Diversity, Equity, Inclusion & Belonging

Undergraduate Biology DEI Statement

We in the Undergraduate Biology Program believe that diverse perspectives and personal experiences are vital to our success. The Undergraduate Biology Program at the University of Kansas is committed to creating a space where all ideas and perspectives are valued. Below, we describe our DEI vision and action steps to create a caring and inclusive culture for all our students, staff, and faculty.

Vision:

We strive for:

A diverse faculty and staff that reflects our student population
A student population that reflects the diversity of our global community
A place where all students, staff, and faculty feel they are accepted and included
A culture of accountability: when problems arise, we work to address them on an individual, classroom, and departmental basis

Examples of how we are implementing our vision:

Faculty & Staff will:

Foster a supportive environment during student and colleague interactions
Provide standardized materials to students regarding out-of-classroom learning opportunities
Create inclusive office spaces for students
Highlight identity-based opportunities to students

Implement inclusive pedagogy through course transformations and other best practices
Provide training and assistance to spread inclusive pedagogy practices for faculty and staff within and outside KU
Provide training to faculty and staff that enhances understanding of identities
Train undergraduate and graduate teaching assistants best practices in equity and inclusion for their classroom environments
Use inclusive hiring approaches to reduce any barriers to diversity within our unit by following the KU Excellence in Hiring Handbook.
Participate in regular Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion educational efforts
Seek to identify and eliminate any inequities within our policies, systems, programs, and services
Respect the diversity of student values, experiences, and motivations

Our students can join us by:

Sharing experiences and perspectives openly and honestly with the faculty and staff of biology
Contributing to a collaborative learning experience by respecting peers and their various identities and viewpoints

Undergraduate Biology DEI Committee Members

Lauren Spain-Eddington, Assistant Director of Undergraduate Biology, Committee Chair

Victor Gonzalez, Assistant Teaching Professor

Bridgette Kells, Academic Advisor

Tara Marriage, Assistant Teaching Professor

Dyan Morgan, Associate Teaching Professor

Denny Swartzlander, Director of Physiology Laboratories

Shelly Nauman, Microbiology Lab Coordinator

Maria Losito, Communications Coordinator

Additional DEIB Resources:

Office of Civil Rights and Title IX

Office of Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging