Diversity, Equity & Inclusion

Social Work holds a longstanding value of upholding and working toward social justice for all peoples. We are a welcoming community working for social justice on campus and in the world. We must examine racism and other forms of oppression beyond the actions of individuals, for it is embedded in the very fabric of our society.

We acknowledge that racism and many forms of oppression exists . As we move towards being an anti-racist and anti-oppressive organization, we vow to purposefully identify, discuss and challenge issues of racism, sexism, ableism, homophobia, xenophobia, anti-Semitism and other forms oppression and interrogate how the impact(s) they have on our organization, its systems, and its people. We will also challenge ourselves to understand and correct any inequities we may discover and gain a better understanding of ourselves during this purposeful process.

We are resolved to explicitly and publicly affirm our transformation into an anti-racist and anti-oppressive academic department.

We are resolved that our commitment to anti-racism and anti-oppression be reflected in the life and culture of the department through our policies, programs and practices as we continue to learn about racism. 

We resolve to develop and work to implement strategies that dismantle racism and oppression within all aspects of our department, college, university, and society.

Diversity: Includes all the ways in which people differ, encompassing the different characteristics that make one individual or group different from another. While diversity is often used in reference to race, ethnicity, and gender, it also includes age, national origin, religion, disability, sexual orientation, socioeconomic status, education, marital status, language, and physical appearance.

It also includes diversity of thought: ideas, perspectives, and values.

Equity: Equality means each individual or group of people is given the same resources or opportunities. Equity recognizes that each person has different circumstances and allocates the exact resources and opportunities needed to reach an equal outcome.  “The route to achieving equity will not be accomplished through treating everyone equally. It will be achieved by treating everyone justly according to their circumstances.”—Paula Dressel, Race Matters Institute

Inclusion: The act of creating environments in which any individual or group can be and feel welcomed, respected, supported, and valued to fully participate. An inclusive and welcoming climate embraces differences and offers respect in words and actions for all people. It’s important to note that a diverse group isn’t always inclusive. We cannot assume that simply because we feel all are welcome that everyone feels welcomed.

Anti-Racism:  The work of actively opposing racism by advocating for changes in political, economic, and social life. Anti-racism tends to be an individualized approach, and set up in opposition to individual racist behaviors and impacts.