91̽����Ƶ

The month of April has been designated as Diversity, Equity, Inclusion & Accessibility (DEIA) Awareness Month by both the California Community College Chancellor’s Office and the South Orange County Community College District (SOCCD) Board of Trustees. At their March 27, 2023 meeting, the board approved a to highlight our district’s commitment “to support, participate, and help expand inclusive conversations in support of an inclusive community in April and throughout the year.”

91̽����Ƶ's (91̽����Ƶ) institutional strength derives from the academic and social commitment to build a campus culture that reflects our lives as members of multiple intersecting communities, experiences, identities, and abilities. Central to 91̽����Ƶ’s mission is removing barriers for all members of our community, particularly those who have been impacted by systemic disadvantages, marginalization, and exclusion. In both words and deeds, we’ve made a commitment to continual self-reflection, learning, and improvements so that members of all groups feel welcomed, respected, supported, and valued.

A recent editorial, “Race on Campus”¹, in the Chronicle of Higher Education, highlights DEI and speaks to the importance of having a common understanding of the terms and definitions, as an impetus to align our lexicon with our institutional values. At 91̽����Ƶ, the President’s Advisory Council on Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Accessibility (PAC-DEIA) proposes the following definitions:

Diversity – Our campus values and celebrates differences. We understand that our institutional strength derives from the various races, ethnicities, and other identities, abilities, sexual orientation, and educational goals that make up our community.

Equity – Our campus recognizes that some student groups are advantaged, and some are disadvantaged due to systemic inequalities. Our goal is to have equal outcomes for all the students we serve.

Inclusion – Our campus acknowledges that there are traditionally excluded groups and intentionally invites and provides an opportunity to become involved wherever policies and procedures are developed.

Accessibility – Our campus works toward implementing accessibility in the design, construction, development, and maintenance of facilities, information, and communication technology, programs, and services so that all people, including people with disabilities, can fully and independently use them.

Nationally, we have seen an assault on colleges’ DEIA efforts. While many of us believe that DEIA efforts are an effective strategy to repair decades of exclusionary policies, many states are restricting colleges from having DEI offices or staff, defunding such programs, banning mandatory diversity training, or prohibiting institutions from using diversity statements.  

As I’ve stated on our PAC-DEIA webpage, I value the commitment 91̽����Ƶ has made to creating a socially just, inclusive, and equity-centered campus culture. We are poised to advancing equity by aligning our campus culture with action-oriented strategies. I challenge us to think about ways in which we can engage and contribute to supporting, participating, and committing to this effort. It can’t be done by a select few, and it is not the responsibility of a particular department or unit. Rather, we all have a role to play to achieve transformational change.  Let us do so boldly and unapologetically!

Best,  
John

_{¹ Zamudio-Suarez, , The Chronicle of Higher Education, March 28, 2023}