Definitions and Glossary of Terms
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Definitions
- Diversity: Individual differences (e.g., personality, prior knowledge, and life experiences) and group/social differences (e.g., race/ethnicity, class, gender, sexual orientation, country of origin, and ability as well as cultural political religious, or other affiliations) (Association of American Colleges & Universities).
- Equity: The practice of ensuring that personal or social circumstances, such as protected class or intersecting identities, are not obstacles to achieving one’s potential. Equity is reflected in policies and processes, which acknowledge that we live in a world where not all members are afforded the same resources, treatment, and opportunity, and works to remedy this fact (adapted from Equity and Quality in Education, 2012).
- Inclusion: The result of successful alignment of diversity and equity, inclusion is an active and ongoing process of intentional engagement with all members of our campus and community to increase respect, knowledge, and empathic understanding; and a commitment to change the power structures and institutional policies and practices that create systematic advantages for some and disadvantages for others (adapted from Association of American Colleges & Universities, Williams 2013)