Dear Marquette community,
Aligned with our values as a Catholic, Jesuit university and articulated in our strategic plan, Beyond Boundaries, Marquette is committed to becoming a more inclusive community in which all our diverse stakeholders feel a sense of belonging and are able to thrive. But even as we strive to embody these ideals, we know that we sometimes fall short, impacting the experiences of historically marginalized and underrepresented students, faculty and staff.
One of the first steps to improving our campus climate is to begin with ourselves — to increase our awareness of our own personal biases and reflect upon how inequalities embedded in our practices, processes and structures impede our progress.
To push us as a community toward these goals, we are introducing two new required online diversity, equity and inclusion training programs — one for all new students and one for faculty and staff.
FIRST-YEAR STUDENT TRAINING
- Brave & Bold Dialogues: Diversity, Equity & Inclusion – College Edition for students is an interactive, one-hour course exploring real-life scenarios designed to increase awareness and understanding while building foundational knowledge of diversity, equity and inclusion.
- All new undergraduate students will participate in Brave and Bold Dialogues’ online course prior to New Student Orientation.
- The course will culminate with guest speaker Rasheed Ali Cromwell, founder and president of The Harbor Institute, who will provide a live workshop on Friday, Aug. 27.
FACULTY/STAFF TRAINING
- Starting with a pilot group, Marquette employees will participate in Faculty and Staff: Personal Skills for a Diverse Campus, offered through Vector Solutions.
- Representatives from the Office of Institutional Diversity and Inclusion and the Department of Human Resources, along with volunteers from the University Committee on Equity and Inclusion and Employee Resource Group leadership, vetted the content and endorsed this program as a required training for all employees.
- The program includes three modules that will take approximately three hours total to complete, including comprehension checks and culminating quizzes.
- Starting in September, the pilot group comprising the College of Nursing, the Diederich College of Communication, University Advancement, Human Resources and University Relations will complete the three modules through the fall. All other units will follow in spring and summer 2022.
We have a lot of work to do together to make Marquette a truly welcoming environment for all. We are hopeful that these new programs will be a meaningful first step toward helping us increase our knowledge and understanding of these often complex topics.
We want to express our sincere appreciation in advance as you approach this endeavor with open minds, open hearts and a willingness to make Marquette a more inclusive place for all who walk through our doors.
Sincerely,
Dr. Michael R. Lovell
President
Dr. William Welburn
Vice President for Inclusive Excellence
Dr. Joya Crear
Assistant Vice President for Student Affairs
Ms. Claudia Paetsch
Vice President for Human Resources