Dear Members of the UHart Community:
UHart’s success is dependent on, and directly connected to, how well it values, engages, and integrates the rich diversity of its students, faculty, staff, alumni, and community. The development and implementation of a Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, Social Justice, and Belonging action plan (DEIJB) is a key step toward the realization of the University of Hartford’s vision of being a model for inclusive excellence and becoming a vibrant, inclusive community where all its members succeed.
The full University of Hartford Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, Social Justice, and Belonging Action Plan, 2023–2025, is now available.
This plan represents a roadmap to advance excellence by leveraging existing successful DEIJB initiatives, and embracing and forging innovative new strategies and ideas.
The high-level themes listed below will serve as a guide for all University priorities, goals, and actions throughout the institution and its divisions.
1. A Shared Equity Leadership DEIJB Structure—UHart’s goal to promote a vibrant, diverse, equitable, inclusive, and socially just community must be reframed to involve multiple leaders collaboratively working to make diversity, equity, inclusion, social justice, and belonging (DEIJB) embedded throughout the institution. DEIJB must be seen as everyone’s collective responsibility and not the work of one office. This approach will require divisions, units, and offices to work collaboratively and hold each other accountable.
2. Campus Experience—Build and foster a vibrant campus climate and culture that fully embraces individuals of varied backgrounds, cultures, races, identities, beliefs, and perspectives and encourages the free exchange of ideas. A culture that works actively to counteract inequity and injustice and will enhance the student, faculty, and staff experience.
3. Classroom Experience—Employ inclusive pedagogy that best serves diverse learners and build a representative curriculum that includes multiple perspectives.
4. Systems and Infrastructure—Establish structures for institutionalizing equity throughout all University policies, procedures, and infrastructure in order to dismantle barriers and ensure inclusion and belonging.
5. Representation and Retention of Students, Faculty, and Staff—Continue to recruit, enroll, and retain a diverse student population. The diversification of our faculty and staff continues to be a top priority in order to reflect and meet the needs of our students.
6. Accountability—Work together to ensure that the actions outlined in this plan are realized effectively. Our goals and actions are strategically identified so that all persons of all identities feel welcome, experience a sense of belonging, and succeed at UHart. In recognition of the University’s commitment to excellence, it is my honor to present this Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, Social Justice, and Belonging plan at the University of Hartford.
Please direct any questions or comments about any aspect of this plan to me at cgrant@hartford.edu. I will also be meeting with multiple campus groups over the next few weeks to discuss the plan in detail.
Happy New Year,
Christine Grant
Assistant Vice President for Diversity, Equity, and Community Engagement