Inclusive Excellence
We envision a community that goes beyond tolerance of differences to one guided by social justice, cultural competence and engaged citizenship. We know we can reach greater heights of excellence by learning from diverse people.
Excellence In Community at Saint Mary's
There are a number of organizations and initiatives across campus offering opportunities for students, faculty and staff to support inclusive excellence.
Excellence In Community at Saint Mary's
Inclusion In Practice
From bipartisan dialogues, to 44 days of black history, there have been events across campus that show Saint Mary's inclusion in practice
Inclusion In Practice
Inclusion In Curriculum and Pedagogy
Faculty across disciplines are taking innovative approaches to brining inclusion to our community.
Inclusion In Curriculum and Pedagogy
Inclusive Excellence Resources
There are resources available to help you foster inclusion on campus.
Inclusive Excellence Resources
2021 CCIE Juneteenth Message
Dear Saint Mary's College Community,
I want to introduce you to Miss. Opal Lee, known as the grandmother of Juneteenth (short for June Nineteenth.) Some of you may be familiar with Miss. Lee, after all, she is largely responsible for the June 15, 2021 unanimous United States Senate approval of a Bill to make Juneteenth a Public Holiday. Miss. Opal reminds us of the significance of June 19, 1865, which commemorates the end of slavery in the United States - more than two years AFTER the Emancipation Proclamation.
Read More.
Announcement of the formation of a new subcommittee: Que(e)ries: Diverse Genders and Sexualities Action Subcommittee!
The College Committee on Inclusive Excellence (CCIE) is thrilled to announce the formation of a new subcommittee: Que(e)ries: Diverse Genders and Sexualities Action Subcommittee of the CCIE. Recognizing that our community includes individuals with vast and intersectional identities, including diverse genders, sexualities, and family and relational structural and backgrounds, the subcommittee aims to actively affirm and advocate for a campus community in which all are welcome and safe. Que(e)ries will look to inform and support policies, practices, and actions that affirm and celebrate the LGBTQIA+ communities at Saint Mary’s College.
Read More.
CCIE Response to George Floyd Verdict
Today, we have learned that Derek Chauvin has been found guilty of the murder of George Floyd, a 46-year-old Black man in Minneapolis, MN. The pain and anger at George Floyd’s violent and senseless murder at the hands of the police has reverberated around the world. Derek Chauvin is being held responsible for his actions.
Today’s guilty verdict does not erase the historical legacy and present reality of ongoing police violence that continues to destroy Black lives. Nor does it ensure that justice will be served for the Black and Brown adults and children who continue to be brutalized and killed by police across the country.
Read More and Find Resources Here
Response to the Recent Attacks on API Identities: A Letter from Asian Pacific Islanders Subcommittee and Kathy Littles
Saint Mary’s College Faculty, Staff & Students:
The Asian Pacific Islander Subcommittee of the College Committee on Inclusive Excellence (CCIE) is outraged & angered by the horrific attacks on API people across the nation. We are calling on the Saint Mary's College community to become knowledgeable and to take action against any and all manifestations of structural racism and violence. In the past few weeks, an 84 year old Thai man, Vicha Ratannapakdee, was killed after being pushed to the ground in San Francisco; an elderly Chinese man is shoved and thrown to the ground, a Chinese man is robbed at gunpoint in front of his home, and over 20 attacks against elderly women are reported all in Oakland’s Chinatown; a Filipino man, Noel Quintana, in New York City is slashed across his face with a blade; in San Jose a Vietnamese grandmother is robbed and assaulted; a recent fire occurred at the Vietnamese American Community Center of the East Bay. Unfortunately, this list is not exhaustive; more robberies and assaults are coming to light daily.
Learn More and View Calls to Action & Resources here.
College Committee on Inclusive Excellence
We of Saint Mary’s College of California are dedicated to treating all people with dignity and respect in ways that acknowledge and engage diverse backgrounds and ideas. Our policies, practices and behaviors foster a safe and inclusive community and promote learning that is equitable, collaborative, and inspired by the presence of God in and among us.
Statistics on Inclusive Excellence
Ethnic diversity of fall 2019 undergraduate first-year students:
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Minority*: 58.5%
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Under-represented Minority (UREM)**: 42.1%
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White: 37.5%
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Hispanic/Latino: 29.6%
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Asian: 16.4%
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African American/Black: 7.8%
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Native American: 1.6%
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Hawaiian/Pacific Islander: 3.1%
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International: 2.7%
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Other/not reported: 1.3%
"Inclusive community is fundamental to our Lasallian Catholic mission and it is only realized through a campus climate where our diverse faculty, students and staff thrive."
- Provost and Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs Margaret Kasimatis
Stories
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After several years of dedication, hard work, and collaboration between faculty, staff, and students, the College Committee on Inclusive...
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Brandon Dela Cruz ’22 and Sophia Nguyen ’22, were recently announced winners of the first annual Asian Pacific American Heritage Month ...
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Saint Mary’s College leadership and administrators recently completed a very specialized training, Gaels Uniting for Inclusion Through...
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Asian Pacific American Heritage Month (APAHM) is being celebrated throughout May, and the Saint Mary’s College community is invited to...
Inclusive Excellence at Saint Mary's
We envision a community that goes beyond tolerance of differences to one guided by social justice, cultural competence and engaged citizenship. We know we can reach greater heights of excellence by learning from diverse people.
Improve the Recruitment, Retention, and Success of Underrepresented Students, Staff, and Faculty. Strategies may include establishment of targets for applicant pools and composition, training in inclusive recruiting, mentoring programs, and the development of programs and structures to promote student success.
Build an Inclusive Community. Strategies include targeted training in cultural competencies for all campus constituents, professional development for faculty in teaching and learning with diverse populations, support for diversity initiatives, and development of communication tools in support of inclusive excellence.
Develop Systems of Accountability and Assessment. Strategies may include requiring and reviewing diversity and equity plans in programs and schools, recommending and reviewing policies and procedures for handling incidents of intolerance and discrimination, reviewing and assessing diversity requirements in the curriculum, and conducting and reviewing climate surveys/diversity audits.
SMC Appoints Kathy Littles as Associate Provost for Faculty Affairs and Senior Diversity Officer
Saint Mary’s has named Kathy Littles ’94, PhD as the inaugural associate provost for Faculty Affairs and Senior Diversity Officer. She joined the College on July 1, 2019.
“Dr. Littles brings to Saint Mary’s a strong commitment to the core values of the Lasallian Catholic Mission—values that she has embodied since she was an undergraduate student at the College. Her extensive administrative and faculty experience, and her visionary leadership on diversity and inclusion initiatives will be tremendous assets to Saint Mary’s,” said Provost and Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs Margaret Kasimatis.
Littles comes to Saint Mary’s from the California Institute for Integral Studies (CIIS), where she currently serves as dean of the School of Consciousness and Transformation and director of the Transformative Inquiry Department. She brings to Saint Mary’s many years of leadership experience in higher education, diversity and inclusion, and arts and culture. Her tenure of experience also includes faculty positions at the University of California at Davis, Berkeley City College, and the College of Marin. Prior to her academic career, she served as the arts education coordinator for Monterey County, as well as the Cultural Funding Program coordinator for the City of Oakland.