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Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion

The Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (EDI) competency area includes the knowledge, skills, and attitudes needed to create learning environments that are enriched with diverse views and people. It is also designed to create an institutional ethos that accepts and celebrates differences among people, helping to free them of any misconceptions and prejudices.

Basic

One should be able to

• identify the contributions of similar and diverse people within and to the institutional environment;
• integrate cultural knowledge with specific and relevant diverse issues on campus;
• assess and address one's own awareness of EDI, and articulate one's own differences and similarities with others;
• demonstrate personal skills associated with EDI by participating in activities that challenge one's beliefs;
• facilitate dialogue effectively among disparate audiences;
• interact with diverse individuals and implement programs, services, and activities that reflect an understanding and appreciation of cultural and human differences;
• recognize the intersectionality of diverse identities possessed by an individual;
• recognize social systems and their influence on people of diverse backgrounds;
• articulate a foundational understanding of social justice and the role of higher education, the institution, the department, the unit, and the individual in furthering its goals;
• use appropriate technology to aid in identifying individuals with diverse backgrounds as well as assessing progress towards successful integration of these individuals into the campus environment;
• design culturally relevant and inclusive programs, services, policies, and practices;
• demonstrate fair treatment to all individuals and change aspects of the environment that do not promote fair treatment; and
• analyze the interconnectedness of societies worldwide and how these global perspectives affect institutional learning.

 
Intermediate

One should be able to

• engage in hiring and promotion practices that are fair, inclusive, proactive, and nondiscriminatory;
• integrate cultural knowledge with specific and relevant cultural issues on campus;
• develop effective multicultural training that expands the cultural knowledge of one's staff;
• identify systemic barriers to equality and inclusiveness, and then advocate for and implement means of dismantling them;
• apply advocacy skills to assist in the development of a more multiculturally sensitive institution and profession;
• supervise, challenge, and educate other professionals around issues of diversity and inclusion;
• facilitate others' learning and practice of social justice concepts;
• provide opportunities for self-reflection and self-evaluation on issues of EDI; and
• provide opportunities for diverse interactions with professionals in higher education who focus on this work.

 
Advanced

One should be able to

• ensure institutional policies, practices, facilities, structures, systems, and technologies respect and represent people's diverse abilities, beliefs, and characteristics;
• assess the effectiveness of the institution in addressing issues associated with EDI and in overcoming any barriers that exist;
• ensure that elements of EDI are demonstrated throughout institutional mission, goals, and programs;
• create ongoing strategic plans for the continued development of diversity initiatives and inclusive practices throughout the institution and ensure that competence in these areas is fully integrated into departmental practices throughout the campus;
• provide consultation to other units, divisions, or institutions on strategies to increase support and opportunities for underrepresented groups;
• provide leadership in fostering an institutional culture that supports the free and open exchange of ideas and beliefs, and where issues of power and privilege are identified and addressed;
• demonstrate effectiveness in responding to acts of hatred or intolerance that affect the institution; and
• ensure individuals throughout the institution are treated respectfully, justly, fairly, and impartially.