University of Virginia
PA-5: Diversity and Equity Coordination

The University of Virginia (UVA) has a Division for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion that currently includes two offices: the Office for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (ODEI) and the Office of Equal Opportunity and Civil Rights.

ODEI coordinates UVA's Diversity Council (https://vpdiversity.virginia.edu/diversity-council). The Diversity Council's objectives are:
To provide a forum where representatives from various segments of the University community can come together to discuss and consider forward-looking, proactive strategies, methods, and approaches that will help to make UVA a more diverse and welcoming environment at all levels;
To create a setting in which representatives can present diversity-related issues and considerations that are occurring either within their own administrative unit, or within other areas that they have either knowledge about or interest in; and
To review information and materials that are intended to enhance and celebrate diversity that are being used or discussed in other higher education institutions, or in other settings, to determine whether they might have any applicability to UVA.

The Diversity Council currently has two subcommittees: the LGBTQ Subcommittee (https://vpdiversity.virginia.edu/lgbt-committee) and the Disability Advocacy & Action Subcommittee (https://vpdiversity.virginia.edu/disability-advocacy-action-committee).

The Office for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (ODEI) provides leadership, information, consultation, coordination, and assistance to the various units and constituencies within the University of Virginia in an effort to embrace diversity and equity as pillars of excellence, synergize actions at all levels of the institution, and cultivate inclusiveness and mutual respect throughout the community. For example, ODEI offered UVA faculty and staff the opportunity to participate in Dr. Kathy Obear's mini-course: Leading White Accountability Spaces. ODEI staff led a series called "Remembering for Our Future," facilitating discussions about topics such as the history of race, racism, and racist ideas at UVA Over the past year, the ODEI has compiled learning resources related to anti-racism and more, making those available here: https://vpdiversity.virginia.edu/learning-resources. In addition, the ODEI is leading the university's efforts to use the nationally recognized Inclusive Excellence framework to develop strategic plans within each school and unit. The Inclusive Excellence work has extended beyond the university -- community organizations in Central Virginia are now adopting the framework. At the state level, the Commonwealth of Virginia has adopted the framework as well and asked its agencies to develop Inclusive Excellence plans. The ODEI is in the process of hiring its first Director of Diversity Education who will lead training efforts across Grounds.

The Office of Equal Opportunity and Civil Rights (EOCR) is responsible for providing educational training programs to assist members of the University community in understanding discrimination, harassment and retaliation, and how to address behaviors that violate University policy. Specifically, EOCR will distribute copies of the "Preventing and Addressing Discrimination and Harassment" and "Preventing and Addressing Retaliation" policies to all schools, departments and programs at the University, and will conduct workshops and seminars on these issues and other relevant subjects. The Orientation Office offers cultural competency training for staff and student orientation leaders. Incoming students experience an overview in the Grounds for Discussion and have opportunity to choose to participate in the First-Year Seminar in which discussions about biases/stereotyping are held with near-peer mentors. A student-run program called Sustained Dialogue engages students in difficult conversations about differences.

The Center for Leadership Excellence, a part of University Human Resources, offers multicultural education for faculty and staff. Courses are offered both as open enrollment classes and, in some cases, are embedded in group learning programs such as Essential WorkSkills. Additionally, the Center offers Respect@UVa training – a program that describes and discusses what respectful and disrespectful behavior looks at the university and what employees can do if they are the target of, accused of, or are a witness to disrespectful behavior. The course Preventing and Addressing Discrimination, Harassment and Retaliation is required of University of Virginia managers and available to all employees. In response to increased demand over the past year for diversity-related trainings and/or facilitated conversations, the Center for Leadership Excellence and ODEI have developed a searchable database for members of the UVA community to identify and consult with diversity, equity, and inclusion educators and facilitators on campus.