Statement on Commitment to Diversity, Inclusion, and Social Justice

The Department of Psychology at the University of Illinois Springfield commits to diversity, inclusion, and social justice (DISJ) in its internal practices, principles, and policies, and in its engagement with the university, the community, and the culture at large. We embrace the idea that this commitment requires ongoing effort and investment.

As a department, we define social justice as an active and collaborative commitment to promote equity and inclusion for all groups on campus and in our society. We advocate for fairness and empowerment for all individuals regardless of ethnic and social backgrounds because we believe that each individual has the right to dignity, respect, full access to life’s opportunities, and the resources to realize their full potential.

We also recognize and value the strengths and unique contributions of a diverse community because it enriches our experiences and worldviews and helps us be better global citizens. We believe that to be effective, our commitment must be grounded in a dynamic, sensitive understanding of the unique present and historical realities of various groups. Our understanding of DISJ must be active, complex, and attuned to the diverse histories and cultural contexts of various groups and individuals who have been and continue to be impacted by prejudice and discrimination in its many forms. We stand in solidarity with all groups that suffer the impacts of prejudice and discrimination, including but not limited to racism, ableism, sexism, xenophobia, transphobia, and homophobia.

We are taking the following steps with the intention of promoting lasting change and transformation: 

  • We are examining and, as necessary, updating our department’s search processes to ensure that we utilize the best practices in equitable hiring. 
  • We are researching, implementing, and assessing best practices for addressing diversity, inclusion, and social justice in our teaching.
  • We have implemented a standard item of business at department meetings to check in on our progress toward our commitment.

We will communicate the actions and products of the DISJ committee and department at large to the campus community in a semesterly blog for ongoing discussion and accountability.

DISJ Committee

In alignment with the department’s commitment to diversity, inclusion, and social justice, the DISJ committee was formed as a standing committee in spring 2023 to provide resources and guidance that promote DISJ within the department. Students are always welcome to share suggestions or feedback with any of the committee members!

Current DISJ Committee Members for AY24-25:

Dr. Frances Shen (Chair)
Dr. Hypatia Bolívar
Dr. Abigail Kroke
TBD (Student Representative)

Our DISJ Student Representative

An election for the DISJ committee’s student representative is held at the beginning of the fall semester each academic year. The DISJ student representative attends DISJ committee meetings and represents the students’ interests in promoting DISJ initiatives for the department. If you are interested in self-nominating for the position, please contact Dr. Frances Shen for more information.

DISJ Committee’s Recent Activities

In the 2023-24 academic year, the committee worked on several initiatives to promote DISJ in the department:

  • We finalized a handout on guidelines for developing DISJ-focused syllabi for department faculty. Committee members presented the guidelines to department faculty who incorporated a number of guidelines into their spring 2024 course syllabi.
  • Several committee members presented the handout on DISJ-focused syllabi guidelines and facilitated a virtual Participant Idea Exchange (PIE) session on enhancing DISJ in psychology programs at the 2023 American Psychological Association Teaching of Psychology’s Annual Conference on Teaching.
  • We invited Psi Chi and Psychology Club to future collaborations on DISJ events between department faculty and students.
  • We conducted a student survey on the department’s cultural climate in spring 2024.
  • We presented the department’s DISJ efforts to other departments and units on campus.
  • Finally, we developed a DISJ focused syllabi template to be disseminated as a resource for UIS faculty.

You can learn more about the DISJ committee’s past and ongoing efforts in the DISJ semesterly blog and their presentation to the UIS Chairs Forum in Spring 2024.