Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Accessibility Committee

The CS Department's Committee on Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Accessibility (DEIA) was established in 2021.

Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Accessibility Committee Charter

Purpose

The DEIA Committee exists to bring a holistic and critical lens to departmental activities within the context of their environment (College and University as well as local, state, and federal government). The Committee will advocate for evidence-based strategies and systemic reforms to advance diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility for students, staff, faculty, and their broader community.

Values

  • Representation and connection to the entire department
  • Accountability and transparency
  • Support through community building
  • Safe and perceptive of power dynamics
  • Seeking effective solutions informed by data and scholarship to prevent harm
  • Advocacy for systemic change

Authorities and Responsibilities

The Committee shall have a budget to organize events, sponsor speakers, and DEIA action grants. The Committee shall establish criteria and conduct review for diversity actions grants that will catalyze innovative practices and pedagogy to embody the Values above.

The Committee shall work with relevant standing committees on interpretation of data related to recruitment, retention, climate, and other concerns related to DEIA, as well as design of surveys to supplement data available through other sources.

The Committee shall facilitate annual critical analysis and goal setting sessions with each standing committee in the Department. It is expected that these sessions will lead to SMART goals that incorporate ongoing engagement with the Committee. The results of these sessions, as well as the Committee’s annual self-study, will be shared by the standing committees with all members of the CS community. The self-study shall include insights from data and recommended department-wide actions aligning with the values and vision in the Department’s Strategic Plan.

The Committee shall have available at least one department meeting per year to discuss cross-cutting issues.

Membership

The Committee shall be composed of, at minimum

  • Associate Chair for Inclusion (“Chair”)
  • One pre-tenure faculty member
  • One at-large tenured/tenure-track faculty member
  • One non-tenure-track faculty member
  • One staff member
  • Two graduate student representatives selected by CSGSA.
  • Two undergraduate student representatives selected by a process documented on the DEIA-Comm website that engages relevant undergraduate student organization(s).

Per department bylaws, the faculty and staff members are appointed by the Department Chair with advice from the Associate Chair for Inclusion and Executive Committee. It is encouraged for representatives in each category to overlap for one semester as a means of providing continuity.

Meetings

The Committee shall meet at least monthly during the academic year. Meetings will be scheduled by the Chair to enable attendance and will permit virtual attendance. An agenda shall be shared with the committee and notes from the meeting collected.