Diversity, Equity and Inclusion
Improving Diversity, Equity and Inclusion
at the UD College of Earth, Ocean & Environment
This page will grow and evolve over time as CEOE's commitment to DEI progresses. The information presented here represents an open dialogue within the college's faculty, leadership, students and staff. If you would like to comment, recommend additional resources or make other suggestions, please use this form.
Faculty, staff and leadership at the College of Earth, Ocean and Environment (CEOE) strive to take meaningful action to advance diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) within CEOE and in the larger scientific and academic communities of which we are a part. Along with our students and our peers in these disciplines, especially those from BIPOC and LGBTQIA+ communities, we understand the urgency to act now and the importance of continuing to make consistent progress.
This page is grouped in sections, each reflecting a part of how we are working to advance DEI. The first section, Building Diversity Competency in CEOE, details the action steps to which our college is committed. These are the specifics of what we plan to do, provided in clear text so members of our community can partner with us to make them happen and hold us accountable for achieving them. The Workplace Climate and Reporting section recognizes that any organization will have challenges and incidents and provides resources for our faculty, staff and students should they need to seek help with issues of discrimination or other problems at UD. At the bottom of the page, a list of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Resources is organized in three sections to make it easy for everyone to find what they need.
Effective research, instruction, learning, advising, and professional career growth in CEOE requires open communication, ethical professional conduct between all individuals, collegial interactions, proactive mentoring, and a responsive administration. All aspects of higher education and research indeed thrive when diverse experiences and viewpoints can be freely shared and affirmed.
To that end, the faculty, students, and staff of CEOE are dedicated to creating a positive, inclusive work environment that embraces diversity and equity and rejects any form of racism, hostile work environments, discrimination, micro-aggression, bullying, or harassment.
The CEOE community commits to take the actions listed below in the following three categories:
- Provide implicit bias and bystander intervention training and an annual refresher for all faculty, research staff, staff members, and graduate students of CEOE. Undergraduates are currently required to have this training.
- Offer sessions for wellness and recovery for our Black, Indigenous and People of Color (BIPOC), people with disabilities, and LGBTQIA+ communities.
- Select a theme for each semester and identify speakers to address specific issues with the intention of educating our community. Examples for themes in this format would be:
o Microaggression
o History of Race at the University of Delaware and in America
o Understanding Racial Identity
o Gender and/or generational differences
o LGBTQIA+ issues
o Work Culture
- Support a DEI Climate and Engagement Analysis conducted by the University’s Office of Equity and Inclusion. This analysis will assess the physical and social climate for diversity, equity, and inclusion in CEOE and provide recommendations for an enhanced commitment to DEI through policy and practice.
- Incorporate into existing seminar series 1) speakers from underrepresented groups, and 2) in addition to traditional research topic-focus, invite speakers that address issues related to diversity, inclusion, transparency in decision making, P&T policies and equitable workloads.
- Commit to increasing the number of underrepresented faculty in the college by charging faculty and staff search committees with instruction and support provided by UD ADVANCE to ensure diversification of candidate pools with underrepresented applicants.
- Expand the practice of recruiting underrepresented students in the REU program for graduate school, to other summer programs in our College and in faculty research and training programs.
- Develop and deepen partnerships with Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) and Hispanic Serving Institutions to improve recruitment of underrepresented graduate students and faculty.
- Work with faculty to create inclusive syllabi recognizing historical marginalization in their disciplines and do syllabus review as part of annual reviews.
- Create workload transparency for faculty and staff.
- Develop Codes of Conduct that promote a positive work environment that is characterized by collective civility and respect for each individual and is free from any form of discrimination, micro-aggression, bullying, harassment, sexual misconduct, and violence. This has been developed in the Earth Sciences and will be examined for broader involvement in the College.
- Provide training for all faculty and staff following the development of the code of conduct. The code shows that there is a commitment to stop inappropriate behaviors and that there are consequences for conduct violations. This is needed to build trust that CEOE will protect faculty staff and students from unwanted bad conduct.
