Princeton’s commitment to diversity and inclusion is an essential part of its mission. In recent years, the university has launched several initiatives “to create a more diverse, safe and accessible campus, and to develop and promote a more inclusive culture.” One way that faculty can contribute to this mission is by committing to equitable and inclusive teaching.

The concept of “equity” is distinct from “equality.” Equality means offering the same resources to all, regardless of need. Creating equity requires recognizing that we do not all start from the same place, and it may necessitate allocating resources differently to create equal opportunities to learn. In their book Inclusive Teaching, Kelly Hogan and Viji Sathy emphasize that creating equity in the classroom is an ongoing process that demands “naming and dismantling the systems, structures, and oppressive forces that act as barriers for some students more than others” (4-5). They point out that inclusion, too, “requires intentional and deliberate strategies” on the part of instructors (5). By developing equitable and inclusive teaching practices, faculty can help remove some of these barriers so that all students feel welcome and valued in the classroom and at the university.

We offer here information on the diversity of Princeton’s student body and suggestions large and small to make your courses equitable and inclusive. See our downloadable checklist of recommended practices.

To further develop inclusive approaches to teaching, we invite you to take part in our asynchronous Canvas course on Equitable and Inclusive Pedagogy and join our Equitable and Inclusive Teaching Virtual Discussion Cohort. 

Contact Senior Associate Director Jessica Del Vecchio for more information.