These courses are designed to maximize inclusion in all areas of the university, said course facilitator and Director of the Office of Diversity Education Sapphire Cureg.

"All students will be intentionally engaged in an environment that is welcoming and inclusive," Cureg said. "Inclusivity means all students in that classroom participate, not just certain individuals and certain groups."

Faculty will spend three hours on Oct. 23 and Oct. 30 in a workshop titled "Enhancing an Inclusive Learning Environment."

This will include time for discussion between faculty members, activities and a panel of selected faculty to share their experiences and discuss classroom practices that can engage all students equally.

"We need to articulate what diversity means and be aware of how words and actions affect others," said Carolyn Dunn, vice president of the Office of Institutional Diversity.

University staff will be recommended to take 'Cultural Competence in the Workplace and Beyond,' which is a course geared toward student services.

These courses are highly recommended but not mandatory for faculty and staff.

"One has to come from one's own volition," Cureg said.

Cureg estimates that with a workshop size of 30 faculty/staff members per session, it will take approximately 5-7 years for all faculty to complete the competence workshop.

The conflicting schedules of faculty prevent the process from going quicker, Cureg said. The staff's fall course was full within two days of staff being notified. Faculty courses are still not at capacity.

Cureg's workshops are designed to make faculty and staff aware of the "iceberg principle," a metaphor emphasizing that an individual's race, ethnicity, sexual orientation and culture are not necessarily reflected in their appearance.

The funding for these courses are part of the Office of Institutional Diversity budget.

This plan is a continuation of a strategic diversity plan developed by the university in 2008. This plan was written but never put into action due to a series of resignations that occurred at the time. The original plan can be found on the CMU website here.

"We're actually looking at now developing a diversity policy and renaming it from Strategic Plan for Advancing Diversity to the Strategic Plan for Institutionalizing Diversity," Dunn said. "Over the summer we met with Enrollment and Student Services and others to discuss (the plan)."

The Office of Institutional Diversity will continue moving forward with this plan throughout the year with staff and faculty cultural competency being key areas for diversity education.

Dunn said the Office of Institutional Diversity recognizes a need for cultural competency on campus and plans to begin with the faculty.

"Diversity education was a priority in 2008 and it is a priority now," Cureg said.

College of Medicine Faculty Jamie Alan will be a panelist for one of the sessions in October.

The College of Medicine incorporates a problem-based learning model, said Alan. Students participate in clinical simulations that will prepare them for a diverse set of patients.

"For example, if a Muslim woman wants to see a female doctor instead of a male doctor for modesty reasons or if an older patient would prefer to be called Mr. or Mrs." Alan said. "It is important for everyone to understand cultural competency."

Alan and representatives of other academic colleges will spend the final hour holding a panel to discuss their experiences and methods in the classroom.