Academic Advising Stance on Inclusion

The School of Education Student Services shares with the University of Wisconsin–Madison a belief that “diversity is a source of strength, creativity, and innovation.” In order to support this belief, we seek to promote diversity and inclusion in all of our programs and service efforts, and strive for equity in our work with students. We believe that diversity in all forms among our staff and students fosters valuable differences in perspectives; a commitment to equity encourages us to critically examine our policies and practices; and a focus on inclusion ensures our students a safe and welcoming environment where they can thrive. As student service professionals, we seek to continuously engage in personal and professional development around issues of diversity, equity, and inclusion ourselves, recognizing that honoring these commitments is a life-long learning process.

In order to achieve our goals we commit to the following:

• We will strive to offer a welcoming and accessible environment, affirming interactions with all staff, and a space where students and guests may feel accepted and comfortable being their authentic selves.
• We are committed to delivering holistic, equitable, and supportive career and academic advising to help construct pathways for success from orientation through graduation and beyond. Student services staff will support students through their hopes, dreams, and challenges. In this spirit, we endeavor to incorporate inclusive practices into individual appointments, programming, and community activities.
• All administrative and advising staff are committed to promoting equitable practices, policies, and procedures throughout all our work with students, from access to appointments, creating and enforcing academic policies, ensuring access to funding information and experiential learning opportunities, degree auditing, and in our recruiting and hiring practices.
• As staff, we will encourage and challenge students as they develop their personal, professional, and academic goals around diversity, equity, and inclusion.