Office for Inclusive Excellence
The Office for Inclusive Excellence leads Niagara University’s planning, assessment, compliance and growth as it envisions achieving inclusive excellence.
The Office for Inclusive Excellence leads Niagara University’s planning, assessment, compliance and growth as it envisions achieving inclusive excellence.
The Office for Inclusive Excellence leads Niagara University’s planning, assessment, compliance and growth as it envisions achieving inclusive excellence efforts across the institution. We do this by working in concert with all university partners as we commit to:
Inclusive Excellence, which started through a Ford Foundation grant, was designed to be a model for improving academic outcomes, especially for students of colour and other marginalized groups, like low-income, first generation, disabled and LGBTQIA students. It also touches on all campus sectors and the surrounding communities. IE reflects the understanding that diversity, equity and inclusion lead to organizational excellence, are to be invited and integrated into the business enterprise’s core and are not isolated initiatives.
As such, Inclusive Excellence is a change oriented planning process that encourages us to continue our diversification efforts with greater intentionality and attentiveness to how they serve the needs of our campus community. The heart of the work will remain, but how we approach and conduct it will shift.
Diversity is the various mix of human differences (e.g., personality, learning styles, and life experiences) and group/social differences (e.g., race/ethnicity, class, gender/gender identity, colour, sexuality, national origin, citizenship or immigration status, (dis)ability, military status, educational level, or age), and cultural, political, religious or other affiliations that can be engaged in the service of learning, working, and living together.
The diversity of our Niagara community builds on our Vincentian history and allows us to continually explore and deepen our commitment to our shared humanity.
Equity is about fairness, ensuring everyone has access to what they need to succeed. It requires the intentional review and redesign of practices, policies, and systems. Equity allocates and cultivates resources to areas and populations with the greatest need to eliminate barriers and provide support.
As a Vincentian institution, Niagara University is committed to equity, particularly for those who historically have been or continue to be marginalized, excluded, and/or mistreated.
Inclusion is the active, intentional, and ongoing engagement with diversity to create a sense of belonging. Belonging means that people feel respected and heard and can contribute to learning and working as their authentic selves.
Niagara University is committed to inclusion and belonging for people in the curriculum, co-curriculum, work, and scholarly environments and as part of the larger Niagara Falls community.
Social justice requires the acknowledgment and protection of the inherent and equal worth of all people. Because of this essential dignity, each person has the right to what is needed to live and work to their fulfilment.
As a Catholic institution, Niagara University is committed to creating a just community where we hold each other mutually accountable through just and inclusive practices.
Equality indicates a system where everyone has the same opportunities and resources – a “one size fits al” approach to human rights.
Taking notice of inequities, their contexts, and the institution’s agency and responsibility in critically reassessing its practices.
A commitment to intentionally apply an institution’s place-based economic power and human capital in partnership with the community defines this concept.
Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972 prohibits discrimination on the basis of sex in any federally funded education program or activity. Sexual misconduct, which includes sexual harassment and sexual violence, is a form of discrimination. Niagara University in Ontario is committed to providing an environment free from discrimination, including discrimination based on sex. There are resources available to students to address concerns related to sex discrimination. The role of the Title IX Coordinator is to oversee overall Title IX compliance, ensure prompt and equitable resolutions, establish a centralized reporting process for all sexual harassment and misconduct allegations on campus, coordinate staff professional development, and conduct on-going campus climate checks.
If you are a COMPLAINANT wishing to report an incident of sexual assault, stalking, domestic/dating violence, discrimination or sexual harassment please see the chart below to understand your reporting options, which include confidential resources, both on and off campus. You may contact the Title IX Coordinator or Deputy Title IX Coordinator directly.
If you are an NU EMPLOYEE, please know that ALL employees are expected to immediately report ANY incident of alleged discrimination (racial, sex, age, sexual orientation, disability, religion, national origin, etc.), including sexual assaults, stalking and dating/domestic violence. It is recommended that employees report directly to the Title IX Coordinator or Deputy Title IX Coordinator, but may also report to their supervisor.