The University of Wisconsin–Madison Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders is committed to eliminating bias, discrimination, and systemic racism. We commit to this work in our department, on campus, and in our field to effect sustained change. We affirm our dedication to learn about racial inequities and to ensure that immediate and long-term change is embedded in every aspect of our profession—in our hiring practices, student and faculty recruitment and retention, teaching practices, and clinical training. We pledge to do our part to eliminate hatred, racism, bigotry and discrimination collectively and in community with our colleagues, nation- and world-wide. We pledge to ensure that all students, faculty, staff, visitors and clients feel welcome and valued and supported.
We believe that systemic racism must end. We acknowledge that systemic racism can and has already resulted in the unfair treatment of individuals, with outcomes that include trauma and suffering of racialized and minoritized people, including Black people, Indigenous people, and other people of color.
The mission of our department is to provide exemplary educational programs that prepare the next generation of scholars, clinicians, educators, and leaders in the fields of communication sciences and disorders; to conduct state-of-the-art basic, translational, and clinical research in the areas of speech, language, hearing, swallowing, and balance; to offer accessible, culturally competent, evidence-based clinical care for all people with disorders in communication, balance, and swallowing; to engage in outreach activities that directly benefit professional colleagues, students, and individuals and their families in the community; and to promote a welcoming and open environment where all can learn and engage.
We commit to educating and mentoring our students to become audiologists, speech-language pathologists, and researchers who serve and treat all people equally. We define diversity as the range of identities that impact and influence how people are perceived and treated and how they behave. These include but are not limited to ethnicity, race, age, gender, religion, color, physical and mental abilities, gender identity, sexual orientation, education, and values. A clear challenge in our field is the lack of diversity of our profession, where >90% of people are white and female. We further recognize that the mere presence of diversity does not mean that differences are being leveraged or seen as assets. We believe that an inclusive and engaged environment must be created to allow us to fully benefit from the strengths and talents of all staff, students and faculty. We commit to creating a climate where individuals feel a sense of belonging and being valued for who they are. We commit to an inclusive environment in which barriers to contribution and negative biases are eliminated, and people are respected and able to give their personal best. We commit to ensuring that our students, staff and faculty gain cultural competence, that is, knowledge and attitudes that result in behaviors that help individuals to interact and work effectively in cross-cultural settings and to reduce healthcare disparities.
Learn more about equity, diversity, and inclusion initiatives at UW-Madison.
Campus Resources
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Diversity Inventory
Diversity Inventory, a centralized online database of diversity initiatives: https://diversityinventory.wisc.edu/
Bias Reporting
Campus Multicultural Student Center
Campus Multicultural Student Center
The primary mission of the multicultural student center is to collaboratively strengthen and sustain an inclusive campus where all students, particularly students of color and other historically underserved students, are engaged and can realize an authentic Wisconsin experience.
Native American Center for Health Professions
Native American Center for Health Professions
Among its missions, NACHP is focused on enhancing the recruitment of Native students to UW-Madison health professional schools and programs and improving the Native health professional student experience.
STEM Diversity Network
While several programs on campus offer support to students, faculty and staff from diverse backgrounds, the STEM Diversity Network is a place designed to help all interested in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) careers specifically. This network exists to aid the academic and social advancement of students (undergrad, grad, postdocs) in STEM by providing students with connections to other students, faculty, and resources available to help them succeed.
Multicultural Graduate Network
Multicultural Graduate Network
Sign up for the MGN email list by emailing join-mgnlistserv@lists.wisc.edu.
Housed within the Graduate School, the MGN is a social and networking group devoted to learning and professional development. This organization was originally created to serve the needs of graduate students of color and has recently grown to be an inclusive network for all graduate students on the UW-Madison campus.
SACNAS Student Chapter
SACNAS is a national society dedicated to advancing Hispanics/Chicanos and Native Americans in science and to promoting cultural diversity in the U.S. academic environment. All UW-Madison undergraduate and graduate students who are interested in STEM fields may join SACNAS.
Contact: Ahna Skop, faculty advisor, skop@wisc.edu
Women in Science and Engineering Leadership Institute
Women in Science and Engineering Leadership Institute
WISELI is an on-campus institute dedicated to promoting women scientists. The WISELI website hosts a useful collection of general and sexual-harassment-related information.
Graduate Women in Science
GWIS is a national organization that advances the participation and recognition of women in science and devoted to fostering research through grants, awards, and fellowships. The UW-Madison chapter provides a network for connecting female scientists across campus.
Learn about the GWIS graduate student representatives at http://www.gwisbeta.org/about-gwis/officers/.
LGBT Campus Center
This center offers several programs to support LGBT students on campus and provides training to help make classrooms and departments more inclusive. The LGBTCC staff members also organize a number of special interest groups, including one for graduate students.