
The University is committed to maintaining an inclusive campus climate. Academic departments, centers, institutes and programs engage in efforts to retain and support a diverse academic community while building an inclusive climate.
Communication is important to increase trust, enhance transparency and build community. Departments convene listening sessions/townhalls to communicate departmental processes, share information, gather feedback and update the community on progress. Departments can utilize the following best practices to foster trust and open communication:
- Create a diversity, climate and inclusion section on the departmental website to communicate information, policies, initiatives and publicly available data.
- Analyze all unit communications (displays, photos on websites, etc.) to ensure equitable representation.
- Schedule community listening sessions and group conversations.
- Create feedback forms and host climate committee “office hours” to get ideas from the community.