Diversity Strategic Plan

We are pleased to share with the TU community our strategic plan for diversity and inclusion. This plan provides a critical piece of the roadmap for the future of Towson University as we enter our 155th year. The completion of this plan has taken place during a time where the nation is addressing and focusing on the issues of institutional and systemic racism, inequality and social justice using an anti-racist lens. This plan is designed to meet TU’s aspiration to become a more inclusive and equitable institution of distinction.

We know and are proud of the fact that TU is already one of the most diverse higher education institutions in the nation and is staunchly committed to building an inclusive, equitable and diverse campus community. Since 2016, diversity, equity and inclusion have been at the forefront of our mission as we strive to become an institution of inclusive excellence.

This plan represents the next phase in our pursuit of being recognized as a distinguished public institution that advances equitable access, inclusive learning and engagement in a diverse community. The goals outlined in this document, along with our vision and collective voice for change, will provide a pathway to achieving this goal. This plan is consistent with our university-wide strategic plan, building upon our most important goals.

It should be acknowledged that this plan does not represent the sum total of all that we are and all that we need to do or will do. Conversations with more than 250 members of the campus revealed the numerous programs, activities, initiatives and efforts already underway that are shaping and changing TU. These conversations also revealed the need to continue to address and remove structural inequities. In order to focus our efforts and resource them appropriately, we have limited the number of initiatives, programs and efforts elevated herein. The goal of this plan builds upon the investments and intentions made by many members of the campus to create positive change.

Lastly, as a community we must hold ourselves accountable for the change we seek to realize. We will assess our progress, adjust to the results, listen to new ideas and continue to facilitate frank conversations about issues on our campus.

On this page you will be able access the plan, additional appendices and resources, as well as progress reports and other updates. We welcome your continued input, via the online feedback form or inclusion AT_TOWSON.

Thank you for working to create a more inclusive and equitable TU!

Viewfinder® Campus Climate Surveys (2023)

To track our progress and measure the impact of the original action items in the Diversity Strategic Plan, TU took part in both student and employee climate surveys during the fall 2023 semester. The university contracted with Campus Climate Surveys, LLC to administer both surveys. 

Special thanks to all the students, staff and faculty who completed the climate survey! The results of both surveys will be shared via this website and discussed at a virtual town hall early in 2024.

Direct any questions or feedback to inclusion AT_TOWSON. 

National Assessment of Collegiate Campus Climates (2019)

As part of the data collection process for the development of the diversity strategic plan, TU participated in the 2019 administration of the National Assessment of Collegiate Campus Climate (NACCC). The NACCC focuses exclusively on campus racial climate, or the extent to which race matters on campus, for undergraduate students in six content areas:

• mattering and affirmation
• cross-racial engagement
• racial learning and literacy
• encounters with racial stress
• appraisals of institutional commitment
• impact of external environments

TU’s participation in the NACCC was made possible through a partnership between OIIE and the Division of Student Affairs.

NACCC Documents

• The NACCC results (PDF) provides results for questions in each of the six content areas; any statistically significant differences between white students and students of color are highlighted in color and with an asterisk.
• The NACCC Recommended Action Items (PDF) provides the specific recommendations based on TU’s results, in each of the six content areas; also listed are the TU units identified as responsible for exploring each recommendation’s implementation.
• While the NACCC is a racial climate survey, it also collects a wide array of demographic details from student respondents. Researchers in TU’s Regional Economic Studies Institute (RESI) in the Division of Strategic Partnerships and Applied Research conducted additional data analyses to examine the experiences of other diverse TU student populations, which are presented in the RESI NACCC Findings (PDF).