Diversity on Campus:
Monthly Newsletter | August 2023
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Welcome to the August Issue of Diversity on Campus!
Summer break has come to an end and the start of the 2023-2024 school year has begun.
The Division of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion welcomes the newest students, faculty and staff to OUβs campus and is excited to strengthen connections with returning members of the OU community.
Thank you for letting us take part in your experience at OU. We cannot wait to continue building a community of impact, care and belonging during this year!
Sincerely,
ο»ΏDEI Team
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You Belong Here
Hello, my name is Dr. Belinda Higgs Hyppolite, and I serve as your vice president and chief diversity officer. It is my honor to welcome some and to say welcome back to others as we begin this fall semester. We are excited about what this new season will bring at the university. The Division of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion is here to serve you. We offer programs, workshops, activities, engagement and outreach opportunities to help you better know each other and the campus community. We hope you will meet someone new and attend a program or event you never attended before. But more importantly, we hope that OU becomes your new home away from home.
The units housed within the Division of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion are the Accessibility and Disability Resource Center, providing support to students with visible or invisible disabilities; the Office of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, which provides workshops, community-building events and outreach and engagement activities for the campus; and the TRIO Center, which encompasses three programs; Upward Bound, preparing high schoolers for graduation and beyond; Project Threshold, a college-age student support service program; and McNair Scholars, which prepares undergraduate students for graduate school.
The divisionβs theme this year is βImpact Starts With Belonging.β We hope you will find your community of supporters and care while you are with us. If we can do anything to make your transition to campus smoother, don't hesitate to reach out. Welcome to the University of Oklahoma, where βThereβs Only One.β You belong here!
Warmly,
Vice President | Chief Diversity Officer
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Belonging Week
The Division of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion is excited to extend a warm invitation to Belonging Week 2023 from September 18 to September 22. This yearβs theme is βImpact Starts With Belonging.β
βWe have a fantastic lineup of events planned to foster inclusivity, diversity and a strong sense of belonging within our campus community!β - Adisha Waghamarae, director for the Office of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion
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Neighborhood Table - Collaboration Event with the Career Center and Paycom
Date: Tuesday, Sept. 19
Time: 11:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.
Location: South Oval
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Neighborhood Table is back and better than ever! This year, we are partnering with the Career Center and Paycom to create an βEmpowered Workersβ series that will bring in our successful alumni for a mini career fair and an opportunity to connect with a mentor within a specific field of study.
Join us for a delicious free lunch provided by our local vendors, including Taste of India and Jollofβs Jollof. This will be an excellent opportunity to mingle with company recruiters and discuss their organization's DEI initiatives.
Letβs build connections and create a community that cares for one another!
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Movie in the Park with the ADRC - βDungeons and Dragonsβ
Date: Wednesday, Sept. 20
Time: 5 p.m.
Location: South Oval
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Lights, camera and action! Movie in the Park with ADRC is here, and this time, we are screening βDungeons and Dragons,β a captivating film that will spark meaningful conversations about accessibility and disability in the film industry. Join us on the South Oval for an enchanting outdoor movie experience under the stars. Please bring your friends and family and be part of the conversation to make our campus more inclusive and welcoming for everyone.
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TRIO Center Open Day - Explore the World of TRIO
Date: Thursday, Sept. 21
Time: Noon to 1:30 p.m.
Location: Wagner Hall
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Curious about the incredible services TRIO offers? TRIO Center Open Day is the perfect opportunity to discover the wide range of resources available to our students. From academic support to mentorship and beyond, TRIO plays a pivotal role in empowering students to succeed. Meet new people, ask questions and learn how we can work together to ensure every student feels valued and supported on their educational journey.
We sincerely hope you and your team can join us for these enriching events during Belonging Week 2023. Your participation will help create an inclusive and caring community on campus where every individual feels like they truly belong.
Thank you for your ongoing support, and we look forward to seeing you at Belonging Week 2023.
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Office of DEI
During summer 2023, the Office of DEI, in partnership with several campus organizations, organized a welcome package campaign for incoming international students.
Project coordinator and graduate research assistant Aida Sertovic says, βInternational students are a group that often goes unnoticed in discussions centered around diversity. Itβs crucial that we acknowledge their presence and the challenges they face. Doing so is vital for nurturing a sense of belonging here at the University of Oklahoma. I believe that this project marks a significant stride in that direction. Itβs anticipated to have a meaningful impact, ensuring that our international students feel welcomed in their new environment and supported in their transition and adaptation to university life.β
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TRIO Center
Over the course of six weeks, OU Upward Bound students had the opportunity to live and learn on the OU Norman campus through the annual Summer Academic Institute program.
This academic camp provided students with courses in math, science, English, technology and foreign languages to help them prepare for the next school year while also learning what it feels like to be a college student.
In addition to courses, students are connected to guest speakers, mentors, campus resources, facilities and financial literacy resources. Participants also participated in educational field trips. The goal of SAI is to support soon-to-be first-generation college students by providing the time, space and resources necessary to prepare for success in and out of the classroom.
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Accessibility and Disability
ο»ΏResource Center
The ADRC welcomes everyone back for the fall 2023 semester! We are excited to work with familiar faces and meet new ones as well. We have given our website a completely new look and are excited about its new potential to better support our OU community.
The ADRC is here to help at any point throughout the semester and it is never too late to register. If you are curious about receiving accommodations then we encourage you to reach out to us.
As the upcoming semester approaches, digital accessibility specialist, Megan Guffin says, βThe ADRC has gone through many changes as we approach the fall semester. Please help us welcome both old and new names and faces that brighten our center and diligently support our students! And to our students, we canβt wait to begin this new semester with you!β
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Campus-Wide
News and Involvement Opportunities
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Become a Catalyst of Change With D.O.V.
To help ensure the university is a place of belonging for all, join the Diversity Outreach Volunteer program.
As a D.O.V., you can help foster community as you develop connections across campuses.
Are you ready?
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The Division of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion wants to provide its campus partners the ability to share their events, webinars, tutorials and other items related to DEI. If selected, your materials will be listed on the DEI website. |
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Workshops and Development |
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Office of DEI Trainings
In a community of care, members are engaged in continuous education via workshops and training sessions like the ones scheduled by the Office of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion.
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OU Employee Resource Groups
At OU, the Employee Resource Groups are an open forum for individuals with a shared identity to build community and a place of belonging.
ERGs are available at all three campuses and include Black faculty and staff, African American faculty and staff (OU Health), Latinx Coalition, Indigenous faculty and staff Circle, LGBTQ+ faculty and staff, Iranian faculty and staff and Asian Pacific Islander Desi Indian faculty and staff.
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Observance Calendar: Fall 2023
In a community of belonging holidays, religious celebrations, days of remembrance and visibility and other socio-cultural observances are an essential part of identity.
ο»ΏThis calendar provides our community with a robust overview of these observances throughout the fall semester.
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Give to the Division of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion
The Division of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion uses gifts to support the activities of the vice president, including funding grants, sponsorships, events, lectures and diversity workshops among our university students and larger OU community members, with the aim of creating more access and opportunities towards success for the community.
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For that and for all the additional support we receive, we thank you!
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Division of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion | United We Stand
The University of Oklahoma is an equal-opportunity institution.
ou.edu/eoo
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