Culture, Equity, Diversity and Inclusion

The CEDI Initiative

The College of Agricultural Sciences is committed to advancing a climate of diversity, equity, and inclusion. We recognize the historic inequities of our land-grant institution and are committed to dismantling oppression of all kinds to build a community where everyone belongs and can realize their fullest potential.

The  Culture, Equity, Diversity and Inclusion (CEDI) initiative launched in 2020 to focus that commitment with concrete action. Its goals are three-fold:

• To improve how we reflect the population we serve.
• To create opportunities for respectful and constructive dialogue between people and viewpoints.
• To eliminate bias in our policies and procedures so they are as supportive as possible for all people.

In its first year, we focused on assessment with a commitment to invest in defined priorities resulting in the launch of a comprehensive strategic plan for inclusive excellence. At the same time, we have identified areas across our college where advances are being made and honest dialogue is encouraged to create incremental but meaningful change.

We know we have work to do. But we also recognize the importance of valuing the work that is being done. To that end, we are committed to highlighting some of this work and sharing it to a wide audience of internal and external stakeholders via our quarterly CEDI newsletter. This newsletter will also serve as a means of holding College leadership accountable to the development, implementation, and measurement of our strategic plan for inclusive excellence.

We also have embedded our Community Agreements for Real Engagement [CARE commitment], across every aspect of our work as we  embrace differences to find common ground and create opportunity for all.

The future of the College of Agricultural Sciences is rooted in the shared belief that the path to scientific discovery and meaningful impact only happens when we embrace our differences, find common ground, and create space for historically underrepresented and marginalized voices to participate.

In this effort, and in all that we do, we strive to make tomorrow better for everyone.

Staci L. Simonich, Ph.D., M.B.A.
Dean and Reub Long Professor
College of Agricultural Sciences
Director of the Oregon Agricultural Experiment Station