarkable changes we set in motion here … taking an important step … crossing boundaries … starting with our own.

It all starts with each of us: with our willingness to embark on the journey in the search for answers, and with our openness and acceptance of the answers we find. Illinois is the place where it all comes together.

MAKE YOUR COMMITMENT

As a member of the University of Illinois community, I commit to supporting Inclusive Illinois.

I will encourage the expression of different voices, perspectives, and ideas.

I will challenge my own beliefs, opinions, and viewpoints.

I will advocate for an accessible, safe, and respectful environment to enhance the living, learning, and working community at Illinois.

I will acknowledge and respect the multiple identities represented in each individual.

My commitment will be demonstrated by my voice and my conduct.

Go to  www.inclusiveillinois.illinois.edu/commitment.html  to make your commitment.