Inclusiveness

Why do Students take Inclusiveness Courses?

UCCS is committed to being a leading educational institution where all who attend, work, and benefit from the campus are valued and respected. We value inclusive diversity as a foundation for teaching and scholarship that prepares students, faculty, staff and community members for both local and global multicultural engagement. Creating a culture of inclusion requires the active, intentional, and ongoing engagement with diversity in which all members of the UCCS community feel an authentic sense of belonging.

To this end, we require all students to take one course (3 credits) that discusses inclusiveness. Inclusiveness courses help students develop competencies for cultural responsiveness across social differences in contexts ranging from local to global. Inclusiveness courses typically follow one or both of the following approaches:

• Students learn the necessary competencies for effectively working directly with people across cultural and social differences, such as in the context of professional interaction with clients, patients, colleagues or partners.
• Students learn social, cultural, political, economic, geographic, spiritual, or other diverse perspectives so they can cultivate self-awareness and understanding of their impact—locally, nationally, and/or globally. These courses will explicitly address dynamics of power and the consequences of exclusion and inclusion. 

Inclusiveness courses are part of the Compass Goals approved by faculty in 2010.

Goal 3 - Act and Interact:  

Students will cultivate self-awareness and understanding of their impact-locally, nationally, and globally.  Students will be prepared to participate effectively in a society that encompasses diverse experiences, perspectives, and realities. This are area includes: Compass Curriculum Goal 3, specifies that students learn about "Inclusiveness," and develop "competencies for cultural responsiveness across social differences in contexts ranging from local to global. This area includes:

• Responsibility—personal, civic, and social
• Engagement—creative, collaborative, artistic, and innovative
• Inclusiveness—competencies for cultural responsiveness across social differences in contexts ranging from local to global

Inclusiveness courses further our curricular and institutional efforts as articulated in the UCCS Strategic Plan 2012-2021 under three strategic plan goals:

• Foster academic programs that serve diverse communities and develop intellectually curious graduates who are globally and culturally competent.
• Substantially increase international and domestic multicultural program opportunities and the number of international students and scholars on campus to build cultural understanding and to develop the global competencies of the UCCS community.
• Build an inclusive UCCS educational community that attracts, embraces, and supports diverse students, faculty and staff to advance learning and scholarship in a multicultural world. 

Inclusiveness courses help students learn about:

• The dynamics and systemic and historical aspects of inclusion and exclusion
• Ways that inclusivity (and exclusivity) are generated at local, national, and global levels

Essential Learning Outcomes:

• Articulate origins, influences, and impacts of inclusion and exclusion within societies.
• Gather, critically analyze and evaluate quantitative information within relevant disciplinary contexts.
• Gather, critically analyze and evaluate qualitative information within relevant disciplinary contexts.
• Apply and integrate knowledge from a range of disciplines, including interdisciplinary or cross-disciplinary research.
• Demonstrate the core ethical principles and responsible methods of your discipline.

Inclusiveness courses must adopt one or both of the following approaches:

A.) Students will learn the necessary competencies for effectively working directly with people across cultural and social differences, such as in the context of professional interaction with clients, patients, colleagues or partners.

B.) Students will learn social, cultural, political, economic, geographic, spiritual, or other diverse perspectives so they can cultivate self-awareness and understanding of their impact—locally, nationally, and/or globally. These courses will explicitly address dynamics of power and the consequences of exclusion and inclusion.

All Inclusiveness courses should:

• Require students to articulate or apply learning about inclusiveness in at least one course assignment or activity.
• Have a significant portion (minimally 25-30%) of the course concepts, assignments, case studies, context, lectures, readings, or other required course elements teach about Inclusiveness.