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Council on Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging

Our Charge

The council will provide leadership for Purdue University Libraries and School of Information Studies in the development, planning and maintenance of a welcoming and respectful environment for all library employees and patrons that will in turn transform the organization and position Libraries to collaborate on or lead campus-level strategies in the areas of equity, inclusion, diversity, accessibility, racial equity, and belonging. In support of these efforts, the group will:
  • develop strategic and annual goals with associated metrics and benchmarks;
  • devise and implement recommended policies, practices, & strategies to reduce inequities;
  • develop and offer training content and other developmental experiences;
  • strengthen existing campus and institutional partnerships and cultivate new alliances;
  • amplify community-building and developmental opportunities offered by other units on campus;
  • serve as thought leaders for Libraries.

WALC group work

Acknowledging that these issues are ever-evolving and that success will be achieved only when connecting this work to broader institutional, civic, and societal constituencies, the council may:

  • coordinate regular workplace assessments on climate, organizational culture, and evaluate library and archival resources and practices through an equity lens;
  • develop priorities for community building, professional development, assessment, recruiting, hiring and retention, promotion, and other strategies related to the full range of functions within libraries and archives (collections, description, teaching and learning, etc.);
  • survey current research and scholarship to inform the development of recommendations for short- and long-term benchmarks, tracking organizational growth;
  • serve in an advisory capacity to Libraries administration on related issues and as a resource for all library employees;
  • monitor progress indicators on articulated goals and report results and recommendations to appropriate audiences.

Membership: The group will consist of 8-12 individuals, representing the various Libraries functional units across university employment classifications. To the degree possible, members selected will embody a range of characteristics and perspectives (e.g. race/ethnicity, gender, ability, sexual orientation, religious affiliation) and bring deep, broad, and complementary knowledge, interests, and experience to the group. Student representation will be considered.

Leadership: The work of the committee will be facilitated by the associate dean for organizational development. Committee co-chairs will be selected from within the assembled committee. The co-chairs will serve in the role for a two-year appointment.

Terms of committee appointment: Members of the committee will serve a two-year term, with the possibility of renewal for a third year.