- Lead the University in developing a UNIDEL Foundation Post-doc program for underrepresented PhDs that would serve as a faculty training program and pipeline for recruitment of underrepresented academics for faculty positions.
- For the next decade, create a program that sets aside existing College/Unit funds for recruitment, retention programs, and fully funded fellowships of/for underrepresented students. Promote and track the success of the program. As an example, the college could expand its Historically Underrepresented Graduate Students (HUGS) Fellowship in collaboration with alumni and others to increase available funds.
Office of Institutional Equity Trainings
Register for all classes below through ConnectingU with your CAS log-in
Other Events
To help our CEOE community find opportunities to learn more and act to improve diversity, equity and inclusion efforts around campus, events are collected here from throughout the University.
Ongoing
Diversity Caucuses have been created specifically for faculty and staff to gather with like-minded/like-identified individuals. These groups provide a critical ingredient to finding common voice and grass-roots-modeled steps toward awareness and change. The caucuses can serve as a resource, an ally and an advocate to their constituents.
- Biweekly College URGE Pod Meetings: Unlearning Racism in the Geosciences (URGE) was a project launched by Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution. A few CEOE faculty participated in the initial campaign, including Department of Earth Sciences Interim Chair John Madsen and IDEA Committee Chair Jen Biddle, who ran an URGE Pod at the college and can answer questions for any interested faculty, staff or students.
- GSS and Earth Sciences received funding for the "breaking barriers" fellowship to increase student recruitment, 2022.
- Diversity audit of the college has been completed, a town hall was held April 27, 2023 to address the college response.
- Held college-wide training on Safety in the Field, run by ADVANCE Geo, May 5, 2023
- Removed the use of GRE scores as part of our graduate admission metrics.
- The Department of Earth Sciences developed its Code of Conduct, available on the Department's About page, to promote a positive work environment that is characterized by collective civility and respect for each individual and is free from any form of discrimination, micro-aggression, bullying, harassment, sexual misconduct, and violence. — December 2020
- Held Department of Earth Sciences seminar on "Addressing Systemic Bias in the Geosciences" — September 2020
- Appointed Diversity Advocates for each academic unit in the college. The advocates serve on the Inclusion, Diversity, Equity and Accountability Committee, connecting the committe and their units, and serve as a resource for members of each unit to raise DEI issues and suggestions.
- Added a graduate student to the IDEA committee to represent and advocate for the student population's DEI priorities within the college.
DIVERSITY ON CAMPUS
The University of Delaware’s educational mission is to prepare students to live in an increasingly interconnected and diverse world. To do so, we are committed to fostering a robust educational environment that supports critical thinking, free inquiry, and an understanding of diverse views and values. We see diversity as a core value and guiding principle for our educational mission and thus must work to make diversity an integral part of everyday life on campus.
Workplace Climate & Reporting
The faculty, students, and staff of the College of Earth, Ocean, and Environment are dedicated to creating a positive, inclusive work environment that embraces diversity in all forms and rejects any form of hostile work place, discrimination, or bullying.
Resources are available to help resolve conflicts within our College and the University. Specific University contacts exist for various offenses and are identified below. The following information is meant to both provide context for your complaint (i.e. where does your situation fit in today’s terminology) and key university resources or contacts if they exist for that specific situation.
Code of Conduct
CEOE has a code of conduct that outlines principles and best practices for Professional behavior to be used by current faculty, students and staff of CEOE. This web page is set up to inform you of your options if you have encountered issues that create a negative work environment.
Workplace Issues
Some workplace issues that arise between students, staff, research scientists, and faculty in the College of Earth, Ocean, and Environment should be reported to help improve CEOE, yet others must be reported to the Office of Inclusion and Equity at UD. Descriptions of these situations and resources within the University system are given for each type of issue.
