Villanova University
PA-5: Diversity and Equity Coordination

The Office of Diversity and inclusion have been and will continue to be an integral component of Villanova University’s mission. Villanova’s Institutional diversity efforts strive to foster and celebrate diversity while promoting inclusiveness within the campus culture.

The Office is currently heading the University Task Force on Race called Aequitas. Our goal is to provide recommendations to the President on actions the University can take to become a more equitable and just institution.

Villanova University’s diversity initiatives strive for inclusive excellence at the institutional level. Inclusive excellence includes systemic actions that focus on fostering greater diversity, equity, inclusion, and accountability at all levels of university life. Most importantly, the diversity efforts must be integrated into the core aspects of the university, including academic priorities, leadership, decision-making, day-to-day operations, and the overall organizational culture.

At Villanova, we strive to create an inclusive community that fosters an understanding and appreciation for diversity among our students, faculty, staff, and administrators.

http://www1.villanova.edu/villanova/provost/diversity.html

Events/programs include but are not limited to:

Diversity Skit: Attendance is required during orientation for incoming students. the skit addresses issues of intolerance, discrimination, privilege and more. one of the most remembered and talked about programs from orientation.

Intergroup Relations (IGR) is an educational experience about issues of social justice.
The focus of IGR is on creating understanding relationships among people from different social, economic, racial and ethnic groups. Communication skills related to careful listening and meaningful dialogue are also discussed and developed for all who participate.
http://www1.villanova.edu/villanova/provost/diversity/igr.html

Teaching 2020
IGR Faculty Program will engage faculty in an intergroup dialogue experience that will be both
personally transformative and professionally useful in the classroom. The intended audience
includes faculty who teach core courses in their discipline as well as faculty interested in knowing more about how to teach effectively the diverse student population in their classrooms. For those faculty who are also staff, there will be the option to split off from the full-time teaching faculty to join the other staff who teach to address the distinct responsibilities arising from those dual obligations.

Freedom School: In memory of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr, is an opportunity to talk about the social injustice we see in the world today.
MLK Day of Service: The purpose of the day is to continue the spirit of servant-hood. The focus is on the intimate relationship of serving among peers. The goal is for students to commit to service not for the act performed but for the shared experience and new found compassion/knowledge of social issues.

Other key programs outside the Center for Multicultural Affairs but within the Division of Student Life include:
LEVEL: works to build integration for those who are differently-abled, and raise awareness of their challenges, and how to better integrate them in daily activities.
Other events: LGBT Awareness Week, Special Olympics, Women of Color Luncheon and Villanova One Book.

The Center for Multicultural Affairs organizes a speaker series every year to address different conversations on diversity.