Institutional Office of Equity and Inclusion
A Commitment to ‘Ever Better’
The University of Rochester Institutional Office of Equity and Inclusion is dedicated to cultivating an equitable, respectful, and welcoming culture at the University of Rochester. We strive to weave diversity, equity, and inclusion throughout the University’s mission to learn, discover, heal, and create.
We celebrate our connections to the Rochester community and affirm that in a pluralistic culture, the definition of community includes individuals who represent every race, creed, color, ability, sexual identity, and gender.
Happening now
Pride Month 2023
Happy Pride Month! Last month the Burgett Intercultural Center hosted the 7th Rainbow Graduation for LGBTQ students. This year over 150 graduates from all University of Rochester Schools joined the celebration, with a keynote address by Provost David Figlio.
Blanket Ceremony
The University of Rochester celebrated its first Blanket Ceremony to honor the graduation of two Native American students. Receiving a blanket in the ceremony symbolizes the community wrapping the individuals in love and support while recognizing their achievements.
OMSA Senior Dinner
The Office of Minority Student Affairs (OMSA) celebrated its 50th annual Senior Dinner. For many undergraduate students of color, OMSA is an essential homebase during their time at Rochester, and the joyful event highlighted that sense of community.
Our work focuses on five institutional priorities.
Developing and sustaining an infrastructure to support equity, diversity, and inclusion.
Enhancing the recruitment and retention of our representational diversity of faculty, staff, and students.
Cultivating an inclusive climate, culture, and University Community.
Advancing the University’s mission through an equity, diversity, and inclusion lens.
Community engagement for racial and social justice.
News and announcements
Transgender Day of Visibility Statement
Today is the 2023 International Transgender Day of Visibility and we wish to mark this day by reaffirming our unequivocal support for and solidarity with the transgender community. Transgender Day of Visibility is bittersweet. On the one hand, it gives … Continued
Drop-in counseling sessions for students, virtual healing circles for those affected by the violence in Memphis
The beating that led to the death of Tyre Nichols in Memphis, Tennessee, has prompted conversations about the increased levels of violence in Rochester and across the country. The Office of Equity and Inclusion along with the M.K. Gandhi Institute … Continued
Statement on Monterey Park shooting
The University of Rochester joins the Monterey Park, California, community in grief and sorrow after eleven people were killed and nine injured at a Lunar New Year celebration. We are devastated at the loss of life during a time that … Continued
Subscribe to our Encompass Newsletter to get the latest messages, along with other updates from our office. You can also see previous issues in our Encompass Newsletter archive.
The University of Rochester has received the 2021 Higher Education Excellence in Diversity (HEED) Award from INSIGHT Into Diversity magazine, the oldest and largest diversity-focused publication in higher education.
As a recipient of the annual HEED Award—a national honor recognizing US colleges and universities that demonstrate an outstanding commitment to diversity and inclusion—Rochester will be featured, along with the other recipients, in the INSIGHT Into Diversity magazine.
Programs and Initiatives
Our office oversees a variety of initiatives and teams to ensure safety, equity, and diversity across the University.
Equity and Inclusion: Schools and Centers
Each of the University’s schools and colleges have offices devoted to diversity initiatives at the school level.
Stay connected
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