U California System Supports Gender Identity Inclusivity
The university system is adding optional questions to undergraduate applications about sexual orientation and gender identity in an effort to allow its colleges and universities to track enrollment and graduating students from a range of orientations and identities. It also announced that, starting July 1, all new construction projects or major renovations will include gender-neutral restrooms.
Barnard College Announces Transgender Admission Policy
Following a full year of conversations and consultation with a wide range of resources, a recent board of trustees meeting approved a policy to "consider for admission those applicants who consistently live and identify as women, regardless of gender assigned to them at birth."
Bluefield College Offers Half Off Tuition
In an effort to lower college student debt upon graduation, prospective students who qualify for the federal Pell grant, live at home, and attend a school within a 45-mile radius of the college will receive tuition at $12,000 instead of the current $23,000 cost.
U North Carolina Chapel Hill Announces Campus Climate Dialogues
Inspired by the rising level of national and local discourse surrounding events and issues of equity and inclusion related to race, intellectual diversity, religion, identity and culture, the university recently began Carolina Conversations, a coordinated effort that gives the campus community an avenue to share thoughts and opinions with the administration. The campaign includes an interactive website, a calendar of all campus events related to diversity, equity and inclusion, and a series of ongoing events to encourage dialogue.
U Canterbury Students Launch Diversity Group
(Australia): At the launch of the university's inaugural diversity festival, the Students' Association recently initiated the Student Well-being Advisory Group, consisting of up to 14 students from a different groups, that aims to further develop diversity and inclusivity within the campus' decision-making.
NY Times: 'Obama Signs Student Bill of Rights'
The recent post by The New York Times describes the Student Aid Bill of Rights signed by President Obama to help students deal with the growing burden of college loans. With the memorandum, Mr. Obama directed federal agencies to take steps to make it easier for college students to finance their education, pay back their loans, and avoid being taken advantage of by lenders.
U Washington to Open Hub for Indigenous Students
Aspiring to bring together all walks, the new 8,400-square-foot building, which used traditional building techniques and materials, features a gathering space for 500 people, a smaller meeting room, and an outdoor area with a fire pit where salmon can be cooked in the traditional way.
Lehigh U Converts to Gender-Neutral Restrooms
In an effort to foster a more gender-inclusive community, many restrooms at the university have been converted from gender-specific to gender-inclusive facilities regardless of how one self-identifies.
U California Santa Cruz Honors People of Color Environmental Work
The university's Ethnic Resource Center recently hosted its first world cafe style discussion aiming to showcase the contributions that people of color have made to the environmental movement and to have a critical dialogue about the current state of the campus environmental movement.
Lehigh U to Host Equality-Themed Basketball Game
Sponsored by the university's athletic department and the Pride Center, an upcoming men's game will be themed LGBTQ Equality Game to provide a means for athletes, coaches and fans to stand up and create an atmosphere of inclusion, recognizing the courage and openness of athletes at all levels who have come out as LGBTQ.
U North Carolina Charlotte Aims for More Unisex Restrooms
(U.S.): The university's Campus Accessibility Advisory Committee and the Trans Committee have recently partnered to identify the most used buildings on campus not near gender-neutral restrooms. In an effort to become more inclusive of all students, identified buildings will have gender-neutral bathrooms built in them.
Georgetown U Announces New Committee on Diversity
The establishment of the Provost's Committee for Diversity, birthed from a proposed, student project, will be comprised of different subcommittees and expects participants to engage in an ongoing investigation of racial and social justice, intersectionality, and awareness of marginalized groups on campus.
U Wisconsin Madison Holds Diversity Discussions
Spurred by a campus demonstration of the national frustration over racial inequity in the criminal justice system, campus officials welcomed students back by convening a newly planned round of public discussions of race on campus.
Obama Administration Proposes Free Community College [Video]
President Obama recently announced a proposal to make the first two years of community college free requiring students attend community college at least half-time, maintain a 2.5 GPA, and make progress toward completing their program. Community colleges, the federal government and participating states would have requirements that must be met as part of this proposal.
Pomona College & Cornell U Partner on Diversity Research in STEM
(U.S.): The newly published research in Nature Climate Change describes some of the hidden and complicated social barriers to participation in sustainability-related science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) by underrepresented groups and recommends a course to action.
SUNY Oswego Honors Diversity with Food Celebrations
The university's Diversity and Inclusion Committee now hosts monthly heritage events where foods from different cultures are presented to students to promote diversity and ethnic awareness across campus.
Auburn U SGA Passes Unisex Restroom Bill
Tabled at an earlier meeting, the bill, which calls for the implementation of unisex restrooms in future buildings, passed favorably through the Student Government Association recently and will benefit a variety of people including families and transgender people.
Arizona State U Student Government Passes Diversity Act
In an effort to change the culture on the subject of diversity, the Tempe Undergraduate Student Government passed the Diversity On Campus Act, which calls for the formation of a volunteer committee that will try to expand the curriculum of university 101 classes to include the subject of diversity.
