President of Johnson County Community College, Terry Calaway, writes a forward emphasizing the importance of equity in the mission of the Office of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion

Calaway, Terry

English

Scholarspace @ Johnson County Community College

Many Voices - One CommunityVolume 1 | Issue 2 Article 3March 2009Equity is Part of the EquationTerry CalawayJohnson County Community College, tcalaway@jccc.eduFollow this and additional works at: http://scholarspace.jccc.edu/mvocThis Article is brought to you for free and open access by the Office for Diversity, Equity and Inclusion at ScholarSpace @ JCCC. It has been acceptedfor inclusion in Many Voices - One Community by an authorized administrator of ScholarSpace @ JCCC. For more information, please contactbbaile14@jccc.edu.Recommended CitationCalaway, Terry (2009) "Equity is Part of the Equation," Many Voices - One Community: Vol. 1: Iss. 2, Article 3.Available at: http://scholarspace.jccc.edu/mvoc/vol1/iss2/31Calaway: Equity is Part of the EquationPublished by ScholarSpace @ JCCC, 2009EQUITY IS PART OF THE EQUATION Diversity isn’t the only focus of the new Office of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion.As the name says,“equity” is part of the equation here – meaning freedom from bias or favoritism. In addition to an appreciation of our differences and similarities, part of the office’s mission is to address important questions of stereotyping and bias in the classroom and the curriculum. Community colleges themselves contribute to equity in education, in that almost half of this country’s undergraduate students are enrolled in one. Indeed, community colleges are the choice of a majority of minority, immigrant and first-generation students.As open-admission institutions, we serve students who have a variety of experiences, learning styles and educational history; it’s up to us to be flexible and supportive as we prepare these students for the workforce or four-year schools. To do that well means we should ensure all students are treated equally. Do we pay attention to all our students or are some favored at the expense of others? Are all students encouraged to learn and to lead? Does our curriculum represent the contributions of all people, such as women, people of color, or people of different faiths? The same considerations apply to our faculty and staff. Do all groups feel comfortable in the workplace? Are all groups treated equitably? Is it safe to raise issues? By building a culture of equity for our students, faculty and staff, we can help to build a culture of equity in our community, one that our students will not only benefit from, but help to create and sustain. Sincerely, Terry Calaway President Johnson County Community College 2Many Voices - One Community, Vol. 1 [2009], Iss. 2, Art. 3http://scholarspace.jccc.edu/mvoc/vol1/iss2/3

Equity is Part of the Equation

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Equity is Part of the Equation

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