Dear Rice community,
Following President DesRoches’ email last week underscoring the university’s “unwavering commitment to diversity, academic freedom and excellence,” we write to you today to highlight some of the ways we are continuing to further the mission of the university, particularly through work undertaken by the Office of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion. In the weeks ahead, the office will broaden our reach on campus through an expansion of existing services that enrich student life and bolster collaborations with community partners who support student success. Our deep commitment to helping students realize their highest potential while finding community at Rice will be reflected in the new name: the Office of Access and Institutional Excellence.
With the support of the senior leadership, the office will add a team member focused on religious diversity and pluralism as well as another dedicated to university life and freedom of expression. In addition, we are forming a team within our current staff to more intensively engage with our nontraditional students, beginning with community college transfer students, and laying the groundwork for increased support for veterans. Support for students representative of diverse socioeconomic and geographic backgrounds will remain a priority to ensure we are serving all students at Rice.
These efforts build on growth in the office that nurtures student engagement and leadership impact across campus, including the recent addition of a position focused on LGBTQ+Thriving. The office continues to provide support for more than 40 student clubs and organizations that represent various facets of student life, and holds more than 300 events per year at the university’s Multicultural Center. We applaud and remain grateful for this work.
We encourage you to visit the Access and Institutional Excellence website regularly at aie.rice.edu to stay informed about new initiatives and ongoing efforts.
Over the past year, we have collectively reviewed needs, welcomed feedback and strengthened efforts to support an increasing breadth of communities at Rice. And, we remain committed to continuing to listen and respond to the community’s needs. Our evolving services reflect what is a core part of the office’s mission — to ensure that every student has access to the fullness of a Rice education and is provided personalized, relevant tools that enhance excellence and opportunity across campus.
Together, as ever, we will all rise.
We look forward to the ways the office will build on this momentum and continue to serve the Rice community in the years ahead.
Amy Dittmar, Howard R. Hughes Provost and Executive Vice President for Academic Affairs
Alexander X. Byrd
Vice Provost, Access and Institutional Excellence