Warren Wilson College
PA-5: Diversity and Equity Coordination

Warren Wilson's Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) Committee is led by a faculty member and comprised of faculty, students and staff. The committee is focused on advancing the College's top priority work to become a more diverse, equitable and inclusive campus. In particular, it supports the DEI objectives and measurable action plans articulated in the College's Strategic Plan:

"The College is unwavering in our commitment to the dignity of all people – particularly those populations who have been both historically oppressed and continue to experience systemic oppression. While we value the breadth of diversity necessary for a rich campus culture, we also recognize the particular challenge and opportunity for growth and leadership around race, noting that such a focus necessarily intersects with deepening efforts around other aspects of identity (such as ethnicity, nationality, religion, gender, sexuality, class, and worldview). We are committed to a culture of educational access and ensuring that students and employees from a diverse range of identities and experiences will thrive in this community."

Strategic Imperative #3 in the Plan articulates the Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) Committee as follows:

The president will recruit an internal faculty or staff member to lead a committee charged with the following: (1) Identifying strengths and opportunities in our DEI work on campus (2) Creating an action plan in consultation with Cabinet and others commensurate with those strengths and opportunities (3) Increasing communication about DEI objectives and progress as well as offering a safe space for faculty, staff and students to identify and discuss areas where we are falling short (4) Advising the president and Cabinet on DEI matters. The newly created DEI committee will serve as coordinators in the Title IX model of representatives across campus who can be contacted about concerns and behaviors while keeping strict confidentiality. These coordinators will be trained to address concerns and direct reporters to the appropriate resources.

In addition, we have a number of offices on campus that specifically support diversity and inclusion at Warren Wilson. The campus community is incredibly diverse by race, ethnicity, gender, gender identity, nationality, economics, spiritual practices, politics, learning abilities, and wellness orientations to name a few. We recognize and honor the breadth of diversity on campus and seek to provide a nurturing and supportive climate for all through the following network of support:

(Arms Open) WIDE Office
Diversity begins with inclusion and Warren Wilson strives to offer an inclusive environment for all students. The Wilson Inclusion, Diversity & Equity Office (WIDE) is central to this effort. WIDE provides advocacy, community building, empowerment, and identity affirmation in support of under-represented student populations, including students of color and international students. Its focus is on community building and sharing of one’s racialized or ethnic identities to create a celebratory platform with which students can feel both visible and have agency on campus. WIDE seeks to create and to support programming based upon the core values of social justice, equity, and civic agency in pursuit of these goals:

•Develop consciousness around issues of racial and ethnic diversity
•Engage multicultural perspectives through critical dialogue and programs
•Promote universal love and intercultural competency
•Create inclusive and equitable spaces in appreciation of differences

WIDE works with students, staff, and faculty through a range of programs. The WIDE Heritage Series presents awareness, celebration, and dialogue programs throughout the year including Hispanic and Latin@ heritage, Indigenous and Native American heritage, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Celebrations, Black World History Month, Chinese New Year, International Women's Month and Asian/Pacific Islander heritage. The WIDE student work crew provides classroom/crew presentations, conferences, trainings and workshops, social justice campaigns, solidarity programming and support of aligned student demonstrations. WIDE collaborates with organizations and higher education institutions in the surrounding region. The WIDE Office also serves as an advocate and response unit as a member of the College's Bias Response Team.

The Center for Student Well-Being: Center for Gender and Relationships, Wellness Center and Substance Abuse Prevention

Center for Gender and Relationships (CGR)
Queer Resource Center
The mission of the Center for Gender and Relationships (CGR) is to build and to sustain healthy relationships within the Warren Wilson Community. CGR offers education, advocacy and resources within the LGBTQIA community and especially in sexual assault and relationship violence prevention, gender equity and intersectionality, and sexual health and education. The CGR mission is accomplished specifically by providing the community with creative and relevant programming and workshops, affinity support groups, trainings, outreach through social media, and opportunities for community service and activism. In all activities, the CGR aims to acknowledge and to embrace the intersectionalities of gender, race, class, sexual orientation, religion, nationality, and ability. To further support the campus’ LGBTQIA community, the CGR also provides the Queer Resource Center as a gathering place and social hub.

Wellness Center
The goal of the Wellness Center is to help the members of the Warren Wilson community pursue and practice a lifestyle of healthy, peaceful, and joyful living. Activities—which are open to students, faculty and staff—include community dinners and classes in various forms of yoga, Zumba, meditation, tai chi, and stress reduction. The Wellness Center also offers workshops in areas such as healthy communication, sleep hygiene, self-care, and much more. In addition, the Center connects with community partners to bring other forms of stress reduction to campus such as emotional support dogs and licensed massage therapists. Everyone on campus is welcome to drop in to develop an individualized wellness plan.

Center for Substance Abuse Prevention
The mission of the Center for Substance Abuse Prevention (CSAP) is to enhance the health and well-being of the Warren Wilson College community through thoughtful dialogue and programming on alcohol, tobacco, and other drug-related issues. CSAP serves as a support and resource for all students. Programs are available for students in recovery, students whose lives have been affected by substance use or abuse, and educational programming for community members who are interested in learning more about substance use and substance abuse prevention.

