Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, & Belonging at the Integrated Innovation Institute
At the Integrated Innovation Institute at Carnegie Mellon University, we're committed to engaging a diverse and connected global community, and to upholding the principle of equity, which, as a partner to excellence, is the foundation for ensuring that students, faculty, and staff have opportunities to succeed and thrive.
We define diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging as:
Diversity
Diversity is recognizing difference and valuing that every individual is unique. This uniqueness is shaped by color, national origin, cognitive, emotional or physical disability, age, sexual orientation, gender identity, religion, creed, ancestry, genetic information, belief, veteran status, socioeconomic level, and other life experiences.
Equity
Equity is intentionally eliminating barriers and mitigating biases that prevent full participation and access to resources and networks for underrepresented groups across our faculty, staff and student populations.
Inclusion
Inclusion is the active, intentional, and ongoing process to increase awareness, empathetic understanding, and sense of belonging. Inclusion results in broadening perspectives and intentionally engaging historically marginalized groups to make our community a better place for all.
Belonging
Mutual power, access, and opportunity among all groups and individuals within a shared community (such as a society, organization, club, etc). Operationalizing belonging requires that all groups and individuals can contribute to and impact the community to which they seek to belong. Their contributions and impact may entail a profound transformation of the community itself, beyond the mere inclusion of individuals within them.
As a department within Carnegie Mellon University's College of Engineering, the iii's DEIB goals, objectives and action items relate directly back to the College's 5-Year DEIB Strategic Plan.
College of Engineering Mission Statement & Objectives
- Objective 1: Engage everyone in DEIB efforts.
- Objective 2: Foster an equitable and inclusive environment.
- Objective 3: Achieve and maintain diverse representation.
Future State
The future state diversity, equity, inclusion, & belonging goals for the Integrated Innovation Institute are to create three sustainable, long-term subcommittees focused on the following areas beginning July 2024:
1. Annual Launch of our DEIB Student Survey (Transparency)
2. Promotion of resources for cognitive, emotional, & physical accessibility across the iii community. (Accessibility)
3. Maintenance & promotion of DEIB across our iii community. (Community)
The work being completed by our working groups during the 2023-2024 academic year is meant to support these future state goals & serves as a transition year. Beginning in July 2024, members of each of the 3 subcommittees will be on a 2 year appointment.
Future State Vision (July 2024)
Transparency
Long Term Committee Focus:Annual Launch of DEIB Student Survey
- Communication Updates
- Input student data/tracking
- Survey timeline reminders to Program Directors & iii Director
- Cyclical call for community feedback/edits to annual survey before each survey launch
- Create data reports with survey responses, and share with iii team as needed/appropriate
Accessibility
Long Term Committee Focus:Promote resources for cognitive, emotional, & physical accessibility to the iii community
- Attend CMU Trainings to promote accessibility resources
- Plan specific iii sessions to share this information when relevant
- Share resources/learnings during staff/faculty meeting
- Annual review of accessibility resource guides for students, faculty, & staff
- When need arises, find ways to develop new PDF guides
- Act as a sounding board for faculty/student questions or accessibility
Community
Long Term Committee Focus:Maintain & Promote DEIB Engagement across iii Community
- Support DEIB Fellow Application, Interview, & Selection Process
- Review student survey data & suggest improvements/new resources for coming year
- Schedule Cultural Humility Training (Fall & Spring semesters) for all iii staff & faculty
- Annual review of content in staff/faculty training modules & implement improvements, when needed
- Gather statistics on department engagement to share on the website
- Share student training resources with iii staff & faculty each year
Working Groups & Subcommittees
DEIB Survey Implementation (Transparency):
|
Athena Huether
Head of Graduate Enrollment & Associate Director of Admissions
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 Carly Ochs
Senior Associate Director of Marketing
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 Mary Kilcoyne Alumni Relations Manager |
Develop & Implement DEIB Training Plan for iii Staff/Faculty (Community):
Online and Undergrad Student DEIB Needs & Resources (Community):
 Jess Ignasky
Communications Manager
|
 Gabi Rogers Academic Advisor |
 Susanna Zlotnikov Online Program Director & Assistant Teaching Professor |
Subcommittee: Accessibility
Completed Action Items
Transparency
- Update the Admissions website to reflect DEIB goals & values of the department.
- Enhance admissions scholarship documents and improve awareness of resources.
- Develop a process for surveying iii community members based on specific DEIB initiatives.
- Update student, faculty & staff bio pages to include name pronunciation & pronoun information.
- Implement a dashboard with information about DEIB initiatives & progress on the CMUiii website.
- Develop Social Media strategy for DEIB content and engagement.
- Increase transparency of hiring goals, resources, and policies across iii.
- Track and utilize existing communication channels and events to promote awareness of DEIB outcomes to the iii community.
Accessibility
- Outline CMU & iii accessibility resources for students, staff and faculty.
- Establish recommended Accessibility Best Practices for teaching, event planning, classroom experience, & marketing/visual communication.
Community
- Infuse DEIB into orientation through the tracking of Everfi Training & incorporation of cultural humility into sessions.
- Increase participation in & improve the Peer Mentorship Program experience.
- Develop & refine resources to help integrate diversity, equity, & inclusion into iii Student Leader practices.
- Establish training resources and consistent structure during DEIB coffee chats.
- Research existing DEIB training opportunities and requirements at CMU & propose suggested plan for iii faculty/staff training.
- Identify opportunities & encourage avenues for faculty/staff participation in Intergroup Dialogue.
- Develop & enhance DEIB resources for alumni engagement.
Resources
CMU Experience Guides
- The Peer Student Experience Guide is maintained by our DEIB Fellows & iii Peer Mentors and aims to provide incoming iii students with guidance on a variety of topics (including DEIB) based on their own personal experience.
- The Diversity Career Guide was created by our CMU-SV Career Services team & encourages students to think about diversity, equity, inclusion, & belonging when planning for their career.
