Staff members in discussion

Diversity Committees

The Office for Institutional Equity and Diversity convenes the following committees.

Committees at NC State promote campus diversity by providing a forum for students, faculty, staff and other stakeholders to anticipate and respond to the challenges of campus and community life. Whether solving problems, offering solutions, developing recommendations or formulating policies and procedures, diversity committees throughout campus are often the first place to take issues or concerns concerning diversity.

Purpose

The NC State African American Faculty and Staff Organization (AAFSO) is an independent self-governing organization seeking effective representation of issues primarily concerning the African American community at North Carolina State University. Its objective is to develop programs that inform and support faculty and staff and to provide opportunities for professional growth and advancement to all members of the African American community.

Our three main purposes are:

  • Create an enlightened environment where issues of inequity and injustice can be effectively identified, directly challenged and intelligently discussed.
  • Promote the recruitment and retention, promotion, tenure, professional development and career advancement of Black faculty and staff at the university.
  • Expand and strengthen the relationship and involvement of Black faculty and staff with the wider university community.

Mission

The main goal of AAFSO is to create a community on campus. The association was formed in the 1970s. Its official mission is to foster a greater sense of community and mutual support among the Black faculty and staff of the university through mentoring and networking in an effort to provide an organized support system that will enhance the cultural diversity within the university, as well as enhance and support the academic mission of the university.

Website: African American Faculty and Staff Organization

Purpose

The AIAC seeks to:

  • Develop new and strengthen existing partnerships between NC State, alumni and the American Indian tribes and urban organizations of North Carolina;
  • Promote a campus climate conducive to meeting the cultural and educational needs of the American Indian community at NC State;
  • Promote collective work, expand initiatives and strategically design new initiatives for outreach, recruitment, retention and graduation of American Indian students;
  • Promote and support academic and professional access and success of American Indian students, faculty and staff at NC State;
  • Assist NC State in seeking to strengthen functions and services for American Indian families and communities;
  • Promote support services and educational programs that serve the needs of American Indian students;
  • Effectively share research findings and information across the university to promote strategic planning;
  • Ensure that all ten colleges at NC State are vested in initiatives and programs for recruiting, enrolling, retaining and graduating American Indian students;
  • Recommend and establish policies and initiatives that advance the university’s goals to create an environment where American Indian faculty, staff and students are able to engage and strengthen their advocacy and presence on campus.

Mission

NC State acknowledges its mission as a land-grant university that encompasses efforts to provide outreach in the delivery of quality education to all citizens of the state of North Carolina. In order to enhance the university’s ability to communicate and build relationships with North Carolina’s American Indian tribes and urban organizations so as to promote mutual cooperation, we seek to increase NC State University’s efforts in the understanding of American Indian issues and concerns. The NC State University American Indian Advisory Council (AIAC) is both an internal working group and an external advisory committee comprised of students, faculty, staff, administrators, tribal and community leaders. The council shall advise and report to the provost of NC State University and be convened by the Office for Institutional Equity and Diversity to address the culturally relevant needs of current and future American Indian students at NC State University, and the staff and faculty serving them, as well as to promote the education and self-determination of American Indian tribal communities. It is the ultimate goal to fulfill NC State University’s mission in making it the “university of choice” for the original people of North Carolina.

Contact: Brian Peters

Purpose

The Chancellor’s African American Community Advisory Council advises the chancellor on matters to promote university and African-American community relationships of mutual benefit and serves as a bridge between the two entities.

Contact: Sheri Schwab

Mission

The mission of the Council on the Status of Women is to support equity for women, faculty, staff and students by advocating their rights, values and professional principles and by providing opportunities, counsel and leadership to promote a diverse and inclusive university community.

Purpose

The NC State Council on the Status of Women is charged with advising the provost on matters related to the professional development and support of all NC State women on- and off- campus, including faculty, staff and students. Specifically, the Council is charged with reviewing annually and reporting to the provost on the following matters:

  •  advice related to the enhancement of an atmosphere that supports and promotes realizing the potential of all NC State women on- and off- campus;
  • advice related to policy matters pertaining to women, including policies related to employment, salary equity and career mobility of faculty and staff and to academic performance of students. In particular, the Council should carefully review the equity of all NC State salaries on- and off-campus;
  • advice related to women’s programs and campus activities that have an impact on NC State women on- and off- campus; and
  • advice related to campus networks for information, communication and cooperation on issues, women’s needs and opportunities for field faculty and staff and employees off-campus.

The Council selects its own chair and recorder for one-year terms. These terms may be renewed once.

See the Council on the Status of Women website for more information.

Purpose

The  Hispanic/Latinx Advisory Group (HLAG) is both a working group and an advisory group comprised of students, faculty, staff, administrators and community leaders that ensures that the needs of current and future Hispanic/Latinx students are met. This group is convened by the Office for Institutional Equity and Diversity to promote collective work efforts across the university, while also fostering relationships with community organizations and school districts to make NC State the “university of choice” for Hispanic/Latinx families.

Charge

  • promote collective work, expand current initiatives and strategically design new initiatives for outreach, recruitment, retention and graduation of Hispanic/Latinx students;
  • effectively share and interconnect research and critical information across the university to promote strategic planning;
  • ensure that all colleges are represented and vested in initiatives and programs for recruiting, admitting, retaining and graduating Hispanic/Latinx undergraduate and graduate students;
  • stay abreast of university, state, national and international trends, as well as the diverse needs of Hispanic/Latinx communities in North Carolina as it relates to access and education;
  • recommend and advocate for policies that advance the university’s goals to create an environment which fosters success for Hispanic/Latinx faculty, staff and students.

Contacts: Melissa Ramirez

Charge

NC State University is committed to excellence in developing and sustaining programs that support the experience of our current and future military veteran students and their families. In pursuit of this goal, the Office for Institutional Equity and Diversity convenes the Military Affairs Committee monthly to discuss topics of relevance and concern to this important and growing student population. This is done in concert with efforts to promote “Best Practices in Veterans Affairs” across the UNC System, as led by the UNC General Administration and the UNC Partnership for National Security.

This committee serves as a university resource on the UNC Regulation for Military Success. This regulation provides a framework for the constituent institutions of the University of North Carolina to develop and maintain a comprehensive network of services for military-affiliated students seeking to meet their educational goals. This regulation implements the requirements of UNC Policy Manual, Section 700.7.1 and intends to promote the general welfare of service members, veterans, spouses and dependent family members at the constituent institutions. Specifically, this report provides guidance on the following aspects of a military-affiliated student’s experience:

  • admission of active duty service members and veterans;
  • data collection and reporting on military-affiliated students;
  • residency status for military-affiliated students;
  • campus support structures for military-affiliated students;
  • faculty and staff support training;
  • military learning and academic credit;
  • service member call to duty.

Resources

Contact: Nick Drake

Purpose

The focus of the Multicultural Faculty Group is on recruiting and retaining faculty from underrepresented groups, on promoting faculty diversity and on networking opportunities for NC State faculty. The group maintains a Google group that communicates information and hosts discussion about faculty diversity and inclusion.

Contact: Melvin “Jai” Jackson

Purpose

The duties of the Staff Senate Diversity Committee shall be to make recommendations to the Staff Senate regarding diversity on NC State’s campus. These recommendations include working with the university to develop its Diversity Initiative by: helping to further define diversity on campus; developing methods to measure the university’s progress toward the achievement of its goals and objectives; receiving employee concerns regarding diversity in their area or throughout the campus and making recommendations to the Staff Senate; and periodically reviewing the University’s Diversity Initiative for areas which can be improved upon.

See the Staff Senate website for more information.