Office of Inclusive Excellence

Making �侫��Ƶ a place for all

The Office of Inclusive Excellence, working under the Office of the President, provides institutional leadership on all matters of diversity and inclusion. At �侫��Ƶ, inclusive excellence is an integral part of our identity, and we believe our success depends on our efforts to cultivate and practice inclusivity, embrace diversity, and uphold equity. To that end:

We are committed to recruiting and retaining a diverse administration, faculty, staff, and student body
We strive to ensure that our students are prepared to engage and succeed in increasingly diverse environments
We are committed to the pursuit of excellence by being inclusive of individuals without regard to race, color, religion, creed, sex, sexual orientation, gender expression, gender identity, national origin, marital status, familial status, disability, age, or protected veteran status in any activity administered by the university
We endeavor to make �侫��Ƶ a place recognized for its positive climate—one where all stakeholders know that their contributions to the mission of the university are essential to our success

�侫��Ƶ's statement of civility

�侫��Ƶ is dedicated to intellectual inquiry in its full depth, breadth, abundance, and diversity. It is committed to academic freedom and celebrates free expression for everyone. The University embraces the examination of all ideas, some of which will potentially be unpopular and unsettling, as an integral and robust component of intellectual inquiry. It is expected that the expression of ideas will be done in ways that are respectful of others and which do not include personal vilification based on race, ethnicity, religion, gender, sexual orientation, sexual identity, appearance, disability or political affiliation. �侫��Ƶ encourages all, whether it be on campus or off, to foster a respectful, and inclusive community defined by a concern for the common good, by developing relationships and through a culture that promotes the rights, safety, dignity, and value of every individual. A university community embracing these common values, consisting of students, faculty, staff, the Board of Trustees, and external constituents, is vital to the pursuit of excellence in research, scholarship, and creative activity.

Strategic goals

Training, learning, and development

Members of the �侫��Ƶ community will demonstrate cultural competency by learning key concepts that will address and reduce bias; foster equity, inclusion, and diversity; and equip individuals to lead change on campus and in a changing world.

Metrics and evaluation

�侫��Ƶ will develop and practice protocols that measure and evaluate equity, inclusion, and diversity progress. These protocols will create expectations throughout the institution, maintain specific standards of practice, and promote a culture of engagement.

Campus climate, culture, and community

�侫��Ƶ will develop a campus climate and culture where all community members feel welcome and supported, and experience a sense of belonging. This overall well-being will be tangible through authentic, respectful, and engaged relationships.

�侫��Ƶ's land acknowledgment

�侫��Ƶ acknowledges that the land on which we gather and refer to as Minnesota is the traditional and unceded territory of the Dakota and Ojibwe. Minnesota comes from the Dakota name for this region Mni Sota Makoce, “the land where the waters reflect the skies.” We pay respect to the citizens of not only those tribes, but others as well, both past and present, and their continuing relationship to their ancestral lands. Making this recognition expresses gratitude and appreciation to those whose territory we reside on and honors the Indigenous people who have been existing with, and on, the land from time immemorial. This long-standing history is significant as land acknowledgments do not exist in past tense or historical context—colonialism, appropriation, and genocide have relevant real-time realities. We need to build mindfulness regarding the source of our present land privilege, understand the long-standing history from which it comes, and seek to reconcile our place within both.

�侫��Ƶ, as an institution and community, will hold itself accountable as an Indigenous partner by working stridently to amplify, address, and counter the historical and contemporary injustices that continue to impact Indigenous people—individually, systemically, and structurally.