Charge: The University Diversity and Inclusion Advisory Committee (UDIAC) is a presidential advisory committee charged with receiving, developing, and submitting recommendations related to diversity, equity, accessibility, and inclusion across the University enterprise and aligned with the strategic plan, Forward Together. Diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility are core institutional values, which in turn, cultivate mutual respect, open inquiry, academic integrity, intellectual inquiry, free expression and a climate that promotes community and civility. As an institution of higher education, WOU recognizes the educational benefits of building and sustaining a diverse, equitable, and inclusive community that upholds academic freedom and the robust exchange of ideas by all stakeholders.
Responsibilities:
- Create (and update) a University Diversity Strategic Plan, by working with stakeholders, that articulates a vision for sustaining and nurturing WOU’s value of diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility. The WOU Strategic Plan specifically states as a value:
“Equity and inclusion; a fundamental basis in human diversity; appreciation for the complexity of the world; strength drawn from our variety of backgrounds, abilities, cultural experiences, identities, knowledge domains and means of expression.” - Provide institutional leadership pertaining to the development of short and long-term strategies for
structure, policies, processes, and other matters concerning diversity, equity and inclusion. - Evaluate the progress of initiatives that:
a. Sustain a safe and welcoming environment that supports diversity;
b. Support efforts to provide programming and training that supports the University Diversity Strategic Plan;
c. Support full and equitable educational access; and,
d. Increase our efforts to recruit and retain a diverse campus community. - Develop and maintain a UDIAC website for activities, archives of meetings and reports, and the
University Diversity Strategic Plan. - Periodically evaluate the progress and success of diversity, equity, accessibility, and inclusion
initiatives. - Submit periodic updates to the President, University Council and shared governance groups.
Members: All members are appointed by the President based on recommendations from appropriate constituencies. Members of the committee represent administration, classified and unclassified exempt staff, faculty and students.
Meetings schedule and materials: This committee meets from 9:30am – 10:30am on the third Thursday of each month. Please contact Committee Chair Jaclyn Caires-Hurley if you have questions regarding the meetings.