Global Engagement Office: International Student Resources

Warren Wilson actively recruits students from around the world, as well as DACA students, and provides a broad array of customized support. The following resources are coordinated by the College’s Office of Global Engagement:

•International student recruitment
•New student orientation to help international students acclimate to US and to Warren Wilson culture
•ESL classes and writing labs for international students whose first language may not be English
•International student advising to assist with academics, cultural transitions and the visa and immigration process
•International student activities throughout the year, open to the entire Warren Wilson community, that include food and culture celebrations honoring the diverse nationalities represented on campus

Office of Spiritual Life

The mission of the Office of Spiritual Life is to support students on their journeys of spiritual formation, faith development, religious exploration, vocational discernment, and social justice engagement. Spiritual Life seeks interfaith dialogue and creates campus opportunities for cooperative, constructive and positive interaction between people of different religious traditions and/or spiritual or humanistic beliefs. Its programs seek to revitalize the passion for spiritual exploration, promote diversity and awareness of social injustices and create an atmosphere of free and open interfaith dialogue on campus.

In addition to religious groups that meet on a regular basis, Spiritual Life staff and their student work crew sponsor seasonal rituals, holidays and celebrations. Programming is provided for students who find their spiritual path outside organized religions by offering opportunities to connect more deeply with oneself or pursue the bigger questions of meaning and purpose through art and music, yoga and dance, nature, silence and labyrinth walks. The Office of Spiritual Life is home to several student-run groups supporting many spiritual and religious practices as well as an active interfaith community who gathers monthly for a shared meal and organizes visits to other faith communities in Asheville.

Center for Integrated Advising and Careers: Academic Support Center, Disability Access and Services

Academic success at Warren Wilson College is dynamic, personal and cross-disciplinary. The Center for Integrated Advising and Careers (CIAC) honors all learners with custom resources for success. Its team of advisors assist all students in fulfilling educational requirements in civic identity, academics, work and community engagement. They offer a range of internships to enhance or fulfill academic pursuits and, they provide extensive career counseling and preparation. In addition, through the Academic Support Center and the Office of Disability Access and Services, CIAC provides one-on-one tutoring, writing support from the College's Writing Studio, academic coaching, time management assistance and support for students seeking accommodations, career- and discipline-focused internships, career counseling and support.

Academic Support Center
The Academic Support Center helps students become more effective, engaged and intentional learners. Working collaboratively and one-on-one with support staff, students achieve academic success as follows:

•Gain an understanding of their learning behaviors
•Master learning strategies that can be applied to general knowledge acquisition or specific course work
•Connect with campus resources to assist them throughout their learning experiences at Warren Wilson College

Disability Access & Services
Warren Wilson College strives to be in full compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) of 1990, ADA Amendments Act (ADAAA of 2008), and section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973. An individual with a disability is defined by the ADA as a person who has a mental or physical impairment that substantially limits one or more major life activities, a person who has a history or record of such an impairment, or a person who is perceived by others to have such an impairment. Warren Wilson promotes self-advocacy and equal opportunity through awareness, education and understanding of disabilities. The Director of Disability Access assists students with documented disabilities by designing plans with reasonable, appropriate accommodations for full and equal access to their educational program and serves as a resource by providing consultation to students, faculty, and staff when implementing an accommodation plan.

Counseling Center
The Counseling Center offers confidential counseling for dealing with issues and life problems with trained professionals. Students often seek counseling when they realize that they need help making difficult life choices: managing conflicts in personal, family, or work life; coping with stress and anxiety; dealing with depression; healing from sexual assault; improving troubled relationships; grieving personal losses; healing wounds of emotional, physical, or sexual abuse; overcoming fears or phobias; recovering from addiction (tobacco, food, Internet, gambling, drugs, alcohol, sex); exploring spiritual crises; creating a healthier, happier lifestyle; building self-esteem; clarifying sexual identity; establishing healthy sexuality; clarifying life goals; addressing loneliness; deciding about pregnancy, birth, and parenting; or setting personal boundaries.

Each year, on Deliberative Dialogue Day- the first day of winter term - a half-day is devoted to Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI)sessions for all faculty, students and staff. These sessions are usually facilitated by consultants and focused on cultivating the skills and awareness required to achieve the DEI goals set forth in the College's strategic plan. It is then the responsibility of the DEI Committee to follow through with actions that reinforce the learning campus- wide and to ensure annual progress on these important goals.

For Deliberative Dialogue Day this year, faculty and staff met for an afternoon session with Visions Inc., a national company that uses a "no shame, no blame" dialogue-based approach to help individuals and organizations talk across and embrace differences, acknowledge shared humanity, approach tensions in a healthy fashion, and achieve personal and institutional diversity, equity and inclusion goals. Students participated in a separate dialogue on political differences facilitated by Better Angels, a national group focused on reducing political polarization in the United States. Better Angels does not ask people to alter their views but teaches practical skills for communicating across political differences (useful during an election year).

In addition, many of the offices described in the section above offer DEI-focused trainings and activities throughout the year for the entire campus community.

Offices campus-wide submitted data. Information about workshops, events and trainings is shared almost daily with the campus community via email.