DIIG@DePaul: Inclusive and Accessible Course Design: Diversifying Your Syllabus

Center for Teaching and Learning provides guidelines to help you develop a diversity statement for your syllabus.

When creating a diversity statement for your syllabus, please consider the following questions:

• How does your statement reflect DePaul's mission of inclusion and respect?
• How do you, concretely, recognize and value diversity in your classroom? (For instance, are there mechanisms in place to ensure everyone's voice is heard? Do you use a variety of examples, assignments, and readings to convey course content? Do you have guidelines for respectful discussions?
• How will you handle issues related to diversity when they arise in your course and classroom?
• Do you seek input from your students on classroom climate (i.e, to what extent they feel included and how)?
• What relevant resources exist on campus that could be useful to your students (e.g Office of Multicultural Student Success, Title IX Office, and Identity Specific Cultural and Resource Centers?

A few suggestions to consider when writing your diversity statement:

• Your statement should convey to your students why inclusion and diversity matters and how these values relate to values we espouse at DePaul and in particular to your course, learning outcomes, and desired classroom climate.
• Consider your discipline's history with underrepresented groups, and how disciplinary norms might work to facilitate or become obstacles to dialogue.
• In drafting your diversity statement, ensure that the tone reflects the overall language of the syllabus. Ensuring that the diversity statement flows and complements your syllabus activities and learning outcomes.

DePaul Sample Statement

Respect for Diversity and Inclusion at DePaul University as aligned with our Vincentian Values

At DePaul, our mission calls us to explore "what must be done" in order to respect the inherent dignity and identity of each human person. We value diversity because it's part of our history, our traditions and our future. We see diversity as an asset and a strength that adds to the richness of classroom learning. In my course, I strive to include diverse authors, perspectives and teaching pedagogies. I also encourage open dialogue and spaces for students to express their unique identities and perspectives. I am open to having difficult conversations and I will strive to create an inclusive classroom that values all perspectives. If at any time, the classroom experience does not live up to this expectation, please feel free to contact me via email or during office hours.

For more example statements review Inclusive Syllabus Tools, a DePaul Teaching Commons resource.

Adopted from Eberly Center: Teaching Excellence and Educational Innovation. Carnegie Mellon University.