Diversity and Inclusive Excellence

Diversity, Equity and Inclusion in the Psychology Department

The Psychology Department values and respects individuals of all races, ethnicities, nationalities, religions, sexual orientations, gender identities, ages, and socioeconomic classes. We recognize that each of us holds a number of intersecting identities that both bring a richness of lived experience and convey vastly differing levels of privilege. We fully acknowledge that our society – and in many cases, our discipline – have contributed to these differing levels of privilege.

The Psychology Department is deeply committed to providing an inclusive environment that provides equity for individuals from all backgrounds and to contributing to our field’s knowledge about how differing intersecting identities impact our understanding of human behavior. We believe that a full understanding of human   experience is only possible when a diverse range of experiences and ideas are expressed and understood. We commit to furthering racial and social justice through our teaching, research, and interactions with each other and with those outside the Department.

Winter campus

The Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Committee

The Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Committee supports the Psychology Department’s goal to foster inclusivity and justice as a place of learning, work, and community. The committee aims to be a proactive body that functions to keep diversity at the forefront of the Department’s thinking and provides resources for faculty, students, and staff. Specifically, the committee supports the following Department aims:   

1. Provide an inclusive environment that is supportive to all individuals from all backgrounds, with equitable access to resources and opportunities. 

2. Contribute to our understanding of how intersecting identities impact the human experience by conducting meaningful, culturally-informed research

3. Design and teach our curriculum in ways that promote the worth and value of individuals from all backgrounds, with particular attention to groups that have been historically marginalized (e.g. BIPOC and LGBTQIA+ individuals). 

4. Contribute to the diversity of our own field through the representation of individuals from diverse backgrounds in our own faculty, staff, graduate student body, and undergraduate student body. 

Examples: 

We conduct a yearly graduate student climate survey, to track our progress and identify areas for growth.

We provide website content related to funding opportunities for students and faculty of all backgrounds.

We provide website content directing faculty and students to data-driven resources related to best practices for inclusive, generalizable research.

We provide resources related to best practices for inclusive teaching.

We send a representative to serve on all faculty search committees.