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Catholic University of America

Undergraduate School

Mailing Address
620 Michigan Ave, NE
Father O'Connell Hall, Room 102
Washington, District of Columbia 20064
Phone
(202) 319-5305
Email address
cua-admissions@cua.edu
School Information
"The Catholic University of America is a national research university with 5,700 undergraduate and graduate students in more than 250 academic programs on a residential campus in the heart of Washington, D.C." (Source: https://www.catholic.edu/index.html). In addition, "CatholicU offers more than 130 undergraduate programs — all rooted in a strong liberal arts foundation and the Catholic intellectual tradition" (Source: https://www.catholic.edu/index.html). The university was founded in 1887 as a graduate and research institution was was papally chartered, but has since expanded to offer undergraduate education. The institutions student to faculty ratio is 11 to 1.
General Information
CUA has engaged in numerous efforts to support diversity and anti-racism. For example, the Rome School of Music, Drama, and Art recently created its Anti-Racism, Inclusion, and Equity Committee and will engage in anti-racist training for faculty and staff. In addition, the Student Government Association will attempt to institute diversity training as a student orientation requirement in the future. CUA holds numerous events and offers various resources devoted to DEI. See developments below:

Actions Taken

Admissions Policies
  • The Rome School Anti-Racism, Inclusion, and Equity Committee will "increase diversity in admissions" and "create dedicated scholarships."
  • The NCSSS formed an Action Plan, and one of the goals is to "increase recruitment and retention of students from diverse backgrounds." The same will be done for faculty, as well.
Anti-Racism, Bias, and Diversity Training
  • The university's Rome School of Music, Drama, and Art has formed an Anti-Racism, Inclusion, and Equity Committee. One of the committee's goals is to "increase diversity in adjunct professors and part-time hires." In addition, the committee will "create analytic systems for tracking diversity among hires of production staff (directors, designers, artists), and strive for greater equity whenever possible."
  • The Rome School Anti-Racism, Inclusion, and Equity Committee will "hire a diversity and equity consultant to provide anti-racist training for staff and faculty."
  • The NCSSS will "challenge our own racism with critical conversations and action."
  • The Student Government Association hopes to "increase inclusivity by advocating for diversity training at Orientation as well as diversifying LC curriculum."
Disciplinary Measures
  • The Rome School Anti-Racism, Inclusion, and Equity Committee will also "hold Town Hall for students to know how to report micro-aggressions and racism."
Political Actions and Support for Anti-Racism
  • In 2015, the school founded a DEI Task Force within the National Catholic School of Social Service. The Task Force has formed a "Statement of Commitment to Anti-Racism Action."
Program and Research Funding
  • The Department of Physics facilitates nominations for the "Travel Support for Young Researchers" program which is funded by the NSF (National Science Foundation) and provides "funds to partially cover travel, registration, and hotel fees for young researchers, with an emphasis on supporting women and underrepresented minorities."
Resources
  • On July 19, 2021, the school announced that the Associate Dean of Engineering, Mel Williams Jr., will be appointed as "a special assistant to the President to coordinate the University’s efforts to promote diversity and combat instances of racism in our community."
  • The Rome School Anti-Racism, Inclusion, and Equity Committee will "encourage BIPOC students to explore professional opportunities while at CUA, both within and outside of the university." In addition, the committee will hire a Diversity Officer that "could serve as a liaison between undergraduate studies and professional opportunities for students of color."
  • The Rome School Anti-Racism, Inclusion, and Equity Committee will "invite more artists of color to speak, lead master classes and workshops, and work on projects/productions."
  • The NCSSS will "celebrate and bring awareness to all forms of diversity by interfacing with the university and more specifically university programs," "increase inclusivity and celebrations of all individuals within the NCSSS community," and "increase collaboration with student groups on social justice and diversity issues within the school, university and in the larger society."
  • In addition, the NCSSS will "support diversity in curriculum development."
  • CUA offers numerous resources for DEI and anti-racism. One of the anti-racism reading resources is the book, "How to Be an Anti-Racist," written by Ibram X. Kendi.
  • The NCSSS has held a multitude of events dedicated to DEI and anti-racism.
  • CUA has a site dedicated to enlisting "resources for confronting racism."
  • CUA has a Center for Cultural Engagement which hosts events such as the "Intercultural Dialogue with Black Student Alliance" and various other 'intercultural' events.
  • Within the Student Government Association, "the Diversity and Inclusion executive initiative managed to plan a panel dialogue on the treatment of BIPOC students at CUA."
  • In the fall of 2020, CUA released the "Sister Thea Bowman Committee Report," which made recommendations on how the university could advance racial justice and equity.
  • The Academic Affairs Subcommittee recommends "faculty workshops involving groups of faculty facilitators and a compilation of resources for faculty interested in integrating topics pertaining to race into their courses, both to be coordinated by the Center for Teaching Excellence."
  • The Academic Affairs Subcommittee recommends the university "Compile and study data on minority student recruitment and retention."
  • The Academic Affairs Subcommittee recommends that the university "Host a series of faculty panels focused on race-related topics..." whose goal would be "to contribute to a deeper understanding of the moral, social, and political challenges pertaining to race in light of Christian faith."
  • Several Student Government Association Senators at the university co-sponsored "Resolution 030" which is also titled "A Resolution to Encourage an Addition of a Diversity Requirement to the General Education Curriculum." The Association "hereby request the replacement, for all relevant majors, of the current language requirement, which entails completion of an intermediate level of a language, with a diversity curriculum requirement..."
Symbolic Actions
  • The university has been hanging the painting, "Mama" by Kelly Latimore, around the campus. Though the university denies that the painting depicts George Floyd, the artist has indicated that the painting depicts George Floyd as Jesus.
  • NCSSS is asking students to email in their perspectives on DEI to be included on their DEI website.
  • CUA participated in the NCAA Diversity and Inclusion Social Media campaign. Additionally, CUA athletics established an Athletics Diversity and Inclusion Designee as well as an Athletics Diversity and Inclusion Committee as part of "the University's commitment to anti-racism, social justice, and equality."
  • The "University Statement on Racism" reads in part as follows: "We must examine and act when we encounter structures within our own institution, and in the larger Church and society that we serve, that perpetuate division among God’s family and protect unjust privileges for some racial or ethnic groups, rather than serving all the children of God’s family."
Last updated October 4th, 2023
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