About Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Belonging at Adelphi
Adelphi University’s welcoming and supportive climate and award-winning mentoring and training programs have earned national honors and broad community praise.
Adelphi’s first-ever Office of Diversity and Inclusion was established in 2015 with the newly launched Momentum strategic plan. As part of that plan, the University undertook initiatives in critical areas over six years.
- Increase the retention and recruitment of diverse faculty, staff and administrators.
- Increase the retention and recruitment of diverse students.
- Create a welcoming and safe campus environment by promoting inclusivity and diversity through educational and professional development opportunities.
- Ensure that curriculum reflects our goals and values as they relate to diversity, equity and inclusion throughout the college experience.
In 2020, a sweeping call for social justice across the nation prompted Adelphi, like many institutions, to reexamine and intensify our efforts. Community dialogues during this time helped us identify new ways of thinking and working toward our goals. The student-centered Equitable Adelphi Action Team and faculty-centered Academic Diversity Implementation Team (ADIT) were established to help us dismantle racism and microaggressions at Adelphi and in our academic programs.
In 2022, the Adelphi community built and launched a new five-year strategic plan—Momentum 2. It includes our constant commitment to be an inclusive and connected community and to advancing diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging. Momentum 2 promises that Adelphi will:
- Increase our efforts to recruit and retain students from underrepresented communities, introduce bridge programs, expand multilingual engagements with students and their families, and improve the diversity of our curriculum.
- Expand our diversity, equity and inclusion programming for our community and external community partners through new workshops, educational opportunities, film festivals and podcast series.
- Increase hiring, support and retention of diverse faculty and staff.
- Shift from an Emerging Hispanic Serving Institution (HSI) to a Designated HSI.
Diversity Statement
I am proud to join our students, staff and faculty in the call for the fair and respectful treatment of all. Universities should be safe spaces for the exploration of ideas and the pursuit of knowledge—there is no place within the academy for acts, whether overt, subtle or unconscious—that marginalize any member of the community. As those who work each day to pursue truth, we have the responsibility to challenge and address acts of intolerance and bias
President Christine M. Riordan
Adelphi University
Core Values
Colleges and universities must reflect our world and the globalization of society. Advancing diversity in the context of higher education involves promoting a climate of awareness and respect; engaging the curriculum to value diverse thoughts and perspectives; and actively seeking a diverse student body, faculty and staff. To prepare students who are engaged global citizens and support an authentically internalized level of appreciation for diverse people and perspectives, Adelphi employs three components:
- Course-specific objectives for enhancing diversity and infusing it throughout the curriculum
- Promotion of different perspectives, histories, and contributions of diverse individuals
- Recruitment and retention of diverse faculty, staff and students
- Faculty role on search committee regarding diversity
- Tenure and promotion policies that welcome diverse research interests
- A welcoming and supportive climate that promotes intercultural awareness and respect
- Tolerance and valuing of differences within the classroom
- Promotion of dialogue between and among diverse groups
Stay Connected
Meet Our Team
Connection with and among our community members is so important—it helps build the bonds, awareness, understanding, and appreciation for one another that are essential to a welcoming and respectful climate for learning and working. We hope you will connect with us!
Community Messages
Underscoring our shared values, monthly community messages from R. Sentwali Bakari, vice president of Student Affairs and Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Belonging, affirm the uniqueness of every individual, bring awareness to the value in our differences, and highlight our commitment to creating a socially just and inclusive community. Catch up on how we—individually and collectively—are working to be a model of diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging.
