At UC Davis Global Affairs, diversity, equity and inclusion and global engagement go hand in hand. Since its inception, Global Affairs has worked to embed this commitment across its programming, training, services and resources.

In support of this ongoing commitment to fostering a culture that thinks and acts in accordance with the values of diversity, equity and inclusion, Global Affairs convened a Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) Task Force, supported by Joanna Regulska, vice provost and dean for Global Affairs, and Michael Lazzara, associate vice provost for Academic Programs and Partnerships in Global Affairs.

“The goal of this task force is to develop a vision and advise on concrete actions to ensure that the tenets of diversity, equity and inclusion inform who we are and what we do every day,” says Lazzara. “Our expressed desire is to foster an inclusive global community—rooted in belonging—and reject discrimination and exclusion in all its forms.”

The work of the task force includes presenting a broad DEI vision, articulating specific steps to translate that vision into action and suggesting methods for assessing success and impact.

“We are committed to addressing systemic racism, reducing inequalities and closing opportunity gaps in higher education—including for international, transnational and transcultural students,” says Regulska.

Since February 2021, the Global Affairs DEI Task Force has met monthly to discuss a variety of programs and resources and has created small working groups tasked to move these goals forward.

“Through the Global Affairs DEI Task Force, we have identified a myriad of resources thanks to input from task force members, experts within Global Affairs and faculty and staff across campus,” says Marianne McClelland, a member of the task force and international agreements manager for Global Affairs.

“These contributions are helping us advance diversity, equity, inclusion and social justice both internally within Global Affairs and externally with our global partners. Our task force is also recommending strategies to deepen individual and organizational commitment to diversity, equity, inclusion and social justice through policies, programs and practices in an effort to inspire community and understanding in responding to local and global issues. Of these strategies, some of the anticipated impactful recommendations include conducting a holistic review of DEI in Global Affairs hiring practices to implement best practices to recruit and retain a diverse workforce," says McClelland.

Outcomes of this work include coordinating DEI workshops for Global Affairs staff on allyship and gender pronouns, launching Global Affairs intranet web pages that provide resources, such as articles, policies, book and movie recommendations, and regularly disseminating DEI information from around campus to Global Affairs staff. They will continue to work on refining and developing policies, creating opportunities for impactful conversation and offering programming for Global Affairs staff, the campus community, and colleagues around the world.