Richland Community College
PA-4: Diversity and Equity Coordination

The initial mission of the committee was to promote and measure campus diversity and address other issued related to diversity. As the committee developed, it developed recommendations for diversity training for faculty and staff as well as sponsored focus groups to assess campus climate for students and staff. The Committee also worked closely to implement recommendations for the Continuous Improvement Team that was focused on faculty recruitment and hiring.

Orientation RCC promotes for all members of the College community, including students, faculty, and staff a climate of intellectual freedom while respecting differing and diverse opinions. Two of the College’s five core values and their definitions, adopted in 2003, are respect and diversity and our reviewed at every new hire orientation. • Respect: We recognize the expertise of all members of the College community and encourage individual contribution. • Diversity: We believe that our similarities and differences are opportunities for establishing a common bond and strengthening the College. In addition to the review of core values, all new employees learn about RCC’s Learning and Accommodation Services. Staff members are educated on diversity and accommodations initiatives throughout the college. Diversity Conference In addition to the in-house training, the College sponsors “Walking the Walk of Diversity,” a day-long regional diversity conference for colleges, universities, and businesses. This program won a NCSD Best Practice Award for 2004. The Diversity Conference is a drive-in conference designed for professionals in higher education, public education, business and industry, and social service agencies. All RCC employees and students are encouraged to attend the day long training. RCC held its 10th Annual conference, “Sustaining the Walk of Diversity,” on June 11th, 2010. Examples of topic sessions included: • Beyond the Single Story: connections through Anti-Racist Multicultural Pedagogy • We are Freaks: Contradictions and Consistency of Intentional Difference • American Cowboy “Black Like Me” • Diversity 101: What is Diversity and Why is It Important to Me and to My Organization? • Understanding Christian Privilege: Promoting Spiritual Plurality without Losing Your Religion and; • Highlight of Cultural Competence Through Inclusive Behaviors Professional Development RCC held two sessions relating to cultural competence during Professional Development Day held March 2010. The following sessions were offered to all employees: • Globalizing the Curriculum and • Include Diversity in your Curriculum Diversity Committee Activities Richland Community College has an active Diversity Committee who oversees promoting and measuring campus diversity. The committee itself is comprised of a diverse group of employees representing the various areas of the college. Safe Zone Program Richland’s SAFE ZONE is a program designed to increase the overall campus community’s understanding and awareness of issues faced by lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, questioning (LGBTQ) and other marginalized persons. SAFE ZONES training workshops held throughout the year and are open to all faculty and staff. The workshop is designed to raise awareness and broaden understanding of colleagues and students who identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgendered or questioning (LGBTQ). SAFE ZONE was created to provide a safer, more receptive, and accepting campus climate by preparing members of the Richland community to serve as a resource on LGBTQ issues while educating the campus community about the SAFE ZONE Program. A SAFE ZONE participant is to be open to questions from and about lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender people. Most such questions will probably come from students who are gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender, or unsure of their sexual orientation or gender identity, but some questions may come from heterosexual colleagues and students who are disturbed by the presence of a non-heterosexual person in their classes, on campus, or family.