VCU and the School of the Arts value and celebrate diversity in all of its forms. We support thoughtful, informed and inclusive action, and are committed to empowering community values in which individuals of different perspectives, life experiences, cultural backgrounds, and social identities feel safe and welcomed.
We provide resources, counseling, training and events that encourage our faculty, staff and students to explore—and be inspired by—our diverse community.
We believe nothing should hold you back as an artist, and we’re committed to providing you with the support you need.
VCUarts Diversity Policy
The VCU School of the Arts believes that art is inclusive. Therefore, this diversity policy establishes that the School of the Arts accepts and welcomes all people by maintaining and celebrating diversity within our student body, faculty and staff.
The School of the Arts provides equal opportunity and prohibits discrimination according to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, disability, age and sexual orientation in accord with university policy. To support this policy and to stimulate understanding, the School of the Arts will establish forums to explore diversity in education, arts and design. We believe that to achieve educational excellence, we must value and practice inclusion.
I can help you find ways to celebrate diversity and assist you should any concerns develop. I work directly with the dean to ensure that diversity of cultures, views and experiences are fostered by our community. Please contact me at artsinclusive@vcu.edu if I can help facilitate conversations or share advice on issues of inclusivity.
Holly Price Alford, VCUarts Director of Inclusion and Equity
Diversity, Inclusion and Equity News
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University Resources
VCU and the School of the Arts provide a number of resources to assist traditionally underserved and/or underrepresented student populations including:
- Safe Zone designated spaces across campus that offer support for LGBTQIA+ students.
- The Office of Multicultural Student Affairs promotes an appreciation of diversity through events, forums, scholarships and more.
- The Student Accessibility and Educational Opportunity office provides accommodations to eligible students with disabilities.
- The VCU Division for Inclusive Excellence leads the university’s efforts to strengthen our core mission and culture of inclusion and diversity.
- A partnership with the Virginia Center for Inclusive Communities, which facilitates programming and workshops to achieve success through inclusion.
- The VCU Office of the Ombudsperson, an independent dispute resolution practitioner for faculty, staff and students.
- Plus, check out this guide to pronoun best practices.
Anti-racism resources
At VCUarts, we have been offering professional development and other educational opportunities to listen, learn and grow. Recently, a number of our faculty, staff and administrators attended the Challenging Racial Disparities Conference, which featured keynote speaker Robin DiAngelo, author of White Fragility: Why It’s So Hard for White People to Talk about Racism. Attendees also received a list of anti-racism resources—from books and articles to podcasts and movies—that may be found here: bit.ly/ANTIRACISMRESOURCES
Additional resources
- Black Wall Street Massacre
- The Rosewood Massacre
- “Your Black Colleagues may look like they are okay—chances are they are not”
- TED Talks on Race
- Racial Equity tools
University Counseling Services
Your mental health matters. The UCS provides case management, referral services to a community provider, brief individual and couples therapy, group therapy, consultation and resiliency workshops.
Reporting
Students, faculty and staff can report incidents of prohibited conduct using the Title IX reporting form or the VCU Helpline.
Get involved
One of the best ways to feel at home in the VCU and School of the Arts communities is to get involved with one of the 400 student organizations at VCU. Within VCUarts, Black Art Student Empowerment (B.A.S.E.) and Queer Arts Club are dedicated to representation and inclusion of our diverse community.