Inclusivity at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
Message from campus leaders:
"A core value of this institution is one of respect for diversity of ideas and identities. We value the vast range of perspectives of individuals of all backgrounds." --- James Anderson, Dean of the College of Education
"We have prioritized diversity at the center of our college’s mission …We have attracted students who are eager to learn from others’ experiences, beliefs, and cultural backgrounds.” ---Feng Sheng Hu, Dean of the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences
Working well with diverse individuals is critical to your success:
In our diverse society, being able to effectively interact and work in teams with people from many different backgrounds is critical to your success. Like leadership or critical thinking, learning how to work well with people from diverse backgrounds is a skill anyone can learn with practice. Fighting Illini who build this skill in college are not only doing the right thing, they are also more successful in the job market and excel more quickly in their careers.
What your peers think:
A recent survey found that 89% of UIUC students agreed with this statement: “I embrace diversity and make sure that people from all backgrounds feel part of the UIUC community.”
While overt acts of discrimination occur at UIUC, recent research suggests these acts are committed by a small minority of individuals who differ radically from other students in terms of their attitudes and personalities.
What you can do:
Being inclusive is easy. By doing some simple things, you can improve our campus climate.
Do these things...
- Have a conversation with a student who has a different background from you. Ask them about their experiences.
- Attend several activities, talks, or other diversity events per semester. Find an events list at https://oiir.illinois.edu/events
- Display the same level of warmth and enthusiasm when interacting with students from all social groups.
- Ask individuals from different social groups what terms or phrases they find offensive.
- Choose students from different social groups for class projects and study groups.
…but not these things
- Assume you know about an individual’s abilities and interests just because they belong to a certain social group.
- Tell someone they conform to a positive stereotype about a group they belong to. Instead, give them a personal compliment!
- Tell someone their name is odd because you find hard to pronounce. Instead, learn how to say their name correctly.
- Tell someone they are different from “typical” members of a social group they belong to.
- Remain silent when you see others engage in discrimination. Speak up!
Questions about this message? Send an email! psych-law-lab@mx.uillinois.edu