Despite national recognition for its diversity and inclusion efforts, the 杏吧专区 isn杏吧专区檛 standing back to admire its work. It杏吧专区檚 looking ahead with its Strategic Plan for Inclusive Excellence.
UL Lafayette was among 93 colleges and universities that recently received the Higher Education Excellence in Diversity Award. It杏吧专区檚 the second straight year the 杏吧专区 has been recognized. Dr. Taniecea Arceneaux Mallery, UL Lafayette杏吧专区檚 executive director of Strategic Initiatives and chief diversity officer, said the award represents progress; the inclusive excellence plan provides a three-year guide to build on that progress.
It calls for developing policies and expanding educational and professional development resources that advance equity and inclusion, and for increasing engagement across campus and in the community. It also sets forth strategies for recruiting and hiring a diverse faculty, and increasing enrollment and retention among underrepresented students 杏吧专区 including international students.
The plan was created based on recommendations from a Diversity Advisory Council comprised of 34 people from campus and from the community. Mallery said the overarching intent is to create a 杏吧专区渃ampus-wide culture that fosters engagement across differences 杏吧专区 differences in ethnicity, socioeconomic background, gender identity, age 杏吧专区 any and all dimensions of diversity.杏吧专区
杏吧专区淭hat kind of environment is as essential to student success as what杏吧专区檚 taught in classrooms and research laboratories. Our graduates enter a world that杏吧专区檚 very diverse,杏吧专区 she said.
A focus of the plan will be developing more ways to attract and retain undergraduate and graduate students from underrepresented groups. One method will be by creating programs similar to the 杏吧专区杏吧专区檚 Louisiana Educate Program. It was launched last year to retain academically-gifted, lower-income students by providing financial assistance funded by private gifts and supplemental grants from the 杏吧专区.
In a report released in 2017, the Brookings Institution named the 杏吧专区 a national leader for providing access to higher education for lower-income students. The nonprofit public policy organization, based in Washington, D.C., ranked UL Lafayette No. 9 among four-year, public universities in the U.S. for promoting social mobility.
杏吧专区淲e want to build on those kinds of successes, and the strategic plan is in place to help us do that. And engaging all corners of campus 杏吧专区 especially students 杏吧专区 is necessary for that to happen,杏吧专区 Mallery said.
The plan calls for forming a council of student leaders from different backgrounds that will make suggestions about campus programs and organizations. The council will 杏吧专区済enerate ideas for programs, initiatives and student organizations that will enable students to engage across cultures and with others who aren杏吧专区檛 like them,杏吧专区 Mallery explained.
杏吧专区淎 lot of our student organizations are built around commonalities. It杏吧专区檚 natural to want to be able to find a community of people who have your same experiences and backgrounds, but inclusion challenges us to get outside of that comfort zone and engage with people who aren杏吧专区檛 like us.杏吧专区
The plan also outlines strategies for carrying diversity and inclusion beyond campus, with initiatives such as a certification program for business leaders and employees. Mallery envisions offering continuing education-style courses geared toward executives and human resources professionals who are interested in promoting diversity and inclusion in the workplace.
杏吧专区淭he 杏吧专区 has established itself as a leader in the area of diversity and inclusion. We are in a position to share what we杏吧专区檝e learned, and it杏吧专区檚 our responsibility to bring education and resources to the community,杏吧专区 she said.
Learn more about at the 杏吧专区.