Office of Equity & Inclusive Excellence

Mission

Our mission is to create and foster a community that closely reflects society at-large and to build a culture where differences are recognized and valued. It is vital that the legal profession provides diverse perspectives, identities, and experiences representative of the people we serve. We commit to diversity, equity, and inclusion guiding discourse and decision-making at all levels.

Credo

• INCLUSION: We strive to create an environment where persons of differing backgrounds are welcomed, where different perspectives are respectfully voiced and respectfully heard and where every individual is valued & included.
• CIVILITY: We treat people with unconditional respect and an assumption of good faith, giving meaningful consideration to the ideas, beliefs, and feelings of others as a matter of professionalism and self-discipline.
• INTELLECTUAL RIGOR: We challenge ourselves and others to critically examine facts and ideas meticulously and from diverse perspectives.
• JUSTICE: We strive to attain equal justice under law, and to assure that justice benefits everyone across our society.

Other Diversity, Equity, Inclusion (DEI) Definitions

• EQUITY: The elimination of privilege, oppression, disparities and disadvantage by historically-included and historically-excluded group memberships.  A state of being in which one’s societal or cultural group memberships do not act as the most powerful predictor of how one fares in terms of successful outcomes and life chances.
• DIVERSITY: Differences regarding "who we are"; it is a descriptive term used to refer to a broad range of differences; the different cultural groups represented in the community and / or workplace (e.g. gender; race; age; sexual orientation;  socio-economic status; faculty; staff; students; religion; language; immigrant status; physical, mental, emotional, learning ability / difference; gender identity / gender expression; military status; 1st generation student; etc.).
• ACCOUNTABILITY: Assuming personal responsibility to take action for problem-solving that affects positive change and achieves results in the area of equity and inclusion within the domain of one's sphere of influence and / or control.

Upcoming Events / Activities

Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Student Advisory Council Meeting
12:30 p.m. – 1:30 p.m.
Thursday, February 20, 2020
Barco Room # 118

Cultural Sharing for Pitt Law students, faculty staff
12:30 p.m. - 1:30 p.m.
Tuesday, February 25, 2020
Teplitz Memorial Courtroom

Pitt Law Students Reflective Dialogue Activity
12:30 p.m. - 1:30 p.m.
Tuesday, March 31, 2020
Alcoa Room

"Racism & Antiracism in America: Are the Past & Present that Different?": A talk by Dr. Ralph Bangs / With introduction and reflection from Professor Jasmine Gonzales Rose
12:30 – 1:30 p.m.
Tuesday, April 14, 2020
Alcoa Room

Support Resources

• Guidelines for Effective Cross-Cultural Dialogue
• Feelings as Messengers
• Pitt Law Equity & Inclusive Excellence Strategic Plan

University Support Resources

• Disability Resources and Services: accommodations and support for anyone with a registered disability.
• Student Health Center: appointments and walk-in medical appointments.
• University Counseling Center: mental health counseling and therapy services.

Contact

Vincent O. Johnson Director of Equity & Inclusive Excllence  Barco Room #312 | vij14@pitt.edu

Jamey Mentzer Assistant Director of Equity & Inclusive Excellence Barco Room #220-C | mentzer@pitt.edu