Institutional Diversity Strategic Plan

Historically, the topic of diversity has been a challenging one that has polarized various organizations, including college campuses. At Biola, we believe that with a clearly articulated biblical vision regarding diversity, God’s vision for unity will ultimately be brought to our campus community. While some approaches to diversity focus on the attitude of tolerance, as Christians we affirm our calling to go beyond this to practice sacrificial Christ-like love. This love is the foundation for unity amidst diversity within the Kingdom community.

When we refer to diversity, we don’t simply mean demographic diversity but also the diversity of thought within our community. It is well documented that diversity helps colleges achieve academic and institutional excellence — it will help Biola achieve our mission of “equipping men and women in mind and character to impact the world for the Lord Jesus Christ.” In order to leverage diversity to achieve our mission, “academic leaders need to become simultaneously more strategic and proactive in their approach to designing and implementing diversity policies and programs.” Hence, the creation of an Institutional Diversity Strategic Plan. In order to be successful, the plan must be concise, have the capacity to anticipate change, and the workload must be shared among champions across the university.

The purpose of the plan is simple: to create “a culture of Christ-like love which is seen through mutually edifying interpersonal relationships and equitable institutional policies that allow for a thriving intercultural community.” This will ultimately be a counter-cultural witness to the world.

Cabinet members and senior leaders in their areas have been assigned to be champions over designated portions of the plan. The Chief Diversity Officer (CDO) meets with these leaders regularly to ensure progress is being made. Additionally, assessment is vital to ensure that we hold ourselves accountable to making progress. An assessment plan to measure our progress and hold us accountable was drafted during Fall 2019 by the Assessment of the Diversity Strategic Plan Working Group, composed of ten faculty and staff representatives. The D&I team is currently finalizing the assessment plan and gathering baseline data. Progress on the Strategic Plan will be communicated annually to the Biola community.

Below is a list of some of the actions we will be taking in the next couple of years.

• Identify events and opportunities for training and education of students on diversity and inclusion throughout the year, in and out of the classroom.
• Provide professional development opportunities to equip faculty and staff for the increasingly diverse student body attending the university.
• Increase the integration of diversity of thought within the curriculum through works of scholars from diverse backgrounds.
• Host multiple all-community gatherings led by Biola’s President engaging in topics that help advance the theological understanding and practical implications of pursuing diversity at Biola.
• Provide multiple opportunities to practice diversity and inclusion within the Biola community.
• Expand Biola’s FirstGen program to serve all incoming and current FirstGen students.
• Work toward enhancing SCORR conference to become a national conference.
• Engage with parents and alumni on different diversity initiatives.
• Collaborate with leaders to ensure major university events and student programming better reflect the diverse cultures represented in our student body.
• Fundraise money specifically geared toward diversity and inclusion initiatives at Biola.
• Ensure diversity is a lived institutional value evident in our practices and policies throughout the university.