New initiative reflects VCU’s commitment to diversity and inclusion on campus

Virginia Commonwealth University has undertaken a new initiative to strengthen the culture and climate on campus. As part of its ongoing commitment to diversity and inclusion, the Strengthening VCU's Climate and Inclusion initiative seeks to enhance civil dialogue, foster respect and address growing concerns related to bias and intolerance.

The Strengthening VCU's Climate and Inclusion initiative is a collaborative effort, with input from the entire VCU community, including an advisory committee of students, faculty and staff.

"The well-being and success of all of our people in the VCU community is enhanced when we engage with civility and respect in important conversations about our world," said VCU President Michael Rao, Ph.D. "The Strengthening VCU's Climate and Inclusion initiative will help us continue the work to foster a culture of care for all."

The initiative comes at a crucial time. Events such as the upcoming elections, as well as discourse around topics such as rising antisemitism, anti-Palestinian discrimination, anti-immigrant discrimination, homophobia, racism, xenophobia and other forms of discrimination, have highlighted the need for constructive conversation around these issues.

Sponsored by Faye Belgrave, Ph.D., vice president for inclusive excellence, and Alison Miller, chief human resources officer, the initiative will be guided by a diverse team of VCU community members.

"The efforts of this workgroup will bolster the culture of care and appreciation that VCU strives to promote - one where we are all seen, heard and valued as fellow human beings," Miller said. "That culture is central to the VCU experience and is something that all members of our community can help sustain through our actions and behaviors."

Of the initiative's goal, Belgrave said: "The Strengthening VCU's Climate and Inclusion initiative reminds us to embrace what makes us uniquely VCU: learning from and supporting each other, respecting and honoring divergent perspectives, using best practices to foster an inclusive and welcoming environment, and mitigating bias and intolerance. We hope this initiative will foster knowledge, curiosity, intention and action that reflects why we are here."

Brooke Berry, J.D., interim associate vice president with the Division of Inclusive Excellence, will co-chair the initiative's workgroup alongside Suzanne Milton, J.D., chief audit and compliance executive with VCU Audit and Compliance Services.

Berry and Milton will lead the implementation of a plan that includes key outcomes such as increasing the visibility of VCU's values, improving campus culture and enhancing the sense of safety and belonging among students and employees. The project also aims to promote understanding across religious and cultural identities.

The project will include a thorough review of the university's existing policies, including codes of conduct, values statements and ethical guidelines, to ensure alignment and clarity across the university community. Additionally, the initiative will include an inventory of current and planned training programs, with the goal to identify gaps in resources and learning opportunities.

VCU plans to implement new and expanded educational initiatives to foster a more inclusive campus climate, promote constructive dialogue, and reduce bias and intolerance. To ensure ongoing progress, a plan for reporting and measuring the impact of these programs will be developed to provide a framework for continuous improvement.

A public dashboard will be launched to track the progress of these goals, reflecting the university's commitment to transparency and accountability in strengthening its culture and climate.

VCU is calling on students, faculty and staff to actively engage in this initiative to build a campus culture and climate meant for all. They are encouraged to submit programming and initiatives that align with the goals of this project to capture and share what is happening on our campus.

Students, faculty and staff are also encouraged to engage, attend and support efforts carried forth by the Strengthening VCU's Climate and Inclusion initiative.

For questions about the initiative, please contact Brooke Berry ([email protected]) and Suzanne Milton ([email protected]) or Jonsette Calloway-Martin ([email protected]).

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