Diversity, equity and inclusion
The College of Agriculture and Natural Resources (CANR) is committed to promoting an inclusive and supportive environment for all faculty, staff and students.
As prepared by the Diversity and Equity Commission and The President’s Diversity Initiative
"To this end, we take diversity to mean both the recognition and appreciation of the different backgrounds, values, and ideas of those who comprise our campus, as well as a commitment to ensuring that all people on our campus are treated according to principles of fairness, civility, dignity, and equity. We are committed to building an educational community that understands people from different backgrounds and economic circumstances, with different needs, and from diverse personal and philosophical beliefs. We want to make all people who are part of the University feel welcome and valued in campus life."
Student programs
CANR DEI Focus Areas
Three priority focus areas have been identified from the 2019-2020 CANR climate audit of staff and faculty provided by the University of Delaware’s Office of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, and results from a CANR undergraduate and graduate student survey. The full results of these assessments can be found here: https://sites.google.com/udel.edu/canr-staff- resources/dei-resources
1) outreach, recruitment, and retention;
2) training and assessment, and
3) facilitating a diverse, equitable, and inclusive environment.
The college by-laws are posted by the University's Provost Office. You can find them here: https://provost.udel.edu/resources/faculty-policies/college-department-resources/ the CANR DEI Committee is on page 7 of the college by-laws.
Committee members are appointed for two-year terms with the exception of student members who serve one-year terms.
The CANR Diversity Committee will be developing activities, training and programming aligned with the mission and values upheld by the University of Delaware.
2023-2024
| Student | Staff | Faculty | Ex Officio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Vacant (Undergraduate) | Juan Castellanos |
Harsh Bais (PLSC) | Calvin Keeler, Interim Dean |
| Jahnia Hodge (Undergraduate) | Vacant | Kali Kniel (ANFS) | Karen Aniunas, Associate Dean for Strategic Initiatives and Planning |
| Alexis Omar (Graduate) | Vacant | Kyle McCarthy (ENWE) | Noël Wolhar, Associate Director, Undergraduate Student Recruitment |
| Maggie Deng (Graduate) | Vacant | Michelle Segovia (APEC) | Emily Salanon, HR |
| Student | Staff | Faculty | Ex Officio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aniya Brown (Undergraduate) | Christy Mannering (Current Chair) | Harsh Bais (PLSC) | Calvin Keeler, Interim Dean |
| Jahnia Hodge (Undergraduate) | Ernie Lopez | Mark Parcells (ANFS) | Karen Aniunas, Associate Dean for Strategic Initiatives and Planning |
| Sun Weiliang (Graduate) | Juan Castellanos | Kyle McCarthy (ENWE) | Noël Wolhar, Associate Director, Undergraduate Student Recruitment |
| Maggie Deng (Graduate) | Vacant | Tony Seraphin (APEC) | |
| Additional voting members include: | |||
| Emily Salanon, HR | |||
| Student | Staff | Faculty | Ex Officio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hope Mongare (Undergraduate) | Christy Mannering (Chair) | Erin Sparks (PLSC) | Dean Keeler |
| Amelia Boerner (Undergraduate) | Lauren Bradford | Mark Parcells (ANFS) | Noël Wolhar |
| Grace Savoy-Burke (Graduate) | Aisha Hoggard | Deb Delaney (ENWE) | |
| Liz Smith (Graduate) | Ernie Lopez | Tony Seraphin (APEC) | |
| Additional voting members include: | |||
| Emily Salanon, HR | |||
| Student | Staff | Faculty | Ex Officio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kenly Velasquez (Undergraduate) | Christy Mannering (Chair) | Erin Sparks (PLSC) | Dean Keeler |
| George Biddle (Undergraduate) | Lauren Bradford | Mark Parcells (ANFS) | Katy Daly |
| Grace Savoy-Burke (Graduate) | Aisha Hoggard | Deb Delaney (ENWE) | Akilah Alleyne |
| Liz Smith (Graduate) | Ernie Lopez | Tony Seraphin (APEC) | |
| Additional voting members include: | |||
| Kathryn Thoroughgood, HR | |||
The college by-laws are posted by the University's Provost Office. You can find them here: https://provost.udel.edu/resources/faculty-policies/college-department-resources/ the CANR DEI Committee is on page 7 of the college by-laws.
Office of Equity and Inclusion Trainings
Register for all classes below through ConnectingU with your CAS log-in.
- ABCs of Diversity
- Allying and Advocating for Others
- Engaging in Courageous Social Justice Conversations
- and more.
Academic Impressions
Diversity, Equity & Inclusion 101: A 10-Day Foundational Program
December 2019 - The Office of Equity and Inclusion began a DEI audit involving a four-step data collection process in consultation and collaboration with members of the college. The information gleaned from this audit would then be used to make recommendations for an enhanced commitment to DEI through policy and practice.
