Office of Diversity and Inclusion
The Office of Diversity and Inclusion leads efforts to foster Washington College’s inclusive learning environment and helps shape and implement the College’s strategic plan for diversity, equity, and inclusion. This work involves partnering with departments to help attract, recruit, and retain diverse faculty, librarians, and Academic Affairs staff. It also involves collaborating with others to facilitate faculty and staff development that supports diversity and inclusion goals.
Inclusive Excellence at Washington College
What is inclusive excellence? Inclusive excellence is a concept and framework developed by the American Association of Colleges and Universities. In a nutshell, it’s the recognition that diversity and educational excellence are intertwined. Inclusive excellence is achieved when diversity and inclusion, broadly defined, exist at the highest level of importance at an institution and is foundational to that institution’s mission. Our success depends on how well we value, engage, include, and support the diversity of our constituents, which includes students, faculty, staff, alumni, board members and community partners.
Chosen Name Policy Students can change their email display name, class and athletic roster, Canvas display name, and student ID to reflect their chosen name (and pronouns) by submitting the Chosen Name Form to the Registrar’s Office. Students can change how their names appear in the separate WCOnline system themselves (follow the instructions below):
Current Diversity and Inclusion Initiatives
Campus Climate Survey
Washington College aims to foster an inclusive environment for all students and employees. The Campus Climate Survey helps us better understand our campus community members’ experiences with and perceptions of diversity, equity, and inclusion in our learning, living, and professional environments. We are preparing to conduct our annual survey this fall. More details will be announced soon.
Strategic Diversity Planning Process
Washington College completed its strategic diversity planning process in February 2023 and is transitioning into its implementation phase. All College stakeholders have a role to play in implementing WC’s vision for inclusive excellence. The President’s office will be monitoring the progress and success of our strategic goals.
Inclusive Excellence Speaker Series
Dr. Viji Sathy and Dr. Kelly Hogan from UNC Chapel Hill are returning to campus virtually for the December No Fuss Book Club discussion (co-sponored by the Center for Teaching & Learning). The event will be a live Q&A session with the authors as they focus on Inclusive Teaching: Strategies for Promoting Equity in the College Classroom.
The Office of Diversity sponsored Dr. David Smith’s lecture, “Leveraging the Power of Allyship,” on April 27, 2023 at 6:30 p.m. in Hynson Lounge.
Washington College was honored to host Dr. Freeman Hrabowski, President Emeritus of the University of Maryland Baltimore County and co-author of The Empowered University, as our inaugural Inclusive Excellence Speaker on October 18, 2022.
What Does Inclusive Excellence Mean to You?
Mike Sousuki, College President
“We believe in equity in terms of access to all the great things that Washington College education can offer someone. We recognize that historically, we have not been equitable in granting that access. We believe that whatever students experience here, we should be providing excellence in terms of opportunity and one of the ways in which that becomes excellent is when it is equitable.”
Maegan White, SGA Parlimentarian 2023-2024
"Because a college functions around the student body, it is essential that inclusive excellence is geared especially towards creating those equitable and inclusive environments for the student body. And, I think at Washington College specifically, we see the most exemplary work of inclusive excellence being from clubs and organizations on campus…. Its been really unique to see how clubs and organizations are centering inclusivity within their own organizations,"
Dr. Robin Van Meter, Biology Department
“To me, inclusive excellence in the future at Washington College would be to create a truly diverse and welcoming campus, that embraces students, faculty, and staff, from varying ethnic and cultural backgrounds, gender, and sexual identities, as well as neurological and physical patterns...that’s ultimately my hope...that we’re kind of this beacon of light and that we’re able to show people in the broader community that we’re welcoming and accepting, and want everyone to flourish at Washington College.”