Princeton U Seeks to Expand Socioeconomic Diversity
One of the university's two new initiatives is an expansion of its partnership with Leadership Enterprise for a Diverse America (LEDA), a national program dedicated to developing the academic and leadership potential of talented high school students from socioeconomically disadvantaged backgrounds. The other program, Freshman Scholars Institute (FSI), helps admitted students from low-income families and less advantaged backgrounds make the transition to the rigor of Princeton education through a seven-week summer program.
Syracuse U Students Organize Diversity & Transparency Protest
The purpose of the recently held Diversity and Transparency Rally, organized by more than 50 student organizations, was to inform the campus community about issues such as a decrease of diversity and affordability resources, and the university's recent decision to decline divestiture from fossil fuel companies.
U Wisconsin Madison Student Fights for Student Living Wage
Working with the three biggest university employers of students, the student's campaign is based on an estimate of how much students would need to earn per hour in a 15-hour workweek in order to pay back the cost of one year of tuition and fees.
Washington U St. Louis Opens Diversity Center
The university's new Center for Diversity and Inclusion is intended to enhance and strengthen its commitment to fostering a diverse and inclusive community. The center’s staff supports and advocates for students from traditionally underrepresented or marginalized populations and creates collaborative partnerships with campus and community members to promote dialogue and social change.
U Wisconsin Engages Students for Diversity
(U.S.): A new plan addressing five main goals, including promoting diversity values, engaging campus leadership, coordinating planning efforts, and improvement of recruitment and retention of faculty and students, aims to garner ideas and support from students in order to accomplish.
West Virginia U Recognizes Latino Culture on Campus
(U.S.): In an effort to bring awareness to the university's Hispanic and Latino culture, the university's Division of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion hosted a Hispanic Heritage Night, which was organized through the recently initiated student club WVU Hispanic and Latino Association.
U Maiduguri Celebrates Diversity
(Nigeria): A diversity festival was recently held at the university with the theme Unity in Diversity. This was a large cultural event on campus that encouraged people to dress in various cultural attires and learn from one another.
Temple U Unveils New Diversity Site
The university rolled out a new website to support its mission to maintain a campus climate that welcomes diversity and will provide easy access to information and resources for those interested in fostering diversity across the campus.
DePauw U Names New Senior Advisor to Promote Diversity
Renee Madison, attorney and associate director of enforcement for the National Collegiate Athletics Association, will now serve on the university’s Cabinet as Senior Advisor to the President for Diversity and Compliance, announced the university’s president this September. She will lead university efforts to promote a campus culture of respect and inclusion.
Appalachian State U Welcomes Chief Diversity Officer
Bindu Kolli Jayne started as the chief diversity officer and associate vice chancellor for equity, diversity and compliance this past June. Jayne will be responsible for the university’s compliance with laws, regulations and guidelines related to affirmative action, equal opportunity and disability services.
Frederick CC Increases Diversity
Minority students and faculty increased at the community college in the past year, which has spurred the need for a new Office of Diversity director to address this growing change at the campus.
U Washington Educates Students on Diversity
Freshman orientation this fall was met with a new skit, “Our Names, Our Stories,” to educate university students about acceptance with a focus on race, sexual orientation, socioeconomic diversity and gender diversity.
Everett CC Hires First Chief Diversity Officer
(U.S.): After 23 years at Peninsula College, Maria Peña has been hired to build a relationship with local tribes, collaborate with local partners and institutions, and bolster diversity initiatives listed in the strategic plan.
U Chicago Welcomes Underserved Groups
(U.S.): Nearly two years after the university amended its admissions policies, its Class of 2018 welcomed seven students who have received the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) status and are legally recognized U.S. residents. DACA status means that these students came to the U.S. as children and meet several other guidelines.
Hilbert College Launches Diversity Committee
Launched in the summer of 2014, the committee's focus, comprised of faculty, staff and students, is to gradually change the culture of campus to be a more inclusive one and provide a diverse and engaging campus experience through education resources, professional development, and a study on the campus culture.
U California Santa Cruz Announces Diversity Certificate Program
This month, the university released the Diversity and Inclusion Certificate Program, a free professional development opportunity open to all staff and faculty and includes courses covering topics such as disabilities, lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender issues, and generational differences.
Inside Higher Ed: LGBTQ Presidents Organize
With the number of openly gay college presidents on the rise, the LGBTQ Presidents in Higher Education will host a conference for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer academics who want to climb the college leadership ladder. The conference, LGBTQ Leaders in Higher Education: Shaping Our Futures, will be held in June 2015.
Virginia Tech Establishes Presidential Diversity Council
(U.S.): The university, where only three percent of the undergraduate student body is Black, according to the latest Department of Education data, has established a new President’s Inclusion and Diversity Executive Council that will oversee all of the university’s diversity efforts.
U California Los Angeles Proposes Student Body Diversity Course
The university is currently drafting a proposal that would require 85 percent of its student body to take a course on diversity issues, including race, ethnicity, gender, socioeconomic status, sexual orientation and religion, in order to receive a degree.
