University of Wisconsin–Madison

Institutional statement on diversity

Diversity is a source of strength, creativity, and innovation for UW–Madison.

We value the contributions of each person and respect the profound ways their identity, culture, background, experience, status, abilities, and opinion enrich the university community. We commit ourselves to the pursuit of excellence in teaching, research, outreach, and diversity as inextricably linked goals.

The University of Wisconsin–Madison fulfills its public mission by creating a welcoming and inclusive community for people from every background—people who as students, faculty, and staff serve Wisconsin and the world.

Definitions

We must have a shared understanding of what engagement, inclusion and diversity mean and how they affect our day-to-day work.

E

Engagement

Employees feel valued by the university. They find pride and personal meaning in their work.

I

Inclusion

Employees feel like they belong. They feel respected for who they are and what they contribute to the university. They can be their authentic selves at work, because teams have removed barriers and negative biases.

D

Diversity

UW–Madison employees have unique qualities and identities, including (but not limited to):

  • Ability
  • Age
  • Beliefs
  • Education
  • Ethnicity
  • Experiences
  • Gender
  • Marital status
  • National origin
  • Physical and mental attributes
  • Race
  • Sexual orientation
  • Spirituality
  • Values

History and Purpose

In 2011, the Vice Chancellor for Finance and Administration (VCFA) developed an initiative called Engagement, Inclusion and Diversity (EID) based on the campus strategic framework.

The EID initiative addresses our goal to recruit and retain the best and most diverse faculty and staff. It helps us create a work community in which every employee feels welcomed, valued, included, and heard.

We must use everyone’s strengths and diverse perspectives to be the best we can be—as individuals and a community. This will help us recruit and retain top faculty and staff in an increasingly competitive and global environment.

Events

2019 EID Retreat

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