Smith College
PA-5: Diversity and Equity Coordination

The Inclusion Council was established in 2009. The council works with the vice president for inclusion, diversity and equity to promote and achieve Smith’s diversity and social justice goals. Membership includes faculty, staff and students from key constituencies on campus.

The mission of the Inclusion Council is to ensure that the ideals of equity, inclusivity and justice espoused in the broader college mission are inherent in the relationships, practices and activities of Smith’s students, staff and faculty. The members of the council fulfill this mission by:
-Fostering a campus climate that is built on inclusiveness, mutual respect, education, appreciation and understanding
-Informing Smith community members of the college’s diversity efforts
-Encouraging an awareness and appreciation of diversity among members of the Smith community
-Facilitating the integration of diversity into curricular and co-curricular offerings
-Providing strategic advice to the President and Director of OIDE on campus diversity
-Supporting diversity initiatives in the recruitment and retention of faculty, staff and students from underrepresented groups
-Creating safe, respectful and consistent opportunities on campus to discuss diverse perspectives
-Reporting to the Smith community the findings of an analysis of the climate of diversity on campus

The Office of Inclusion, Diversity, and Equity teaches cultural competence trainings and activities that teach our community the definition of inclusion and how to create inclusion. The trainings focus on creating inclusive spaces, workplaces, and living spaces, and how to foster open environments. Trainings also include our rights and responsibilities under civil rights laws. In 2018 the college partnered with EverFi, a widely respected online learning platform, to provide training on diversity and bias for staff and faculty. The training will cover issues of identity, power and privilege, and will offer tools to promote a culture of respect. All employees were required to take two specific courses. In 2019, the students, staff, and faculty design and participated in a day of Inclusion in Action where over 60 programs taught, discussed, evaluated, and tackled issues of cultural competence, anti-oppression, anti-racism and inclusion. There are multiple online and in person trainings available and offered to students and employees: https://www.smith.edu/about-smith/equity-inclusion/training