Diversity, Equity, Access, & Inclusion Statement
The College of Education, Health, and Human Sciences (CEHHS) is committed to Diversity, Equity, Access, and Inclusion. We respect the worldviews of racially and ethnically diverse individuals and encourage multiple perspectives in fostering a global community dedicated to teaching, learning, service, and scholarly activity, while actively engaging in antiracist and inclusive practices.
The college is dedicated to ensuring that all individuals have access to the resources, support, and opportunities to succeed in their academic and professional careers. Through its faculty, staff, community partners, strategic plan, curricular, and extracurricular offerings, the College is committed to preparing our students to engage equitably with all persons regardless of race, ethnicity, cultural beliefs, socioeconomic status, geographical perspective, gender identity, and expression, age, religion, sexual orientation, or other identities.
CEHHS Diversity, Equity, Access, & Inclusion Committee
The mission of the CEHHS Diversity, Equity, Access, and Inclusion Committee is to initiate and engage in anti-racism and advocacy practices, supporting diversity and inclusion within our college community, and encourage actionable opportunities for students, staff, and faculty. Further, the committee seeks to expand the understanding of systemic oppression within the college, how this impacts academic growth for students, staff and faculty in academia, and promote practices that foster wellness and understanding of one’s own diversity,and to promote anti-racism and equity for all. With the support of college leadership, the Committee charges all members within the college to engage in practices and professional development to bring awareness to issues related to diversity consistent with the college’s DEAI Statement.
RESOURCES: Free teaching and DEAI informational resources, as well as recordings of previous events, are located on the committee's Canvas site >>
Teacher Education Diversity Organization (TEDO) Student Group
Launched in Spring 2015, the TEDO Student Group serves as a vehicle for conversation and support for teacher education students who identify as belonging to underrepresented groups including, but not limited to, students of Color, LGBTQ students, immigrant students, and international students. The group is student-led with support from Dr. Ferial Pearson, Mr. Gabriel Gutiérrez, and Dr. Sandra Rodriguez-Arroyo from the Teacher Education Department (TED). The faculty sponsors handle the organizational, logistical, and technical aspects of working with the student group, but encourage any and all TED faculty join in its activities.
The group works each academic year to build a "critical mass" of TED students who will work with students and faculty to ascertain events and activities appropriate for the group's mission and goals.
CEHHS DEAI Highlights
Future Teachers of Color Summit
Now in its third year, the Future Teachers of Color Summit brings together high school students interested in the teaching professions and UNO education students and teacher candidates for a two-day event filled with keynote speakers, panel discussions, and networking opportunities with UNO faculty and leaders, visiting scholars, and community leaders.
The Summit was founded in 2022 by Teacher Education faculty members Mr. Gabriel Gutiérrez, Dr. Ferial Pearson, Dr. Derrick Nero, Dr. Willie Austin, and Dr. Sandra Rodriguez-Arroyo through NU System Inclusive Excellence Development Grant funding, with the goal of recruiting and retaining diverse students to the field of education and the university.
BHECN Grant Funding
The Department of Counseling was awarded $1M in grant funding from UNMC’s Behavioral Health Education Center of Nebraska (BHECN) through the American Recovery Plan Act (ARPA) Award Program. The grant funding provides improved support to graduate students pursuing careers as behavioral health providers in UNO’s Clinical Mental Health Counseling program. The goal is to address Nebraska’s shortage of behavioral and mental health providers, especially in diverse and underserved communities, by focusing on program recruitment and retention as well as training and supervision.
Douglas County Health Department Grant Funding
Dr. Ayo Olagoke, Assistant Professor of Public Health in UNO’s School of Health & Kinesiology, was recently awarded nearly $93k from the Douglas County Health Department to help improve community health literacy and communication, to address the disparity in exposure to accurate health information by amplifying the voice of minoritized communities.