PC200 Strategic Plan – Goal 2 – A Model of Love, Inclusivity, and Equity in a Diverse Community

Inspired by Catholic teaching and St. Dominic’s wide embrace of all people, our community will model the love, empathy, and respect which are at the heart of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. A diverse body of students, faculty, staff, alumni, and trustees will work together to advance the mission of the College.

Objectives:

  1. We will respond to national trends in the changing demographics of college-age students through focused recruiting, relevant programming, and scholarships funded through philanthropy by:
    1. Increasing recruiting efforts in geographical areas with growing and diverse populations of college-age students who would be drawn to the cultural, spiritual, and intellectual experience offered by Providence College.
    2. Developing and regularly assessing curricular and co-curricular experiences that foster inclusion and mutual respect, and that meet the needs of an increasingly diverse student population.
    3. Developing and implementing long-term strategies, including partnerships with donors, to create scholarship programs based on financial need. Emphases in these various programs will include first-generation students and/or to students studying in specific disciplines (e.g., STEM, humanities, fine arts). Also, within these programs, dedicated efforts will be made to recruit students from Catholic secondary schools so as to participate more fully in the educational ministry of the Catholic Church.
  2. We will help students understand and appreciate that diversity of people, experiences, and perspectives is necessary to solve problems, improve society, and find truth by:
    1. Providing opportunities for frequent interactions and dialogue among diverse constituencies to foster a campus community that is caring and that embodies Catholic teaching on diversity and inclusion.
    2. Intentionally recruiting and retaining faculty and staff who are drawn to, and supportive of, the mission of the College, and who have demonstrated a commitment to the human flourishing of each member of the campus community.
    3. Developing and implementing specific strategies and programs to promote multicultural understanding and to recognize and challenge implicit bias.
    4. Assessing campus climate regularly to determine progress toward becoming a more inclusive and just community, and making necessary improvements.
  3. We will celebrate the Catholic and Dominican intellectual, academic, and spiritual tradition of Providence College by:
    1. Establishing and supporting the Dominican Intercultural Center. The center will include:
      – An intercultural exchange initiative with Dominican scholars from around the world, as well as international students from secondary schools and higher-education institutions;
      – The Disputed Questions Initiative, a program that explores emerging questions using a contemporary version of the scholastic disputatio process, including the Thomistic theological and philosophical synthesis, and leveraging the expertise of PC faculty and visiting scholars to stimulate national and international conversations;
      – A heritage/intercultural display on Dominican life through history, literature, art, and music;
      – Innovative and interactive programs to share with the campus community and visitors the rich heritage and joyful spirituality of the Dominican Order and Catholic social teaching, and their relevance in contemporary society.
    2. Reaffirming and enhancing the relationship among the College, the Priory of St. Thomas Aquinas, and the Province of St. Joseph through regular and ongoing dialogue between College and Provincial leadership.
    3. Continuing to encourage the training and formation of Dominican Friars in preparation for assuming key academic and administrative roles at the College.

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