Constituted in 2017, the D&I Committee is dedicated to increasing the iSchool's diversity and creating an inclusive community that welcomes all students, staff, faculty, and friends of the school. If you would like to get involved, have an idea for an event, or would like to learn more about D&I resources and activities at the iSchool, please contact the committee chair.
Committee Chair (2020-2021)
Rachel Van Middlesworth
Career Development Office Manager
Committee Members (2020-2021)
Keisha Brown
Director of Communications
Carla Criner
Assistant Dean for Education and Student Affairs
Ida Rahnamai
Senior Administrative Associate
Bo Xie
Professor
Elle Carnley
MSIS Student
Ali Gunnells
MSIS Student
Emma Hetrick
MSIS Student
Gabrielle Roth
MSIS Student
Emily Simpson
MSIS Student
Raivynn Smith
MSIS Student
Recent iSchool D&I Activities
Our active and committed Diversity & Inclusion Committee was involved in planning and delivering a number of activities for our iSchool community during the 2019-2020 academic year:
View the full D&I Committee Activity Report
Indigenous Land Acknowlegement
Dr. Roy and Sam Burns worked with staff from the Division of Diversity and Community Engagement (DDCE) to discuss a first ever UT-wide Land Acknowledgement statement sanctioned by UT leadership. While we were ultimately unable to generate interest, Dr. Roy did write the following Land Acknowlegement, which is published here:
We acknowledge that the iSchool sits on indigenous land. The Tonkawa lived in central Texas and the Comanche and Apache moved through this area. Today, various indigenous peoples from all over the globe visit Austin and/or call it home. We are grateful to be able to study and learn on this piece of Turtle Island.
iPALS Program Launched
The D&I Committee and the Student Association of the School of Information (SASI) launched a program called "iPALS", which pairs international iSchool students and domestic iSchool members (student, staff, or faculty) to do fun activities together outside of the classroom. Through iPALS, our goal is to build a greater sense of the international community at the iSchool. The program is planned to continue into the next academic year.
Pedernales Falls Hike & Lunch
The iSchool's Diversity & Inclusion Committee organized a community-building hike at Pedernales Falls State Park. Attendees had a great time exploring nature, eating delicious food, and bonding with fellow iSchool students, staff, and faculty!
iSchool Faculty & Staff Training Sessions
- Partnered with UT's Services for Students with Disabilities (SSD) Office for a training session.
- Working with International Students: a training session in partnership with Texas Global.