Where We're Going

Goals 

As Zags, we are bound together in dialogue—and the more we explore our similarities and differences, the stronger our relationships and understanding become. As a community of leaders and learners, we have set very intentional goals for ourselves to help this university become as inclusive, empathetic, and empowering as it can be.

Goal

Progress
20% of employees from racially, ethnically or culturally diverse populations by 2025* 13.4% (2019)
All Pell Grant recipients graduate with less than $10,000 of debt by 2021** $22,611 (2019)
30% of entering undergraduates from racially, ethnically, or culturally diverse populations by 2020*** 28.79% (Fall 2019)

*From Strategic Plan: Minimally, 20% of fulltime faculty and staff will comprise employees from racially, ethnically or culturally diverse populations (using federally-defined categories). (Target: 2025). View Full Goal & Progress
**From Strategic Plan: Meet full undergraduate financial need such that all Pell Grant recipients graduate with less than $10,000 of debt. (Target: 2021). View Full Goal & Progress
***From Strategic Plan: 30% of each entering undergraduate class will comprise students from racially, ethnically, or culturally diverse populations, including international students (using federally-defined categories). (Target: 2020). View Full Goal & Progress

Current Initiatives

The Council on Equity, Inclusion and Intercultural Awareness is currently implementing the NERCHE Self-Assessment Rubric for the Institutionalization of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion in Higher Education. The model breaks down inclusion efforts into six categories. We've started to document our progress in the past two years under the categories below.

  • As part of Gonzaga’s 2020 strategic plan, we aspire that 30% of each entering undergraduate class will comprised of students from racially, ethnically, or culturally diverse populations, including international students (using federally defined categories) by 2020. The incoming Fall 2019 class was 28.79% diverse.
  • Likewise, we aspire to a minimum of 20% of full-time faculty and staff being diverse by 2025. Currently, we’re at 13.4%.
  • We are working to establish a shared vocabulary to discuss these complex issues. See our working glossary here. 
  • Following a student-led initiative, “culturally” was added to our mission statement: “…Gonzaga…intentionally develops the whole person—intellectually, spiritually, culturally, physically, and emotionally.”
 
  • The Center for Teaching and Advising offers a series of culturally inclusive instruction programs for faculty. These seminars encourage GU’s educators to achieve intercultural competence in teaching, advising, research, and community engagement. Together we can consciously align our teaching with our mission to recognize, confront and change structural racism and promote diversity, inclusivity and equity.
  • Intercultural & Multicultural Professionals Affecting Change Together (IMPACT) rallies staff and faculty of color and their allies to address issues of inclusion, equity, and intercultural awareness.
  • The Colleagues of Color (COC) Workforce Affinity Group was established in 2017, sponsored by the Office of the Associate Academic Vice President/CDO. This group meets monthly for support, information exchange, professional development. These sessions are designed to provide support and identify ways to support the University’s commitment to the dignity of all staff and faculty working at Gonzaga University and cultivate a campus climate that encourages the recruitment and retention of historically underrepresented applicants and employees.
  • Thanks to the Diversity Fellowship Program, a partnership between GU and the University of Washington, each year four teaching fellows with two-year appointments teach and share their perspectives at Gonzaga.

    • Recent Highlights

  • In 2018, the Center for Teaching Advising began developing a new collaboration with DICE. The CTA developed a series of workshops to equip faculty to better mentor students from traditionally underrepresented backgrounds as well as a webinar series on global learning, aimed at offering faculty innovative models for globalizing their classrooms.
  • CTA Director Jeffrey Dodd collaborated with the School of Leadership Studies and the Critical Race and Ethnic Studies steering committee to host an April, 2019 workshop facilitated by Dr. Nyasha GuramatunhuCooper on inclusive pedagogies across the curriculum. This event drew 31 faculty from CAS, SOE, SLS, SNHP, and SBA.
  • The CTA took a leadership role in organizing a first-of-its-kind retreat after finals in May 2019. Seeking Just Climates: Best Practices for Inclusive Classrooms & Departments was Facilitated by Dr. Mary James and co-sponsored by CTA, the Chief Diversity Officer, and the CRES steering committee. The deans of CAS, SOE, SEAS, SNHP, SOL, and SBA each made financial contributions to ensure that attending faculty would receive a modest stipend. Over 50 faculty attended the retreat from around the University.
  • For 2019-2020: The CTA will provide modest funding for monthly gatherings of Social Justice and Global Studies teaching circles. The Center will sponsor three pilot affinity groups for faculty from underrepresented areas: Women in Stem, Faculty of Color, and International Faculty.
 
 
  • As part of workforce development training, many staff members have completed the Intercultural Development Inventory, designed to improve intercultural competence. This tool continues to be implemented with other staff and departments around campus.
  • Intercultural & Multicultural Professionals Affecting Change Together (IMPACT) rallies staff and faculty of color and their allies to address issues of inclusion, equity, and intercultural awareness.
  • Gonzaga hired an Associate Director for Organizational Development who as a part of her responsibilities, will develop and implement a robust and culturally effective staff performance management system.
  • The Colleagues of Color (COC) Workforce Affinity Group was established in 2017, sponsored by the Office of the Associate Academic Vice President/CDO. This group meets monthly for support, information exchange, professional development. These sessions are designed to provide support and identify ways to support the University’s commitment to the dignity of all staff and faculty working at Gonzaga University and cultivate a campus climate that encourages the recruitment and retention of historically underrepresented applicants and employees.
 
  • Gonzaga has signed a pledge to protect undocumented students on our campus. In addition to offering advocacy and support for undocumented students, the Undocumented Community Support Coalition is working on plans to respond to the potential expiration of DACA.
  • Gonzaga Student Body Association (GSBA), residence halls, and student clubs run programs to help students develop cultural competence and sensitivity.
  • Intergroup Dialogues, small group discussions, explore challenging issues around social group identity, conflict, community, and social justice.
  • Resources available through Diversity, Inclusion, Community & Equity (DICE) for multicultural & LGBTQ+ students include: weekly programming of films, speakers, and art exhibits focused on diversity issues; fall 2018 pilot program to help with applications and funding for students to attend conferences related to social justice, equity & inclusion.
 
  • The Bias Incident Assessment & Support (BIAS) Team—made up of faculty and staff—has been charged with responding to and supporting community members who experience a bias incident, as well as tracking and recommending how to eliminate bias incidents on campus.
  • In 2017, GU invited students, faculty, and staff to participate in the Campus Climate survey, which assessed the extent to which Zags feel GU values their rights, dignity, and safety. More than 40 recommendations resulted from the post-survey assessment in late 2017 & early 2018, including sharing information via this website on policies, metrics, and initiatives to increase equity at GU. These recommendations are now moving from the Council on Equity, Inclusion & Intercultural Awareness to the President and President’s Cabinet for consideration and action.
  • Beginning in Fall 2018, every GU job posting will include an explicit statement about diversity in hiring, and employment applications will no longer include a question about criminal history. Likewise, a new hiring policy is in effect that provides resources for recruiting a more culturally diverse faculty among all of GU’s professional schools and the college.
  • Celebrating its 20th anniversary in 2018, GU’s groundbreaking Institute for Hate Studies hosted an international conference in 2017, with another planned for 2019. These events bring Gonzaga faculty and staff together with scholars, leaders, and activists from around the world to discuss and collaborate on solutions to acts and expressions of hate.