Guidance for Writing Inclusive Excellence Activities Statement

Self-statements that explain your contributions to inclusive excellence in the areas of service, teaching, research/creative activity can be helpful to review committees. A few sentences about your knowledge and commitment to equity, diversity and inclusion may be included but should not be the majority of the statement. These statements are most useful when they include specific examples of your activities. Including a discussion of the outcomes of activities engaged in and how this influences future planning is also helpful.

Less helpful statements might focus primarily on personal beliefs or previous life experiences; merely pointing to the diverse student body in courses (rather than displaying how the faculty member has pro-actively supported those students); list names of URM mentees (rather than explain the faculty member’s specific recruitment or retention efforts); or refer to required work such as writing letters of recommendation for diverse people (rather than explaining how the work was beyond the faculty member’s regular responsibilities).

Describe actions you have taken to support and advance diversity, equity and inclusion in service, teaching, or research/creative activity (be as succinct as possible).

1. Inclusive Excellence Activities Related to Service:
   Describe your department, school, university and systemwide activities that promote diversity and equal opportunity for scholars and students from underrepresented groups. This could include but is not limited to:
   1. Recruitment, retention, and/or mentoring of underrepresented students, faculty, or staff at the university or to the professoriate more generally;
   2. Organization of, or engagement in, seminars, conferences or institutes that address concerns of underrepresented groups;
   3. Service on committees directed at serving underrepresented communities and advancing inclusive excellence;
   4. Presentations or performances for underrepresented communities;
   5. Participation in programs aimed at increasing the pipeline of underrepresented groups entering higher education;
   6. Public service activities and invitations to give talks within the field that address the needs of culturally diverse groups;
   7. Awards and other forms of special recognition such as commendations from local or national groups or societies representing underserved communities.
2. Inclusive Excellence Activities Related to Teaching:
   Describe activities you engage in that contribute to creating an academic environment supportive of all students, including those from underrepresented groups. Contributions may include but are not limited to:
   1. Use or development of pedagogies addressing different learning styles:
      • Design or teaching of courses that are tailored to meeting the needs of educationally disadvantaged students;
      • Development of particularly effective strategies for the educational advancement of students in various under-represented groups.
   2. Teaching in programs that serve underrepresented groups:
      • At local community colleges, bridge to college programs;
      • Summer enrichment/internship programs with HBCUs.
   3. Mentoring underrepresented students:
      • In the research group or laboratory;
      • Associated with guidance or counseling programs, such as UROP;
      • To build an inclusive pipeline into academia.
   4. Selection of course content to appropriately reflect diverse viewpoints, including work from scholars from underrepresented groups.
3. Inclusive Excellence Related to Research and Creative Activities:
   Describe your scholarly/creative work that includes advancing underrepresented groups. Contributions may include but are not limited to:
   1. Addressing barriers facing underrepresented groups in access to education, health care, economy, social mobility or participation in creative endeavors;
   2. Studying programs to understand and enhance patterns of participation and advancement of underrepresented groups;
   3. Creating knowledge of diverse cultural and historic experiences, particularly in reference to underrepresented groups.

For an example of assessing faculty contributions to inclusive excellence please click here.