Diversity & Inclusion Council

The Diversity & Inclusion Council at Chatham University will act as a catalyst to create an environment centered around respect, acceptance, personal responsibility, and recognition of the value of all individuals. Our motto is, "Leveraging Diversity and Cultivating Inclusion."

Mission Statement

The Diversity and Inclusion Council initiates actions and empowers Chatham University to build a diverse and inclusive community through dialogue, education, research, self-reflection, and engagement. 

Vision Statement

We will act as a catalyst to create an environment centered around respect, acceptance, personal responsibility, and recognition of the value of all individuals.

Function/Goals:

The Diversity & Inclusion Council is a primarily an advisory committee composed of administrators, faculty, staff, and students with the essential function of promoting and supporting diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives at Chatham University. The Diversity & Inclusion Council has the following responsibilities:

  • Raise diversity, equity, and inclusion to the forefront of the University’s priorities and be vocal about its importance
  • Review and monitor trends in the University’s climate and culture surrounding diversity, equity, and inclusion
  • Review issues related to diversity, equity, and inclusion at the University brought forward by members of the campus community
  • Make policy recommendations to promote diversity, inclusion, and equity to appropriate governing bodies or offices
  • Review, monitor, and provide input regarding diversity, inclusion, and equity in the University’s strategic plan
  • Promote multicultural/intercultural awareness and understanding

Code of Conduct

Our community adheres to the principle that we are centered around respect, acceptance, personal responsibility, and recognition of the value of all individuals. We expect that all individuals on our campus (including faculty, staff, students, contractors, visitors, etc.) will adhere to this principle. All harassment and behavior which violates this principle will not be tolerated and may result in disciplinary sanctions, removal from campus, and/or termination of contracts. This code of conduct extends to all University-sanctioned events off campus and University-affiliated social media.

 

Fall 2018-Spring 2019

  • The Gender & Sexual Violence Prevention subcommittee, with the assistance of Nichole Bayliss’s capstone students’ research efforts, partnered with the Long Purple Line to execute an expansive climate survey for Chatham. Volunteers assessed questions, promoted participation, and managed data. 
  • Human Resources reworded the description of Chatham as an institution in all job ads, to highlight inclusivity and a preference for candidates with experience dealing with multicultural issues.
  • Human Resources broadened the scope of the sites where job ads are placed to include more that serve minority populations in academia.

Summer 2019

  • The Diversity & Inclusion Council received a dedicated tile on my.Chatham Tools.

Fall 2019

  • The former Sanger Room was officially unnamed and is now known in all official capacities as Coolidge 134. 
  • The President’s Council officially approved the Affirmed Name Policy for students. This allows students who go by a name other than their legal name to request that their affirmed name appear in the majority of campus communications. Stakeholders from Student Affairs, Academic Affairs, Enrollment, IT, and the GSVP developed and refined the new policy over the course of two years. The new policy was shared with students in October 2019 and again in January 2020.

Summer 2020

  • Resident Assistants in the residence halls are now required to take the Intergroup Dialogues course as a part of their training.