Inclusive Excellence - Fall 2022

Inclusive Excellence Previously you have been asked to consider the purpose of college in general and the core curriculum in particular. This week's module will focus on inclusive excellence in higher education as well as opportunities to globalize your education here at Georgia Southern University. The module will pay special attention to efforts to create a more inclusive and equitable environment at Georgia Southern. For a quick refresher on DEI terminology, review the DEI Key Terms from FYE 1220. Georgia Southern was a segregated school until the first African-American students enrolled in 1965. Over the last half-century, the university has become far more diverse. However, the university has faced challenges when attempting to create an equitable and inclusive educational environment for all students. Learning and Thriving Inside/Outside the Lines Many of you were enrolled in First-Year Experience classes when Normal Sucks by Jonathan Mooney was the community read. This module will ask you to reflect again on these issues by watching Jonathan Mooney's Tedx talk titled "Making Difference Count." As you watch, pay attention to the nuances and complexity of the social roles and expectations he addresses. In particular, ask yourself why a "global well-being movement" is needed today. Action Plan Recently, Georgia Southern has developed an Inclusive Excellence Action Plan that seeks to demonstrate that its commitment to inclusive excellence is more than mere words. The plan's focus on Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (often abbreviated as DEI) holds the institution to a higher standard than can be achieved by the simple presence of diverse groups. As the Action Plan notes, it is possible for an institution to be diverse while still being inequitable or non-inclusive. To clarify what is entailed by equity, the Action Plan states: Equity refers to fair and just practices and policies that ensure all campus community members can thrive. Equity is different from equality in that equality implies treating everyone as if their experiences are the same. Being equitable means acknowledging and addressing structural inequalities — historic and current — that advantage some and disadvantage others. Equal treatment results in equity only if everyone starts with equal access to opportunities. The Action Plan calls for four major goals. They are: 1. Create an equitable and inclusive environment for all. 2. Increase the representation of diverse students, faculty, staff, and community partners at all levels of the University. 3. Facilitate access to achievement, success, and recognition for underrepresented students, faculty, staff, and alumni. 4. Implement strong, genuine, and consistently communicated culturally inclusive practices that reinforce the strategic plan and the Inclusive Excellence Action Plan. Meeting our goals requires each of us to be actively engaged change agents. As you read the Action Plan, consider how the strategies recommended might impact the educational environment at Georgia Southern. Continue to the next section.