Harassment is a type of discrimination that consists of a single intense and severe act, or of multiple persistent or pervasive acts, which are unwanted, unwelcome, demeaning, abusive, or offensive and based upon the victim’s inclusion in a protected category such race, color, religion, national origin, age, disability, citizenship, veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or gender expression.
People who believe they have been subject to harassment, as defined above, should report this to any University official, administrator or supervisor. Students are encouraged to contact the Office of the Dean of Students, and employees should cotact the Office of Equity and Inclusion (OEI). Every supervisor, administrator and University official is responsible for promptly reporting incidents that come to their attention to either the Office of the Dean of Students or OEI.
Sexual Misconduct and Harassment is unwelcome conduct of a sexual nature that can occur when:
- the submission to unwelcome physical conduct of a sexual nature, or to unwelcome requests for sexual favors or other verbal conduct of a sexual nature, is made as an implicit or explicit term or condition of employment or education;
- the submission to or rejection of unwelcome physical conduct of a sexual nature, or unwelcome requests for sexual favors or other verbal conduct of a sexual nature, is used as a basis for academic or employment decisions or evaluations;
- unwelcome physical acts of a sexual nature, or unwelcome requests for sexual favors or other verbal conduct of a sexual nature, that have the effect of creating an objectively hostile environment that substantially interferes with employment or education on the basis of sex; or
- such conduct is intentionally directed towards a specific individual and has the purpose or effect of unreasonably interfering with that individual’s education, employment, or participation in University activities, or creating an intimidating, hostile, or offensive atmosphere.
Sexual harassment may include:
- Sexual assault, as defined under the Delaware Code sections 767 to 769: Unlawful Sexual Contact; It includes rape, sexual assault, sexual battery, and sexual coercion.
- Physical conduct that, depending on the totality of the circumstances present, may include unwelcome intentional touching or deliberate physical interference with or restriction of movement.
- Verbal conduct, including oral, written, or symbolic expression.
All sexual harassment complaints should be reported directly to
Office of Equity and Inclusion
305 Hullihen Hall, University of Delaware, Newark, DE 19716
Phone: 302-831-8063
and/or
Title IX Coordinator, Danica Myers
302- 831 -7361
titleixcoordinator@udel.edu
Individuals may also report incidents of sex discrimination, sexual harassment (including sexual violence) or sexual misconduct online or to a Responsible Employees who is then required to promptly notify the Office of Equity and Inclusion.
Responsible Employees include administrators, academic advisors, faculty, teaching assistants, graduate research assistants and all supervisory staff.
What should be reported
All relevant information should be reported, including the names of the individuals involved, any witnesses, and any other relevant information, including the date, time, and specific location of the alleged incident. A report must be made as soon as possible after an individual discloses the incident.
Information and the University of Delaware’s Policy on sexual misconduct can be found here.
Discrimination is conduct directed at a specific individual or group of identifiable individuals that subjects the individual or group to treatment that adversely affects their employment or education because of their race, color, religion, national origin, age, disability, citizenship, veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or gender expression.
People who believe they have been subject to discrimination as defined above should report this to:
Office of Equity and Inclusion
305 Hullihen Hall, University of Delaware, Newark, DE 19716
Phone: 302-831-8063
Individuals may also report incidents of discrimination to any University official, administrator of supervisor. Students are encouraged to contact the Office of the Dean of Students, and employees to the Office of Equity and Inclusion. Every supervisor, administrator and University official is required to promptly reporting incidents that come to their attention to Office of Equity and Inclusion
The University of Delaware policy on discrimination can be found here.
A hostile environment occurs when a co-worker or supervisor discriminates against or harasses a person because of their inclusion in a protected class such as a person’s race, color, religion, national origin, age, disability, citizenship, veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or gender expression.
This harassment is pervasive, lasting over time, and the behavior is severe enough that the hostility has disrupted the employee’s ability to do their job.
