Inclusion and Diversity Committee

The Department of Psychology strives to infuse justice, equity, diversity, and inclusivity (JEDI) in all aspects of our mission and work. With this goal in mind, the Inclusion and Diversity Committee (IDC) was established in 2017 as a permanent committee.

The IDC is comprised of graduate students and faculty who work collaboratively to develop, implement, and evaluate JEDI initiatives in the Department of Psychology. These initiatives aim to foster an environment where people with diverse lived experiences feel valued, respected, and included, while simultaneously addressing systemic and structural inequities.

IDC’s initiatives are categorized into actions and supports. Actions aim to identify and address systemic inequities within our communities and work collaboratively to implement structural changes that foster justice, equity, diversity, and inclusion. Some current IDC actions include:

  • Organizing workshops and seminars that provide community members with strategies and tools to facilitate culturally responsive environments
  • Evaluating educational materials and teaching methods to ensure they are inclusive, diverse, and equitable
  • Advocating for and helping to create policies that ensure fairness, accessibility, and equal opportunities for all members, particularly those from systemically marginalized groups

Supports aim to create collaborative and safe spaces for open dialogue, empower students from systemically marginalized groups to use their voices, foster empathy and allyship, and provide strategies and resources to be effective change agents in their respective communities. Some current IDC supports include:

  • Students of Color
  • Queer United Inclusive Leaders (QUIL)
  • Student Accessibility and Support

We welcome everyone to become involved with the IDC. Please feel free to attend a meeting, or if you would like to learn more about the IDC, please contact Committee Chairs Dr. Nicole Weiss at nicole_weiss@uri.edu, or Dr. Mollie Ruben at mollie.ruben@uri.edu. The IDC meets the third Monday of every month at 1pm.