Diversity and Inclusion
Kentucky State University is committed to diversity and inclusion and nurturing the next generation of diverse professionals who will work to resolve economic, social, political and technological challenges faced by communities locally, nationally, and globally.
Diversity describes a varied community of people and human characteristics, ideas, and world views related, but not limited to race, color, religion, national origin, age, gender, disability and veteran status, among other characteristics. Diversity in concept expects the creation of a safe, supportive, and nurturing environment that honors and respects differences and finds ways to utilize those differences to promote higher levels of achievement by all members of the community.
Inclusion is, engaging the uniqueness of the talents, beliefs, backgrounds, capabilities and ways of living of individuals and groups when joined in a common endeavor, engaging differences to create a culture of belonging in which people are valued and honored to improve our society, world and enterprises, respecting the uniqueness of people’s different talents, beliefs and ways of living, respecting the group identities we possess without restricting those identities, transcending differences by respecting these unique group identities.
The Institutional Diversity Plan for Kentucky State University provides a framework for growth for a campus that has celebrated its status as the most diverse public university in the Commonwealth of Kentucky for many years. Notwithstanding the fact that the university has the highest percentage of enrolled African-American students of any public university in Kentucky, Kentucky State University has the largest percentage of non-majority (non-African American) students of any public university in the Commonwealth. This success is largely due to the fact that recruitment efforts span from local counties to international locations. KSU has been recognized by the Kentucky Latino Education Alliance for its demonstrated efforts of committing resources to and supporting Latino student success.
Diversity programming at the university includes but is not limited to outreach to the following groups:
- Hispanic/Latinos
- Women/Girls in STEM
- African Americans
- Persons with Disabilities
- Veterans
- Persons with Limited English Proficiency (LEP)
- LGBTQQ
KSU Institutional Campus Diversity Assessment (2011-2015)
Supporting Diverse Students on Campus, Post College Readiness, by Rachel Gramer, with Mary P. Sheridan and Khirsten L. Echols
National Council of Teachers of English, March 22, 2016
“Looking at Kentucky State University’s (KSU) diversity plan highlights how institutions might offer whole-person support and mentoring that can
help under-represented students not just in getting to college, but in thriving through
and beyond graduation.”
Read the full article here: http://www.ncte.org/policy-analysis-initiative?reportid=450