Academic Committee on Equity, Diversity, Inclusion, and Social Justice (EDISJ)

Mission Statement:The College of Professional and Global Education (CPGE) Equity, Diversity, Inclusion, and Social Justice (EDISJ) Committee recognizes the value of diversity in persons and perspectives of the academic departments and associated faculty, staff and students. The CPGE EDISJ Committee advances the conversation on issues related to equity and diversity and serves as a channel for social change. Our mission is to ensure a diverse, equitable, culturally conscious and inclusive environment among the academic departments of CPGE including all faculty, staff and students through active dialogue and initiatives that promote the University’s commitment to diversity and inclusive excellence.

Purpose: Under the direction of the Associate Dean for Academics, the College of Professional and Global Education have set the following objectives:

  • Engage faculty, staff, and students of the academic departments to support and promote diversity
  • Create educational programming addressing issues of diversity
  • Advocate issues of diversity for faculty, staff, and students of the academic departments
  • Promote understanding and appreciation throughout the College academic departments for all aspects of diversity
  • Assess CPGE’s academic departments’ diversity, equity and inclusion plans
  • Ensure College academic departments’ policies are inclusive and equitable, and promote diversity
  • Work to remove systemic structural barriers or policies opposed to diversity, equity and inclusion
  • Collaborate with existing University, College, and student groups working to promote diversity, equity and inclusion

Committee charge:The EDISJ Committee seeks to increase awareness of diversity, social justice, and maintain an inclusive environment for the College academic departments' faculty, staff and students through:

  • Sponsoring activities and events for the College that celebrate diversity, social justice and bring about awareness
  • Creating professional development opportunities
  • Recognizing academic departments’ faculty, staff and students that have demonstrated a commitment to diversity
  • Publicizing information about diversity related events within the College and throughout the campus
  • Encouraging a wide spectrum of diversity within the College academic departments

Committee composition: The committee consists of two representatives from each Department/School within CPGE, one of the members will be chosen as the committee chair from one of the units.

Committee Members: 2023-2024

  • Souvick Ghosh (School of Information)
  • Ulia Gosart (School of Information)
  • Darra Hofman (School of Information)
  • Guannan Liu (Applied Data Science)
  • Mohammad Masum (Applied Data Science)
  • Vishnu Pendyala (Applied Data Science)
  • Michele Villagran (Chair, School of Information)
  • Sandy Hirsh (Associate Dean for Academics, College Representative)