Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion
The Department of Geography, Sustainability, Community, and Urban Studies is committed to encouraging, promoting, supporting, and sustaining an inclusive environment of a diverse community of faculty, staff, and students.
Our Priorities
Our vision and initiatives are centered around the justice, equity, diversity, and inclusion (JEDI) principles. We believe that it is essential to recognize JEDI in teaching, mentoring, research, and service at UConn and in our external, professional activities.
Justice
Justice is an umbrella concept that acknowledges the validity of multiple perspectives. Fostering a culture of justice creates opportunities for diverse groups of people to thrive together.
Equity
Equity ensures everyone has access to opportunities and resources to thrive. We seek to identify, understand, and transform the social, economic, environmental, and political drivers of structural inequities through our pedagogical, professional, and scholarly work.
Diversity
We embrace a broad definition of diversity that encompasses race, ethnicity, gender, national origin, religion, disability, sexuality, socioeconomic status, education, and other factors. We value diversity of thought, including a range of ideas, perspectives, and values.
Inclusion
Inclusion is the attitude and act of cultivating a positive environment in which diverse individuals and groups feel welcomed, respected, supported, and valued to fully participate.
Diversity Initiatives
Our Department’s diversity initiatives closely align with the missions of the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences (CLAS), the Office for Diversity and Inclusion, and the American Association of Geographers.
Diversity in GIS Program
Sponsored by the CLAS Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Initiatives, this program aims to support underrepresented students in geographic information science (GIS). We help students advance their careers by awarding grants and one-on-one mentorship opportunities to develop research projects. They are also provided with exclusive opportunities to showcase their projects and network with professionals at various University events.
Urban Scholars Program
The Urban Scholars Program supports the co-development of research projects by Ph.D. students at the main campus and undergraduate students from UConn’s regional campuses. These research projects focus on urban studies, broadly defined. The initiative aims to create individualized capstone experiences for undergraduate students at the regional campuses who aspire to become researchers, while also offering early mentoring opportunities for Ph.D. students.
Land Acknowledgement
We acknowledge that the land on which we gather in the territory of the Mohegan, Mashantucket Pequot, Eastern Pequot, Schaghticoke, Golden Hill Paugussett, Nipmuc, and Lenape Peoples, who have stewarded this land throughout the generations. We thank them for their strength and resilience in protecting this land and aspire to uphold our responsibilities according to their example.