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Campus Culture

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Diversity Statement

Westminster College is dedicated to social justice, equity, and respect as fundamental components of our mission and core values. Informed by our college-wide learning goals, Westminster acknowledges and engages with the values, experiences, worldviews, and intersectional identities and characteristics of all members of our campus community. Furthermore, we strive for Inclusive Excellence by consistently interweaving diversity and inclusion into our curricula and co-curricular activities, programs, policies, practices, and external engagement. It is our goal to cultivate a respectful, equitable, and healthy campus community.

As part of this statement, we define diversity as individual differences, life experiences, group/social differences (e.g., race/ethnicity, class, gender identity and expression, sexual orientation, nationality, and disability), historically underrepresented groups, and groups with cultural, political, religious/spiritual, or other affiliations.

View the Official Statement

This Diversity Statement is further supported by our Commitment to an Inclusive Westminster, the President’s Statement on Safe Haven, and our equal opportunity, ADA, and Title IX policies.

Students on Sidewalk

Campus Diversity Committees

Westminster Diversity Council

The Diversity Council works to advocate for equity and excellence through Westminster's policies, practices, and programs.

Ex-Officio Non-Voting Member

Diversity Engagement Team

The Diversity Engagement Team comprises representatives from across campus who provide updates on efforts related to diversity and inclusion, share concerns or issues related to campus culture, and identify opportunities for collaboration and innovation.

  • Melanie Agnew, School of Education
  • Richard Badenhausen, Honors College
  • Marco Barker, Office of Diverity, Equity, and Inclusion
  • Karnell Black, Student Affairs
  • Nancy Brown, Institutional Advancement
  • Dan Cairo, Student Diversity and Inclusion Center
  • Sara Demko, Office of Global Engagement
  • Lauren Erlacher, Admissions; Utah Women in Higher Education Network
  • Christie Fox, START Center
  • Julie Freestone, Human Resources
  • Lisa Gentile, Office of the Provost
  • Rodney Glore, Information Services; Chair of Staff Council
  • Scott Gust, School of Arts and Sciences
  • Susan Heath, Athletics Diversity Committee
  • Mary Jo Hinsdale, McNair Program
  • Annalisa Holcombe, Office of the President
  • Peter Ingle, New Faculty Learning Community
  • Han Kim, Public Health
  • Melissa Koerner, Gore School of Business
  • Hikmet Loe, Coordinator for Adjunct Faculty
  • Rob Myers, Admissions
  • Lance Newman, School of Arts and Sciences
  • Sylvia O'Hara, Center for Veteran and Military Services
  • David Perry, Disability Resource Committee
  • Shamby Polychronis, Diversity Council
  • Paul Presson, Faculty Senate
  • Jan Saeed, Office of Spiritual Life
  • Sheryl Steadman, School of Nursing and Health Sciences
  • Tamara Stevenson, Communication; Faculty Fellow for Diversity and Inclusion
  • Syd Trevort, Finance and Administration
  • Autumn Thatcher, Marketing and Communication
  • Julie Tille, Dumke Center for Civic Engagement
  • Michael Zarkin, Political Science; Chair of the Faculty

Students Talking Outside Giovale

Diversity Strategic Planning

In the fall of 2017, Westminster College embarked on the diversity strategic planning process. Members of the Westminster community engaged in conversations, brainstorming, ideation, and other discussions with the purpose of developing a three-year diversity strategic plan. The plan consists of:

  • Institutional Plan: college-wide goals and objectives for advancing diversity, equity, and inclusion across the college.
  • School or Unit Plans: Goals and objectives specific to the respective academic college, school, or unit. Within these schools/colleges and units, departments may develop more departmental-specific diversity-and-inclusion goals.

Bias Reporting

Westminster is committed to creating a culture that is welcoming and inclusive. To achieve this goal, we encourage individuals to report occurrences of bias, harassment, and discrimination. If you have experienced or witnessed bias, please visit the Bias page.

If you feel that you have experienced discrimination or harassment, you should report an incident by visiting the Title IX page, contacting Title IX coordinator Jason Schwartz-Johnson, or contacting executive director of Human Resource Julie Freestone.

Diversity Quick Facts

Consistent with our Commitment to an Inclusive Westminster , we strive to diversify our campus through proactive and intentional policies and strategies aimed at the recruitment and retention of students, faculty, and staff from diverse backgrounds. Our Facts Page offers a snapshot of our campus diversity.