Justice, Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion

Justice, equity, diversity, and inclusion are fundamental to achieving a sustainable world. Sustainability can only exist at the intersection of healthy environments, social equity, and economic fairness and therefore the goals of justice, equity, diversity and inclusion are integral to our work in pursuing sustainability

Principles of Community

To achieve these goals, the School of Global Environmental Sustainability is dedicated to embodying and exemplifying the Colorado State University Principles of Community. These principles are a framework for action that support the CSU mission and vision of access, research, teaching, service and engagement. A collaborative and vibrant community is a foundation for learning, critical inquiry, and discovery. Therefore, each member of the CSU community has a responsibility to uphold these principles when engaging with one another and acting on behalf of the University.

Inclusion: We create and nurture inclusive environments and welcome, value and affirm all members of our community, including their various identities, skills, ideas, talents and contributions.

Integrity: We are accountable for our actions and will act ethically and honestly in all our interactions.

Respect: We honor the inherent dignity of all people within an environment where we are committed to freedom of expression, critical discourse, and the advancement of knowledge.

Service: We are responsible, individually and collectively, to give of our time, talents, and resources to promote the well-being of each other and the development of our local, regional, and global communities.

Social Justice: We have the right to be treated and the responsibility to treat others with fairness and equity, the duty to challenge prejudice, and to uphold the laws, policies and procedures that promote justice in all respects.

These values inform our teaching, learning, scholarship, and our engagement.

CSU Land Acknowledgement

What is the land acknowledgement statement?

CSU’s land acknowledgment is a statement crafted by a variety of Indigenous faculty and staff, as well as other officials at CSU. The statement recognizes the long history of Native peoples and nations that lived and stewarded the land where the university now resides. The land acknowledgment statement also maintains the connection Native people and nations still have to this land.
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Colorado State University acknowledges, with respect, that the land we are on today is the traditional and ancestral homelands of the Arapaho, Cheyenne, and Ute Nations and peoples. This was also a site of trade, gathering, and healing for numerous other Native tribes. We recognize the Indigenous peoples as original stewards of this land and all the relatives within it. As these words of acknowledgment are spoken and heard, the ties Nations have to their traditional homelands are renewed and reaffirmed.

CSU is founded as a land-grant institution, and we accept that our mission must encompass access to education and inclusion. And, significantly, that our founding came at a dire cost to Native Nations and peoples whose land this University was built upon. This acknowledgment is the education and inclusion we must practice in recognizing our institutional history, responsibility, and commitment.

Black Lives Matter: Statement of Solidarity

The School of Global Environmental Sustainability commits to advancing an anti-racist approach to education, research, and engagement.

University Resources

Office of the Vice President for Diversity

Founded in 2010, the Office of the Vice President for Diversity is committed to fostering an inclusive campus environment through the active engagement of Colorado State University employees.

Accessibility by Design

The Accessibility by Design website offers tools to make instructional materials and resources, including web content, inclusive and accessible.

Bias Reporting System

The Bias Reporting System is an effort to understand and assess the current state of bias-related incidents at Colorado State University in order to better meet the needs of our diverse community.

Center for Environmental Justice

Environmental justice is the view that all people deserve a healthy and safe environment in which to live, work, and play – regardless of their race, ethnicity, class status, age, gender, citizenship, and other social variables. The CSU Center for Environmental Justice supports collaboration among the those in the CSU community and beyond interested in these issues.

CSU Race, Bias, and Equity Initiative

The Race, Bias, and Equity Initiative at Colorado State University aims to implement actionable plans to address issues of race (and racism), bias, and equity at CSU and to empower all members of our campus community to learn, work, live and recreate in a safe and welcoming environment.

First Generation at CSU

The First Generation University Initiative is a group of staff and faculty members who have volunteered to organize, collaborate across departments, develop strategies, brainstorm outreach opportunities, and provide support for all our First Generation college students.

Student Diversity Programs and Services

CSU has a number of diversity offices, programs, and services designed to support students in a variety of ways.