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Equity, Diversity and Inclusion

Employee Affinity Groups

Employee Affinity Groups (EAGs) are employee-led and facilitated groups formed around interests, backgrounds, identities, and common bonds. Through participation in EAGs, Vanderbilt staff and faculty help foster a positive work environment at the University by actively contributing to its mission, values, and efforts specific to diversity, inclusion, and campus engagement.  

EAGs are one example of a variety of Vanderbilt-supported activities in which staff and faculty are encouraged to participate/engage in an effort to cultivate and foster an inclusive community. Engagement in these kinds of activities may provide long-term benefits for the University, professional and personal development for the participants, and contribute to a greater sense of belonging to the Vanderbilt University community, as well as employees’ ability to bring their authentic selves to work.

   

 

Guiding Principles

  • The primary goal of EAGs is to promote diversity, openness, understanding, and inclusiveness.
  • EAGs create a welcoming place for staff and faculty who share common interests to meet and support one another’s personal and professional perspectives with respect to particular affinity groups.
  • All EAGs are open to all employees.
  • Employee participation in EAGs is completely voluntary.
  • EAGs must adhere to Vanderbilt University’s policies and procedures.

 

EAGs help to create an inclusive workplace at Vanderbilt by:

  • Serving as a vehicle for leveraging the unique and common perspectives, functions, and approaches to work that exist throughout the University community
  • Contributing to an inclusive workplace by helping to attract and retain diverse candidates
  • Providing an informal welcome to new employees, as well as networking and mentoring opportunities for their members
  • Creating an open and welcoming space for staff who share common interests/concerns to meet and support one another
  • Providing a resource to Vanderbilt leadership regarding employee interests, needs, and policies

 

All participation in EAGs, both leadership and general events, is completely voluntary. EAG activities are considered Vanderbilt University Sponsored Activities within Vanderbilt’s Hours of Work Policy.  Staff approved to attend EAG activities during their normal work day will be paid.  Staff attending EAG activities outside of their normal work day will not be compensated.

 

Current EAGs on Campus

Association of Vanderbilt Black Faculty & Staff (AVBFS)

  • The Association of Vanderbilt Black Faculty and Staff (AVBFS) was created in July 2020 under the umbrella of the Bishop Joseph Johnson Black Cultural Center. The AVBFS has a three-fold mission: 1) to support and uplift Black faculty and staff, 2) to build and maintain a sense of community among Black faculty and staff, and 3) to advocate for the recruitment, retention, and advancement of Black faculty and staff at Vanderbilt.  Membership is open to all faculty and staff in the Vanderbilt community who support the mission of AVBFS. The group hosts monthly general body meetings as well as other periodic programs to foster community, promote social and professional networking, offer professional development, and offer mentoring support for Black students, faculty, and staff.  For more information or to join, please sign up here or contact Rosevelt Noble.

Asian American Pacific Islander

  • The AAPI group is a space for individuals of Asian and Pacific Islander descent to gather to address and share issues and concerns that impact the group, such as racism, immigration, mental health, and the like.  It is a space to have their voices heard and to make the invisible visible while engaging in both social programming and community activism.  For more information or to join, please sign up here or contact Rong Wang.

Disabilities and Chronic Health Conditions

  • This group is a place for employees who identify as having visible or invisible disabilities, chronic mental or physical health conditions, and their allies.  The group gathers to address and discuss issues that impact the group, such as discrimination, misconceptions, mental health, navigating workplace interactions, and other relevant topics.  The group aims to provide a safe and brave space for members to be heard while engaging in sharing of resources, social programming, and community activism through regular meetings.  For more information or to join, please sign up here or contact Jonathan Santana and Kelly Croteau.

Early Career Professionals

  • This group seeks to foster a sense of belonging at Vanderbilt and build strong cross-institutional relationships among staff within their first five years at Vanderbilt and/or in higher education. This group provides professional development and leadership opportunities, learning resources, social events, and ways to contribute to and explore the greater Nashville community. Our members are eager to share their experiences and dreams with each other and are excited to help fellow staff meet their goals and build relationships. For more information, please contact Byron Uzzell (byron.uzzell@vanderbilt.edu) and Chance Moody (chance.moody@vanderbilt.edu).

Golden Dores (50+ age)

  • Golden Dores welcomes employees who are aged 50 years or older, as well as allies.  The group hosts meetings covering topics such as Medicare/Social Security workshops, investing, eldercare, retirement and the like. They also host fun social and service-oriented events.  For more information or to join, contact Machelle Keen or Valerie Lorusso.

Glammadores (LGBTQIA+)

  • This group is a place for employees who identify as LGBTQIA+ and their allies. The LGBTQIA+ Affinity Group will host regular meetings aimed at providing resources for LGBTQIA+ employees and allies, including social networking, meetups, guest speakers, support navigating workplace interactions and more. For more information or to join, contact Derek Nido. 

