Diversity, Equity and Inclusion

DIVERSITY: We work to create a college community that reflects the vast, rich heterogeneity of the state and the broader society. Diversity work at CT State includes ensuring a positive and supportive campus climate and that our curriculum and practices include and are supportive of the rich history, culture and aspirations of all our students.

EQUITY: We work to create a university environment that fosters equity. Equity is the removal and reduction of barriers that negatively impact student success within structures, policies and practices, and ensuring that students receive targeted resources and support to achieve their academic, professional, and personal goals. Equity is achieved by identifying and intentionally addressing structural racism, systemic poverty, and other forms of marginalization, upholding the expectation that administrators, faculty and staff act as anti-racist institutional change agents. CT State Community College commits to bold and disruptive change by actively identifying, naming, and dismantling structural racism, systemic poverty, and other barriers, establishing equitable and anti-racist policies and practices, and empowering students, faculty, staff, and administrators to advance racial, social, and economic justice. Our core collective responsibility is to continuously assess practices and policies and transform the world we live in by eliminating inequities.

INCLUSION: No matter what background our students have, we work to create a college community where every individual feels a “sense of belonging” and is provided with the tools and opportunity to be a contributing member of their family, community, and state.

The Equity and Civil Rights Office works to promote a respectful, accessible and inclusive environment for all students, staff, and community within the CT State Community College, Charter Oak State College and CSCU System.

The Campus Climate Unit works with campus-level DEI committees to create a positive climate within and across CT State. This includes but is not limited to developing and coordinating DEI-related orientation and training, coordinating DEI-related centers and institutes, and leading the biennium campus climate survey and subsequent CT State and campus action plans, which guide DEI efforts across CT State.

Each of the CT State campuses sponsors a campus diversity/equity team that leads DEI efforts at the campus level. Campus DEI/Equity teams are appointed by the CEO and at a minimum must include the campus DEI, Title IX, and Disability/Accessibility coordinators.

The Title IX and Gender Equity Team focuses on ensuring inclusion and equity for all students, faculty and staff, regardless of sex, gender, gender identity, or sexual orientation. The team also works to coordinate Title IX efforts across CT State.

The Office of Disability and Accessibility Services (ODAS) seeks to provide support to students and employees with eligible disabilities by providing reasonable and appropriate accommodations. Each campus has an ODAS lead on-site, ready to help throughout your time at CT State. Once approved, accommodations are applicable across all campuses.

The Program/Curriculum Diversity Committee is a partnership between the CT State provost and DEI offices to continuously review and enhance inclusive, culturally relevant and social justice-driven curriculum and practice throughout CT State.

Campus DEI Centers and Programs: Several of our campuses also feature a variety of centers and programs that support CT State’s DEI efforts.