Equity, Inclusivity & Justice

Equity, Inclusivity & Justice

The Department of Communication Studies and its Equity, Inclusivity & Justice Committee is devoted to eliminating systemic racism along with barriers to 1, inclusivity (as in ensuring the participation and recognition of all people who may feel otherwise marginalized) 2, equity (promoting fairness and impartiality in treatment), and 3, justice based on a number of intersectional subject positions, standpoints, and social identities. These include and are not limited to: race and ethnicity; communities of color; American Indian and other Indigenous and colonized communities, religion or creed, national origin or ancestry; sex; sexual orientation (lesbian, gay, bisexual, asexual); gender identity and expression (queer, transgender, non-binary, and other gender-nonconforming persons); houseless people and those living in poverty and with subsistence insecurities; citizenship, including refugees, and asylum seekers; persons living with mental and physical disabilities; women of all races; people of all classes/castes; religious minorities; age; veteran status; persons dealing with the consequences of violence; and all other vulnerable populations.

The Department promotes and supports an ideal, ethically responsible, and socially/racially equitable environment for all. We are committed to eliminating structural and everyday prejudice and bigotry. Moreover, we dedicate ourselves to embracing and sustaining inclusivity, equity, and justice in our administrative, communal, instructional, and research spaces, with the goal of contributing to the creation of an inclusive, equitable, just, and sustainable future. The Department commits to providing authenticity, transparency, and truth to, as well as resources and advocacy for, this work.

Department Statement on Racial & Social Justice

Departmental Diversity Liaison (DDL)

The Departmental Diversity Liaison (DDL) is a faculty representative who works in conjunction with other department reps in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences (CLAS) to provide leadership in developing and disseminating best practices to incorporate diversity into scholarship, teaching, and service to continue to improve the students’ experience.

If you want to reach out and find guidance, support, share information/personal experiences, provide feedback and/or communicate potential issues regarding your experience in the department, the DDL is your voice to connect not just with the Communication Studies Chair, but also, the Dean of the College. ​

Lecturer Henrique Viana is your current DDL and can be reached at hviana@uncc.edu. Please make sure you mention “Comm Studies DDL” in your email subject line and make it known if you prefer to remain anonymous to others.

If you need further assistance to communicate microaggressions; raise awareness to situations pertaining to diversity, equity, and inclusion; make a formal complaint regarding any form of discriminatory and/or prejudicial actions or want to have a formal medium to discuss your experience in the department, please utilize the mediation form located under student resources. That channel will be available to guide you through the process of dialogue, mediation, and potential remediation.

Student Resources

Reporting a Bias Incident

Have something that goes beyond the department and needs further reporting? Please go to Bias-Related Incident Report Form and file a bias-related incident report.

Important Campus Resources