By SUSAN JONES
The Office of Diversity and Inclusion is implementing a University-wide diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) resources inventory.
“It’s quite challenging to know what sorts of resources — programs, personnel, activities and so forth — that exist across the University in the diversity, equity and inclusion space,” Ron Idoko, the office’s diversity and multi-cultural program manager, said at the Oct. 15 meeting of the Senate’s Equity, Inclusion and Anti-Discrimination Advocacy committee. “We’ve created this dynamic databasing tool that we hope to have everyone utilize across the University community.”
To populate the database, the office has created an inventory form that it is encouraging everyone to participate in. The resources could include affinity groups, courses, education and training, events, personnel, programs, research, services and more. The EIADAC committee itself should be listed as a resource, Idoko said.
“Whether it’s a one-time event, whether it’s a periodic event, or it’s something ongoing, anything that you feel works toward enhancing diversity, equity and inclusion, we would like to capture it,” he said. And the inventory form is open to faculty, staff and students.
The questions on the inventory include what type of resource is being offered, what the focus of it is and what group does it target.
The database will then be used to:
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Help improve the coordination, planning, and visibility of the University’s DEI resources.
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Create an interactive, searchable resource database and mapping tool, for all University constituents, to facilitate a vibrant and strategic, cross-campus exchange of information, opportunities, and best practices.
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Establish the baseline for where the University is regarding diversity, equity and inclusion efforts across all levels and divisions and for all campus constituencies
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Develop a comprehensive report of the University’s progress toward its strategic goal of advancing diversity and inclusion as detailed in the Plan for Pitt.
Right now, the database isn’t open to search, Idoko said. They are reaching out to groups like EIADAC to get the word out to people to help provide information for the database. Idoko said there’s no specific timeline on debuting the database, it all depends on how quickly it can be populated. He emphasized that this will not replace the University calendar for promoting events.
Clyde Wilson Pickett, vice chancellor for Diversity and Inclusion, said he will be sending out a message about this to the entire University community soon. They hope to work on populating the database this fall and debut it in the spring.
Please review and complete the to detail the DEI resources in your division. You can utilize the form as often as needed to document your division’s DEI resources as identified. Please feel free to share this form with your colleagues for input as needed.
Questions? Contact Diversity@pitt.edu
Susan Jones is editor of the University Times. Reach her at suejones@pitt.edu or 724-244-4042.
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