- Mailing Address
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210 S College Ave
Newark, Delaware 19716 - Phone
- (302) 831-2792
- Email address
- admissions@udel.edu
- Website
- https://www.udel.edu/
- School Information
- "The University of Delaware exists to cultivate learning, develop knowledge, and foster the free exchange of ideas. State-assisted yet privately governed, the University has a strong tradition of distinguished scholarship, which is manifested in its research and creative activities, teaching, and service, in line with its commitment to increasing and disseminating scientific, humanistic, artistic, and social knowledge for the benefit of the larger society. Founded in 1743 and chartered by the state in 1833, the University of Delaware today is a land-grant, sea-grant, and space-grant university." The university enrolls over 23,600 students, has a 12:1 studnet-faculty ratio, and offers over 400 academic programs across its 10 schools. (Source: https://www.udel.edu/about/) (Source: https://www.udel.edu/about/facts-figures/)
- General Information
- The University of Delaware set up an anti-racist steering committee with numerous subcommittees which cover the historical study of racism and the university's relations with law enforcement, among a few topics. Additionally, the university provided multiple speaker series events for students, featuring those well-versed in and in support of Critical Race Theory. No mandatory Critical Race Training sessions are yet required of students. However, see developments below:
Actions Taken
- Anti-Racism, Bias, and Diversity Training
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The Office of Student Diversity and Inclusion provides various diversity trainings and workshops on such topics as implicit bias, cultural appropriation, and microaggressions.
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UD's Strategic Plan states that it would "[p]rovide faculty with ongoing training and resources to ensure individuals...understand diversity, equity and social justice concepts to help facilitate open and productive dialogue in their classes."
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- Curriculum Changes and Requirements
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The Bachelors of English (BA) four-year plan, through UD's Department of English, includes a "Cultural Diversity Requirement" for second year students.
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General Education at UD has a "Multicultural Course Requirement" whose purpose is to "provide students with some awareness of and sensitivity to cultural pluralism, an increasing necessity for educated persons in a diverse world."
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UD's Strategic Plan states that it would "[r]eview and revise the academic curriculum in response to faculty needs to integrate diversity, equity and inclusion concepts, where appropriate, and provide pedagogical support to help faculty develop related material for their courses, consistent with evolving practices of peer institutions."
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- Program and Research Funding
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As part of its Anti-Racism initiative, the university will join "a consortium of universities studying the history of slavery as it relates to their own institutions."
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The University of Delaware's Anti-Racism Initiative (UDARI) has created a grant program that has funded projects in the visual arts and projects related to Anti-Racist curricula in K-12 schools.
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UD's Center for Excellence and Equity in Teacher Preparation (CEETP) "strives to be leaders in preparing professionals who develop the competencies, dispositions, leadership skills, and advocacy skills to become effective educators who are committed to improving the lives of individuals in a global society."
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The Social Justice Peer Educators (SJPEs) program (through UD's Division of Student Life) is a "peer-to-peer social justice program and is a paid leadership opportunity for students" which includes "the training of student leaders who are passionate about social justice to facilitate peer-led workshops on identity, social justice, and creating inclusive and just environments on campus."
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The mission of the Center for the Study of Diversity at UD is to "promote academic research and scholarship that facilitate dialogues about and understanding of the social and academic impact of diversity."
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- Resources
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University will provide multiple speaker series events for students, such as “Racial Justice Through Collaborative Programs and Projects” and the “Speaks-Warnock Symposium on the History of Race and Racism at the University”.
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In 2022, the University of Delaware plans to hold numerous events discussing anti-racism, offered by the UD Anti-Racism Initiative.
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On September 30, 2021, UD's Department of Human Development and Family Sciences hosted an event titled "Demystifying Critical Race Theory: Reflections from within the field of Social Sciences," which is described as follows: "As interest in CRT continues to burgeon, misconceptions regarding its intended purpose also has followed suit. This Talk sheds light on what CRT is, and is not, as well as provides a lens from which social science researchers may be able to better examine, understand, articulate, and appropriately contextualize research that involves race."
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On November 2, 2022, UD held a virtual lecture titled "On Critical Race Theory: Why It Matters & Why You Should Care," which featured Dr. Victor Ray, Associate Professor in the Departments of Sociology and Criminology and African American Studies at the University of Iowa.
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On April 14, 2023, UD Department of Philosophy sponsored an event titled "Can State Legislatures Ban Critical Race Theory?" which is described as follows: "State legislatures in Florida and elsewhere are imposing new limitations on how race is taught in public schools and state universities. Are there constitutional limits on how that is done, and what are the implications for the future of academic freedom?"
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On December 7, 2022, UD hosted an event titled "Hot Takes Over Hot Plates: Beyond the Buzzwords - What is Critical Race Theory and How Does it Impact College Campuses."
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Dr. Ann M. Aviles is an Associate Professor at UD's College of Education and Human Development whose research "engagements" include Critical Race Theory, Education equity and critical/justice-based teacher preparation among other topics.
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Regarding diversity and inclusive teaching, UD's Center for Teaching and Assessment of Learning state the following: "Difference is an essential part of our history and current reality. Dealing with human diversity and differential status is intractable in America due to our national history of racism and tensions between individual freedom and the common good."
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On April 28, 2023, the College of Education hosted the annual Marion H. Steele Symposium which featured a keynote address titled "Much Ado about Critical Race Theory" by Matthew Patrick Shaw.
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On April 19, 2024, the Steele Research Symposium included a presentation titled "Where There is a Will, is There a Way? Exploring Teachers’ Attempts to Facilitate Productive Race Talk in the Classroom," which posed one of the following questions: "What is the relationship between teachers’ attempts to facilitate race talk and opportunities for students to develop critical race consciousness?"
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- Symbolic Actions
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The University set up an anti-racist steering committee with numerous subcommittees which cover various topics such as “Racial Justice Healing Circles”, “Decolonizing/Indigenizing and Deconstructing (de-policing?) Syllabi”, and “Global History of Racism”.
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In February of 2022, the university's ADVANCE Institute, Faculty Senate, AAUP-UD, and Anti-Racism Initiative held a panel for the Collaborative on Academic Careers in higher Education Faculty Satisfaction Survey, making the recommendation to create a working group dedicated to DEI.
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The Office of Student Diversity and Inclusion hosts the "Student Diversity & Inclusion Welcome Reception" which "invites incoming and returning students of color, undocumented students, first-generation college students and LGBTQ+ students to meet one another and build relationships through activities, food and conversation."
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