Diversity Council

STATUS: Standing

CHARTER/PURPOSE: In accordance with North Idaho College’s Diversity Goal as stated within the Strategic Plan 2016-2020, the Diversity Council will oversee and support diversity initiatives campus-wide. The mission of the council is to promote cultural competence and to develop global and cultural awareness among faculty, staff and students campus-wide. The council supports diversity awareness with the goal of fostering a campus climate that is safe, inclusive, supports diverse populations (particularly underrepresented and marginalized groups), and promotes equality, ethical responsibility and social justice. The Diversity Council will strive to meet each of the following outcomes to accomplish the three main goals of the council:

1) Develop Cultural Competence

• Increase cultural awareness of others by understanding diversity as a complex term that serves to promote equality for marginalized and underrepresented groups.
• Develop and promote an inclusive environment that promotes the free exchange of ideas through respectful discourse.
• Encourage faculty, students and staff to participate in events that promote multiculturalism and social justice. 

2) Increase Global Awareness

• Promote events that demonstrate the interconnectedness and interdependence of the global world to bring about global awareness.
• Develop cultural awareness by applying multicultural perspectives to enhance understanding of the needs of a diverse, global community.
  

• Promote a safe and inclusive environment where underrepresented and marginalized groups are not subjected to prejudice and discrimination.
• Understand and appreciate the values of other cultures by examining one’s own culture and the cultural differences of others as way to promote equality and social justice.
• Support awareness to the ethical responsibility of civic engagement and the important role of citizenry as necessary elements to democratic principles and processes.