Acknowledgment, Inclusion and Equity

In the Department of Art, diversity, inclusion and equity are central to our mission. Art as a practice represents, reflects, critiques and dreams for a culture. It is a discipline of creativity, criticality and expression. By its nature, art balances the examination of culture through humility and critical inquiry. It is with self-awareness and acknowledgement of diverse factions of intersectional identities, that we approach the making and scholarship of contemporary art through accountable virtues.

We are diligent to recognize that cultural and discriminatory bias has been historically and systematically ingrained in the fabric of society and its cultural and educational institutions, including our own. It is with this understanding that we dedicate ourselves to dismantling these inequities and injustices both internally and externally, striving for equitable inclusion for everyone. Today and every day, we endeavor to foster a respectful and safe environment for all students, staff, and faculty, regardless of race, color, ability, age, gender, gender identity and expression, national or ethnic origin, political belief, marital status, veteran status, immigration status, and religion.

We respectfully recognize that University at Buffalo’s location is within the traditional territories of the Haudenosaunee people, and that the present is always built on the past, which must be continually acknowledged.