Dean's Office Statement of Equity and Inclusion
The members of the Dean’s Office are committed to equity for and inclusion of all faculty, staff, administrators, and students within Loyola College of Arts and Sciences (LCAS). We aim to create a community enhanced by the rich experiences and diverse perspectives of its members. In accord with the vision and values of our Jesuit, Catholic mission, we recognize the inherent value and dignity of each person and actively promote an awareness of, sensitivity to, and representation of diversity, including, but not limited to, differences of age, sex, gender identity, race, ethnicity, national and regional origin, sexual orientation, religion and spirituality, abilities and disabilities, and socioeconomic status among students, faculty, administrators, and staff. Our commitment to diversity necessitates that we create a community that encourages the expression of diverse perspectives; supports learning and work that is free from discrimination and harassment; promotes inclusion and respect; and regularly evaluates progress toward ensuring equity and inclusion for all.
We in the Dean’s Office of Loyola College of Arts and Sciences commit to the following actions:
- We will make our offices into spaces that reaffirm the dignity of all persons, particularly marginalized groups.
- We will foster an office and college-wide culture characterized by sensitivity to and support of diversity issues and diverse community members.
- As faculty, staff, and administrators, we will mentor our Loyola colleagues and students as whole persons, acknowledging them as persons with diverse backgrounds, experiences, and needs.
- We will report observations of bias, assist employees and students to address bias, and support them in accessing campus resources to rectify instances of bias.
- We will enact equitable and inclusive hiring practices and compensation among faculty, staff, and administrators, both in our own office and in all LCAS departments and programs.
- We will actively participate in university-wide diversity efforts including policies and activities designed to promote equity and inclusion for all.
- In our work with departmental program reviews, we will ensure that the curriculum in LCAS programs are a resource for all students to enter into a critical and constructive understanding of contemporary justice issues, particularly concerning race and ethnicity.
- We will seek feedback on our efforts, reflect on that feedback, and make changes as needed in an effort to improve and will share this statement for any future employees and students who work in this office.
We acknowledge that becoming an office and college that is equitable, inclusive, and, in particular, anti-racist requires long-term discernment, engagement, and action that will not be accomplished in single statement or semester. We unequivocally affirm the importance of proclaiming that black lives matter. Therefore, we commit and will re-commit to this work to contribute towards making Loyola University Maryland an anti-racist and inclusive space for learning and living well. As we continue to learn and improve, we ask that students, faculty, staff, and administrators hold us accountable to these commitments.