Director, Inclusive Excellence
Takiyah Nur Amin, M.F.A., Ph.D.
tamin@vt.edu
aad.vt.edu
Inclusive Excellence Definitions
Diversity: Diversity is the various backgrounds, lived experiences, values, and worldviews that stem from differences in culture and circumstance. This includes race, ethnicity, gender and gender expression, age, religion, language, (dis)ability, sexual orientation, socioeconomic status, geographic region, and more. Some of these identities may be marginalized in the broader society. As our society has grown more diverse, our understanding of how these varied identities face barriers to success also increased. Each of these identities, often in combination with others, requires a complex understanding of the institutional and societal context and distinctive responses to encourage success.
Equity: Equity is the active process of identifying and eliminating or reducing the structural barriers related to race, class, disability and gender and other identities that limit access or prevent full participation in our institutions; it requires understanding the root cause(s) of disparities, identifying the barriers, and redressing, particularly, the exclusion of historically underrepresented groups within our society. Equity works to ensure justice, access, opportunity, and advancement for individuals within the policies, practices, procedures, processes, and distribution of resources by institutions or systems.
Inclusion: Inclusion is the intentional act to include difference and create environments where any individual or group is welcomed, respected, supported, valued, and given the opportunity to fully participate. Inclusion fosters a sense of belonging through centering, valuing, and amplifying the voices and perspectives of all individuals and includes eliminating practices and behaviors that marginalize groups of people or individuals.
Source: National Association of Diversity Officers in Higher Education
If you or any of the faculty in your area are contacted by an external group with questions regarding Inclusive Excellence in AAD, direct that group to contact Mark Owczarski, Interim Vice President of Communications and Marketing, Chief Spokesperson. The lead communicator in your area can provide further assistance.
Bystander Action
Virginia Tech encourages all bystanders to report any instances of discrimination or harassment to the Office for Equity and Accessibility.
You can contact OEA by phone at (540) 231-2010 or by email at: equityandaccess@vt.edu.
navigating difficult conversations in the classroom
Resources for navigating difficult conversations in the classroom
- Navigating Difficult Conversations in the Classroom – CETL
- Establishing a norm of inclusion in your class – OID
- Inclusive Pedagogy – OID
- Communicate more effectively with students on Canvas – TLOS
- Inquiry and Discourse Toolkit – Georgetown University
- National Coalition for Dialogue and Deliberation
Recent Articles
- Professors should discuss elections in class (opinion) – Inside Higher Ed
DEI Efforts in the College's Schools
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Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) Advisory Committee for Students, Staff, and Faculty
The Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DE&I) Advisory Committee for Students, Staff, and Faculty will be a thought-partner to foster open and transparent communication with college senior leadership, working to promote and make progress on strategic priorities related to diversity, equity and inclusion. The committee will promote connections and alignment of needs, priorities and goals of students, staff and faculty across the college, stressing the importance of, and the college’s collective commitment to, this work.
The committee functions in an advisory role to college leadership and will focus their efforts in regard to the following identified areas:
- Building DE&I infrastructure – Institutionalizing structures to promote sustainable transformation
- Increasing college diversity – Increasing faculty, staff, and student diversity
- Building a welcoming environment – Ensuring a welcoming, affirming, safe, and accessible campus climate
- Embedding values – Integrating diversity, inclusion and equity values into the academic mission
- Cecily Rodriguez
- Kathryn Albright
- Paul Emmons
- Rob Jacks
- Cathryn Copper
- Paola Zellner Bassett
- Elif Tural
- Nate Heavers
- Abiola Akanmu
- Josh Iorio
- Meredith Drum
- Nate King
- Theo Lim
- David Bieri
- Susan Rosebrough
- Faith Patton
- Natalia Smith
- Brianna Traut
- Johnson Olayiwola
- Ninoska Bertran-Turcios
- Zuleka Woods