Create
CREATE A STRONGER CULTURE OF INCLUSION AND BELONGING
Christopher Newport University will provide opportunities and embrace all who wish to belong and thrive in a community committed to inclusion, accessibility, and excellence. This community will be grounded in our core values of honor, scholarship, service, and leadership.
CNU will offer a culture of caring and kindness, as these qualities are integral to a community that embraces the full spectrum of human attributes and experiences. We will engage and learn from one another through active listening and respect for freedom of speech and expression. We also will prepare students to thrive in an interconnected world through modeling global and intercultural fluency and competence.
Goal 1 - Cultivate a culture of inclusion in which every individual feels valued, respected, and empowered.
Establish and maintain a comprehensive diversity, equity, and inclusion strategic plan and strengthen infrastructure to effectively support progress and achievements (ref. VA §2.2-602).
Establish the President’s Council on Inclusive Excellence to support ongoing efforts to create a culture of inclusion and belonging.
Encourage and facilitate constructive dialogue that advances a culture of active listening, conflict resolution, freedom of expression, and free speech.
Foster a positive work environment to ensure CNU is an employer of choice.
Goal 2 - Develop and implement comprehensive initiatives that foster a welcoming, supportive, and accessible campus environment ensuring equitable access to resources, opportunities, and support systems for all members of the university community.
Advance inclusive excellence by recruiting, retaining, and engaging students, faculty, and staff of diverse backgrounds and perspectives.
Review all institutional policies, practices, and decision-making processes to ensure they are supportive and provide opportunities for all.
Create and sustain inclusive and accessible spaces and provide platforms for advocacy, dialogue, collaboration, and community-building to foster a sense of belonging.
Collaborate with community leaders and stakeholders to identify and address opportunities and institutional barriers to advance broader engagement with our local community.
Utilize inclusive assessment practices to provide necessary information to promote diversity, opportunity, and inclusion throughout the institution.
Goal 3 - Create an inclusive and respectful learning environment that values diverse perspectives, backgrounds, and experiences for all so that Christopher Newport is the most inclusive university in Virginia.
Cultivate a culture that embraces innovative and inclusive pedagogical approaches to foster student growth and development, evaluate the effectiveness of these approaches, and remove barriers to success.
Provide opportunities for comprehensive education, training, and professional development for faculty and staff, to enhance a culture of inclusive leadership.
Integrate diverse perspectives and voices into the curriculum and across disciplines through teaching, research, and immersive opportunities.