During this year’s annual NIRSA conference, the Equity, Diversity & Inclusion (EDI) Commission invites you to join us Wednesday, March 7 at 11:00 am at our Town Hall session to learn more about how you can contribute to our upcoming publication: “Equity, Diversity & Inclusion: A resource guide for leaders in collegiate recreation.”
The EDI Commission is excited to announce the upcoming launch of the NIRSA EDI Resource Guide for leaders in collegiate recreation, which will be available in late spring to all NIRSA members and member institutions. The guide is designed to strengthen knowledge about specific social identities and serve as a resource to enhance our ability to engage colleagues and students in dialogues about equity, diversity, and inclusion.
The resource guide introduces a social identity model adopted and modified by the EDI Commission and contains foundational concepts, terminology, and helpful hints about engaging in EDI related topics with others.
The guide will also provide salient case studies, based on experiences NIRSA members have shared, regarding EDI experiences, challenges, and issues encountered within the context of campus recreation, followed by thoughtful questions to consider and additional resources. The resource guide serves as an attempt to begin (for some), and continue (for others) raising the awareness of EDI and EDI competencies among our members.
We invite all NIRSA members to join the EDI Commission at our Town Hall, to learn about the social identity model, participate in one of several small group case studies, and have the opportunity to submit additional case studies for consideration to be included in the resource guide.
Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion Commission
Since its formation in 2012, the Commission has achieved several milestones to help advance NIRSA’s position regarding EDI. These milestones include the development of the NIRSA’s Statement on Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion and the NIRSA Championship Series Transgender Inclusion Guidelines; the 2016 NIRSA EDI Summit and subsequent work with our social justice education consultant; the 2017 EDI resource series; and the creation and delivery of numerous EDI related presentations.
The importance of EDI education is included in the ‘Action Statements’ of NIRSA’s Statement on Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion and, in part, includes:
- Providing effective leadership in the development, coordination, implementation, and assessment of a comprehensive array of programs and services to promote diversity and understanding of differences.
- Providing educational opportunities toward the development of socially responsible leaders who are willing to engage in the discourse and decision-making that can lead to transformational change toward learning, achievement, healthy people and healthy communities.
Campus recreation leaders that develop EDI competencies are better prepared to lead conversations, train and develop staff and participants, and be proactive and preventative in ensuring campus recreation programs, facilities, and services are authentic, inclusive, and truly accessible to everyone.
- For more information, reach out to NIRSA Director of Advocacy and Strategic Partnerships, Erin O’Sullivan or a member of the EDI Commission.
Wendy Motch-Ellis is currently co-chair of NIRSA's Commission for Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion. She can be reached at wmotch@gmail.com.
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