Community Education and Resources

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It is our mission to actively and intentionally cultivate a diverse and culturally competent institution where each member has the opportunity and support to reach their full potential and make contributions to our campus community and beyond.

The Division of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) emboldens students, faculty, staff, and community members to partner in this mission by providing skill-based workshops, programming, and resources designed to support a community-wide understanding of inclusive excellence.

 

Educational Workshops and Programs

Topics for programming include gender equity, non-discrimination, LGBTQ+ Allyship, identity development, consent, healthy relationships, and inclusive leadership.

To request programming, contact Catlin Wells, Executive Director of Institutional Equity.

 

Students, Faculty, and staff can also request programming through the online request form.

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Program Options

  • DE&I 101: Me, Myself, and I[dentity]

    Cultural humility requires us to set aside the assumption of our own expertise and replace it with a lifelong commitment to understanding the lived experiences of the people who make up our communities. With this session, participants are invited to take inventory of their own identities and to discuss the way those identities shape their lived experiences and their interactions with others.   This session may be taken independently and is a pre-requisite for DE&I 201.   

  • DE&I 201: Identifying and Eradicating Barriers to Inclusion: 

    In this session, participants understand bias as the foundation of microaggressions, identify microaggressions as a barrier to inclusion, and discuss strategies that can be used to cultivate a living and  learning environment that is inclusive of people with all identities.

  • DE&I 202: Closing the Equity Gap

    To foster an equitable learning environment, we must appreciate and support the diverse needs of students, both in and out of the classroom. In this session, participants identify their assumptions about the identities of college students, consider how these assumptions shape communication, policies, procedures, and practices throughout the University, and practice using an equity mindset to identify and mitigate barriers to access and inclusion. 

  • Inclusive Communication: Using Effective Communication to Support Inclusive Excellence

    Communication is foundational to relationships and key to building a connected community.  In this session participants explore culturally conscious models of interpersonal communication, identify effective communication strategies, and practice using inclusive communication to build lasting relationships with students and colleagues.

  • Inclusive Excellence in Talent Acquisition: Conducting an Equitable Search

    Inclusive Excellence in the workplace begins with equitable search processes. In this workshop, participants discuss the consequences of bias in searches for new employees and review practices that support equitable outcomes in the hiring process.

  • Beyond WIT: Supporting Inclusive Excellence in the Workplace

    This session is intended for students who are preparing to enter the workforce for the first time. Participants establish a foundational understanding of non-discrimination laws, discuss the impact of bias and discrimination in the STEM field, and build skills to support inclusive excellence in their future places of work.

  • On the Basis of Sex: Understanding Title IX and the University’s Policy on Sex Discrimination and Misconduct

    Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972 provides that “No person in the United States shall, on the basis of sex, be excluded from participation in, be denied the benefits of, or be subjected to discrimination under any education program or activity receiving Federal financial assistance.” In this session, participants will discuss the history of the law, review University policy, and consider their role in cultivating a campus climate that is free of sex discrimination and misconduct.    

     

  • Cultivating a Culture of Consent

    This workshop invites student participants to take an active role in cultivating and maintaining a culture of consent at WIT. During this session, participants define “affirmative consent,” explore the subject of consent in a variety of contexts, and learn strategies to support peers who have been impacted by sexual assault.   

  • You’ve Got a Friend: A Beginner’s Guide to LGBTQ+ Allyship

    In this session, participants build a foundational understanding of gender and sexuality and reflect on their role in fostering a community that is inclusive of LGBTQ+ students, faculty, and staff.

  • Inclusive Leadership

     Teams succeed when leaders invite diverse perspectives, foster collaboration, and practice inclusive communication. In this workshop, participants explore the tenets of inclusive leadership and learn strategies to support the personal and professional success of diverse teams.  

Training for Title IX Personnel

The Title IX Coordinator, investigators, decision-makers, and those involved in the informal resolution receive annual training on the following areas:

  • Appropriate definitions;
  • Scope of Wentworth’s educational programs and activities;
  • How to conduct investigations;
  • How to conduct a hearing;
  • Conflicts of interest and bias;
  • Technology used at hearings;
  • Relevancy

Past Trainings: 

August 10, 2020 - May 2020: Title IX Regulations presented by Grand River Solutions: View training slides and  Pre-Workshop Training Slides

October 13, 2020: Title IX Training: View training slides

October 2021: Title IX Training: View training slides

February 2022: Title IX Investigator Training: View training slides

February 2022 and April 2022: Title IX Report Writing Training: View training slides

March 2023: Investigation and Adjudication Training: View training slides 

 

Inclusive Language Guidelines

Wentworth Institute of Technology values diversity, equity, and inclusion and is committed to providing a safe and respectful educational experience and work environment for all members of the University community.

Pursuant to this commitment, all policies, procedures, and operating manuals should intentionally use inclusive language that acknowledges diversity, celebrates individual differences, and reflects a dedication to equitable access. These materials should avoid using language which reflects bias, perpetuates stereotypes, or otherwise excludes members of the community from representation. 

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Guidelines

Inclusive language guidelines are a tool that can be used to write respectfully about identity, including race, ethnicity, national origin, gender, sexuality, and disability. While these guidelines reflect general best practices for respectful communication, the University recognizes that preferred terminology may vary, based on an individual’s identity and lived experiences. Accordingly, members of the Wentworth are encouraged to respect an individual’s preferred terminology in interpersonal encounters.

The University recognizes that language is not static; the words and phrases we use change over time to adapt to the communication needs of an ever-changing society. Where language continues to change and evolve, these guidelines may be updated periodically so that they remain consistent with best practice.

1. Use language that is inclusive of the LGBTQ+ community.

  • Avoid using personal pronouns that assume a gender binary. For example, if writing a policy for students, replace “he or she,” with “they” or “students.”
  •  Avoid occupational terms that assume the gender of an employee. Avoid terms like “lunch lady,” “postman,” or “policeman.”
  • Avoid language that assumes heterosexuality as a norm. When writing generally about people who are married, use “spouse” instead of “husband or wife.” Similarly, when writing generally about dating relationships, use “partner.”

2. Use language that is inclusive of people with disabilities. 

  • Use person first language for general policies, procedures, etc.: Person first language focuses first on a person and second on their experience related to disability. In writing, Use phrases such as “person with a disability” and “individuals with disabilities” Avoid terms like “disabled,” “handicapped, “afflicted with,” “wheelchair bound,” “mentally ill,” etc.
  • Some individuals may choose to use “identity first” language to speak about their own identities and experiences. Respect individual preference and self-expression by using a person or group's preferred terminology in all communication.

3. Use language that respects the humanity of the person or people being described.

  • Avoid using adjectives as nouns when talking about a group of people with a shared identity or characteristic.
  • Avoid terms that imply inferiority or superiority.
  • Capitalize words used to describe groups of people with a shared social identity, including social identities relating to race, ethnicity, and sexual orientation.