Inclusive Excellence

One of the hallmarks of a great university is its genuine commitment to excellence in research, teaching and service to the community. An Inclusive Excellence university excels in these areas, but also values and practices inclusiveness, social justice and equity as values that are embedded into the heart and soul of the institution.

The concept of Inclusive Excellence (articulated and endorsed by the Association of American Colleges and Universities) moves a university away from a simplistic definition of diversity to a more inclusive, comprehensive, and omnipresent notion of inclusiveness; melds inclusiveness and academic excellence into one concept (to practice inclusiveness is excellence); shifts the responsibility for diversity and inclusiveness to everyone on campus as opposed to one unit or department shouldering the responsibility; and moves an institution away from conceptualizing diversity only in terms of a numerical goal of diverse constituents.

The focus becomes the transformation of a university into a vibrant community that embeds diversity and inclusiveness throughout the institution, including (but not limited to) demographics (numbers), curriculum, policies, enrollment, pedagogy, financial resources, diverse student learning outcomes, leadership, training, retention, student learning, marketing, technology, teaching, student advising, campus climate communications, administration, recruitment, hiring and promotion and tenure, assessment, institutional advancement, and evaluation. Inclusive Excellence employs a broad and inclusive definition of diversity that includes (but is not limited to) disability, gender identity and expression, sexual orientation, social class,  language, age, religion, disability, race/ethnicity, nationality, veteran status, and other important social dimensions that are part of the campus community.

In sum, for the purpose of addressing inclusiveness at Salem State University, “Inclusive Excellence is defined as a strategy for transforming Salem State into an institution that conceptualizes inclusiveness and excellence as one and the same, makes inclusiveness ubiquitous, assigns responsibility for inclusiveness to everyone on campus, and utilizes a broad definition of inclusiveness.”

Inclusive Excellence has collaborated to bring unique training and professional development opportunities to our campus community members.  In that same vein, Salem State University was invited to participate along with several other institutions in New England in a Train the Trainer Seminar hosted by the National Coalition Building Institute (NCBI) in August. This program was an intensive course that teaches participants how to lead the award-winning NCBI Welcoming Diversity Workshop and NCBI Controversial Issue Process.  

The National Coalition Building Institute (NCBI) is a renowned international leadership organization that builds Leadership for Diversity resource teams and customized training in diversity, equity, and inclusion skills on college campuses, K-12 schools, corporations, government agencies and law enforcement worldwide. Learn more about NCBI at their website.

Since its inception in 2014, 25 campuses have used the consortium’s diversity benchmarks and data-informed processes in an effort to close achievement gaps. Beginning in September 2018, Leading for Change will offer campus teams the opportunity to participate in a year-long Racial Equity and Justice Institute. In addition to the two yearly summits (November 2018 and March 2019), campus teams will also receive expert support and assistance as they complete monthly projects intended to aid them in:

• conducting data-informed diversity dialogues and workshops intended to improve campus climate; 
• obtaining and using actionable data to close achievement gaps;
• identifying, implementing, and assessing data-informed strategies and achievement gap interventions that enhance educational outcomes for students of color.

Salem State has been selected as a recipient of the prestigious 2017 INSIGHT Into Diversity Higher Education Excellence in Diversity (HEED) Award. This award is the only national recognition honoring colleges and universities that show an outstanding commitment to diversity and inclusion across their campuses.

Salem State strives to both increase the diversity within our campus community and to create a welcoming environment for all members. We unequivocally denounce acts of bias or hate and pledge to respond in ways that reinforce our values, prioritize education and pursue personal accountability. The university defines a bias incident as any act, conduct or communication that reasonably is understood to demean, degrade, threaten or harass an individual or group based on an actual or perceived characteristic. Community members who witness or experience bias are encouraged to notify the university.

Report a bias incident