Climate and diversity committee

Its mission is to address issues relating to the climate in and diversity within the Department.

The Mathematics Department supports the commitment of Penn State University and the Eberly College of Science to foster diversity among faculty, staff, and students.

"The Eberly College of Science recognizes diversity as a broad and multi-faceted issue. We unwaveringly support the University's nondiscrimination policy and seek to provide an environment of mutual respect among individuals of all backgrounds and among individuals holding differing perspectives and ideas. We raise immediate public response to any incidents of intolerance. We value our members from different countries and cultures, and we recognize the need to have greater representation from different minority groups and to have appropriate gender balance across all constituent groups in the college. We strive to have a climate supportive and welcoming for everyone, including those of different cultures, different racial and ethnic backgrounds, those of different sexual orientation, those with different religious beliefs, those with physical disabilities, and non-traditional learners. We strive to achieve equal access to education and equal success and graduation rates for all constituent groups within our student body. In addition to advising students in the college to explore the many opportunities through courses which promote intellectual inquiry of diverse ideas, people and cultures, we look to partner with the Africana Center to integrate these experiences outside of the classroom.

Consistent with our vision of being a premier center of research and education in the basic sciences, and with our goal of supporting access to Penn State for those from under represented and under-served groups, we will make a significant contribution to enhancing the participation and success of individuals from historically under represented groups in the mathematical, physical, and life sciences. At the undergraduate level, we will work to achieve the same college retention and graduation rate for minority students as for majority students. At the graduate student level and at all faculty levels we will work to achieve minority and gender representation at least equal to the national levels of these populations. The real goal is to go beyond the national levels and provide leadership in this area. To achieve these goals, we must work hard to sustain our current populations and to grow representation at every level. The best recruiting tool we have is the success of the minority and female individuals who are already here."

(Excerpts from ECOS Plans to Accomplish: A Framework to Foster Diversity at Penn State: 2004-09)