Institutional Diversity and Inclusion

EQUITY: UCA collaborates to eliminate disproportionality and disparities between groups.

We welcome your collaboration in promoting diversity, belonging, inclusion, and equity. For service opportunities and partnerships, please be in touch. Many thanks for visiting our site.

Diversity and Training Commitments

2020/2021 Diversity and Inclusion Blueprint

UCA Diversity Statement

UCA is dedicated to attracting and supporting a diverse student, faculty, and staff population and enhanced multicultural learning opportunities. We value the opportunity to work, learn, and develop in a community that embraces the diversity of individuals and ideas, including race, ethnicity, religion, spiritual beliefs, national origin, age, gender, marital status, socioeconomic background, sexual orientation, physical ability, political affiliation, and intellectual perspective.

Institutional Diversity and Inclusion Signature Initiatives

Academic Bridge Connection (ABC) Presentation Series

• Small-group presentations on student- and career success
• Target audience is UCA students
• This program is open to all students regardless of race, color, ethnicity, national origin or gender, sex, or sexual identity

Academic Conferences for UCA Students

• Conventions that offer leadership development,access, exposure, and opportunity
• Target audience is UCA historically underrepresented minority students
• This program is open to all students regardless of race, color, ethnicity, national origin or gender, sex, or sexual identity

Black Graduate Student Association

• Enhance and promote social, academic, and professional development of graduate students
• Target audience is black graduate students
• This program is open to all students regardless of race, color, ethnicity, national origin or gender, sex, or sexual identity

Campus Climate Survey

• A survey that is administered to gain information that helps UCA realize its aspiration of attracting and supporting a diverse body of students, faculty, and staff
• All UCA students, faculty, and staff are invited to participate
• This program is open to all faculty, staff, and students regardless of race, color, ethnicity, national origin or gender, sex, or sexual identity

Center for Teaching Excellence Partnership

• Collaborate with CTE in discussions and presentations on matters of diversity, belonging,  inclusion and equity that pertain to the classroom environment, the curriculum, and the overall academic experience
• Target audience is all UCA faculty
• This program is open to all UCA faculty and staff regardless of race, color, ethnicity, national origin or gender, sex, or sexual identity

 Inclusive Community. Inclusive Excellence

• Presentations and discussions on a variety of topics regarding diversity, belonging, inclusion, and equity
• Target audience is UCA faculty, staff, and students
• These sessions are open to faculty, staff, and students regardless of race, color, ethnicity, national origin or gender, sex, or sexual identity

Diversity Advisory Committee

• This body reviews policies, programs, and practices of offices in order to promote and maintain a diverse community of students, faculty, and staff and foster an environment of diversity, belonging, inclusion, and equity
• Target audience is UCA faculty, staff, students, alumni, community members, and Board of Trustees as appointed by their respective bodies or UCA administration, according to Board policy
• These sessions are open to all regardless of race, color, ethnicity, national origin or gender, sex, or sexual identity

Diversity After Hours

• Events that help to alleviate isolation, promote fellowship, and cultivate community
• Target audience is Black, Indigenous, and other Faculty and Staff of Color
• This program is open to all faculty and staff regardless of race, color, ethnicity, national origin or gender, sex, or sexual identity

Diversity Equity and Civility Concerns (DECC)

• A process for reporting acts of discrimination, inequities, or incivility in the UCA community
• Target audience is all faculty, staff, students and campus guests
• This process is open to all faculty, staff, students, and guests regardless of race, color, ethnicity, national origin or gender, sex, or sexual identity

 Diversity and Inclusion Awards and Recognition

• IDI seeks to locate opportunities for UCA to be recognized for its efforts and advancement in diversity, belonging, inclusion, and equity
• See Diversity Awards, Honors, and Scholarly Activities on the IDI website
• Target audience is UCA students, faculty, and staff regardless of race, color, ethnicity, national origin or gender, sex, or sexual identity

Diversity and Inclusion Consultation

• Collaborate with programs, departments, Colleges and Divisions on matters of diversity, belonging, inclusion, and equity
• Target audience is the UCA community
• This service is available to all students, faculty, and staff regardless of race, color, ethnicity, national origin or gender, sex, or sexual identity

Diversity and Inclusive Excellence Award

• This award recognizes individuals who demonstrate a commitment to diversity and inclusive excellence on and/or off campus. These individuals have made a significant impact related to the university’s core values of diversity including recruitment and retention of a diversified body of student, faculty, and staff; support of the diverse needs of the students we serve; and/or enhancement of interactions in a global community
• Target audience is UCA faculty and staff
• This award is open to all faculty and staff regardless of race, color, ethnicity, national origin or gender, sex, or sexual identity

