Stanford is encouraging staff, students, faculty, postdocs, and alumni to provide input on the university’s diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging (DEIB) goals by participating in one of several upcoming 90-minute virtual focus groups.

During the 2021-22 academic year, the university released both quantitative and qualitative results from its first campus-wide Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion survey. The survey identified discriminatory and harassing behaviors at Stanford that have disproportionally affected communities of color, as well as non-cisgender/non-binary, trans, and disabled communities.

This summer, the Inclusion, Diversity, Equity, and Access in a Learning Environment program (IDEAL), working with the Office of Improvement, Analytics, and Innovation Services, is launching a series of focus groups to engage with the Stanford community on the university’s goals for making progress in this area.

Informed by the survey findings, participants will be asked to provide input on DEIB goals for Stanford, what success looks like, and what accountability features should support the goals.

“These focus groups are a wonderful opportunity for our entire community to invest in the culture change that will help us convert the aspiration that inspired IDEAL into a reality on our campus,” said Patrick Dunkley, vice provost for institutional equity, access, and community. “It will be a huge step forward in Stanford’s DEIB journey to apply community expectations to the development of our institutional DEIB goals and accountability – in the areas identified by the DEI survey participants, including increasing diversity; improving communications, reporting, and support; increasing DEIB learning opportunities; and providing more centralized resources.”

Each 90-minute focus group will be conducted virtually via Zoom. Members of the Stanford community can sign up at this website for a focus group. Summer focus group sessions begin July 12 and run through Aug. 8. However, space is limited, and sign-ups are on a first-come, first-served basis. Students will also have an opportunity to provide input in the fall.

The effort is one of a number of initiatives the university has undertaken under IDEAL to address these imperatives and to strengthen campus culture. Read more on the IDEAL website.