Our student-faculty Climate and Belonging Committee works to shape departmental diversity initiatives and to increase transparency and accountability by documenting our efforts and plans. View the committee’s meeting minutes and updates.
Task Forces
Communications (Website/Newsletter)
Goal: Keep track of our committee’s initiatives and communicate them publicly via the website, social media, email, and newsletter.
Description: Communicate our ongoing climate and belonging initiatives to the department and the community and provides a transparent record of our progress and plans to increase accountability and convey our commitment to the ideals of Climate and Belonging in a public way.
Peer Mentoring
Goal: Enhance the experience of students in the CS&D program through tailored resources, guidance, and community-building efforts.
Description: The Peer Mentoring Task Force regularly meets to understand and address the needs of students. The task force aims to help students build connections with peers, and compiles resource packets for incoming international students, covering grad school applications, housing, and clinical hour requirements. They develop ongoing support resources for students throughout their programs and careers and drive discussions and initiatives promoting climate and belonging.
Outreach & Access in CSD
Goal: Promote awareness and accessibility of the field of CSD among underrepresented student populations through targeted outreach and education.
Description: Presents to local high schools, community colleges, UW FIGS, local organizations, etc. about the field of CSD, career options, and encourages exploration of CSD-related educational opportunities.
Student Discussion Groups
Goal: Organize discussion groups, one for students and one for faculty/staff, creating spaces where individuals feel safe to discuss diversity, equity, and inclusion topics.
Description: Organize, schedule, and facilitate discussion groups around climate and belonging issues. Points of contact coordinate meeting scheduling and task force members rotate in helping to choose readings/videos, write discussion prompts, prepare materials for the group meetings, moderate the discussions, order and deliver food for student discussions, and share resources for attendees to continue education following discussions.
Faculty Discussion Groups
Goal: Organize 2 discussion groups for faculty/staff each fall and spring term
Description: Organize, schedule, and facilitate discussion groups for faculty and staff around climate and belonging issues. Faculty task force members often align discussion topics to coincide with the student discussion group. Selection of discussion content is typically aligned with a recent Professional Seminar provided to all faculty. Preparation of materials for the group meetings, moderation of the discussions, and sharing of resources after the discussion group is also the responsibility of the faculty task force members.
Student Advocacy Task Force
Goal: Connects students to other peers in similar identity groups to foster community and provide resources and solutions to promote and empower students with the skills needed to engage in self-advocacy.
Description: Engage with peers in specific identity groups (e.g., BIPOC, LGBTQ+) by creating a safe space to discuss topics related to climate, belonging, and cultural sensitivity. Offers assistance with mediating conversations and/or creating a space to listen to concerns. Connects students to other peers and/or faculty, as well as resources in the field, such as ASHA Caucuses.
We last assessed the task forces on February 2024