Diversity, equity & inclusion

The development of the College of Fine, Performing and Communication Arts' (CFPCA) Diversity and Inclusion Council is to help the CFPCA community appreciate diversity and inclusion in various forms, empathize with all people, and stand against discrimination.

Diversity and inclusion are intrinsically valuable and essential to the creation of an effective learning and working community. The fine, performing and communication arts are crucial to shaping engaged and creative citizens. By embracing diversity and inclusion, we can teach our community to appreciate the richness of differences among us including those that manifest in communication and the arts.

Defining diversity and inclusion

Diversity is the condition of being varied: the status of being composed of many different elements. For an institution, diversity is the acknowledgement of the many differences that exist among its stakeholders. Inclusion is the process of incorporating differences, such as experiences, learning styles, working styles, and personality types; as well as differences race, socio-economic status, gender, sexual orientation, political ideology, religion, and nationality.

The CFPCA Diversity Council seeks to engage in the following practices:

• Examine what we know about diversity and offer ways to enrich understanding
• Create opportunities for students, faculty and staff to interact with individuals with different perspectives, backgrounds and experiences
• Create and support an environment for success that addresses diversity
• Embrace and foster diversity through cultural self-awareness, scholarship, and creative practices

Principles and goals

As a university, we have a responsibility to uphold diversity as a value, and demonstrate commitment, through our policies and actions. Through our everyday activities and interactions, creative and scholarly practices, curricular design and teaching, and service and community engagement, we seek to create an inclusive institutional atmosphere that recognizes and celebrates the inherent value of a diverse campus community.

Contact Information
Billicia Charnelle Hines, Associate Dean for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion
College of Fine, Performing and Communication Arts
5104 Gullen Mall
Wayne State University
Detroit, MI 48202
billicia.hines@wayne.edu