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On behalf of the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences committee on Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion, I am pleased to share the 2021 CLAS DEI Annual Report. As part of our ongoing work, the DEI Committee prepares an annual report to document the state of diversity, equity, and inclusion in the College. In the interest of transparency and accountability, the role of the CLAS DEI Committee is part of the MOPP (Manual of Policies and Procedures), which calls for an annual report to be written and distributed to the CLAS community. This year, we finalized our CLAS Strategic Plan with the goal of having DEI not be merely a section in the plan, but also a thread that runs through all aspects of our College’s educational, research, and engagement infrastructure. Annually, the DEI Committee will develop a plan which will document how we will work to address the strategic priorities of the College and build systems that ensure equity and inclusion for all students, faculty, and staff, fostering an environment in which all can thrive.
Sara Sanders Professor
Dean of the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences Director of DEI
As we work toward meaningful change to uplift all members in our CLAS community, we must reflect on the College’s identity. CLAS is home to a wide range of disciplines and a vast array
of individuals with unique stories. At our core, artistic creativity, scientific inquiry, and innovative teaching help our students grow as global citizens and professionals—and we recognize that our faculty and staff have the tremendous responsibility and privilege of guiding future generations and shaping their field of study. This is true not only of the scientific, professional, and artistic skills and concepts that we teach, but also in the values we model and the principles to which we commit ourselves. As we continue our work in DEI, we strive to live our values of appreciation and respect for individuals by listening to each other’s stories and fostering the growth of each person we encounter. We grow by learning from the experiences of others and challenging our own world views. This critical inquiry is at the heart of a liberal arts education. This report shares some of those individual stories and experiences. And, we view it as equally important that the report tells our story with data, sharing the progress CLAS has made on key equity metrics which we are working to improve over time. Through the efforts of the CLAS DEI Committee, we have taken meaningful action to address policies, procedures, and practices that lead to inequities. For example, we implemented and institutionalized the Path to Distinction program in the College, which helps search committees be mindful about, and respond to, implicit bias in faculty searches. We also have provided departments with tools for developing their own DEI action plans and considering how they can implement systemic changes to build more inclusive departments. In 2020-2021, CLAS faculty, students, and staff grappled with critical questions about race and justice—and invited the community to join us—in our theme-year public conversation series, “Pursuing Racial Justice at Iowa.”
Of course, we have ongoing challenges in the College and many opportunities to improve—one critical goal being to hire a full-time DEI Director, a leadership role that I view as imperative for our future success.
Thank you for your continued partnership with the College in addressing the complex issues facing not only this institution but society. We must lead with our values to create the society in which we want to live. We must lead by bringing people together, seeking to understand difference, and building synergies that recognize our interconnectedness and that are powered by our diverse lived experiences. And we must lead as people who are not bystanders of hate but instead allies of unity. We—the faculty, staff, and students of the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences—are the most essential element in building the college community that we want for all. We appreciate your continued investment and presence in this process.
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