Justice, Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (JEDI) Committee

Vision

Keck Graduate Institute (KGI) strives to address, explore, educate, understand, and respond to the diversity of the human experience.

The JEDI Committee will be a thought-partner to foster open and transparent communication with KGI’s senior leadership by working to promote strategic priorities related to Justice, Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion issues.

KGI is an educational community which values, recognizes, and embraces diversity among our students, staff, and faculty. It seeks to provides an inclusive learning and research environment where each person feels a sense of belonging and respect.

Mission

The JEDI Committee works to integrate best practices for justice, equity, diversity, and inclusion into institutional values, policies, and programs. The JEDI Committee will provide research and policy recommendations, event support, and guidance to KGI’s leadership as requested.

How is the JEDI Committee Defined?

Justice is the goal of addressing inequities to foster equitable participation of all groups and acknowledging systemic and historical barriers to access of power, education, and other opportunities for personal activity and social privileges.
Equity ensures that everyone has support and access to the resources needed to be successful and identifying and eliminating both structural and personal barriers that have prevented the full participation of communities most impacted by systemic oppressions.
- Improving equity involves increasing justice and fairness within the policies, procedures and processes of institutions and systems, as well as in the distribution of resources. Tackling equity issues requires an understanding of the root causes of outcome disparities within our society and institution.( such issues as institutionalized racism, sexism, homophobia, ageism, etc.)
- Equity differs from equality. Equality refers to treating everyone the same, but does not necessarily lead to equitable outcomes because diverse communities have diverse needs and have faced historically and continue to face varying obstacles and inequities.
- The range of human differences, including but not limited to race, ethnicity, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, age, socioeconomic status, physical ability or attributes, religious or ethical values systems, national origin, political beliefs, and cultures.
- Diversity means more than just acknowledging and/or tolerating difference. It’s a set of conscious ideals, policies and practices that seek to understand and appreciate the interdependence of humanity, cultures, and the natural environment.
Ensuring that people of all backgrounds, identities, abilities, perspectives, and beliefs have an equitable opportunity to belong, achieve success, and contribute in positive ways to their communities. An inclusive institution promotes and sustains a sense of belonging. KGI seeks to value and practice respect where all people are recognized for their inherent worth and dignity, talents, beliefs, backgrounds, and ways of knowing and living.

JEDI Working Groups

Name

Title

Zach Valdez

Assistant Director of Admissions
Name

Title

Carlos Robles

Student Affairs Specialist

Godwin Egbung, MBS ’23

Student
Name

Title

Jeniffer Hernandez

Associate Professor of Biopharmaceutical Sciences

Jay Inghwee Chok

Associate Professor, Management and WSCUC Accreditation Liaison Officer (Faculty ALO)

Anastasia Levitin

Professor of Practice in Translational Medicine
Department

Human Resources
Name

Title

Kurt Augsburger

Corporate Partnerships Manager

Title IX

Keck Graduate Institute (KGI) is committed to providing students with learning and working environments free from all forms of discrimination, harassment, and sexual misconduct. KGI has designated a Title IX Coordinator and Five Deputy Coordinators to assist our community regarding discrimination, harassment, and sexual misconduct. A full copy of The Claremont Colleges Title IX Sexual Harassment Policy can be found here.

Please reach out to Veronica Clairmont, Title IX Coordinator, for any concerns

JEDI’s Vision, Mission, and Definitions can be found in the attached charter.

Contact

JEDI@kgi.edu

JEDI Anonymous Reporting Form

JEDI encourages an open forum of productive dialogue. We welcome feedback with your experiences, concerns, and ideas using the JEDI Anonymous Reporting Form.

KGI’s JEDI committee will use the provided information to encourage dialogue and strive for an equitable, accessible, and safe space for its community. In this dialogue, we strive to complement and recognize individual identity with collective accountability.