As part of the Division of Diversity and Community Engagement (DDCE), Inclusive Campus Support is a centralized resource for the development of an inclusive campus climate. This unit provides an online anonymous experience form for university community members to share their campus climate experiences that are concerning and helpful. Peer support is provided through consult without referral (unless required by law such as Title IX) and by sharing university and community resources. Proactively, Inclusive Campus Support aids with organizational and departmental planning efforts. Categorized general information regarding submitted experiences is shared with the university community to expand transparency and to inform education and practice, enhancing sense of belonging for students, staff, and faculty.
Inclusive Campus Support was developed after a process undertaken by the DDCE in seeking alternative ways to foster discourse about campus climate issues, following the discontinuation of the Campus Climate Response Team (CCRT) on December 22, 2020, due to a lawsuit settlement agreement. Recommendations were provided after analysis of themes that emerged from survey data, data from focus groups, and conversations with students, staff, faculty, and community members. The planning team and working group recognized a gap that resulted from the discontinuation of the CCRT and the prevailing need for the university community to be able to share their campus climate experiences with a university entity, separate from existing employee or student issue-specific offices, as well as the need for educational information about university policies and support resources, transparency in communication about positive and negative campus climate experiences, and focus on providing a system of care without referral (unless required by law such as Title IX, etc.), investigation, adjudication, or discipline. Inclusive Campus Support was officially launched as a unit within the Division of Diversity and Community Engagement (DDCE) on October 5, 2021.
Campus climate experiences may be submitted at any time through an anonymous online experience form. A “campus climate experience” can be any situation associated with UT-Austin that occurs and impacts a member of the university community – students, staff, faculty, alumni, or visitors. An experience may be something that an individual finds concerning, making the campus climate less inclusive or something that an individual finds helpful, making the campus climate more inclusive. Some examples are (but not limited to):
an interpersonal interaction in a class or program, on campus, or online;
written communications such as a comment, email, flyer, or graffiti; or
something that physically or otherwise enables or hinders access to the university.
Anyone associated with an experience can submit the online form, including (but not limited to): a person directly impacted, an individual who witnesses something experienced by another, or any third party informed of an experience, not present at the time of occurrence.
A separate online form can be submitted to request consult/peer support regarding a campus climate experience. Individuals can provide information using this form to be contacted by a staff member from Inclusive Campus Support who can assist with questions regarding campus climate experiences and can provide support including information about university/community resources. Once a request for consult form is submitted online, Inclusive Campus Support staff members will follow intake procedures to contact the individual who submitted the form within two business days. No identifiable information will be shared. Inclusive Campus Support does not refer (unless required by law), investigate, or discipline, but provides consult, peer support, educational materials, and information about campus and community resources.
Inclusive Campus Support publishes an online table as shown below, via the Inclusive Campus Support website, with general categorized data based on experience forms received, as well as semesterly and annual reports with background information and synthesized data. This information is shared to increase transparency and to inform practice for the development of an inclusive campus climate.
The online experience form questions are as follows:
1. What kind of campus climate experience are you sharing?*
Note: A “campus climate experience” can be any situation associated with UT-Austin that occurs and impacts a member of the university community. An experience may be something that an individual finds helpful, making the campus climate more inclusive or something that an individual finds concerning, making the campus climate less inclusive.
Experience that was helpful
Experience that was concerning
2. What is your affiliation with UT-Austin?*
(Select all that apply)
Alum
Faculty
Staff
Student
Austin Community
Other
3. Please select the option(s) that best describes the type of campus climate experience you are sharing.*
(Select all that apply)
Written Comment
Social Media Post/Comment
Website Post/Comment
Email Message
Poster/Flyer
Vandalism/Graffiti
Vandalism/Destruction of Property
Verbal Comment
Presentation
Physical Assault
Accessibility
Other
4. From your perspective, if identity is related to your campus climate experience, please select the option(s) for applicable identity categories*
(select all that apply)
Age
Citizenship
Disability
Gender
Gender Expression
Gender Identity
National Origin
Race/Ethnicity
Religion
Sexual Orientation
Socioeconomic Class
Veteran Status
Political Affiliation
Viewpoint
Unsure / Do Not Know
None
Other
5. Location where campus climate experience occurred.*
(select one)
Off Campus
On Campus
Online
6. Approximate date campus climate experience occurred*
