Diversity Statements
Richard Herman, Chancellor
We are most pleased to welcome you to this vital informational site, and encourage you to use it as a resource as we engage in a critical dialogue on issues of tremendous importance.
Without question, we are a more open and inclusive campus community than ever before. But many people are still struggling to appreciate just what that rich diversity really means, what it requires of them, how they fit in, and how we all stand to benefit from understanding and embracing a truly multicultural society. As Chancellor of this great University, I am determined to help us get there. I believe it is not enough simply to look for and celebrate our commonalities. Let us - with the same passion - learn and appreciate what distinguishes us from each other. Let us nurture these distinctions with the full understanding that the greatness of this country has been built in no small measure on us constructively engaging them.
You see, diversity awareness is central to academic excellence. We believe that we are not just training you to assume the great challenges of scholarship and professionalism in such fields as history, psychology, engineering, African American Studies, law, finance, German, and journalism. We also are preparing new generations of leadership-responsible citizens who must be ready and able to meet the evolving demands of an increasingly complex and interconnected world. Our goal is to equip you to make a significant contribution wherever your career may take you-from Albuquerque to Abidjan, from Miami to Madrid, from Schaumburg to Shanghai.
It is fundamental to the Illinois Experience that you acquire all the tools you need to assume your place in an increasingly diverse academic setting, workplace and global community. To do so, we believe, is imperative in becoming fully functioning citizens in our democratic society.
This is a critical moment for our campus community here at Illinois. It is one we all have reached as a result of everything we have experienced up to this point. We will move forward from this moment guided by a vision that gains sharper focus by considering so many points of view. We welcome yours and look forward to a continuing conversation-one that begins right here.
Linda Katehi, Provost and
Vice-Chancellor for Academic Affairs
Diversity in our faculty, staff and student populations, and in our scholarship, are fundamental to the excellence of our institution and critical to our agenda as one of the top public research universities in the nation. By bringing together people from different backgrounds whose views of the world may differ, we enhance our understanding of societal challenges and, more importantly, we bring together the perspectives, skills and knowledge necessary to move beyond challenge to opportunity. At Illinois, diversity includes fostering learning environments where all students can achieve their full potential and where staff, faculty and academic professionals can realize their professional goals. Diversity, as we define it, is more than diverse ideas - it includes representation of individuals from all backgrounds and perspectives, in terms of race, ethnicity, disability, gender, gender identity, sexuality, socio-economics, nationality, and spirituality. Our collective goal is a campus environment that engenders trust and respect for all, and appreciation for the contributions for all to the richness of our campus. We have made significant progress toward this goal; yet, there is much to be achieved. We are committed to continuing progress to achieve the diversity that we, as an institution, seek. As a campus we have made diversity an integral part of our strategic plan. We have asked all units to collaborate towards achieving, embracing, and valuing diversity and inclusion. The Council of Deans shares this commitment, with specific goals articulated in each college-level diversity plan. Collectively, we strive to promote diversity across academic units and make Illinois a more inclusive environment.
Please join me and our campus in celebrating our diversity and excellence!
Renee Romano, Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs
Student Affairs is committed to diversity. We promote understanding, appreciation, and respect for diverse people and the value and benefit everyone contributes to the University community. We are committed to diversity because we serve a diverse student population and strive to create an atmosphere and institutional culture which is welcoming to all individuals, regardless of their race, ethnicity, religion, sex, age, sexual orientation, ability/disability, socioeconomic class, and national origin. By doing this, we contribute to the educational mission of the University of Illinois, "preparing students for lives of impact, and addressing critical societal needs through the transfer and application of knowledge."