When was the event?
The Inclusive Excellence Symposium was held virtually in 2020 and took place on Monday, Oct. 26 – Friday, Oct. 30, 2020 via zoom.
What was the purpose?
To empower USU students, faculty, and staff to advance equity and inclusion through education, collaboration, and research.
What was it about?
The symposium emphasized the benefits of greater diversity within our communities. Attendee received education and training for understanding the experiences of underrepresented groups in order to reduce barriers to their academic and career success. The symposium also promoted networking, collaboration, and dialogue among faculty, staff, students, and community members.
Why was “Black Lives Matter” 2020's symposium theme?
Aggies Think Care Act chose “Black Lives Matter” as a theme for the Inclusive Excellence Symposium to encourage our academic environment to join the national conversation on race and inequality in the U.S. This theme is not a declaration that only Black lives matter. It is, however, a recognition that, historically speaking, Black lives, health, equality, economic security, and safety have not mattered and that many of these issues persist today.
At USU, we acknowledge the negative impact of historical factors and their effect on bias, inequity, and discrimination. As a land-grant university, access to education for all people and research that benefits society is the foundation of what we do, and education is critical to economic mobility and improving the lives of all Utahns across our state.
Enhancing a thoughtful understanding of racism and the varying perspectives of this issue better supports students to be effective citizens and leaders, both locally and globally.
The theme of the Inclusive Excellence Symposium should not be interpreted as an endorsement of the Black Lives Matter Global Network Foundation.
What About Other Marginalized Communities?
By focusing on the Black Lives Matter movement, we helped to create the foundation for members of our campus community to understand and counteract racism that ultimately affects all marginalized communities. We encourage those who would like to learn more about this historic social movement to watch the symposium.