Diversity and Inclusion
We stand in solidarity with our students, faculty, staff and the community as we strive to achieve diversity and inclusion for all, including those affected by systemic racism and violence.
KHS celebrates our diversity and is committed to fostering an inclusive and diverse environment for all students, faculty and staff regardless of race, color, ethnicity, religion, gender, gender identity, gender expression, sexual orientation, socioeconomic status, age, political affiliation, military status or ability status.
Anonymous Feedback Form
Our department pledges to stand with our students, faculty and staff, listen to their concerns, and maintain an open-door policy where all voices are heard. In that spirit, we have created an anonymous online feedback form.
This virtual suggestion box is meant to ensure a safe and inclusive atmosphere for all students, faculty and staff, and to encourage impartial and formative discussions regarding diversity and inclusion. Responses submitted to our virtual suggestion box are valued and aid the mission of KHS to foster and facilitate an organizational culture within the Department of Kinesiology and Health Sciences that appreciates, values, respects and practices diversity and inclusion in order to enhance the experience of our community.
KHS Diversity and Inclusion Committee
Centuries of discrimination, intolerance and injustice are as much a part of this nation’s history, as is our spirit of resilience, patriotism and a desire for a better tomorrow. No segment of society is immune to our nation’s past and in this light, KHS has established the KHS Diversity and Inclusion Committee, devoted to safeguarding a departmental culture that respects, values and celebrates our diverse and exceptional KHS community.
The committee is dedicated to ensure all students, faculty and staff feel supported and represented within KHS. Recognition of the diversity of viewpoints, opinions and experiences within the KHS community will be a primary mission of the committee and will guide the actions taken and goals of the committee and KHS at large.
Should you have any questions or concerns, please contact us at khsdivinc@vcu.edu.
- Monique Morton, Administrative Specialist
- Susan Zacharia, Ph.D., Teaching Associate Professor
- Domenico Chavez, Graduate Assistant
Vision Statement
The vision of the KHS Diversity and Inclusion Committee is to be a model for VCU and a leader for higher education in creating an inclusive and diverse organizational culture for students, faculty, and staff.
Mission Statement
To foster and facilitate an organizational culture within the Department of Kinesiology and Health Sciences that appreciates, values, respects and practices diversity and inclusion in order to enhance the experience of all students, faculty, staff and the community.
Committee Goals
- To foster a safe and welcoming environment within our department, where students, faculty and staff can feel comfortable to raise concerns over issues pertaining to diversity and inclusion without fear of retribution.
- To educate and train faculty and staff in working effectively and appropriately with our diverse department.
- To identify and recommend changes to practices that may inadvertently prevent students from diverse backgrounds from graduating in a timely manner or impede access to resources and experiences that will prepare them for future education or career aspirations.
- To advocate for the recruitment and retention of diverse faculty, staff and students.
This committee will be tasked with evaluating/analyzing the results to the KHS Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Student Survey as well as feedback forwarded to the committee from the Anonymous Feedback Survey. They will also be responsible for creating and conducting surveys and evaluating/analyzing the responses, as needed.
This committee will be responsible for seeking and keeping track of training opportunities related to diversity and inclusion for the department. This committee will also be responsible for coordinating with organizers that provide the training, and will assist with publishing, scheduling, training registration and other related matters.
- Susan Zacharia, Ph.D., Teaching Assistant Professor
- Monique Morton, Administrative Specialist
- Jeremy Via, Graduate Assistant
- Kolton Cobb, Graduate Assistant
This committee will be responsible for identifying and working to change practices that may inadvertently prevent students from diverse backgrounds from graduating in a timely manner or impede access to resources and experiences that will prepare them for future education or career aspirations. They will create and run focus groups to determine concerns or address issues that have been identified.
This committee will be working in conjunction with the administration to review and find ways to enhance outreach efforts to recruit students from diverse backgrounds into our majors, examine and recommend pedagogy practices to enhance inclusivity and improve diversity within the curriculum, and review faculty/staff search process to ensure a diverse group of applicants.
Subcommittee members will attend the meetings for recruiting faculty/staff that are open to all. The subcommittee will also meet the visiting faculty/staff applicants separately to specifically discuss topics relevant to our committee’s mission.
- Matthew Scott, Teaching Assistant Professor
- Domenico Chavez, Graduate Assistant
- Natalie Bohmke, Graduate Assistant
- Sylvia Rozario, Ph.D., Teaching Assistant Professor