CCV Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Committee
CCV’s Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) Committee is committed to the values of empowerment, integrity, respect, and anti-racism. The committee strives to identify and dismantle systems of inequity by developing, recommending, and implementing initiatives in furtherance of our three priorities: 1) Building Our Cultural Foundation; 2) Providing Student Support and Resources to Promote Inclusivity; and 3) Establishing and Strengthening Community Engagements. Committee members support DEI goals and facilitate efforts that advance equity and justice individually and systemically. The DEI Committee Members are appointed by the President, and include students, faculty, and staff.
Members 2022-23
- Ashraf Alamatouri (staff)
- Angie Albeck (staff)
- Mary Brodsky (staff) – Co-Chair
- Miki Dash (faculty)
- Marianne DiMascio (staff)
- Amy Beth Kessinger (faculty)
- Nina Kunimoto (faculty) – Co-Chair
- Kevin McGreal (student)
- Tuipate Mubiay (staff)
- Alex Northern (faculty)
- Jack Taylor (student)
- Equis Waite (student)
- Debra Davis (student)
DEI Definitions at CCV and the VSCS:
Diversity: Individual differences (e.g., personality, learning styles, and life experiences) and group/social differences (e.g., race/ethnicity, class, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, country of origin, physical or cognitive abilities, as well as cultural, political, religious, or other affiliations) that can be engaged in the service of learning.
Inclusion: The active, intentional, and ongoing engagement with diversity—in people, in the curriculum, in the co-curriculum, and in communities (intellectual, social, cultural, geographical). This engagement with diversity has the potential to increase one’s awareness, content knowledge, cognitive sophistication, and empathic understanding of the complex ways individuals interact within systems and institutions.
Equity: Creating opportunities for equal access and success for historically underrepresented populations, such as racial and ethnic minority and low-income students, in three main areas:
- Representational equity, the proportional participation at all levels of an institution;
- Resource equity, the distribution of educational resources in order to close equity gaps; and
- Equity-mindedness, the demonstration of an awareness of and willingness to address equity issues among institutional leaders and staff.
VSCS Diversity Statement:
The Vermont State College System (VSCS) is committed to nurturing a welcoming, diverse, and inclusive learning and working environment. We condemn racism and welcome all persons, regardless of race, color, religion, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, age, or ability, and want everyone to be safe and welcome in our community.
As a system of higher education, we formally condemn discrimination in all its forms, commit to fair and equitable treatment of everyone in our community, and strive to ensure all our actions, policies, and operating procedures reflect this commitment. We also acknowledge that education is both destabilizing and exhilarating and that learning necessarily involves hard conversations and moments of disagreement.
Our commitment is based on three pillars of diversity, equity, inclusion, and social justice (DEISJ):
- Personal Knowledge of DEISJ: We are committed to providing faculty, staff, and students opportunity for personal growth to increase their understanding of diversity, equity, inclusion, and social justice related topics so that they can then apply that information to their lives, their community engagements, and their career.
- Professional Knowledge of DEISJ: We are committed to providing faculty, staff and students access to training and learning about how their knowledge of diversity, equity, inclusion, and social justice topics impact their professional and educational work.
- Data informed Practices: We make decisions and examine our policies and practices based on valid and reliable data sets and how those decisions, policies and practices may positively or negatively impact different populations.
We recognize our diverse community members do not hold a single identity that may impact their belonging, or access to educational or professional opportunities. Each person holds multiple and intersecting personal and social identities that must be recognized as they engage in learning and professional development.
We actively pursue the inclusion of diverse students, faculty, and staff; break down barriers impacting access to education and professional growth for all; and nurture true belonging for our entire community.