How do you measure an institution’s commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI)?

The answer to that question is multi-faceted and complex, and we in the Office for Institutional Equity and Diversity devote much of our effort to doing just that, both quantitatively through data and qualitatively through programs and initiatives that support and enrich the lived experiences of students, faculty, staff and community members.

We also look to external assessments from independent organizations that can facilitate an unbiased analysis of our institution.

NC State is one of three universities named as charter members of the American Association for the Advancement of Science’s SEA Change initiative.

SEA Change, short for “STEMM Equity Achievement,” entails a thorough examination of campus culture, policies and procedures as they relate to inclusion (or exclusion) and the setting of goals for dismantling barriers for marginalized groups, all from the perspectives of the disciplines of science, technology, engineering, mathematics and medicine.

The initial cohort also includes the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and the University of California at Davis.

The SEA Change initiative outlines three interconnected “pillars,” which include:

• the SEA Change Community, in which member institutions can work together and compare practices;
• the SEA Change Institute, which collects resources such as research, trainings and events; and
• the SEA Change awards, which recognize institutions that demonstrate achievement in transforming themselves into more equitable environments, those who show exceptional improvement, and those who become models for change for other institutions.

We look forward to providing more updates about our work with this initiative.