Note that a coworker who is disrespectful, demonstrating inappropriate, rude, and/or obnoxious behavior, is in breach of the CEOE code of conduct and may be reported to a supervisor. But the behavior, actions or communication must be discriminatory in nature for it to create a hostile work environment. In such a case, it needs to be reported to
Office of Equity and Inclusion
305 Hullihen Hall, University of Delaware, Newark, DE 19716
Phone: 302-831-8063
For interpersonal violence there are several University resources and options available.
UD Police Department
911 - All emergencies - on or off campus
(302) 831-2222 - Non-emergency police and general information
police@udel.edu
Cases of interpersonal violence must also be reported to:
Office of Equity and Inclusion
305 Hullihen Hall, University of Delaware, Newark, DE 19716
Phone: 302-831-8063
Key Contacts
Harassment, sexual harassment, discrimination, and interpersonal violence should be reported directly to the Office of Equity and Inclusion. Note that if you report such event to a UD employee, they are obligated to report it directly to the Office of Equity and Inclusion. It is optional but not required that a supervisor be notified by the complainant.
For concerns other than harassment, sexual harassment, discrimination, and interpersonal violence, the first step is usually internal to your Department Chair or School Director, or to CEOE personnel. Below are the general contacts for each type of individual, followed by specific ones. In all cases, complaints can be made internally to the appropriate CEOE contact or to a University contact.
Please note: if you are worried about any kind of behavior towards you or anyone else, you may contact the UD Office of Equity and Inclusion, or your Department Chair or School Director, or the CEOE Deputy Dean.
John Madsen
Interim Chair of the Department of Geological Sciences
ISE Lab 372
221 Academy Street
1-302-831-1608
jmadsen@udel.edu
Saleem Ali
Chair of the Department of Geography and Spatial Sciences
216C and 207 Pearson Hall
1-302-831-2294
saleem@udel.edu
Mark Moline
Director of the School of Marine Science and Policy
204A Cannon Lab
1-302-645-4263
mmoline@udel.edu
Katharina Billups
CEOE Deputy Dean
206 Cannon Lab
1-302-645-4249
kbillups@udel.edu
Madelyn Mickle
HR Manager
1-302-831-8043
mmickle@udel.edu
Keeley Powell
Senior Assistant Dean for Student Services
1-302-831-2841
kpowell@udel.edu
Office of Equity and Inclusion
305 Hullihen Hall
302-831-8063
Dean of Students
Offices of the Dean of Students and Vice President for Student Life
Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
101 Hullihen Hall, call 302-831-8939
deanofstudents@udel.edu
SAFE UD and its LiveSafe app
Campus Resources
Office of Equity and Inclusion Resources
Scholarships and Fellowships
Expanding Representation in Geosciences Scholarship (GSA)
Historically Underrepresented Graduate Students (HUGS) Fellowship (CEOE-only)
Scholarships from the National Association of Black Geoscientists
Scholarships for LGBTQ Students
UD Student Groups
Asha Delaware (chapter of Asha for Education)
Bangladesh Student Association
Black Graduate Student Association
Chinese Students and Scholars Association
UD Chinese Orchestra
Dragonfly Dance Club
Delaware Chapter Graduate Women in Science
CEOE EmPOWER
Hispanic/Latino Graduate Student Association
Indian Graduate Student Association
Iranian Student Association
Korean Graduate Student Association
Nepalese Student Association
Religious Student Organizations
Saudi Student Association
Society of Women in Marine Science Delaware Chapter
Taiwanese Student Association
Turkish American Student Association
Blue Hen Veterans
Professional resources for students
Resources for Instructional Design
Diversity and Inclusive Teaching from UD's Center for Teaching and Assessment of Learning (CTAL)
Syllabus Diversity Statement Suggestions from CTAL
Syllabus on Institutionalized Racism
Why (and How) STEM Curriculum Needs to be LGBT Inclusive
Support for Faculty
National Center for Faculty Development and Diversity
Avoiding Gender Bias in Reference Writing from University of Arizona Commission on the Status of Women
Professional Associations' Diversity Statements and Efforts
A Call to Action for an Anti-Racist Science Community from Geoscientists of Color signed by American Geophysical Union (AGU)
AGU's 8 Action areas to combat racism
A Statement on Anti-racism from AGU Global Environmental Change Section
Commitment to Racial Justice from AGU Earth and Planetary Science Section
American Association of Geographers' (AAG) Statement on Racism
AAG Career and Research Mentors seeking geography faculty to volunteer as mentors
Dismantling systems of oppression and creating spaces of support and healing requires everyone to educate themselves and engage in honest, respectful interactions with one another. The resources collected here represent some material and forums where CEOE faculty, staff and students have found valuable opportunities to learn, grow and share their experiences.
