The Department of Biological Sciences seeks to recruit and retain outstanding faculty, students and staff. Consistent with this goal, the department is deeply committed to fostering diversity and inclusiveness. A diverse community of scholars engenders wide-ranging perspectives and a richer intellectual environment. It goes beyond the scope of enhancing the research our institution produces, acknowledging that inclusivity means building community that fosters an environment where no one feels isolated, silenced, or unseen. We define a diverse community as encompassing individuals of all races, gender, class, religion, disability, sexual orientation, education, and national origin. Just as diversity in nature demonstrates the complex interconnectedness of all life, the department seeks to demonstrate communal diversity and fosters an environment to work and serve in an increasingly global and multicultural society.
Our Statement on Racism
As members of Department of Biological Sciences, we unequivocally condemn the injustice of racism in all its forms and practices. We stand united with all communities in support of justice against systems of oppression. We commit to being mindful of racial injustices in our country and the world, and to taking action to ensure these injustices do not occur within our community. We will be cognizant that while standing against racism is necessary, it alone is not sufficient. Rather, we must confront, call out, and actively work to extinguish racism in all its forms. As Dr. Ibram Kendi wrote , “through our words and actions we must strive to be antiracist". We affirm our commitment to continual self-reflection and evaluation, understanding and mitigating biases, and supporting all communities that have been marginalized.
Rev. Edward Sorin C.S.C, the University’s founder, once stated about Notre Dame, "It will be one of the most powerful means for doing good in this country". We recognize that in striving to live out this vision, we must work together to expunge systemic racism from society. Rev John I. Jenkins C.S.C, the current University President, has called for "a recommitment to defend the dignity of every human life, particularly the lives of our Black brothers and sisters". In pursuit of this commitment, we work to continually uplift all communities while maintaining racial sensitivity and respect for one another. Meaningful change in society cannot be done alone. We need each other to make progress.
"Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere."
-Martin Luther King
Our Statement on other forms of Discrimination
As members of the Department of Biological Sciences we affirm our belief that each and every person is a valuable member of our community and deserving of respect and equal opportunity. We welcome all individuals from all walks of like and without regard to gender, gender expression or sexual orientation. We actively advocate elimination of gender disparities that presently exist in academia, especially those against women in science. We will not accept any form of discriminatory behavior against people with disabilities. We commit to these principles through daily actions in scholarship, teaching, and mentorship and aim to ensure a welcoming, just, and fair environment conducive to the success of all members of our community.
We pledge to:
Educate ourselves on our own implicit biases that may negatively impact our community and goal to build inclusive excellence.
Highlight both racial injustices in science and the scientific contributions of Black, Indigenous, and other persons of color in our classrooms.
Acknowledge the potential in each student and use inclusive teaching and training practices that help all students succeed.
Increase the diversity of persons in science through student recruitment and training as well as recruitment, support, and retention of faculty from diverse backgrounds.
Oppose racism through allyship, continuous unlearning, learning and listening.
Actively advocate for all individuals to ensure unspoken prejudice is removed from academia.
Conduct training and evaluations in our workplace to name and eliminate practices of bias and build systems that promote equity.
Act on promoting an inclusive and equitable workplace for staff, students and faculty of all ranks encouraging their voices to be heard to advance our mission.
South Asian Student Association of Notre Dame: iand@nd.edu
Graduate Student Union Quality of Life Committee: Chairs and sub-committees for Underrepresented Students, Healthcare and Wellness, and Families and Partners, https://gsu.nd.edu/committees/quality-of-life/
BGSO Diversity and Inclusion officer: Carly Barbera, bgso@nd.edu
