Progress Updates
We aim to create a community where all staff and faculty feel valued, supported, and connected to our shared mission. This pillar focuses on building psychological safety, encouraging open communication, and making equity a core part of IMSA’s culture. When inclusion is standard, people work better together—and everyone can contribute their best to transforming lives.
Third Quarter 2025-2026
Third quarter progress advanced an inclusive and unified culture by embedding equity in policies and programs, launching a DEIU Ambassador framework, and expanding accessible AI initiatives to strengthen belonging and shared responsibility. Highlights include:
Review of Board Policies Ensures Systemic Equity
A team of colleagues conducted an equity review process of two board policies. This is a structured step to ensure that institutional policies are fair, inclusive, and do not unintentionally disadvantage certain groups. Applying it to both a Pre-Employment Background Investigation Policy (GBR) and a Public Use of IMSA Facilities Policy (ECAA) strengthens decision-making, reduces risk, and aligns with IMSA’s commitment to equity and excellence.Student Inquiry & Research (SIR), SRELO, and Internship and Entrepreneurship Programs Undergo Equity Lens Review
A comprehensive framework for evaluating how equitably these high-impact experiential learning opportunities are designed, accessed, and lived was developed. It emphasizes that equity must be explicitly embedded, not assumed, across all aspects of the programs, from mission and recruitment to mentorship, participation, and outcomes. The lens calls for critical examination of barriers that may disproportionately affect CLED and underrecognized students, including access to information, informal networks, eligibility criteria, and logistical challenges. It also highlights the importance of culturally responsive mentorship, inclusive and community-connected research opportunities, and fostering a sense of belonging and psychological safety. By analyzing representation data, program structures, and long-term outcomes, the framework pushes IMSA to identify and address disparities, ensuring that excellence and equity are interdependent.DEIU Ambassador Program Develops Framework for Implementation in FY27
Based on input from the February Think Tank Session, members of the DEIU team designed a framework for a DEIU Ambassador Program to develop and train employee ambassadors who serve as trusted connectors, listeners, and resources within departments and across the Academy. Ambassadors are not investigators, enforcers, or policy decision-makers. Instead, they support community members, share resources, foster belonging, and help connect concerns to appropriate channels. We are aiming to launch the program in August.Making AI More Accessible
The AI Team continues to create pathways for accessible AI, including development of an AI ethics foundational curriculum piloted this quarter for all IMSA sophomores in the Computer Science & Inquiry Class, regular AI Toolkit e-newsletters for faculty and staff providing current insights into AI in the classroom classroom examples, AI classroom guidance which establishes expectations for all students, and a free, online AI credential course for students and teachers in Illinois. A free June term version of the course is currently enrolling students and teachers.
Second Quarter 2025-2026
This quarter, we continued to strengthen the foundation of an IMSA where psychological safety, belonging, and equitable practices are woven into everyday interactions. When inclusion becomes our default setting, collaboration thrives and so does our collective ability to transform lives. Highlights include:
Celebrating Our Community Through Culture & Connection
The DEIU Leadership Team hosted a Multicultural Campus Coffee featuring Teas from Around the World, rice dishes from Chinese, Jamaican, and Mexican traditions, pierogi, a variety of global desserts, Cultural Bingo, and Chicago’s iconic House Music soundtrack. This gathering created a warm, joyful space for staff and faculty to connect across cultures and deepen our sense of shared community.Strengthening Equity-Centered Leadership Practices
The Office of DEI is planning a leadership workshop titled, How Meeting Agreements Support Equity and Inclusion, for March 2026. This session will help leaders embed inclusive norms into the way we meet, collaborate, and make decisions—reinforcing psychological safety at every level.Centering Student Voice in STEM Equity
The Student DEIU Leadership team is in production for a video featuring CLED students and their perspectives on the value of STEM equity. Additionally, we are working with the student team to design a train-the-trainer experience where students and staff will co-create and prepare resident life student leaders to introduce the Equity & Excellence Plan 2.0 to IMSA students. This work elevates student voice and builds shared ownership of our equity mission.Embedding Equity in Policies and Systems
The Equal Opportunity Employment Policy has been refreshed through an equity lens review process, ensuring our structural practices reflect our values and support a fair, inclusive workplace.Recognition of Excellence
The Office of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion earned the OnCon Top 50 DEI Team Award, a national recognition that affirms the impact of IMSA’s ongoing commitment to equity, inclusion, and systemic change.Community-Driven Thinking & Collaboration
The Office of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion is planning the Feb. 17 Community Day program for all colleagues. Members of the DEIU Leadership Team will be leading a set of concurrent Think Tank sessions around STEM Ambassadorship, Equity in STEM, Student Belonging in Mathematics, Advancing Cultural Growth, Meaning Making of the Diversity Climate Survey results, and Faculty, Resident Counselors, and Support Staff Connection, creating space for collective brainstorming, problem solving, and making progress on the strategies and actions included in the Equity and Excellence Plan.
First Quarter 2025
The DEIU Leadership Team is planning a Multicultural Campus Coffee, Quarterly Lunch and Learns, and Happy Hours. In addition, they are planning and organizing the February Community Day which will be dedicated to making progress with strategies and actions steps that make up the Equity and Excellence 2.0 Plan.
The Office of DEI and Human Resources collaborated on a “Leading and Managing Inclusively Seminar” on November 19, 2025.
The AI Theme Team publishes a Biweekly AI Toolkit Newsletter which showcases teachers’ approaches to share with other teachers, explores ethical complexities, offers starting-point prompts for teaching, including more culturally responsive teaching, and offers teachers direct access to readings and articles relevant to AI in their work and in the larger social, cultural, political, and educational landscape. Monthly AI Reading Group discussions focus on on book chapters and articles and offers certified teachers professional development credits/CPDUs to participate in engaged conversation about major topics in artificial intelligence in education.
Registration is open for IMSA’s new semester-long, asynchronous AI Credential course available FREE for all Illinois high school students aimed at exploring the fascinating world of artificial intelligence (AI). The course features weekly office hour opportunities facilitated by IMSA CS Faculty and runs Jan. 12, 2026 – May 29, 2026. Students will receive a certificate upon completion of the course.
To ensure equity across our practices, the Academic Team is creating a suite of experiential learning credentials which are inherently equitable for all students at IMSA and beyond.
Thanks to the incredible generosity of our IMSA community, IMSA established the Titans Care Dinner program during the government shutdown October 31 – November 21. Families were invited to enjoy dinner any evening in the IMSA cafeteria or opt for a to-go weekend take meal package. Your donations and support have made it possible for us to extend care to more families through a new Titans Care To-Go Weekend Meal option.