September 23, 2020
Dear TCU Campus Community,
We have begun this academic year with a continued focus and sense of urgency surrounding Texas Christian University’s diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) efforts. With so much happening in our community, I also direct you to the important information we released a couple of weeks ago. I am proud of the meaningful and sometimes difficult work our teams are doing, but we won’t be deterred. The national spotlight on social injustice is a constant reminder that it will take all of us working together to achieve our DEI goals, and that we will continue to advance, together.
The work of change - even positive change – can take a toll on those who engage in it. However, regardless of obstacles or challenges, we are moving forward in our efforts to become a stronger community and develop meaningful solutions to very real issues. Today, we are pleased to see more emphasis on programs and accountability in support of a culture that is welcoming to all.
DEI is a long-standing priority for TCU, as outlined by the Board of Trustees in our Vision in Action: Lead On strategic plan. In addition, I have also remained focused on Safety, Sustainability and Justice as pillars that will guide our decisions as we navigate an unprecedented pandemic, paired with the critical significance of our DEI efforts.
Below, I share updates that will inform our work going forward:
Connecting the Dots, An Executive Summary
Last fall, hundreds in our community dedicated time and energy to a campus-wide DEI inventory commissioned by the Provost’s office under Dr. Teresa Abi-Nader Dahlberg. Over several months, Dr. Damon Williams of the Center for Strategic Diversity Leadership & Social Innovation and his team embarked on a comprehensive review of current DEI programming at TCU. This summary provides important directional insight to recommended next steps, and provides encouraging benchmarking data reflecting our work in areas of hiring and recruiting. And of course, there are recommendations for improvement and opportunities to focus TCU’s activities in ways that connect our efforts and structures in meaningful ways. I encourage you to review this document and use it as an informational resource.
Introducing Inclusive Excellence
The Office of Diversity and Inclusion, under the leadership of Aisha Torrey-Sawyer, has announced an Inclusive Excellence framework that will provide guidance on how individuals and departments review current operations and intentionally plan a strategy to identify and support DEI initiatives within the unit. For TCU, Inclusive Excellence is designed to infuse diversity and inclusion efforts into all aspects of the University. This framework is recommended by the Center for Strategic Diversity Leadership & Social Innovation in the report provided above, and views diversity, equity, and inclusion as a responsibility for every member of the TCU community. A diverse and inclusive campus leads to innovation, broadened perspectives and understanding, values that are foundational aspects in higher education. Ms. Torrey-Sawyer, has done a wonderful job leading this effort and will share more details about this framework in the coming days.
Office of Diversity and Inclusion Report
Over the past two years, the Office of Diversity and Inclusion and the DEI Committee have made progress toward making TCU a more inclusive campus. The increase in learning and development opportunities and the initiative to implement the DEI essential competency in the core curriculum are a few of the initiatives that TCU is proud to have accomplished. This report covers strides the University made between 2018 and 2020.
Get Involved
When you participate in and support TCU’s DEI initiatives, you become part of the culture of change for which we are all striving. Recently, you will recall that we launched the Race & Reconciliation Initiative, an initiative that is fully supported by the Board of Trustees and sponsored by the Provost’s Office to examine and acknowledge our complex history. The Initiative, which is chaired by Dr. Frederick Gooding, Jr., associate professor of African American Studies in the John V. Roach Honors College, will hold its next virtual Town Hall meeting this Thursday, September 24 at 3:30 p.m. You can register here if you would like to attend or volunteer to serve on a working group by going to the RRI microsite and help move this initiative forward.
Finally, the Office of Diversity and Inclusion will host their inaugural Diversity Day Conference with sessions throughout the day on October 1, 11:30 a.m. - 5:30 p.m. The theme REFLECT. REIMAGINE. RECONNECT. recognizes the need to reflect on our past as well as recognize the complex ways our lives intersect so that we can build a new movement focused on personal and systemic change.
I continue to be inspired by the dedication and tenacity I see in our collective efforts, and the personal investment of our faculty, staff and students is impressive, impactful, appreciated and flows across all areas of our University. We are deeply grateful for your support and recognize the labor this entails. Our leadership fully supports an Inclusive Excellence approach as we create widespread accountability for an inclusive culture. Expect more communication about DEI efforts, initiatives, and ways you can contribute to a welcoming community at TCU.