Indigenous

  • Vanderbilt’s Indigenous EAG is an inclusive employee community. Individuals that identify as indigenous or multiracial (and their allies) are welcome to engage. There is no single American Indian culture (there are currently 574 federally recognized tribes) and identity is a complex issue that should not be repressed by bureaucratic classifications. While history may be researched to disrupt monolithic perspectives, the focus of this EAG will be to appreciate opportunities or critique constraints to indigenous persons in all their diversity being visible in our community. Language is important for meaning-making and while American Indian, Native American, and Native are respectful terms of use in the United States, many tribal groups are known officially by names that include “nation” and each community may have a distinct preference and not agree on terminology. “Indigenous” is the word specifically selected by this group to encompass the Native lived experiences of persons throughout the Western Hemisphere. For more information or how to join, contact Kathleen Seabolt.

International

  • The mission of the International Employee Affinity Group is to offer a safe space and serve as a resource for international faculty and staff to enable them to transition to Vanderbilt and to Nashville at large and serve as an ongoing supportive community. The IEAG creates professional and social opportunities for international faculty and staff to provide a welcoming and nurturing environment in which they can thrive. For more information or to join, please sign up here or contact Jennifer Rauch and  Mazalit Haim.

Jewish

  • As there is no singular way to identify or express Judaism, this group welcomes any Vanderbilt employees who identify themselves as Jewish in whatever way that means to them. It is also open to family, friends and allies of Jewish people. We offer programming aimed at creating belonging for the Jewish community, including meetups, social events, celebrating both Jewish holidays and cultural observances, and collective community action within the broader Nashville community. For more information or to join, please fill out our interest form.

Latinx

  • The Latinx group serves to support faculty, staff and post-docs that identify as Latina, Latino, Latinx, Latine, and/or Hispanic. This group strives to provide resources as well as fellowship for those who have an ethnic and cultural connection to communities within Latin America. Engagement will hope to include academic-based discussions, social events, and activities for members as well as those who are allies to the Latinx community.  For more information or to join, contact Maria Elena Ornelas, Amanda Martinez-Lincoln, Antonella Valdivia, or Sara Burd.

Mid-Career Professionals

  • This group invites professionals who are seven to 15 years into their career. We offer opportunities to engage in professional development, networking and relationship building, and leadership, with goals of supporting participants in fostering belonging, individuality, and meaningful development.For more information or to join, please sign up here or contact Krista Vaught or Patricia Parker

Military and Veterans

  • The Military and Veterans EAG is established to enrich the experience of Vanderbilt’s Veteran population by supporting the unique needs of those who have serve and their families.  It helps expand Veteran networks through professional connections, strengthen comradeship through social interactions, foster a continuation of selfless service through community engagements, Teach, Coach & Mentor. For more information or to join, please sign up here or contact Xavier Purdy and Lydell Francis.

Muslim Staff and Faculty Assocation (MSAFA) 

  • The MSAFA aims to create a vibrant and inclusive community for Muslim professionals and their allies. Led by a mission that encapsulates inclusivity, support, education and dialogue, the MSAFA seeks to contribute positively to the university’s community.  For more information or to join the Muslim Staff and Faculty Association, interested individuals can click MSAFA@vanderbilt.edu or reach out to Hasina Mohyuddin.

Single Parents

  • The Single Parents group is a space to share ideas and resources, encourage, and grow community for those who are single and raising their children alone.  The Single Parents have been meeting since March 2019 after connecting with the Women’s Center’s Parenting Group.  They currently meet virtually on the third Thursday of the month.  For more information or to join, contact Amanda King.

Women and Working Moms

  • The Women and Working Moms EAG was established in October 2022 with a mission to build a supportive and encouraging community where members can share resources and ideas, make connections across campus, and develop personally and professionally. The group seeks to serve the needs of parents and non-parents alike through social events, programs, and community outreach. For more information or to join please complete the survey here or contact Lana Hefner, Mia Clermont, or Penny Baga.

 

Forming a New EAG

Human Resources opens a call for new EAGs in MyVU each summer.  Submissions must include:

  • A designated leader or leaders who commit to an initial term of at least two years, as well as participation in the EAG Leadership Council, which will meet at least quarterly with HR and EDI leadership to identify opportunities, challenges, and ways to enhance the Vanderbilt community
  • Minimum membership of 10 individuals upon launch
  • A mission statement which must align with central Vanderbilt’s mission and ongoing commitment to fostering a welcoming and inclusive environment for all
  • Completed application to form new EAG

 

For more information, contact eag@vanderbilt.edu or contact Joanna Echols.