Priority: Enhancing Our Culture

We envision an equitable culture and campus environment in which the quality of one’s experiences and outcomes do not differ based on one’s identity group. To achieve this, the Lehigh community is thinking creatively, and listening to all of the communities most impacted by systemic neglect or discriminatory attitudes or behaviors.

We are taking further action to enhance and sustain an inclusive and empowering scholarly environment by continually engaging students, faculty and staff in building a community in which learning the varied perspectives of all domestic and globally diverse participants occurs.

Goals

  • Create and sustain a campus culture that acknowledges and celebrates diversity, fosters inclusive excellence and is dedicated to being an antiracist institution, while building on our commitment to academic freedom and expression for all members.
  • Create a campus climate that is supportive, respectful and values differing perspectives and experiences
  • Create an inclusive and empowering scholarly environment
  • Engage the campus community in learning a variety of viewpoints, both domestic and global, on diversity and inclusion
  • Strengthen and build relationships with the surrounding community

Select Progress

  • Implemented programming, such as the weekly campuswide Community Conversations About Race series hosted by the Office of Multicultural Affairs, and regular events through the Center for Gender Equity and the PRIDE Center, among others
  • Developed and established a new Chosen Name Policy and Policy for Designating Gender Identity and Legal Sex, also known as the Gender Identity Policy
  • Convened the Lehigh University Police Department (LUPD) Review Committee to strengthen relationships between LUPD and the Black, Indigenous and People of Color (BIPOC) communities of Lehigh, as well as with the surrounding community
  • Received recognition for efforts to enhance our inclusive community, such as Higher Education Excellence in Diversity (HEED) Awards from INSIGHT Into Diversity magazine, ranked on College Consensus’ “LGBTQ Friendly Colleges” list and named among “The 30 Safest Colleges for Jews” by Forward

Continue Exploring the 2021-2026 Diversity, Inclusion & Equity Plan