Rationale

• Diversity is an educational imperative if we are to prepare our students for the real world
• Diversity adds an educational richness to our campus
• We need to embrace our areas of discomfort in order to grow
• Current environment may be too limiting; need to expose students, faculty and staff to "otherness"
• Need to provide opportunities to move outside our comfort zone both on campus and with off campus experience (i.e. study abroad)
• Need to seek out what we do not understand rather than fear the unknown
• Enhanced diversity could allow us to improve our climate as well as strengthen our connection with surrounding community given increased diversity at least in Chittenden County