Commitment to Diversity and Inclusion
Davidson College understands that cultivating a broadly diverse community is crucial to our educational mission and to our foundational commitment to leadership and service.
We seek out applications from talented faculty, staff and students from diverse cultures, ethnicities, races, religions, sexual orientations, gender identities, ages, national origins, socio-economic backgrounds, and abilities. Our policies do not discriminate based on race, color, gender, national origin, religion, age, sexual orientation, or disability. We welcome and strive to foster mutual respect among all members of our community. We assert our commitment to our lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, and asexual/ally (LGBTQIA) faculty, staff, students, alumni and their families in our policies and practices and continuously examine areas for improvement.
This commitment to our LGBTQIA community members is reflected in Davidson's non-discrimination policies, our benefits plans, our diversity statement, and our student Code of Responsibility. We believe that these policies are crucial to the realization of our aspirations and that they enable us to recruit and retain the highest caliber colleagues and students.
If you have any questions or for more information, please contact Fuji Lozada (erlozada@davidson.edu).
Student Body Diversity
Davidson College is dedicated to intellectual and cultural growth in the broadest sense. Davidson prides itself on a student body made up of talented people in the U.S. and other nations, chosen not only for their academic achievement, but also for their unique combination of talent, aptitude, worldview, service and aspiration. View the college's Factfile.
Student Diversity & Inclusion
The Center for Diversity and Inclusion (CDI) fosters an inclusive and welcoming environment on campus for systemically underrepresented student populations at Davidson College. While the Center engages all students, faculty and staff in diversity, inclusion and equity efforts on campus, specific support is offered to students of color and LGBTQIA+ students. The Center pursues this goal by providing direct support services, community spaces, educational programming, leadership development and community-building opportunities within and across social groups. Learn more about Student Diversity and Inclusion at Davidson.
Curriculum
Students have abundant opportunities for exploring the complexities of a diverse, interconnected, unequal and changing world through academic coursework. Each student must complete a course that fulfills the Cultural Diversity Requirement, a course with a significant focus on the cultural experiences of a group differing from that of the dominant cultures and social identities of the United States and Europe. In addition, students must also complete a course that fulfills the new Justice, Equality and Community Requirement. These courses focus on the struggles for justice and equality in various communities, locales, nations or regions of the world. Students also are strongly encouraged to supplement their education with high-impact learning experiences such as studying abroad, studying away (at other locations in the United States), community-based learning opportunities, internships, fellowships, shadowing and alternative breaks.
Religious Life
Davidson encourages students to acknowledge and discuss the faith traditions and spiritual practices of its diverse student body. The college, through student interest groups and Davidson-sponsored programmatic efforts, supports students of all faith and religious traditions and those without specific traditions.
President's Advisory Committee
A special advisory committee to the president is charged with the following key responsibilities.
- Recommend best practices to be used by search committees to encourage diversity hiring;
- Make recommendations on diversity policies and programs, including changes to existing policies or programs and adoption of new policies and programs;
- Review the college's response to acts of intolerance and make recommendations regarding the college's response to any future acts of intolerance;
- Recommend ways for tracking, and assist in tracking progress on matters of diversity via completion of an annual report; and
- Make recommendations related to diversifying curricular and co-curricular activities.
Equity Advisers & Student Initiative for Academic Diversity (SIAD)
Equity Advisers and SIAD assist departmental search committees throughout the hiring process to ensure an equitable search process and designed to yield a diverse pool of qualified candidates.
Equity Advisers are faculty members external to the search committee and hiring department. They are trained on hiring research and best practices in academic searches, particularly on creating an inclusive hiring process.
SIAD members are trained student volunteers that conduct on-campus interviews with potential tenure-track faculty and senior administration candidates with a focus on the candidates' experiences and preparedness to teach, advise, support, advocate for and serve a diverse student body.
Future Faculty Recruitment Network
In our effort to proactively recruit graduate students, postdoctoral fellows, and faculty from under-represented racial minority groups, Davidson College belongs to, and actively participates in, the Liberal Arts Diversity Officers (LADO) network and The Consortium for Faculty Diversity.
Faculty and Staff Affinity Groups
The Faculty of Color Caucus (FoCC) is an advocacy group and community support network for faculty members who self-identify as BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, and/or people of color). You may email Laurian Bowles at labowles@davidson.edu or Melissa Gonzalez at megonzalez@davidson.edu to join the Faculty of Color Caucus (FoCC). This group collaborates with social justice-oriented organizations and interest groups across campus to champion a more just, inclusive, and equitable campus. The group meets monthly to discuss issues that intersect with the professional development and retention of faculty of color and includes:
- Successfully mapping the path towards tenure
- Mentorship and Sponsorship
- Community support and allyship across difference
- Strategic management of institutional service
- Gaining visibility and acknowledgment for the often-invisible labor of faculty of color
- Maintaining work-life balance as a scholar-teacher
Staff of Color is an affinity group for staff who self-identify as "people of color." You may email Alysen Beaty at albeaty@davidson.edu to join the Staff of Color group or for more information. The group meets informally once a month at the Spencer Weinstein Center for Community and Justice to discuss topics that impact their professional development and experiences at Davidson College, including the following:
- Community Building & Support
- Mentorship and Sponsorship
- Professional Development Opportunities
- Inclusive Hiring Efforts, Retention and Promotion of Existing Staff of Color
- Inclusivity and Privilege Differences
- Outreach and Collective Advocacy
- Work Life Balance
The LGBTQIA+ Caucus advocates for and supports LGBTQIA+ persons at the college by attending to the issues, ideas, social history, and cultural practices that are critical for sustaining a diverse and inclusive community. This group brings together the campus community to educate members on LGBTQIA issues, supports the college's non-discrimination policy, collaborates with other social justice groups and disseminates information about relevant news, events and achievements. The group meets monthly and meetings are posted on the Campus Calendar under student and employee events. Please email Heidi North (henorth@davidson.edu) or Jayme Sponsel (jasponsel@davidson.edu) for more information or to join.