Division of Student Services commitment to inclusion
The Student Services Division at the University of Nevada, Reno distinguishes itself as exemplary by the way we help each member of our learning community succeed. In the belief that the most important learning derives from the personal encounter and joint work of professional staff and students, Student Services provides a quality learning environment, encourages open inquiry, values the lifelong pursuit of knowledge and provides collaborative services and programs.
We must continue to strive for an inclusive community that embraces all its members, provides equality of opportunity for all and actively encourages all voices to be heard. Everyone must be welcomed and treated with dignity and respect, and every person's story must be honored. In doing so, our goal is to develop a diverse campus climate and promote a safe and hospitable environment that extends beyond a statement of good intentions and uplifting principles.
In fulfilling our responsibility to help graduates succeed in a diverse global environment, Student Services staff are educators and leaders in diversifying the University. We are dedicated to the following principles and actions that will help us accomplish our vision.
Guiding principles
- Student Services at the University of Nevada, Reno will promote inclusiveness in a learning environment that stimulates dialogue and free inquiry within the bounds of courtesy, understanding and respect both in and out of the classroom setting.
- Social justice is central to the mission of Student Services and embodies essential principles of equity and access to all opportunities in society in accordance with democratic principles and respect for all persons and points of view.
- Student Services will conduct ongoing assessment of our own ability to identify and respond to issues affecting campus climate. We seek to learn as we lead and collaborate with all members of our University community.
- Student Services aims to engage members of our community as active informed citizens in a multicultural world and recognizes diverse backgrounds and ideas as being essential to academic excellence.
- Student Services believes that individuals whose education has been grounded on mutual understanding and the respect of human diversity are best prepared to contribute to the making of a just and equitable society.
- Student Services will ensure that all programs, services and office environments are welcoming and able to assist any person regardless of his or her race, gender, age, sexual orientation, religion, ethnicity, national or geographical origin, ability or socio-economic status.
Outcomes
- Each Student Services department will develop and maintain work environments that are considered to be welcoming, inclusive, and supportive.
- Student Services will encourage and promote cultural competence within a safe environment to freely learn from and challenge each other. Cultural competency does not mean you are an authority of every culture. It means you hold a respect for cultural differences, are willing to learn, and realize there are many ways of viewing the world.
- Programs and services for the inclusion of everyone are the responsibility of Student Services staff.
- Each Student Services department will design, co-sponsor and/or implement at least one program each semester specifically designed to promote social justice, cultural competence, and inclusion.
- All Student Services' websites and social media will be accessible to all. Programs will be universally designed.
- Student Services will be cognizant of needs pertaining to inclusion and cultural differences when organizing events.
- Student Services is committed to recruiting a diverse applicant pool for all positions that become available and hiring qualified candidates that reflect the diversity of our student population to best serve the students of the university and continuously working on creating an inclusive and welcoming environment.
- Student Services search committees will reflect diversity in the members that are chosen to serve in the capacity of the committee.
- All levels of recruitment and outreach for Student Services searches and search committees will actively engage in outreach efforts to ensure a diverse applicant pool for all positions posted.
- Each office will develop criteria to assess the applicants’ ability to understand and support an inclusionary campus culture.
- Student Services will recognize departments for exceptional progress in creating an inclusive and inviting climate at the Annual Retreat and other division meetings and publications.
- Each department/office will actively address issues that create exclusionary environments.
- Student Services will incorporate diversity and inclusion into annual performance reviews and yearly evaluations in order to assess employee’s ability to achieve these goals.
- Student Services personnel will actively seek out cultural competency opportunities to include webinars, campus discussions, and campus events/conferences.
- Student Services departments will implement at least one training opportunity, per year, designed for their personnel to increase awareness and a better understanding of inclusion and social justice.
- Student Services departments will coordinate sexual harassment training, disability awareness training, and cultural competency training to ensure the use of best practices and inclusivity in the workplace.
- All Student Services personnel are expected to expand their knowledge and skills to serve an increasingly diverse student body and to prepare all students to be effective global citizens. This will be done through research, training, conferences, and outreach with the support of Student Services administration.
- Student Services will promote an inclusive curriculum; embracing and integrating a climate of cultural competency; thereby building and sustaining safe spaces in the classroom and on campus.
- Student Services will promote cultural competency in education across curricula in all departments at all levels.
- Each member of Student Services will promote and sustain a supportive mentoring environment enhancing retention of professionals in the field of Student Services.
- Student Services personnel will seek out and share best practices with colleagues on other campuses. These best practices will be brought back to the University of Nevada, Reno and shared with colleagues.
- Student Services will seek out opportunities to collaborate with local, statewide, national, and international organizations promoting the benefits and pathways of higher education effectively ensuring an inclusive and culturally competent University body of faculty, staff and students.