As part of the University of Washington, the School of Marine and Environmental Affairs acknowledges the Coast Salish peoples of this land, the land which touches the shared waters of all tribes and bands within the Suquamish, Tulalip and Muckleshoot nations.

We recognize the importance of reflecting upon our privileges as a higher educational, research institution existing on these lands by engaging with Native campus groups and tribal initiatives.

Diversity, equity and inclusion are at the core of our community and teachings at the School of Marine and Environmental Affairs. An interdisciplinary school should not only work across academic disciplines, but center and value diverse lived experiences. SMEA students, faculty, and staff bring a breadth of backgrounds and experiences into our shared spaces, and SMEA welcomes and supports all members of our community, regardless of race, Indigeneity, immigration status, gender, gender identity, sexuality, age, class, national origin, physical and mental ability, veteran status, or religious affiliation.

At SMEA, we strive to strengthen our students’ ability to identify issues, frame questions, and bound problems that span social and natural sciences, environmental humanities, resource stewardship, and environmental justice. Diversity in our community fosters deeper understandings of cultural traditions and histories that influence environmental thought and action. Students also build critical and analytic thinking skills; explore how marine and environmental policies may perpetuate inequality; develop interdisciplinary frameworks and methodologies; and encourage an intellectual community that challenges bias and prejudice, power and structure, within and beyond our disciplines. By incorporating underrepresented ideas, experiences, and perspectives, whether through coursework, community engagement, or research, we can better critique and expand our understanding of the human dimensions of marine and environmental affairs, and further our ability to arrive at more effective solutions to the complex problems we collectively face across our planet.

Links

“Native campus groups” https://ais.washington.edu/student-organizations

“Tribal initiatives” https://www.washington.edu/diversity/tribal-relations/

SMEA DEI Activities & Support

SMEA JEDI (Justice, Equity, Diversity, & Inclusion) Committee

• TBD (student representative)
• P. Joshua Griffin (faculty)
• Ryan Kelly (faculty)

SMEA Diversity Forum

• Kenza Oualim (student leader)

UW DEI Activities & Support

• Center for Communication, Difference, and Equity
  The CCDE strives to be a space where our community of students, faculty, staff, and alumni gather to promote greater equity.
• Center for Evaluation & Research for STEM Equity
  The Center for Evaluation & Research for STEM Equity (CERSE) focuses on conducting high quality program evaluation and research to improve equity and broaden representation in STEM fields, with a focus on higher education.
• D Center
  The D Center is UW’s Disability and d/Deaf Cultural center, recently relocated to the Husky Union Building – Room 327, where students can study, organize, rest, or hang out with fellow students and other community members.
• Diversity Research Centers & Institutes
  The broader UW community conducts research on the benefits of cultural diversity, as well as its challenges. This generates new knowledge that has economic, social and cultural impacts, on both local and global scales.
• Handbook of Best Practices for Faculty Searches
  This document is meant to serve as a concise Handbook of Best Practices for hiring and retaining a diverse and inclusive faculty across the three campuses of the University of Washington, and thus it is meant to assist the university in meeting its goals of promoting equal opportunity and of enhancing excellence through diversity.
• wǝɫǝbʔaltxʷ – Intellectual House:
  wǝɫǝbʔaltxʷ – Intellectual House is a longhouse-style facility on the UW Seattle campus. It provides a multi-service learning and gathering space for American Indian and Alaska Native students, faculty and staff, as well as others from various cultures and communities to come together in a welcoming environment to share knowledge.
• Leadership Without Borders:
  Leadership Without Borders (LWB) works to serve and empower undocumented students at the University of Washington.
• Native Life and Tribal Relations
  The purpose of this web site is to centralize the Native-focused resources available on the University of Washington’s campus in Seattle.
• Office of Minority Affairs & Diversity:
  OMAD works to increase diversity on campus and enrich the collegiate experience.
• Q Center:
  The Q Center is the professionally supported resource, advocacy, and mentoring center for queer students, staff, and faculty at UW.
• Race & Equity Resources
  A variety of resources, tools, readings, etc.
• Samuel E. Kelly Ethnic Cultural Center:
  The Kelly ECC has a wealth of resources and opportunities available to students including student advising, organizational development, personal growth, and referrals to different departments and programs.
• Social Groups at UW
  A list of affinity groups supported by the UW as a way to advance recruitment and retention efforts