Introduction to Shared Definitions
Why develop shared definitions
Having shared definitions means that by having a common language and a clear sense of usage and meaning, we can more effectively advance our work on shared goals. These shared definitions represent some of our values that we uphold and promote as a CI community.
Shared Definitions (PDF, 165KB)
How to use these shared definitions
The shared definitions are intended to uplift our campus, to build a better, more equitable, diverse, and inclusive campus. We encourage every individual and group to adopt these definitions in their work at the granular level (e.g. committees, classrooms, initiatives), so they become embedded in equity-producing practices in all areas of campus life. They are not intended to create or be the basis for evaluative or disciplinary measures of individual faculty or staff. They are intended to support those with less power in formalizing the campus commitment to sustaining a positive and productive environment. We are stronger together when we have a common language for promoting racial and social justice at CSUCI.
Historical Background and Process
In 2017, President Erica Beck charged our campus to foster a campus culture that advances inclusive excellence utilizing a decentralized approach, which means we all share responsibility to make this vision a reality as individuals and through our respective divisions, colleges, programs, departments and workplaces. In decentralizing this work, moving responsibility for inclusive excellence from an oversight model to a shared responsibility model, she named herself as Chief Diversity Officer for the campus and established the President’s Advisory Council for Inclusive Excellence (PACIE). This body’s charge is explicitly advisory, with responsibility to provide the President with a 10,000 foot view of the state of the campus on matters of diversity, equity, and inclusivity.
The first tasks for PACIE were to survey the literature on “inclusive excellence,” “equity,” “diversity,” and “collegiality,” and to draft our own definitions for these concepts. Then, between 2017 and 2019 PACIE members hosted multiple campus forums, Brown Bag discussions, presentations with faculty, administrators, staff and student groups. After President Beck approved these definitions in Spring 2020, they were submitted to the Staff Council and approved on November 17, 2020. The Academic Senate approved Senate Resolution 20-09 on December 1, 2020. The ASI Government at CSUCI adopted these shared definitions on April 28, 2021.
We recognize these shared definitions are a living document and may be revised with new terms added according to the relevant literature in the field during the life of our campus. PACIE will work closely with the new faculty committee on Equity and Anti-Racism to draft and vet new definitions and incorporate edits to existing definitions.
As you begin to operationalized these definitions in your work, please provide us with feedback and/or if you have questions or need more information please contact us at inclusive.excellence@csuci.edu.
Further Reading
Ahmed, S. (2012) On Being Included: Racism and Diversity in Institutional Life. Duke University Press.
Laursen S. Austin A. (2020) Building Gender Equity in the Academy: Institutional Strategies for Change. Johns Hopkins University Press.
McNair, T. B., Bensimon, E. M., and Malcom-Piqueux, L. (2020). From equity talk to equity walk: Expanding practitioner knowledge for racial justice in higher education. Wiley.
Smith, D. (2009) Diversity’s Promise for Higher Education: Making it Work. Johns Hopkins University Press.
Stewart A., Valian, V. (2021) An Inclusive Academy: Achieving Diversity and Excellence. The MIT Press.
Witham, K., Malcom-Piqueux, L.E., Dowd, A.C, Bensimon, E.M. (2015) America’s unmet promise: The imperative for equity in higher education. Association of American Colleges & Universities, Washington D.C.
Additional Resources
Concepts and Activities for Racial Equity Work
Racial Equity Tools: Core Concepts
Why Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Matter