Welcome to the Growing Departmental Inclusiveness Toolkit, designed to help university departments improve their inclusivity based on the results of the Growing Departmental Inclusiveness Survey (GDIS). The GDIS measures five key components of inclusivity. You can visit our Supporting Research page to learn how the components were developed from a consortium-wide survey of ACS faculty.
Begin your departmental growth process below with whichever component is a priority for your group and/or whichever needs the most improvement in your department. If your department members have yet to complete the GDIS or that is not feasible currently, it is still worthwhile using the toolkit to learn more about the components and implement improvement. No department is ideally inclusive, improvement is always possible.
- Interpersonal Environment (Hyperlink to page Interpersonal Environment Toolkit)
- The Interpersonal Environment area of focus measures the degree to which department members feel respected, valued, and included. Our toolkit provides guidance and web resources to help departments create a welcoming and inclusive environment that encourages communication, collaboration, and the expression of diverse perspectives.
Hiring and Retention (Hyperlink to page)
- The Hiring and Retention area of focus evaluates the inclusivity of the department’s hiring practices and the extent to which it provides opportunities for professional growth. Our toolkit offers guidance and resources to help departments promote fairness and equity in the hiring process, develop effective recruitment and retention practices, and create policies that encourage opportunities for advancement.
Protection from Bias (Hyperlink to page)
- The Protection from Bias area of focus assesses how well the department safeguards its members from discrimination and bias. Our toolkit provides guidance and resources to help departments respond effectively to incidents of harassment, discrimination, and retaliation and to develop policies and procedures for addressing these issues.
Supportive Administration (Hyperlink to page)
- The Supportive Administration area of focus assesses how well your institution’s leadership supports and encourages inclusivity. Our toolkit offers guidance and resources to help departments promote diversity and inclusivity and to create a responsive environment that addresses concerns related to inclusivity.
Support for Diverse Study (Hyperlink to page)
- Support for Diverse Study: The Support for Diverse Study area of focus evaluates the degree to which the department’s curriculum and pedagogy reflect a commitment to diversity and inclusivity. Our toolkit offers guidance and resources to help departments improve course offerings, increase the representation of diverse perspectives in the curriculum, and create a more inclusive learning environment that encourages engagement and the exploration of diverse viewpoints.
Once you have completed the GDIS and identified areas for improvement, this Toolkit provides a range of resources and strategies to help you strengthen your department’s inclusivity. You’ll find tools to help you improve communication and collaboration, evaluate and improve hiring practices, address incidents of bias and discrimination, and create a more diverse and inclusive curriculum.
We hope this Toolkit will be a valuable resource for your department as you work to create a more inclusive and welcoming environment for all members.
If you’d like to complete the GDIS now, you can find more information and instructions here: (link)