The Student DEIB Committee
Mission Statement
The Student DEIB Committee is UR Law’s student entity dedicated to cultivating a learning environment where every individual is equally valued, respected, and included. The Committee serves as a liaison between the Faculty DEIB Committee, the Assistant Dean of DEIB, the administration, the Student Bar Association, and anity groups. The Committee itself is composed of a Chair, Vice Chair, and representatives from UR Law affinity groups.
In order to promote transparency and accountability, the Committee has defined each element of DEIB that we strive to integrate into our campus culture:
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Diversity
The Committee’s understanding of diversity appreciates the variety of identities within our community that encompass a myriad of racial, social, ethnic, religious, sexual, and socioeconomic backgrounds. The DEIB Committee seeks to celebrate and support this dynamism while simultaneously respecting the individuality, uniqueness, and subcommunities of each specic group.
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Equity
The Committee’s understanding of equity recognizes that centuries of institutionalized oppression and sanctioned and structural injustice means that not all groups start on the same social platform. The DEIB Committee recognizes this imbalance and seeks to intentionally carve out space, voice, and agency for student groups that have previously been denied equitable access to opportunity.
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Inclusion
Inclusion appreciates that our larger student community is composed of vibrant and varying subcommunities. The Committee believes that DEIB-specic inclusion does not endorse the erasure of non-majority groups in conformance with the majority. Rather, meaningful inclusion means inviting all students to share space and resources with one another with mutual respect and acceptance.
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Belonging
Belonging reects a sense of connectedness, security, acceptance, and value among all members of our law school community. As we work to bridge divides and strengthen bonds, we hold space to appreciate and amplify the unique contributions that arise from spaces where diversity is celebrated.
2023-24 Academic Year Mandate
In the academic year 2023-24, our central mission is to cultivate greater collaboration, community, and support across anity groups and student organizations. The DEIB Committee is also designed to operate as a starting point for students to bring concerns related to diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging that will then be relayed to appropriate committees, student organizations, or administrative entities to work towards resolution.