Dialogue and Inclusion

UR’s mission is to prepare students to succeed and lead lives of purpose in an increasingly complex world. To meet our mission in the 21st century, we are educating students with diverse viewpoints and experiences to thoughtfully and skillfully engage across lines of difference. We are purposefully engaging with complicated and challenging topics, including our own history, and we are working to ensure that all members of our community are able to be full participants in this dialogue.

This approach is rooted in our liberal arts background. Our work will include displays and contextualization on our campus, relevant courses, student and faculty research, and campus-wide programs that teach our students to be agile critical thinkers, engage in difficult dialogues, and prepare for leadership in a world where these skills are more vital than ever before. Together, we will build our collective capacity to navigate challenging conversations and prepare for the future.

Opportunities for Support

The Dialogue and Inclusion Fund provides direct and immediate support for UR’s efforts to foster an inclusive and skilled intercultural community. Examples include:

  • Support for Thriving, Inclusion, Diversity, and Equity (TIDE) grants, for which members of the community can apply to support their ideas in the service of inclusive excellence
  • Support for the Community Dialogue Network, a homegrown initiative launched in 2021 designed to cultivate group facilitation skills among UR's students, staff, and faculty with the goal of increasing our collective capability to engage productively in difficult conversations. The initiative aims to create and grow a network of practitioners skilled in equity-minded facilitation and community building. 
  • Historical displays, signage, and spaces for reflection and remembrance on campus, which provide complex historical context and honor untold stories in UR’s history. A current project includes the Burying Ground Memorial.
  • Classroom experiences and student research related to institutional history