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The Institute for Cultural Competence & Inclusive Excellence

The Office of Equal Opportunity and Compliance is pleased to announce the Institute for Cultural Competence & Inclusive Excellence, a personal and professional development certificate program available to all WCU students, faculty, and staff. The certificate program, referred to as “the Institute” herein, reflects WCU’s commitment to create a learning culture that values diversity, equity and inclusion. The Institute consists of a combination of training and education workshops, self-study readings, books, on-demand video presentations, and a capstone project. Participants develop cultural competencies and are offered the tools necessary for linking diversity and inclusion to organizational and work performance. Programs and workshops are offered during the fall, spring, and summer semesters to provide a full range of required and elective workshops.

You can find out more cultural competence and inclusive excellence.


WCU Receives the Higher Education Excellence In Diversity Award from INSIGHT Into Diversity Magazine

West Chester University was selected for the second consecutive year to receive the 2021 Higher Education Excellence in Diversity (HEED) Award from INSIGHT Into Diversity magazine, the oldest and largest diversity-focused publication in higher education. WCU earned this honor for the first time in 2020, along with 89 other recipients. This year, 101 colleges and universities across the U.S. and Canada were selected. The HEED award measures an institution's level of achievement and intensity of commitment in regard to broadening diversity and inclusion on campus through initiatives, programs, and outreach; student recruitment, retention, and completion; and hiring practices for faculty and staff. West Chester and other award recipients are featured in the November 2021 issue of INSIGHT Into Diversity magazine.

Navy and Gold Geometric Logo with the following text: INSIGHT into Diversity, Higher Education Excellence in Diversity Award 2021. Top Colleges for Diversity."


Racial Climate

While racism is among America's greatest social problems, issues of race remain an uncomfortable topic for most people to discuss. News outlets reporting on racial incidents on college campuses across the United States have continued to grow over the last decade. During the Spring 2019 semester, all undergraduate students at West Chester University were invited to participate in a national racial climate survey. Student voices were heard! You may view the 2019 Racial Climate Survey Executive Summary .


 

Helpful Strategies

  • Grayscaled square with a picture and text boxes. At the top picture of a balancing object. Below is the following text: "Helpful strategies to make your Zoom meetings more inclusive. Brought to you by the Office of Equal Opportunity and Compliance, in partnership with Information Services and Technology. Tip Number 1: Reduce the background noise! All participants should be muted except for the person who is currently speaking."
  • Grayscaled square with a picture and text boxes. At the top picture of a balancing object. Below is the following text: "Helpful strategies to make your Zoom meetings more inclusive. Brought to you by the Office of Equal Opportunity and Compliance, in partnership with Information Services and Technology.  Tip Number 2: Go ahead and enable Live Transciption (captioning) whenever you start your meeting! Then, if anyone needs captions they can turn it on without having to ask."
  • Grayscaled square with a picture and text boxes. At the top picture of a balancing object. Below is the following text: "Helpful strategies to make your Zoom meetings more inclusive. Brought to you by the Office of Equal Opportunity and Compliance, in partnership with Information Services and Technology.  Tip Number 3: Sharing your screen? Make sure you describe what's there for those using screen readers or participants who have a bad internet connection."
  • Grayscaled square with a picture and text boxes. At the top picture of a balancing object. Below is the following text: "Helpful strategies to make your Zoom meetings more inclusive. Brought to you by the Office of Equal Opportunity and Compliance, in partnership with Information Services and Technology.  Tip Number 4: If you have a visual presentation, go ahead and send your materials or documents ahead of time. This way, even those who call in have access!"
  • Grayscaled square with a picture and text boxes. At the top picture of a balancing object. Below is the following text: "Helpful strategies to make your Zoom meetings more inclusive. Brought to you by the Office of Equal Opportunity and Compliance, in partnership with Information Services and Technology.  Tip Number 5: Make sure your light source is in front of you. A backlight or window behind you makes it very difficult to see your face! This can cause problems in lip reading."