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Diversity

Diversity Commitments

The Graduate Teacher Program's (GTP) mission is to train and support graduate students as current instructors in the Boulder campus and as future faculty, subsequently to transform the classroom climate and experience. As such our diversity plan or mission affects not only teaching assistants (TAs) and graduate part-time instructors (GPTIs), but also the undergraduate student body itself. Our emphasis continues to include making our GPTIs and TAs more comfortable with diversity.

The GTP regards diversity as a strength and a boon to all aspects of the academy. Arnita Jones, Executive Secretary for the Organization of American Historians, says that multiculturalism is "not a problem [but is instead] a wonderful opportunity to bring some excellent new scholarship to all levels of education" (quoted in Carlos Cortes' "Pluribus and Unum," Change, 1991). Our goals are in accordance with this attitude.

The GTP supports the chancellor's definition of diversity:

The chancellor's diversity definition derives from the campus-wide diversity planning guidelines, developed in 1994 by the campus Diversity Committee, which includes a section called "Towards a Definition of Diversity," stating:

"We are committed to making the University of Colorado at Boulder a community in which diversity is a fundamental value.  People are different and the differences among them are what we call diversity.  Diversity is a natural and enriching hallmark of life.  It includes, but is not necessarily limited to, ethnicity, race, gender, age, class, sexual orientation, religion, and physical abilities.  A climate of healthy diversity is one in which people value individual and group differences, respect the perspectives of others, and communicate openly."

Further, the GTP defines the truly multicultural campus as one which actively attends to:

  • Representation: increasing the numbers of diverse groups in the faculty, TAs/GPTIs, undergraduate students, and staff populations;
  • Integration: ensuring that minority and women faculty, staff, graduate, and undergraduate students are included in all facets of campus life and activities;
  • Support: ensuring that minority and women students have access to resources, information, services, and staff, and that they are working in a supportive and productive environment; and,
  • Multiculturalism: advocating the inclusion of a multicultural perspective within the curriculum and maintaining diversity requirements and open discussions on the emphases of programs.

(adapted from Arthur Levine's categories in "The Meaning of Diversity," Change, 1991).

Since the inception of the GTP, we have focused on diversity issues in the classroom. Our commitment to a diverse reality is evident in all aspects of the program. All written materials and publications reflect our philosophy that effective teaching and learning can occur only in an equitable, open, honest, and respectful environment free from bias. All GTP activities — workshops, conferences, consultations, and training — integrate diversity and how it affects all aspects of teaching and learning. All networking efforts contain train-the-trainer activities that assist Lead Graduate Teachers with the issue and practice of diversity.

The GTP has expressed its commitment to diversity through lectures and workshops included in annual Fall Intensives and Spring Conferences, International Graduate Teacher Cultural Intensives, GTP Summer Series, Friday Forums, and special workshops. A list of these workshops are available here.

The GTP staff has been diverse since its inception in 1985. The GTP has acted on its commitment toward progress in and through diversity by hiring a truly multicultural staff. Over the past 12 years, more than two thirds of employees have been minorities and/or women, and more than 60 percent of the current Leads are minorities and/or women.

Diversity Workshops

Office of Diversity and Equity

The Tutor Articles on Diversity