Rockford College is committed to providing equal opportunity and an educational and work environment for its students, faculty, and staff free from any discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex, national origin, sexual orientation, ancestry, age, marital status, physical or mental disability, or status as a service member or veteran. Further, Rockford College is committed to ensuring access, equity and fairness in educational programs, related activities and employment for minorities, women, individuals with disabilities, service members and veterans.

Rockford College believes that diversity in the student body, faculty and staff is an important component in providing a quality education. Diversity enriches the educational experience by encouraging dialogues between people with different experiences, beliefs and perspectives. It promotes personal growth and a healthy society. Diversity challenges stereotyped preconceptions; it encourages critical thinking. By helping to build communities whose members are judged by the quality of their character and their contributions, diversity strengthens communities and the workplace.

Goals

1. Implement diversity planning, budgeting, and assessment with annual reports on accomplishments.
2. Increase access to information on diversity.
3. Implement and assess the degree to which the concepts of diversity are included in the formal curriculum and academic support processes.
4. Implement and assess the degree to which the concepts of diversity are included in co-curricular programs and events.
5. Implement and assess strategies that are designed to increase the enrollments of students from traditionally underrepresented groups.
6. Implement and assess strategies that are designed to increase the retention and achievement of students from traditionally underrepresented groups.
7. Implement and assess strategies that are designed to increase the recruitment and the retention of faculty and staff from traditionally underrepresented groups.

[Adopted by the Rockford College Board of Trustees on March 10, 2003.  Updated on February 23, 2007.]