In academic year 2020-21, the Council was in its onboarding and start-up phase. It set priorities and created structures. In the academic year 2021-22, the Council embarks on aligning its efforts with University-wide partners and preparing for action in its areas of focus.
Key documents, Meeting Memos from the Council and Working Groups (WG), updates on process, and news stories live here for now – until the Council decides otherwise.
Alignment with the Strategic Planning Process
When the Equity & Inclusion Council launched in 2020, its work was grounded in two sets of documents: the 19 reports presented by the Commission on Diversity and Inclusion in 2017, and the dozens of student demands presented to the university administration from 1968 to 2020.
These documents included more than 435 recommendations for action, addressing issues impacting students, faculty, staff, and the St. Louis community. They hold wisdom that can be helpful to shape strategic action and make sustainable improvements to the University.
The WUEIC staff themed these specific recommendations into process priority areas – while maintaining much of the original language – and shared them with the Strategic Planning working groups. The Council asks that they deeply consider them, and go beyond this brief document to read the original source material as well.
Click below to read the priority area recommendations from the WUEIC.
All the verbatim recommendations, organized by strategic planning working group, can be found here. Click the links above for the original reports & demands.
Year 1 Update to the Board of Trustees
May 6, 2021
The WU Equity & Inclusion Council first convened in October, 2020, and set out to make progress on key areas of work in Year 1 – the 2020-2021 academic year.
This brief Update to the Board of Trustees outlines their processes, progress, and key priority areas for the Council’s work in Year 2 – the 2021-22 academic year.
Please click below to read the Update, and share your thoughts by emailing: equityinclusion@wustl.edu.
Highlighted in the Update, among the Council’s founding accomplishments, is the creation of its 2021-2026 Charter & Organizing Principles – you can read it here.
Spring 2021 Meeting Materials
2/8/2021
Executive Committee meeting slides – summarizing the reorganization of the working groups and their goals.
4/20/2021
The Executive Committee and full council met for the final time in AY2020-21 to report out, reflect, and commit to ongoing action to advance equity & inclusion at WUSTL.
3/10/2021
Three Accountability & Measurement subgroups met to update & share out big ideas, progress, and discuss goals (slides).
4/20/2021
Reflections from Council members on what was encouraging and challenging about the start-up process and commitments to act in AY2021-22.
3/16/2021
Meeting slides of the Executive Committee and full Council on shared vision for SP2021 goals & outcomes.
5/6/2021
Assistant Vice Chancellor for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Nicole Hudson presented an update to the Board of Trustees Executive Committee (slides).
Community Update: December 2020
Part of the Council’s charge from Chancellor Martin when he announced its inception – in June 2020 – was to deliver a report to the Board of Trustees in December 2020.
When the Council sat down to do the work, clarity of common language, problem definition, and data emerged as a necessary foundation. That work is underway and this update to the University community outlines the process, decisions made, and grapplings to date. That is the content of this Community Update.
It is the story of the months between Chancellor Martin’s announcement and now, and an update on the Council’s process so far. It describes work in progress.
It is meant to be an offering in an ongoing conversation about how to advance equity and inclusion at WUSTL; you’ll see on each footer a request for feedback.
Please click below to read the Update, and share your thoughts by emailing: equityinclusion@wustl.edu.
Fall 2020 Meeting Materials
10/7/2020
Executive Committee & General Council Slides and a Meeting Memo: an account of who, why, what, and what’s next up.