Mission
The Office of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion leads Niagara University’s planning, assessment, compliance, and growth as it envisions achieving inclusive excellence efforts across the institution. We do this by working in concert with all university partners as we commit to:
- Strategically plan and provide relevant resources to support inclusive excellence efforts and initiatives.
- Evaluate and assess our efforts to ensure compliance with federal, state, local and university policies, procedures and practices.
- Identify and eliminate barriers to a welcoming and respectful living, learning and work environment for all students, faculty, staff and administrators.
- Advance partnerships and collaborations with campus and community stakeholders.
- Uphold the Catholic mission of faith and reason and the Vincentian values of confidence, clarity and purpose.
Our work will advance a culture where all are expected and encouraged to thrive and succeed and are proud to be a member of the Purple Eagle community.
Location
St. Vincent’s Hall, Room 101
Hours
ACADEMIC YEAR
Mon. – Fri. | 9 a.m. – 5 p.m.
SUMMER
Mon. – Thu. | 8:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.
Fri. | 8:30 a.m. – noon
goals
- Lead implementation of Inclusive Excellence using the IE framework.
- Ensure compliance with federal, state, local and university policies, procedures and practices.
- Identify and address campus professional development and educational needs in the space of diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging.
- Advance partnerships and collaborations with campus and community stakeholders.
- Uphold and integrate the Catholic mission and the Vincentian values in DEI.
Definitions
Diversity is the various mix of human differences (e.g., personality, learning styles, and life experiences) and group/social differences (e.g., race/ethnicity, class, gender/gender identity, color, sexuality, national origin, citizenship or immigration status, (dis)ability, military status, educational level, or age), and cultural, political, religious or other affiliations that can be engaged in the service of learning, working, and living together.
The diversity of our Niagara community builds on our Vincentian history and allows us to continually explore and deepen our commitment to our shared humanity.
Equity is about fairness, ensuring everyone has access to what they need to succeed. It requires the intentional review and redesign of practices, policies, and systems. Equity allocates and cultivates resources to areas and populations with the greatest need to eliminate barriers and provide support.
As a Vincentian institution, Niagara University is committed to equity, particularly for those who historically have been or continue to be marginalized, excluded, and/or mistreated.
Inclusion is the active, intentional, and ongoing engagement with diversity to create a sense of belonging. Belonging means that people feel respected and heard and can contribute to learning and working as their authentic selves.
Niagara University is committed to inclusion and belonging for people in the curriculum, co-curriculum, work, and scholarly environments and as part of the larger Niagara Falls community.
Social justice requires the acknowledgment and protection of the inherent and equal worth of all people. Because of this essential dignity, each person has the right to what is needed to live and work to their fulfillment.
As a Catholic institution, Niagara University is committed to creating a just community where we hold each other mutually accountable through just and inclusive practices.
Equality indicates a system where everyone has the same opportunities and resources – a “one size fits all” approach to human rights.
Taking notice of inequities, their contexts, and the institution’s agency and responsibility in critically reassessing its practices.
A commitment to intentionally apply an institution’s place-based economic power and human capital in partnership with the community defines this concept.