August 2020 - The Office of Equity and Inclusion completed and shared a Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion Assessment of the College of Agriculture and Natural Resources. A summary of these findings can be found further down on the page.
September 2020 - An informal meeting took place on September 9 to begin initiating an official CANR DEI Committee within the college, and on September 24, a group met for their first formal meeting to discuss an action plan.
October 2020 - On October 19, 2020, the dean sent out a 13-question anonymous survey created by the CANR DEI Committee to assess how undergraduate and graduate students perceived the climate of the CANR college community. A summary of these findings can be found further down on the page.
November 2020 - On November 12, 2020, the CANR faculty voted to amend the college by-laws to officially include a standing, formal DEI Committee that will consist of 13 voting members plus two ex officio, non-voting members. These members will be chosen from each of the four college departments and Cooperative Extension. The committee includes two undergraduate and 2 graduate students, 4 staff members, and 4 faculty members as noting members. The complete by-laws can be found here.
November 2020 - A college-wide Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) Virtual Town Hall was held on November 19, 2020, during which CANR leadership spoke about DEI initiatives, the CANR DEI Committee shared a summary of results from a student survey about CANR climate and time for open discussion was provided for students, staff and faculty to share and ask questions.
January 2021 - Two members of UD's Cooperative Extension participated in a national "Coming Together for Racial Understanding Training." The program brings participants together to share and discuss with each other how our attitudes, behaviors, and existing social, organizational, and institutional structures impact our working and living environments in ways that do not promote justice, equity, and respect for all.
May 2021 - Interfaith Leadership in Higher Education virtual presentation with discussion. Premise: Given the unique potential of higher education to lead the way in responding to the new religious and civic realities in America, an essential question emerges: to what extent is the collegiate experience preparing students to be successful leaders in our religiously diverse society?
August 2021 - Submitted an Equity, Justice, Diversity and Inclusion Framework in draft form to CANR Dean for review by the CANR Leadership Team.
September 2021 - a) Presented Equity, Justice, Diversity and Inclusion Framework to CANR Leadership Team, those in attendance voted unanimously to approve the measure. The next step will be to send the document out to the CANR community including students, staff and faculty. b) CANR DEI Committee attends the CANR Fall Fest to raise awareness and recruit students to the committee. c) The current DEI Committee Chair begins coordinating the second year of the CANR Dual Enrollment Program at Christiana High School. d) The committee receives a formal college budget.
November 2021 - a) The DEI committee is an event sponsor for a "Decolonizing US History" talk by Roxanne Dunbar-Ortiz a historian, writer, and professor emerita at California State University, and a longtime social justice activist. b) Equity, Justice, Diversity and Inclusion Framework was voted on by CANR faculty during an all faculty meeting and passed. It is now an official document to be linked within the CANR By-Laws. The framework can also be found here.
March 2022 - On March 24, Dr. Adam Foley from the Office of Institutional Equity presented a student workshop centering around intercultural communication hosted by the CANR DEI Committee. The goal is to equip individuals and groups with the tools necessary to hold difficult conversations that lead us to act to create more just campuses.
May 2022 - On May 12, Guest speaker President Freeman Hrabowski of the University of Maryland Baltimore County visits to discuss intercultural competence and inclusive excellence. This type of competence is invaluable in an increasingly globalized world where we are more likely to interact with people from different cultures and countries who have been shaped by different values, beliefs and experiences. Throughout his career, President Freeman Hrabowski has exemplified the importance of intercultural competence in his work with students, parents, faculty, staff and the community.
August 2022 - A CANR Admin Retreat was held on August 22, 2022. It consisted of a day of discussion, presentations annd immersive activities for college leadership. There will be a focus on implementing the university and college strategic plans with an emphasis on diversity, equity, inclusion and accessibility. Guest speakers with discuss UD and college DEI Initiatives and how to implement best practices and utilize available resources.
September 2022 - The CANR DEI Committee chair met with staff from the Office of Institutional Equity to discuss the creation of "Food Zones" around campus where students experiencing food insecurity will be able to pick up food and supplies.
November 2022 - The committee sponsored two undergraduate students to attend and participate in the annual Minorities in Agriculture, Natural Resources, and Related Sciences (MANNRS) regional cluster meeting held in Philadelphia, PA.
December 2022 - The committee lent support to AGcelerate with their "Final Exam Survival Kits" by purchasing pizza for all students preparing for their final exams in the Townsend Hall Common area.
January 2023 - All college staff and faculty partipated in a Civil Rights Compliance Training.
April 2023 - The committee designed and displayed a "Living Land Acknowledgement" pull-up banner in the main lobby space of Townsend Hall. CANR DEI Committee hosted guest speaker Karelle Hall as she presented her research, “Sovereignty and Race: Intersections of Nanticoke and Lenape Identities.”
