The Narragansett Bay Campus Committee for Community Building and Inclusion Committee (CBI), established in March 2021, brings together representatives from across the institutions and functions of the Narragansett Bay Campus. Appointed by the Dean of the Graduate School of Oceanography (GSO) and in partnership with federal collaborators such as the EPA and NOAA, the Committee serves as a resource to enhance the campus’s culture of collaboration, mutual respect, and shared opportunity.
The CBI advises the Dean on fostering an inclusive and supportive environment for all who work and learn at GSO, as well as strengthening partnerships with co-located organizations at the Narragansett Bay Campus. By prioritizing a positive climate and addressing barriers to success, the Committee helps ensure that the Campus remains a place where innovation and excellence thrive for everyone.
This committee is committed to shared organizational values of respect, accountability, belonging and empathy in our work to achieve the following ideals for our campus:
Fairness and Opportunity: Identify and address systems and practices that hinder equal opportunity, replacing them with approaches that promote fairness, accountability, and shared success. By removing barriers to entry, retention, advancement, and achievement, the Bay Campus fosters an environment where all individuals can thrive, strengthening our community through mutual respect and responsibility.
Access and Support: Ensure equitable access to resources tailored to meet the unique needs, goals, and strengths of every individual. By providing tools and support systems that empower success, we create an environment where everyone has the opportunity to achieve their aspirations and contribute to the campus’s mission.
Appreciating Differences: Celebrate the variety of experiences, backgrounds, and perspectives within our community, including differences in race, ethnicity, beliefs, abilities, socioeconomic status, and age. Recognizing that these differences enhance creativity, innovation, and growth, we are committed to fostering an environment that attracts, retains, and supports a diverse population of students, staff, and faculty.
Creating a Welcoming Community: Take a comprehensive approach to inclusivity by embedding it into the development of projects, policies, and programs. We prioritize creating a community where every individual feels valued, respected, and supported. By ensuring all voices are heard and all contributions recognized, we build a safe and welcoming environment where everyone has a sense of belonging and access to the resources needed to succeed.
The Narragansett Bay Campus Community Building and Inclusion (CBI) Committee plays a key role in fostering education and collaboration across the Bay Campus. The Committee organizes community-building activities, connects with other relevant groups at URI and beyond, and provides recommendations to the GSO Dean and Assistant Dean.
The CBI Committee serves in an advisory capacity and does not handle matters related to URI human resources, bias incidents, or affirmative action, which are managed by other designated offices. While the Committee does not have an adjudicatory role in these areas, it offers helpful information and resources on its webpage to support the campus community.
Vision
This committee will enhance engagement within and outside our campus community through improving awareness of and resources for attracting and retaining a diverse group of people. We aim to develop an inclusive welcoming learning community where we all feel a sense of belonging and are celebrated for our commonalities and differences.
Goals and Objectives
In collaboration with the GSO/URI URGE Pod and other URI partners, the NBC CBI committee has identified a series of action items to: (1) improve campus climate such that all experiences and voices are valued and heard; (2) enhance outreach efforts and partnerships to promote reciprocal learning about the ocean sciences; and (3) Ensure that personnel recruitment, retention, and promotion policies are designed to foster a fair, inclusive, and equitable workplace that values diverse perspectives and supports the success of all individuals based on their skills, contributions, and potential.
The committee has been organized around three primary goals, and objectives have been developed for each goal.
- Catalyze community impact and outreach to broaden participation and accelerate solutions to scientific and societal challenges.
- Expose the broader community (general public, K-12 education, and undergraduates) to ocean science and bring a diverse group of people into the community.
- Promote and exemplify an inclusive campus culture. (Coordinate with Campus Community Committee)
- Develop a community where everyone feels welcomed, valued, safe, and a sense of belonging.
- Increase valuing contributions and develop a culture of service, appreciation, accountability, responsibility, allowing for greater flexibility and innovation.
- Align personnel recruitment, retention, and promotion efforts to prioritize fairness, transparency, and equal opportunity for all. Ensure that policies and practices support an inclusive workplace where diverse talents and perspectives are valued and contribute to the organization’s success.
- Develop a formal onboarding process for all new hires and new students.
- Enhance recognition and award nomination.
Committee Membership (January 2023)
The JEDI Committee includes representatives across functional and institutional roles from the Narragansett Bay Campus including Faculty, Staff, Post-Docs, and Students from GSO, and representatives from the Narragansett Indian Tribe, Ocean Engineering, the Coastal Resources Center, Rhode Island Sea Grant, the Coastal Institute, NOAA, and EPA.
Abbigail Baskind – GSO Student & Secretary
Fenix Garcia Tigreros – GSO faculty & Co-Chair
Rainer Lohmann – GSO faculty & Co-Chair
Alex DeCiccio – ISC staff
Amber Neville – Coastal Institute
Andrea Gingras – GSO Public Engagement
Becky Robinson – GSO faculty
Catalina Martinez – NOAA staff (ADVISORY)
Corinna Breusing – GSO MRS
Erin Jones – GSO Graduate Student
Gabby Armin – GSO Graduate Studen
Isabel Dove – GSO Graduate Student
Jackie Witterschien – CI/CRC
Jim Yoder – GSO emeritus
Josh Pi – GSO Graduate Student
Kate Mulvaney – EPA
Kelton McMahon – GSO faculty
Kim Hindle – GSO staff
Kim Hyde – NOAA staff
Kim Ohnemus – RI Sea Grant
Meredith Clark – GSO staff
Meredith Haas – RI Sea Grant
Michaela Cashman – EPA
Molly Robinson – GSO Graduate Student
Sarah Gaines – CRC staff
Stephen Licht – OE faculty (part-time)