University of San Diego

For the new student orientation, USD states that, "All first-year and transfer students are required to complete an online education course series." This course series encompasses three two-part courses, one of which is the "Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion for Students" Education Course, which covers the subjects of "power and privilege" as well as "oppression bias and unconscious bias," among other concepts.

One of the USD new student orientation days is designated the "Diversity, Inclusion, Social Justice, and Changemaking Day." Students will be "engaged in dialogue about the urgent challenges of our day" on this day.

Within the School of Leadership and Education Sciences, USD offers the Master of Arts in Leadership Studies Program. The three pillars that guide this program are described as a "development of an international and global mindset," a "prioritization of intercultural sensitivity and competence," and a "commitment to social justice and advocacy."

The Jacobs Institute for Innovation in Education offers the Summer Guest Speaker Series. One of these workshops is titled "Anti-racism Education Learning Design. The university states that, "In this session, teachers will be given an overview of how to identify entry points in the curriculum where antiracist learning targets can be designed for use within any content-area.Teachers will learn to implement methods for assessing understanding and awareness of racism, and they will be introduced to a number of student-centered learning activities that will help students grow as they explore anti-racism in the context of subject-area content." This workshop will provide participants with a framework to aid in designing course content.

The Center for Inclusion and Diversity provides a list definitions for various terms such as diversity and inclusion. These terms represent core values of USD, as the university explains.

The CID hosts the monthly event, "Sweet Celebration," which the university believes will "contribute to a campus culture that can sustain and bolster diversity and interaction across difference, which are necessary for an inclusive campus environment."

The CID created the "College2Grad" program which "seeks to create an identity affirming space where marginalized USD students are able, and encouraged, to intentionally discuss the graduate school process and the many different options and resources available for post-graduate work."

The CID provides university members with "Dialogues and Action" which "serves as a resource for members of our community, providing information and opportunities for engagement on important issues facing our university, our community, the nation and the broader world having to do with diversity, inclusion and social justice."

In 2020, the CID created the 2020 Strategic Plan for Diversity and Inclusive Excellence. As a part of this, the university seeks to "build on and expand curricula that integrate diversity, inclusion and social justice into the student experience, encouraging a diversity of perspectives, research topics and pedagogical styles while advancing a commitment to explore power and privilege through disciplinary lenses using universal design."

As per the 2020 Strategic Plan for Diversity and Inclusive Excellence, the university stated that it wishes to "foster a campus culture in which all members of the community, especially those from underrepresented groups: (1) feel safe, respected and valued; (2) are invited to participate fully, sharing their unique gifts, talents and backgrounds; (3) increasingly recognize the value of perspectives that differ from their own; and (4) agree that diversity and inclusion are key priorities of the university."

Another facet of the 2020 Strategic Plan for Diversity and Inclusive Excellence is seen in how the CID committed to adopting "a regular routine to measure campus culture and climate at fixed intervals."

The Latin American Studies program discusses "conquest, colonialism, and coloniality" as one of the five core concepts. The program calls on students to "explore the relationship between coloniality — the colonial matrix of power that goes beyond the historical period of colonialism — and the rhetoric of modernity in the economic, political, civic and personal/subjective realms."

USD hosts a Center for Inclusion and Diversity which is "committed to creating a welcoming, inclusive and collaborative community and values students, faculty and staff from different backgrounds and faith traditions." The CID was founded in 2010 based off of values conceptualized in the early 2000s.

The university states that, "The CID engages with curricular and co-curricular efforts to problematize how difference and unity operate in the larger world through scholarship, engagement, and advocacy."

The Ph.D. in Social Justice program was created as a reaction to George Floyd's death. As part of the program Solidarity Statement and Call to Action following the death of George Floyd, the program leadership released a statement saying, "The PhD in Social Justice program was founded on the belief that education is a conduit, which can break the cycle of racism and give rise to social justice."

Following the death of George Floyd, the School of Leadership and Education Sciences stated that, "Under the new leadership of Interim Dean Joi Spencer, PhD and alongside dedicated faculty, staff and students; SOLES has taken anti-racism initiatives seriously."

SOLES had 80 of its members attend Groundwater Training which "provides foundational understanding of US-based racism, and analysis of raced-based outcomes across systems of health and education." This training was aimed at faculty, administrators, and staff.

For faculty, SOLES held the Fall Faculty Open House with the theme of "Decolonizing Pedagogies and Practices."

SOLES held a faculty workshop series that was intended to "improve and sharpen instructional practices related to race, equity and diversity."

SOLES calls upon its faculty to conduct syllabi reviews "through the lens of equity and issues impacting BIPOC communities."

SOLES stated that, "Admissions processes are under review, implementing actions removing barriers to apply such as the GRE." Already, the MFT program ceased to require the GRE.

SOLES is conducting "Conversations of Color Events" which provide resources to students of color.

SOLES created a program titled "SOLES Takes Anti-Racism Seriously" with the goal of "supporting those who are victims of racist language and behavior."

SOLES provides numerous resources for anti-racism on its social justice site.

The programs under SOLES offer numerous anti-racism training programs and each of the departments have released statements of solidarity against anti-racism.

Both the MFT Program and the Counseling Program have conducted anti-racism training for students and faculty, and there also is SOLES DEI Training which all faculty and staff attended. According to the Department of Learning and Teaching, "all courses include curriculum components of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion." The department explicitly stated that, "Faculty will conduct a course audit to embed Anti-Racist/ism topics, books, curriculum, and assignments in all course syllabi."