As a public liberal arts institution in the 21st century, MCLA understands that diversity, equity, and inclusion must be a cornerstone on which our success lays. To that end, the College is committed to creating an equitable and inclusive campus community where all students, faculty, and staff have the knowledge, skills, and habits of mind necessary to live in a diverse, globally integrated world. The Committee on Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (CDEI) is an integral aspect of this work.
Comprised of members from across all academic/administrative support divisions, CDEI
serves as a leadership council working with the Senior Advisor for Institutional Equity
& Belonging to help the College achieve its goals of promoting diversity and institutionalizing
equity and inclusion as core values. Specifically, Senior Advisor for Institutional
Equity & Belonging assesses, monitors and reports on progress toward achieving strategic
diversity goals; and reviews and revises MCLA's diversity goals and strategies. Primary
areas of focus include (1) diversity of the faculty, staff, and student bodies; (2)
campus culture and climate; (3) curricular and co-curricular diversity-centered learning
opportunities; and (4) institutional practices and policies.
The Committee, though part of the governance structure at the College, will mirror earlier grassroots efforts in many ways. It is deeply concerned with radical inclusion and will allow all community members the ability to have their voice heard as well as get involved with equity work. This new committee is meant to provide a level of accountability without sacrificing the transparent nature of its earlier iteration. Membership includes faculty, administrators, staff, undergraduate and graduate students, community members, and alum.
Among other things, CDEI will:
The broader Committee will convene at least four times per academic year with subgroup meetings monthly or bimonthly with subgroup chairs based on specific initiatives.
The Committee recognizes the importance of sharing information as well as soliciting and responding to feedback from members of the campus community. As advocates for inclusion, the Committee values and promotes cross-collaboration; consults with faculty, staff and campus offices; and regularly supports and participates in diversity enrichment opportunities.
Along with being composed of representatives from areas across the College, the membership will reflect the diversity of the community in terms of social identity. Membership will be based on many factors that include, but are not limited to: interest in advancing diversity, equity, and inclusion at MCLA, any relevant expertise and/or experience required to achieve Committee goals, leadership skills, and a willingness to commit time and effort toward achieving MCLA's diversity vision.
Ara serves as the professional staff leader for the Gender & Sexuality Center, serving
as a mentor for all LGBTQIA+ and women students, as an advisor for student-led affinity
groups, and as a program coordinator for the GSC. They work closely in collaboration
with the rest of the Institution for Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging staff
and student organizations, including the Multicultural Education Resource Center (MERC)
to ensure that students feel seen, safe, and sovereign in all of their intersectional
identities.
All my work—as a scholar, teacher, psychotherapist, and activist—addresses the causes
and effects of violence, abuse, discrimination, and bigotry. My teaching at MCLA is
focused primarily on the theory and practice of clinical psychology and clinical social
work, though I also teach about qualitative research methods. My goal is to prepare
students for working with real people, whether as direct care providers in the human
services, as therapists-in-training, or in any capacity that requires them to be sensitive,
thoughtful, and ethical. carter.carter@mcla.edu
Institutional Research works to provide actionable research and reporting to our partners in DEI. We work
to provide this information in multiple ways so that we act upon trends and transform
numbers to individuals that our behind these numbers. We do this so that MCLA will
become a campus where all members of our community can learn, grow, and be themselves.
The mission of MCLA Information Technology is to provide robust and reliable technology. As the head of IT, the CIO ensures that the college’s technology and support services are designed to eliminate barriers for our community. Through partnerships with colleagues and our peers across the Commonwealth, the IT department leverages technology to expand opportunities for underrepresented groups and ensures that we select technologies that promote equity.
The Office of Disability Resources is committed to providing reasonable accommodations to students with documented disabilities.
We work to provide students with equitable access to all MCLA programs and services.
Our philosophy and programs assist eligible students in fostering independence in
college to the fullest extent possible, embracing self-advocacy, and in developing
skills to transition and succeed in their careers. We believe that disability is a
natural part of human variation and an essential aspect of diversity.
The DEI Faculty Fellows work with the Senior Advisor for Institutional Equity & Belonging to plan and implement professional development opportunities for faculty and support faculty around inclusive pedagogy, communicating across difference, and locating curricular resources.
MCLA Athletics is committed to a providing a safe and inclusive environment, respecting differences and encouraging social change. Our department strives to provide opportunities to student-athletes of all identities. The Trailblazer DEI Working Group helps to shape initiatives that address social injustices, identify current issues, and set goals in providing a welcoming and supportive environment of diversity, equity, and inclusion for both MCLA student-athletes and athletics department coaches and staff.
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