- Future students
- Current students
- Alumni
- Donors
- Corporate partners
- Faculty and staff
- K-12 Outreach
The CSE Project Inclusion started in 2022, and it focused on gathering data through surveys, focus groups, and pilot projects. These findings—both qualitative and quantitative—enable us to work together to create new ways to improve learning, help students stay in college and graduate, increase research output, and make the workplace more engaging. This inclusive approach of gathering data and collaborating on how we move forward helps everyone in our community gain the skills needed to tackle tough problems and adapt to a fast-changing world.
NEW: See the presentation slides from the March 2025 CSE Project Inclusion Open House (PDF).
Each person has a distinct opinion and definition of inclusion. In 2023 and 2024, we asked 300 CSE stakeholders what they think.
In CSE, we describe inclusion as the intentional practice of fostering a respectful, supportive environment where everyone feels valued, heard, and empowered. It ensures equal opportunities, encourages participation, and promotes understanding, cooperation, and respect while creating space for meaningful discussions and a strong sense of community.
Defining Inclusion Together: A word cloud built using CSE voices
The goal of CSE Project Inclusion is to improve the places where our students, faculty, and staff learn and work—the research labs, the classrooms, and the workplace.
In summer 2022, the CSE Mission Inclusion task force was established to define and develop this initiative using a data-driven process to identify priorities across the college and strategies to turn such priorities into actionable plans that would lead to measurable outcomes. Communication and engagement of CSE stakeholders were key elements of the task force's mission.
CSE Project Inclusion identified priorities for each academic unit. Each unit has its own priority map for its students, postdoctoral researchers, staff, and faculty. Recognizing such priorities has been instrumental in organizing efforts and coordinating activities across the college.
Our business in higher education is to develop people and ideas. With that in mind, the desired outcomes of Project Inclusion include increasing all of the following:
This initiative also promotes well-being, professional growth, open communication, and the exchange of ideas. Across departments, labs, classrooms, and workplaces, CSE strives to recognize contributions, encourage learning from many perspectives, and achieve its goals through excellence.
Project Inclusion stems from a solid business case for developing people and ideas. As our college plans to grow, we are focusing on retaining our 93 percent graduation rate, preventing staff turnover, and creating spaces for faculty and graduate students to explore innovative research ideas. Focusing on inclusion strengthens resilience, innovation, and long-term success. Inclusive environments attract and retain top talent, fostering creativity and problem-solving that is essential for excellence in research and education.
Prioritizing inclusion also ensures that all members—regardless of background—feel valued and supported, which improves morale, collaboration, and productivity. Embedding inclusion into core values sustains progress and excellence.
The University routinely collects data related to students, faculty, staff, and alumni through comprehensive surveys (for example the Student Experience in the Research University (SERU), Employee Engagement Survey, the Campus Climate Survey, and various alumni surveys. From these results, the Inclusivity Council can identify priority areas to focus on improvement.
Each unit focuses its efforts on a top inclusivity priority and commits to work toward addressing that priority either within the department or in partnership with CSE Project Inclusion. Priorities and progress are discussed and assessed annually.
The CSE Inclusivity Council is tasked with defining inclusivity action plans, assessing progress of the various initiatives, and making recommendations to leadership and stakeholders. The Inclusivity Council includes representation from CSE faculty, staff, postdoctoral researchers, graduate students, and undergraduate students.
Ad hoc groups of stakeholders make up Implementation Teams responsible for guiding the implementation of the Inclusivity Council's action plans. Implementation team members vary depending on the nature of the activities.
There are a number of ways you can foster an environment of inclusion in your unit and across the college. Some examples:
For more information, contact us at [email protected].
Contact us at [email protected].