University Campus-wide Plan for Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Released

After more than a year of research, discussion and discernment, The University of Scranton has released its new campus-wide plan for Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI). The plan provides a foundational framework and specifies concrete actions for the University community to address diversity and inclusion on campus.

Rev. Joseph R. Marina, S.J., University president, announced the plan at Scranton’s Convocation on April 5.

 The new plan, developed to support directly the Strategic Plan, will guide the University as it seeks to reflect and understand “. . . the diversity of the world by demanding that diversity be a priority as we build an inclusive community and campus culture, and develop and deliver our education and shape our student experience.”

According to the DEI Plan, “The University strives to frame its mission, strategy and policies within the body of Catholic Social Teaching, that deep and profound collection of teachings that calls us to recognize the dignity of each and every human person, to work together in building a truly just society, and to live lives of faith, hope and love.  In doing so, the University participates in the life and mission of the Church for the purpose of having an authentic impact on all those it serves and who comprise its community.”

The plan recognizes diversity, equity and inclusion as integral to the Catholic and Jesuit mission of the University. The action steps outlined in each of these areas directly respond to the broader objectives of the Strategic Plan. The six focal areas of the plan include:

• institutional commitment, transparency, coordination and accountability, improving collaboration and communication throughout the campus community;
• the student experience, expanding engagement and support for diversity and inclusion for all students, including those from historically underrepresented and underserved populations;
• the academic experience, broadening learning opportunities and assuring equity of access to academic and learning support resources for all;
• the faculty and staff experience, building a more structured approach to recruitment, hiring, and training and support resources for our employees;
• student recruitment, enrollment and retention, expanding enrollment of diverse and underrepresented populations, and better understanding and addressing student attrition and retention trends;
• and alumni and community engagement, expanding our reach in the community, engagement with alumni, and understanding their experiences.  

Creating the plan was a first-year priority for the Strategic Plan’s implementation.

“It was also important to make the DEI Strategic Plan a priority given the Black Lives Matter movement and the murders of George Floyd and others in the Black and Brown Community, and after holding several listening sessions during the summer of 2020,” said Elizabeth M. Garcia, Esq., co-chair of the DEI planning committee special assistant to the president, executive director for the Office of Equity and Diversity, Title IX coordinator.

The plan calls for leadership commitment, coordination of campus efforts and transparency, assessment and accountability, ensuring that “everyone is making DEI a priority,” said Garcia.

Students played an important part in helping to shape the plan and will be integral in efforts moving forward. Adrianna Smith ’22 was a member of the planning team this past year during her tenure as president of Student Government.

“The University showed its dedication to all our student populations by including them in all stages of planning from preliminary ideas to the final product,” said Smith. “These new changes will work to improve the daily experience of students on our campus and hopefully ensure that everyone feels that they have an equal and loving place in our community.”

Find out more about the plan, its pillars and its overall findings and implementation at scranton.edu/diversityplan.