Diversity, Equity and Belonging

Diversity, Equity and Belonging in Research and Learning Environments

The College of Arts and Sciences is committed to creating and sustaining a research and learning environment that truly honors the contributions that diversity makes to our strength. We understand that supporting diversity and inclusion in College not only benefits our university, but benefits all of the peoples and communities our institution was created to serve.

We know that our commitment to diversity must be a commitment to accountability and to action. Through informed investments we are working strategically to ensure that our institutional culture, policies and infrastructure foster an inclusive environment within the College.

Values

Our commitments to Diversity, Equity and Belonging in the College are anchored in our work to uphold the following values:

Shared Responsibility: Recognizing the importance of our collective efforts to shape and sustain an equitable and inclusive environment within the College and on our campus at large. 

Community: Working to serve diverse communities both on and off campus by advancing social justice and racial equity within the College, and investing in community engagement, collaboration and partnerships.

Accountability: Continually evaluating and assessing our progress towards our goals to institutionalize a culture of equity and belonging within the College and across our campus.

Action: Ensuring our commitments translate into tangible results and outcomes that align with our goals to advance equity, belonging and social justice within the College and throughout our campus. 

Strategic Priorities

The following are the key initiatives to advance diversity and inclusion that are ongoing or in progress within the College. These priorities are informed by the many written statements, calls to action, listening sessions, townhalls and focus groups that BIPOC students have contributed to.

  • Increase hiring of diverse and under-represented faculty and staff.  Work to ensure their retention and success.
  • Increase support for diverse and under-represented students to enhance their retention and success.
  • Offer curriculum, programming and training that builds capacity for working in a diverse and inclusive environment
  • Create and maintain a welcoming, inclusive and equitable campus climate.

Upcoming DEIB Events

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Upcoming DVS Events

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Mellon Grant Award

The College of Arts and Sciences is the recipient of a $3.2 million grant from The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation to support the creation of a new Department of Indigenous Studies with an innovative and interdisciplinary structure. Academic and community engagement within this new department will recognize Indigenous nationhood and sovereignty as foundational to building ethical and productive scholarly, educational, and experiential learning relationships with Indigenous people, organizations, and communities.

Deeply committed in supporting present and future generations of Indigenous students and scholars, UB’s Department of Indigenous Studies will promote research, educational, and outreach initiatives aligned with community priorities to ensure the continuity of Indigenous knowledge and languages, and the health and sustainability of Indigenous people, land, and water. The mission of the Department of Indigenous Studies is to foster excellence in Indigenous-centered scholarship, research, and teaching, and to promote multidisciplinary research and teaching beneficial to Indigenous Nations, communities, and organizations in local, national, and global contexts.