ANTI-RACISM RESOURCES
The video above is owned by TED. Learn more at TED.com
The list below was compiled by Victoria Alexander, program coordinator of the Center for Leadership Engagment, Advocacy & Diversity at Salem State University
Stamped from the Beginning - Ibram X Kendi
A People's History of the United States - Howard Zinn (There is a "young people's" version for elementary and middle school readers)
White Fragility - Robin DiAngelo
So you want to talk about race - Ijeoma Oluo
I'm Still Here: Black Dignity in a World Made for Whiteness - Austin Channing Brown
Me and White Supremacy - Layla F Saad
Stamped from the Beginning- Jason Reynolds & Ibram X. Kendi
The Burning House: Jim Crow and the Making of Modern America - Anders Walker
The New Jim Crow - Michelle Alexander
The Condemnation of Blackness - Khalil Gibran Muhammad
Dying of Whiteness - Jonathan Metzl
A Different Mirror - Ronald Takaki
How to be an AntiRacist - Ibram X Kendi
How the South Won the Civil War - Heather Cox Richardson
Evicted - Matthew Desmond
Nobody - Marc Lamont Hill
Lies My Teacher Told Me - James W Loewen
Why are all the Black Kids Sitting Together in the Cafeteria - Berver Doniel Tatum, PhD
The Color of Law - Richard Rothstein
Blackballed - Darryl Pinkney
The Warmth of Other Sons - Isabel Wilkerson
The Fire Next time - James Baldwin
Malcolm X - Alex Haley
Between the World and Me - Ta-Nehisi Coates
Killing Rage Ending Racism - Bell Hooks
Becoming - Michelle Obama
An American By Marriage - Tayari Jones
A Good Time for the Truth: Race in Minnesota - Sun Yung Shin (editor)
The Color of Water: A Black Man's Tribute to His White Mother - James McBride
Just Mercy: A Story of Justice and Redemption - Bryan Stevenson
The Myth Of Race - Robert Sussman
How we Get Free - Keeanga-Yamhtta Taylor
Black Feminists Thought - Patricia Hill Collins
Ain't I a Woman Black Women and Feminism - Bell Hooks
Bad Feminist - Roxane Gay
Eloquent Rage - Brittney Cooper
In Search of Our Mothers Gardens - Alice Walker
Sister Outsider - Audre Lorde
Women Race & Class - Angela Y Davis
Assata: An Autobiography - Assata Shakur
To Exist is to Resist: Black Feminism in Europe - Akwugo Emejulu and Francesca Sobande
Giovanni's Room - James Baldwin
Zami - Audre Lorde
Real Life - Brandon Taylor
Unapologetic A black, queer, and feminist Mandate for Radical Movements - Charlene A Carruthers
No Tea, No Shade: New Writings in Black Queer Studies - E. Patrick Johnson
Since I Laid My Burden Down - Brontez Purnell
The Other Side of Paradise - Staceyann Chin
No Ashes in the Fire - Darnell L. Moore
The Summer We Got Free - Mia McKenzie
Black Like Me - John Howard Griffin
Rising Out of Hatred - Eli Saslow
Black On Both Sides: A Racial History of Trans Identiy - C. Riley Snorton
Just Mercy
13th
Selma