Diversity Strategic Plan

• This is the reporting process for documenting the University’s efforts in diversity, belonging, inclusion, and equity
• Target audience is all UCA programs, departments, Colleges, and Divisions
• Representatives of UCA programs, departments, Colleges, and Divisions may participate in this process regardless of race, color, ethnicity, national origin or gender, sex, or sexual identity

Diversity Website

• This website serves as a clearinghouse to represent the variety of diversity, belonging, inclusion, and equity programming that occurs at UCA
• Target audience is anyone seeking information on UCA’s diversity, belonging, inclusion, and equity initiatives
• This site is open to all regardless of race, color, ethnicity, national origin or gender, sex, or sexual identity

Faculty of Color Retreat

• An annual event to enhance the retention and development of faculty
• Target audience is UCA Black, Indigenous, and other Faculty of Color
• This program is open to all faculty regardless of race, color, ethnicity, national origin or gender, sex, or sexual identity

Faculty Recruitment

• Participation in activities to attract a diverse body of faculty
• Target audience is Black, Indigenous, and other Faculty of Color
• Engage prospective faculty regardless of race, color, ethnicity, national origin or gender, sex, or sexual identity

Fireside Chat

• An event that affords dialogue with University administrators regarding diversity, belonging, inclusion, and equity matters
• Target audience is Black, Indigenous, and other Faculty and Staff of Color
• This program is open to all faculty, and staff regardless of race, color, ethnicity, national origin or gender, sex, or sexual identity

Gender Inclusive Restrooms

• Promote and coordinate restrooms for use that is not gender-based
• The restrooms are open to all people regardless of race, color, ethnicity, national origin, gender, sex, or sexual identity. These spaces are also ideal for families.

HBCU Outreach

• An event for students, faculty, and staff from historically black colleges and universities to visit the UCA campus and gain information about graduate programs
• Target audience is historically underrepresented, undergraduate minority students and HBCU faculty/staff advisors
• This program is open to all students regardless of race, color, ethnicity, national origin or gender, sex, or sexual identity

Ice Cream Social

• An event that promotes intercultural dialogue
• Target audience includes all students, faculty, and staff
• This program is open to all faculty, and staff regardless of race, color, ethnicity, national origin or gender, sex, or sexual identity

Institutional Diversity and Inclusion Grant Program

• Mini grants to advance diversity-related programming and to promote the dissemination of diversity-related scholarship
• Target audience is UCA faculty, staff, graduate students, and Registered Student Organizations
• These funds are awarded without regard to race, color, ethnicity, national origin or gender, sex, or sexual identity

Lactation Suites

• Provide multiple, convenient, private, sanitary, and comfortable spaces to nurse, express, collect, and/or store breast milk. There is no fee for the use of any UCA Lactation Suite
• Target audience is nursing mothers needing such services
• These facilities are available regardless of race, color, ethnicity, or national origin, or gender, sex, or sexual identity

LGBTQ+ Faculty/Staff Affinity-Resource Group

• Offers opportunities to cultivate community and professional development, particularly for faculty and staff who are members of the LGBTQ+ community and allies
• Creates a safe space for recognition and informal mentorship within the community, as well as enables articulation of needs and concerns to the LGBTQ+ Diversity Advisory Committee Subcommittee
• This program is open to all faculty and staff regardless of race, color, ethnicity, national origin or gender, sex, or sexual identity

 Minority Faculty Mentoring Initiative

• Mentor/protégé activities to develop a diverse body of faculty
• Target audience is junior Black, Indigenous, and other Faculty of Color and senior members of faculty
• This initiative is open to faculty regardless of race, color, ethnicity, national origin or gender, sex, or sexual identity

Minority Vendor Partnership Initiative

• Professional development and networking events to support minority-owned businesses in Arkansas
• Target audience is minority business owners
• This program is open to all business owners regardless of race, color, ethnicity, national origin or gender, sex, or sexual identity

Navigating Diversity in Search Committees

• Professional development that provides strategies to recruit a diverse body of faculty and staff
• Target audience is all UCA administrators, directors, supervisors, search committee members, and others interested in recruiting a diversity body of faculty and staff to UCA
• This program is open to all faculty and staff regardless of race, color, ethnicity, national origin or gender, sex, or sexual identity

Outstanding Diversity Outreach by a Student Award (Student Life)

• This award recognizes individuals who demonstrate a commitment to diversity and inclusive excellence on and/or off campus, make a significant impact, and embody the University’s core values of diversity, belonging, inclusion, and equity
• Target audience is UCA students
• This award is open to all students regardless of race, color, ethnicity, national origin or gender, sex, or sexual identity

 

Contact Us

Office of Institutional Diversity and Inclusion, Bernard Hall 207
University of Central Arkansas
201 Donaghey Avenue
Conway, AR 72035

Email: institutional-diversity@uca.edu
Phone: 501-450-3135
Fax: 501-852-5204