William & Mary's Commitment to Diversity and Inclusion: A Comprehensive Overview

William & Mary, as a leading university with over 300 years of history, recognizes the importance of fostering a diverse and inclusive environment where all members of its community feel supported and valued. With belonging as one of its core values, the university has undertaken various initiatives to promote diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) across its academic, research, and community engagement endeavors. This article delves into the multifaceted approach William & Mary employs to cultivate a welcoming and equitable campus for students, faculty, staff, and alumni.

Core Values and Action-Oriented Approach

William & Mary is committed to moving beyond mere statements and taking concrete action to accelerate positive change. The university recognizes the importance of collective effort in ensuring that William & Mary is a place where all faculty, students, staff, and alumni feel supported and their different perspectives are affirmed.

Inclusive Excellence Programs and Initiatives

To strengthen its academic excellence, William & Mary directs resources towards key inclusive excellence programs and initiatives. These programs aim to enhance student success, foster a welcoming campus climate, and promote research and scholarship on diversity-related topics.

Student Inclusive Excellence & Support

This initiative focuses on enhancing the success of students both in and out of the classroom and creating a climate on campus that is inclusive and welcoming to all students.

The Lemon Project

The Lemon Project contributes to and encourages scholarship on the more than 300-year relationship between African Americans and W&M.

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Faculty/Research Support

This area funds training, outreach, programs, and research that work toward a more inclusive university community, both locally and globally. This includes lecture series and other initiatives to promote dialogue and understanding.

Financial Support for DEI Initiatives

William & Mary has established various funds and scholarships to support DEI initiatives and students from underrepresented backgrounds. These include:

Carroll F. S. Hardy Scholarship Endowment

Honors the late Dr. Carroll F.S. Hardy and supports students who embody his commitment to diversity and inclusion.

Dr. Betty Shabazz Lecture Endowment

Honors the late Dr. Betty Shabazz and supports lectures that promote dialogue on issues of diversity, social justice, and human rights.

EY Diversity and Inclusiveness Fund

Supports and promotes diversity and inclusiveness learning at the Raymond A. Mason School of Business.

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Hulon L. Willis, Sr. National Pan-Hellenic Council Garden

Provides support for costs associated with the design of a plot at William & Mary to recognize historically African-American fraternities and sororities.

Stuart Calvin, Frances Gloria, and Julie E. Williams Fund for Diversity Programming

This fund supports IDEA grants, which provide funding for proposals that advance DEI principles on campus.

Innovative Diversity Efforts Awards (IDEA)

The Innovative Diversity Efforts Awards (IDEA) program provides grants to faculty, staff, and students for projects that advance DEI principles on campus. These grants, typically ranging from $500 to $1,500, support a wide range of initiatives. Since 2011, IDEA grants have funded projects touching on issues related to race and ethnicity, neurodiversity, gender and sexuality, and language and culture.

Examples of IDEA-Funded Projects

A lecture series on race and religion, led by Endowed Professor of Judaic Studies Michael Daise, brings scholars from diverse backgrounds to W&M’s campus.
An American Sign Language class operated by the W&M Libraries Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Committee.
The Mentoring for Careers in Physics Pilot Program for Undergraduate Women.
A workshop series that integrates DEI into the classroom at W&M’s Virginia Institute of Marine Science (VIMS).

Addressing Concerns and Resistance

Recent changes, such as renaming the Chief Diversity Officer position to Senior Advisor to the President and the Center for Student Diversity to the Student Center for Inclusive Excellence, have raised concerns about the university's commitment to DEI. Some students worry that these changes are capitulations to political pressure and may lead to funding cuts. However, the university administration maintains that these changes do not affect the functioning of DEI programs or the support provided to marginalized students.

A Call for Resistance and Action

Some members of the William & Mary community argue that the university should resist external pressures to dismantle DEI programs. They point to examples of other universities that have successfully challenged such efforts and emphasize the importance of using the university's endowment to protect the interests of marginalized students.

Institutional Structures and Policies

William & Mary has implemented various institutional structures and policies to support DEI. These include:

Office of Inclusive Excellence

The Office of Inclusive Excellence plays a guiding role in leading inclusive initiatives across the university.

Grant Application Process

Faculty, staff, students, and organizations across campus are eligible to apply for IDEA grants. Grant awards typically range from $500-$1,500 and are based on project need. Awardees are required to submit a summary report evaluating the project's outcomes.

University Policies and Regulations

Organizations and individuals awarded a grant from the Endowment agree to abide by all university policies and regulations, including accounting policies.

Commitment to Historical Accuracy and Reconciliation

William & Mary acknowledges its complex history, including its connections to slavery and racial discrimination. The university has taken steps to address this history through initiatives such as:

The Hearth Memorial to the Enslaved

The "Hearth Memorial to the Enslaved" is dedicated to recognize, discuss, and memorialize the enslaved people who labored at William & Mary.

Renaming Buildings and Departments

The College has renamed several buildings and departments that honored "supporters of the Confederacy or Jim Crow segregation."

Land Acknowledgement

The University released a "Land Acknowledgement" which acknowledges "the Indigenous peoples who are the original inhabitants of the lands our campus is on today."

Ongoing Initiatives and Programs

William & Mary offers a variety of ongoing initiatives and programs to promote DEI, including:

Diversity & Inclusion Training

New Hires are required to complete "Diversity & Inclusion" training within the first 90 days of employment.

W&M Scholars Scholarship

The W&M Scholars Scholarship is awarded to high-achieving students from first-generation or limited-income backgrounds, with a special interest in "diverse" students with diverse perspectives.

Sports Medicine Camp "Ethnic Diversity" Scholarship

To be eligible students must be of an ethnic minority.

One Book, One Community

The "One Book, One Community" annual program focuses on race and racism in America, using books like "Stamped: Racism, Antiracism, and You" by Dr. Ibram X. Kendi.

Center for Racial & Social Justice

W&M's Center for Racial & Social Justice is a university-wide initiative that focuses on conducting research, educating, and engaging in antiracist and social justice work.

Diversity & Inclusion Symposium

The University hosts an annual Diversity & Inclusion Symposium.

Antiracism Curriculum Resources

The School of Education provides "Antiracism Curriculum Resources" for faculty and staff.

Strategic Goals and Plans

The University has a goal to increase "undergraduate student enrollment from historically underrepresented and underserved populations" by implementing "new gateway initiatives to make W&M a preferred destination for underserved populations," making the "application process more inclusive and equitable," and by increasing "scholarship support for undergraduate students to promote affordability," among other strategies. Student Affairs plans that RA and Head Staff will receive training in August, "centrally around D.E.I. introductory topics." The Provost, deans, and faculty leadership will try to incorporate research on racial dynamics and disparities into the curricula.

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