DIVERSITY, EQUITY AND INCLUSION
Building a model DEI university How do we institutionalize love? An overall three-campus commitment to the principles of diversity, equity and inclusion has University of the Pacific moving toward President Christopher Callahan’s goal of becoming a national model DEI university. That effort has been fostered by students, faculty, staff, donors, university leadership and supporters. “President Chris Callahan has charged the university with becoming a national leader in diversity, equity and inclusion,” said Semaj Martin ’22, a senior psychology major and co-founder of the student group Brave Black Voices. “An inclusive world is a better world.” Several significant changes have solidified Pacific’s DEI efforts, including the hiring of Stockton native Mary Wardell-Ghirarduzzi ’89 as the inaugural vice president for diversity, equity and inclusion and chief diversity officer. Other efforts include reshaped priorities for the Board of Regents, DEI leads for all schools and colleges and the establishment of new scholarships for students of color. Wardell-Ghirarduzzi emphasizes five essential frameworks for DEI efforts: • DEI as policy; • DEI as academic excellence; • DEI as academic innovation; • DEI as community engagement; • DEI as student success. The overarching principle question she posed during several presentations this fall was, “How do we institutionalize love?” It is an essential
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question to ask, she said, when considering the importance of humanizing higher education, and one she hopes people keep at the forefront as the university continues to examine DEI. University leadership is clear in how important DEI work is for Pacific. The regents’ social justice policy reads, in part, that the university “is committed to social justice and the eradication of systematic racism in the conduct of its responsibilities.” DEI efforts from faculty, staff and students are helping the university strive to reach President Callahan’s goal. Marshea Pratt, assistant director of clubs and regional programs for the Pacific Alumni Association, and Professor Qingwen Dong of the Department of Communications, co-chair the 35-member University Committee for Diversity, Equity and Inclusion. “We can say that it has been a very successful year because DEI reflects what we want to see happening at Pacific,” Dong said. “We will continue listening to our students to learn more about what they want in our DEI initiatives. I believe that work is not events but a process.” “The key this next year will be for each of us to commit to fully engage in the courageous conversations that are to come,” Pratt said. Added Scout Cooper-Wilson ’22, president of Associated Students of University of the Pacific: “I’m most excited for the plans we have for diversity, equity and inclusion. We really want to focus on developing that department.”
