Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI)

DEI

Excellence through Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion

The University of Iowa’s status as a premier research university depends on the robust exchange of ideas. The diversity of our students, faculty, and staff helps us fulfill our mission to explore, discover, create, and engage. Thus, we are committed to supporting every Hawkeye’s pursuit of excellence. As we enhance the breadth and depth of our perspectives, we purposefully prepare for our future. Our ability to foster an equitable and inclusive environment for all who join the UI family will determine our collective success. We eagerly accept this challenge.

At the UI, we achieve excellence through diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI).

DEI Definitions

Diversity: The College of Nursing definition of diversity embraces a broad range of identities and ancestral backgrounds, including those that have been historically underrepresented within the nursing community. Diversity bridges all aspects of human difference, social identities, and social group differences, including but not limited to: 

  • race, ethnicity, creed, color,  
  • sex, gender, gender identity, sexual identity,  
  • socio-economic status, caste  
  • language, culture, national origin, religion/spirituality,  
  • age, (dis)ability,  
  • military/veteran status, 
  • political perspective, and 
  • associational preferences

Inclusion: Inclusion refers to a campus community where all members are and feel respected, have a sense of belonging, and are able to participate and achieve to their potential. While diversity is essential, it is not sufficient. An institution can be both diverse and non-inclusive at the same time, thus a sustained practice of creating inclusive environments is necessary for success.

Equity: Equity refers to fair and just practices and policies that ensure all campus community members can thrive. Equity is different than equality in that equality implies treating everyone as if their experiences are exactly the same. Being equitable means acknowledging and addressing structural inequalities — historic and current — that advantage some and disadvantage others. Equal treatment results in equity only if everyone starts with equal access to opportunities.

Resources

  • UI College of Nursing - Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion
  • UI Obermann Center for Advanced Studies
    • This intellectual community supports artists, scholars, and researchers—independently and in cross-disciplinary collaborations—as they unearth the past, explain and engage the present, and invent the future.
  • Reframing Aging
    • The Reframing Aging Initiative is a long-term social change endeavor designed to improve the public’s understanding of what aging means and the many ways that older people contribute to our society.
  • Ageing Equal
    • The #AgeingEqual campaign is the first European-wide effort to raise awareness that human rights do not diminish with age. It calls for equal rights at all ages and raise awareness of the harmful consequences of ageism.
  • SAGE: National Resource Center on LGBT Aging
    • The National Resource Center on LGBT Aging, a program of SAGE, is the country's first and only technical assistance resource center focused on improving the quality of services and supports offered to lesbian, gay, bisexual, and/or transgender older adults, families and caregivers. 

Publications