Skip to content

Southern Illinois University Edwardsville

Undergraduate School

Mailing Address
Campus Box 1600, SIUE
Edwardsville, Illinois 62026
Phone
(618) 650-3705
Email address
admissions@siue.edu
School Information
"SIUE celebrated its 50th Anniversary in 2007. The institution traces its origin to a farsighted group of concerned parents and business leaders in the community. In 1955, the group began an advocacy campaign to establish a public university." The university's mission is, "In a spirit of collaboration enriched by diverse ideas, our comprehensive and unique array of undergraduate and graduate programs develop professionals, scholars and leaders who shape a changing world" (Source: https://www.siue.edu/about/about-the-university/history.shtml). SIUE has a student to faculty ratio of 17 to 1, with over 13,000 students enrolling in 44 majors.
General Information
Southern Illinois University Edwardsville has been making a series of efforts to integrate diversity, equity, inclusion, and anti-racism within the university. It has created a series of programs and resources to facilitate this. Additionally, the university has started an Anti-Racism Task Force in order to further these initiatives. The Task Force works with both members of the university faculty, staff, and community and also with local government officials and external organizations. The Task Force has 78 subcommittee recommendations on its dashboard. No mandatory Critical Race Training sessions are yet required of students. However, see developments below:

Actions Taken

Admissions Policies
  • The Strategic Plan was set in place to do many things, including its mission to "Optimize enrollment of prepared and diverse students; Increase the recruitment of a diverse student body ready for the evolving challenges of higher education and lifelong learning."
Curriculum Changes and Requirements
  • SIUE incorporates the Inclusive Excellence framework in order to "intentionally integrate diversity and equity into their educational quality efforts, missions and infrastructure."
Political Actions and Support for Anti-Racism
  • The university started the DREAM Collective focused on "dismantling racism through education, advocacy and mobilization."
Program and Research Funding
  • The university has started a Racial and Social Justice Scholarship Endowment that supports SIUE students who "demonstrate a commitment to social justice, diversity, equity and SIUE values, and be willing to participate in anti-racism and social justice efforts on campus."
  • The Truth, Racial Healing and Transformation Campus Center provides resources for social justice structured around "narrative change, racial healing and relationship building, separation, law, and the economy."
  • SIUE appointed a new Assistant Vice Chancellor, Dr. Jessica Harris. She plans on creating a new Inclusive Excellence, Education, and Development Hub that "will create and maintain antiracism, equity, diversity and inclusion (EDI) training."
Resources
  • As part of the Anti-Racism Task Force, "Vice Chancellor of Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Dr. Jessica Harris has put together a working group to develop a concrete action plan to address the marginalization experienced by the East St. Louis campus. This plan will address the needs of the ESLC programs and the Charter High School. Additionally, Provost Cobb is pleased that Dr. Lydia Jackson is now serving as a liaison to facilitate better support between the East St. Louis and Edwardsville campuses."
  • The IMPACT Academy seeks to "Provide faculty and staff with tools and resources to build the awareness and competencies needed to foster cultural humility as the standard of interaction and practice in order to advance Inclusion, Equity and Social Justice (IESJ) at SIUE."
  • "Equity and Excellence at SIUE: Building Our Legacy" was part of a professional development program. The description reads, "As SIUE establishes anti-racism as a core value and institutional norm, it is imperative that ALL members of the campus community identify and understand their unique roles. This presentation will highlight how the new Division for Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion will facilitate opportunities for engagement and promote a culture of awareness, action, and accountability."
  • "Finding Your Voice" was part of a professional development program. The description reads, "This afternoon workshop is presented by Jeff Dess from Trill or Not Trill. Trill or Not Trill is an institute specializing in culturally responsive leadership. Trill or Not Trill offers a suite of workshops referred to as their Anti-Racism Training Lab. Everyone who participates in this workshop will have access to a recording of the workshop for their own personal use and everyone that attends will also receive their anti-racism e-guide."
  • The university created the new "Inclusive Excellence, Education and Development Hub." "The Hub will create and maintain antiracism, equity, diversity and inclusion (EDI) training, programming, educational opportunities and initiatives, as well as EDI-related resources for students, staff, faculty, alumni and community members."
Symbolic Actions
  • The Center for Student Diversity and Inclusion holds programming focused on topics of diversity, including "biweekly Inclusive Conversations brown bag lunch programs," a "10-week Sustained Dialogue program," and "pop-up panels on current events."
  • The Center for Student Diversity and Inclusion also hosts cultural programming that provides "educational opportunities and other programming surrounding the various cultural heritage and history months."
  • The university has appointed a new associate vice chancellor for tudent Opportunities, Equity, Diversity and Inclusion, as well as establishing the new "Office for Strategic Partnerships, Student Pathways and Engagement."
Last updated July 26th, 2022
©2023 Critical Race Training in Education. All rights reserved.