Policy 10. Nondiscrimination

At the University of Colorado, our vision is to be a premier, accessible, and transformative public research university that has diverse and inclusive working and learning environments woven into the fabric of our entire organization. Such environments are crucial to promoting academic excellence, most notably outstanding teaching, learning, research, creative work, meaningful community engagement, and culturally responsive health care.

The University of Colorado Board of Regents affirms its absolute commitment to the promotion of diversity in the university community and insists that no individual or group shall be marginalized or systemically excluded.

Diversity refers to the representation of our university community members who hold individual differences such as life experiences, and group/social differences such as race and ethnicity or class, protected identities as recognized in regent law, as well as cultural, political, geographical, religious, or other affiliations
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To execute our mission, the university must focus on underrepresented populations and those who have faced barriers to access, inclusion and opportunity, and work diligently to identify and remove those barriers. The university must create a community culture that is accepting, supportive and unbiased, and advances a sense of belonging for all members. We must value and protect robust and respectful debate, champion academic freedom, and treat each other with fairness. The regents also recognize the distinct and primary roles of each campus: the Anschutz Medical Campus, Boulder, Denver, Colorado Springs, in addition to system administration, in advancing these goals.

The regents value faculty, student, and staff diversity to ensure the rich interchange of ideas in the pursuit of truth and learning. A true commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion requires that each regent, member, department, and office of the university community engage in self-examination to identify the policies and practices that perpetuate inequities, and create and commit to action steps that foster a more diverse, inclusive, and equitable community.

The University of Colorado will continually assess its progress on these goals as we maintain our commitment to eradicating inequities. Strategic and budgetary planning must include measurable goals that prioritize the advancement of diversity, equity, and inclusion. Progress and assessment will be presented to the regents annually.

Term Definitions

Equity is the creation of opportunities for historically underserved populations to have equal access to and participate in academic and professional experiences that address disparate outcomes and propel communities toward success.

Inclusion means actively embracing diversity in all aspects of academic, social, and professional life. It involves making intentional efforts to engage with people from various backgrounds, learning from their experiences, and developing a deeper understanding of, and empathy towards, how individuals interact within different systems, institutions, and communities.