Building on Common Ground: The Inclusive Excellence Strategic Plan, 2023-2033 is our diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) roadmap. This document serves three purposes: First, to create and promote a campus culture of inclusive excellence in our everyday engagement. Second, to serve as a blueprint to support campus-wide implementation, assessment and lasting DEI success at every level. Finally, to apply an equity lens in the University’s efforts to achieve the goals outlined by Shaping What's Next, 2021-2031. The five strategic priority areas in Building on Common Ground call on our learning community to:
- Strengthen inclusive pathways to institutional access and success for students and employees.
- Nurture belonging and well-being in an inclusive campus.
- Plan and invest in infrastructure that sustains progress toward inclusive excellence.
- Model UNC Charlotte as a national leader through partnerships and research, driving inclusive excellence for the region and the broader community.
- Leverage the communication of inclusive excellence efforts to raise UNC Charlotte’s prominence.
Draft of the Full Strategic Plan Information Sessions and Workshop Dates Resources FAQs
Click on each priority (below) to see all associated strategic plan objectives.
PRIORITY A: ACCESS & SUCCESS
Strengthen inclusive pathways to institutional access and success for students and employees.
OBJECTIVE A1. Improve undergraduates’ social mobility outcomes and close educational attainment equity gaps.
OBJECTIVE A2. Enhance graduate program academic outcomes and student success through increased degree efficiency.
OBJECTIVE A3. Attain equitable participation in curricular experiential learning opportunities to improve graduation success.
OBJECTIVE A4. Eliminate barriers to student and employee success created by academic, student and employee policies and procedures communications.
OBJECTIVE A5. Attract and recruit diverse applicant pools for faculty and staff positions.
OBJECTIVE A6. Incorporate employee-centered approaches to improve retention, workplace satisfaction and equitable career advancement.
PRIORITY B: BELONGING & WELL-BEING
Nurture inclusivity through campus-wide belonging and well-being.
OBJECTIVE B1. Strengthen support systems and practices to increase belonging and well-being for employees.
OBJECTIVE B2. Introduce the UNC Charlotte Guiding Commitments early and engender ongoing knowledge of and engagement with these commitments by our employees to enhance our students’ and employees' experience at the university.
OBJECTIVE B3. Provide education and resources to enrich civil discourse that extends integrity and respect for diverse perspectives, expressions and experiences.
OBJECTIVE B4. Strengthen education preparation for students and employees concerning intercultural competencies and engagement.
OBJECTIVE B5. Nurture a culture and climate that embraces diversity and inclusive excellence.
PRIORITY C: INFRASTRUCTURE & VIABILITY
Plan and invest in infrastructure that sustains progress toward inclusive excellence.
OBJECTIVE C1. Expand disability accessibility across the UNC Charlotte campus and its facilities.
OBJECTIVE C2. Prioritize procurement strategies for goods and services at all levels of the University that increase involvement with historically underutilized businesses, especially those in the Charlotte region and North Carolina.
OBJECTIVE C3. Support equitable opportunities for research activities at the undergraduate and graduate levels.
OBJECTIVE C4. Encourage alums to support student and institutional success related to inclusive excellence.
OBJECTIVE C5. Improve data standardization practices in the collection, analysis and reporting of underrepresented and underserved students and employees.
OBJECTIVE D1. Develop and sustain mutually beneficial community-engaged scholarship and professional partnerships beyond the borders of UNC Charlotte.
OBJECTIVE D2. Expand opportunities for students to contribute and learn through participation in community-engagement courses.
OBJECTIVE D3. Expand opportunities partnerships with pre-K-16-focused institutions and organizations to advance student and family readiness for entry and success in higher education.
OBJECTIVE D4. Accelerate knowledge dissemination by proactively using distribution mechanisms and platforms to reach broader and more diverse audiences.
OBJECTIVE D5. Increase UNC Charlotte’s standing as a leader in social impact for the Charlotte region.
PRIORITY E: COMMUNICATION & PROMINENCE
Leverage the communication of inclusive excellence efforts to raise UNC Charlotte's prominence.
OBJECTIVE E1. Design and implement a communication strategy that promotes a university-wide articulation of inclusive excellence.
OBJECTIVE E2. Tell the story of UNC Charlotte's broader inclusive excellence accomplishments through narratives built from success and belonging data.