Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging

Our Commitment to Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging

The College of Health and Human Development embraces diversity, equity, and inclusion as core values in both its mission and vision. Our goal is to empower a diverse generation of leaders and scholars who promote human health, development, and quality of life throughout the lifespan.

Through teaching, research, and outreach programs, we strive to communicate the importance of diversity to both College and community members. Diversity is broadly defined by the College as "human differences" including differences in age, social class, disability, race, ethnicity, immigrant status, gender, gender expression, religion, veteran status, and sexual orientation.

Our Mission & Vision

The Office for Diversity and Inclusion promotes the core values of diversity, equity, and inclusion to cultivate a welcoming climate for the College of Health and Human Development's students, faculty, and staff through direct student and administrative services, programming, and consultation.

A thriving community where civility, respect, and inclusion are experienced by all members and the core values of diversity and equity are expressed broadly in our scholarly pursuits, educational practices, and aspirations to be engaged and contributing global citizens.

Check out our unit-specific diversity statement for each department!

History

The Office for Diversity and Inclusion was originally named the Office for Minority Affairs and then renamed the Office for Diversity Enhancement. The office was founded in 1986, making it among one of the first offices dedicated to diversity, equity, and inclusion at Penn State University Park. Since our inception, we have created initiatives to support the students, faculty, and staff in the College of Health and Human Development.

Penn State Statement of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion

The Office for Diversity and Inclusion in the College of Health and Human Development fully supports Penn State's Statement on Belonging.

Penn State is committed to and accountable for advancing diversity, equity, and inclusion in all of its forms. We embrace individual uniqueness, foster a culture of inclusive excellence that supports both broad and specific diversity initiatives, leverage the educational and institutional benefits of diversity, and engage all individuals to help them thrive. We value inclusive excellence as a core strength and an essential element of our public service mission.

At Penn State:

• We will foster and maintain a safe environment of respect and inclusion for faculty, staff, students, and members of the communities we serve.
• We will educate our faculty, staff, and students to be social justice advocates, creatively providing curricula, programs, and environments that reflect the diversity of our communities, and elevate cultural awareness.
• We will ensure fair and inclusive access to our facilities, programs, resources, and services, and ensure that all of our policies and practices are inclusive and equitable.
• We will advance and build our workforce by assessing hiring practices and performance review procedures to attract, retain, and develop talented faculty and staff from diverse backgrounds.
• We will address intergroup disparities in areas such as representation, retention, learning outcomes, and graduation rates.