May 2023 - The committee lent support to AGcelerate with their "Final Exam Survival Kits" by purchasing pizza for all students preparing for their final exams in the Townsend Hall Common area.
University of Delaware Anti-Racism Initiative (UDARI)
In response to continuing occurrences of violence and systemic racism throughout the nation and the growing racial justice Black Lives Matter movement, and in order to address instances of racial prejudice and implicit bias on campus, University of Delaware faculty, staff and students have initiated a new grassroots UD Antiracism Initiative (UDARI).
If you are interested in joining the Antiracism Initiative, please complete the UDARI interest form.
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
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
Get Involved: Voices in Diversity
Caucuses have open membership, and offer you the opportunity to network and dialogue with others, play a role in initiatives, and foster a diverse and inclusive work atmosphere. To learn more about any of the caucuses and to join, click on one of the links below.
See below for more information.
Upcoming Events
CANR Classroom and Workplace Climate Survey
CANR has partnered with the Office of Equity and Inclusion to conduct a college-wide assessment of diversity, equity and inclusion efforts and engagement. In addtion to examining college documents, programs and processes, a crucial piece of this assessment is input from members of the college community collected through the classroom and workplace climate survey.
It is important now more than ever that we identify ways in which we can effectuate real and lasting change.
CANR DEI Student Survey
One of the first steps to developing a strategic diversity, equity and inclusion action plan is to assess the current climate and culture within the College of Agriculture and Natural Resources.
Students also emphasized the need for more transparent follow-through on efforts to increase social justice awareness among members of the college community. There was a desire to hear DEI matters discussed more openly and consistently by their advisors and supervisors. In an effort to do this a brief student feedback survey tool was designed by the CANR DEI Committee because student input is critical to this process and to the outcomes.
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Recent News and Information
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Meet NCBS Honor Society member Sarah Lacour
Meet NCBS Honor Society member Aliyah Harrison
Interfaith Leadership in Higher Education
Given the unique potential of higher education to lead the way in responding to the new religious and civic realities in America, an essential question emerges: to what extent is the collegiate experience preparing students to be successful leaders in our religiously diverse society?
An interfaith discussion was held on Wednesday, May 12, 2021 from 12:30 p.m. to 1:30 p.m. EST
The College of Agriculture and Natural Resources (CANR) Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) Committee is developing a college-wide action plan to enhance diversity, close achievement gaps, and create a welcoming physical and cultural environment. Student input is critical to this process.
We invite the entire CANR community — undergraduate and graduate students, staff and faculty — to attend a 90-minute virtual town hall. CANR administration and the DEI Committee will offer insight on action steps we have taken and plan to take, as well as address student concerns submitted through an anonymous student survey.
Now available for the UD Community:
The Future of STEM
With ever-changing economic factors, now is a daunting time to seek employment. Experts in several STEM fields - cybersecurity, medicine, technology and applied statistics - shared their insights on emerging career opportunities with Diversity in Action.
One of the panelists speaking to this topic is Dr. Thomas W. Ilvento is a professor and former chair of the Department of Applied Economics and Statistics at the University of Delaware, which is a founding partner in the master's in data science program and offers an under- graduate statistics major, a master of science in statistics, and a master's in applied statistics that is administered online.
Compliance Hotline
The Compliance Hotline is designed to receive reports regarding compliance, and ethical issues as well as other concerns related to accounting and financial controls, athletics, human resources, information technologies, research, and risk and safety matters.
Examples of reportable issues include conflicts of interest, unlawful discrimination or harassment and research grant misconduct.
No retaliatory action will be taken against anyone for reporting or inquiring in good faith about potential breaches of UD policies and procedures or for seeking guidance on how to handle suspected misconduct.
Title IX Policies & Reporting
Title IX is a federal law that prohibits discrimination based on the sex of employees and students of educational institutions that receive federal financial assistance. Title IX’s prohibition of sexual discrimination includes prohibition of sexual harassment and sexual violence.
Any student, faculty, or staff member with questions or concerns about the applicable University policies or who believes that he or she has been the victim of sex discrimination, sexual harassment, sexual assault, dating/ domestic violence is encouraged to contact the University’s Title IX Coordinator.
Non-Discrimination Statement
The University of Delaware does not discriminate against any person on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, genetic information, marital status, disability, religion, age, veteran status or any other characteristic protected by applicable law in its employment, educational programs and activities, admissions policies, and scholarship and loan programs as required by Title IX of the Educational Amendments of 1972, the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, and other applicable statutes and University policies. The University of Delaware also prohibits unlawful harassment including sexual harassment and sexual violence.
UD to host professional learning conference for educators