The Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) messages from the Office of the President share Illinois State University’s ongoing progress advancing equity and inclusion with transparency and information exchange.
This update includes a request for DEI committees and councils, the launch of the new CRCC Spring Institute, and Birds Give Back success.
DEI committees and councils
The Office of the President is currently developing a resource inventory of departmental, college, and division-level committees and councils dedicated to DEI, anti-racism, and social justice.
“Our goal is to create a community of support, information sharing, and guiding principles among departmental and division-level committees/councils committed to diversity, equity, and social change,” said Interim Assistant to the President for Diversity and Inclusion, Dr. Doris Houston. “Moving forward, we would like to optimize local DEI efforts as we continue to develop a collective vision for our campus.”
To be included in this list, please contact Ray Hatch at rkhatch@ilstu.edu.
The current list includes:
Athletics – Student-Athlete Action Team for Social Change
College of Business – Diversity and Inclusion Initiative
College of Education – Diversity Education
Communication Sciences and Disorders – Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Committee
Department of English – Equity and Diversity Committee
Department of Geology, Geography, and the Environment – Diversity and Inclusion Committee
Department of Psychology – Climate and Diversity Committee
Division of Student Affairs – Inclusion Change Team
Honors Program – Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion CommitteeHonors Program – Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Student Council Mennonite College of Nursing – MCN DEI Taskforce
Milner Library – Diversity and International Inclusion Committee
Office of the President – #AntiBlack ISU Workgroup
School of Communication – Anti-racism, Social Justice, and Coalition Building Committee
School of Kinesiology and Recreation – Diversity and Inclusion Committee
School of Music – Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion Committee
School of Social Work – Anti-racism Committee
School of Theatre and Dance – The Crossroads Project
School of Theatre and Dance – Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Committee
Wonsook Kim College of Fine Arts – Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Committee
Wonsook Kim School of Art – Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Committee
Birds Give Back to DEI initiatives
The annual Birds Give Back campaign demonstrated strong support for DEI efforts. The event on February 25 saw the Multicultural Center receive 390 gifts in total, more than any other area of support on campus. The Camille Taylor Family contributed $25,000 and Drs. Charles and Jeanne Morris added an additional $30,000 toward the Multicultural Center as challenge gift levels were met for the fund. The LGBTQ+ Support Fund received 284 gifts, with Abe ’12 and Isaac Lopez-Bowen giving $15,000 in challenge gifts to encourage participation.
Culturally Responsive Campus Community (CRCC) Spring, 2021 Institute
A campus-wide focus on equity continues as more than 500 Illinois State faculty, staff, and students are registered to take part in the first CRCC Spring Institute today on Zoom. Continuing the work of the CRCC Fall Conference, the institute offers a deeper dive into the fall theme of anti-Black racism. “Our hope is that this second campus-wide look gives us more energy, ideas, and strength behind our commitments as we move to be more critically conscious disruptors of oppression,” said CRCC Chair Dr. Christa Platt. Additional information about the conference can be located at: https://crcc.illinoisstate.edu/.
