To the Editor:

In its Sept. 22 edition, the Trinitonian reported on the state of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) programs at higher education institutions in Texas. The author very helpfully illustrated the impact of state-level legislation on DEI programs sponsored by public universities versus programs organized by students at these institutions; and the article also differentiated between public and private universities. I was heartened to see the Trinitonian address these nuances so clearly, and would like to extend the conversation by way of this letter.

Here at Trinity, our team in the Student Diversity and Inclusion Office (SDIO) is hard at work organizing efforts in their own office, supporting student initiatives and collaborating across campus to develop programs that promote a culture of inclusion and belonging on campus. This semester the office has supported the TUnity Social, the Latinx History Month Mercado, and some of the training referenced in Mitra’s article. SDIO staff are actively planning spring events as well, such as the Martin Luther King Jr. March, Black History Month Lecture and Cesar E. Chavez March. These are but a few examples of this team’s initiatives, and I am proud of how much of their work is collaborative with faculty, students and administration.

In addition to the efforts from SDIO, I want to highlight our shared responsibility for building an inclusive community where each student can find belonging. As you may already know, the university is in the process of selecting a new Vice President for Inclusive Engagement (VPIE); our VPIE will strengthen the cross-campus work to promote an inclusive campus environment. An example is the partnership with our new Human Resources colleague, Howard dePasse Jr. This partnership will extend the work we have been doing with the Inclusive Excellence Advisory Council to define and train — in both staff and faculty — the competencies required to lead inclusively at Trinity. I am excited about the steps already taken, and those to come.

In my own practice as the new VP for Student Affairs, I have been asking the question: where do students find belonging? I’ve asked this question in small settings, gathered with students in my home; in larger settings, like the Leadershipalooza workshop and with my teams and colleagues across campus. Building an inclusive campus community, from my perspective, means two things: first, that every student will find their niche, the place on campus where they feel at ease — whether their residence hall, a lounge, a cultural or spiritual organization, a team or a lab … and second, that when students step out of their homes and into the campus milieu, their experiences of difference in values, lived experiences and perspectives are positive.

I look forward to our next steps together!
Respectfully,
Andrew M. Wells, Ph.D.
Vice President for Student Affairs