Update on UVAFinance Inclusive Excellence Efforts

Sprint Discussions/Caste

For the summer (and into early fall), we are using our UVAFinance Sprint Discussions (held bi-weekly on Thursdays, starting at 4:30) to do a deep discussion of the book Caste: The Origins of Our Discontents by Isabel Wilkerson.

Last week, we started discussing Part Three: The Eight Pillars of Caste. This is difficult content and created a lot of discussion so we decided to extend our discussion of Part Three to the discussion on August 12 and adjust the rest of the schedule to accommodate this. We also will then be extending the book discussions through October 21.

Even if you have not joined us for prior discussions or haven’t read the book, please join us for these very thought-provoking conversations.

We will be discussing Part Four: The Tentacles of Caste on August 26.

As always, invite your friends and colleagues to participate in our discussions!

UVAFinance work with The Racial Equity Group

The UVAFinance Extended Leadership Team (which includes Senior Leadership team members and their direct reports) has been working with the Racial Equity Group since March 2021 toward the goal of “making racial equity standard operating procedure.” This work has included foundational training on racism, diversity, and equity, as well as how to analyze and think about processes, procedures, and decision-making with an eye toward equity. We started this work by completing an audit assessment of how we’re doing now, and where we can improve. We used the results of that audit assessment and the knowledge we’ve gained through training to develop a SWOT Analysis (Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats) and strategic goals. These goals will be included in our Inclusive Excellence strategic plan.

To include the entire UVAFinance team in this work we have engaged the Racial Equity Group to facilitate two courses -- Bigger than Racism, which looks at how a racialized society produces inequality and racial disparities without racism, and Allies for Racial Equity, to help us develop skills to be allies in a racialized society, examine our own biases, and understand how these biases impact our interactions with others and decision-making.

Inclusive Excellence Recommendations

The UVAFinance Inclusive Excellence Team is currently working on the strategic recommendations for submission to UVA’s Office of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion. Once submitted, we’ll post these recommendations on our website.

Please email Patty Marbury at pam5w@virginia.edu if you have any questions about the Sprint/Caste book discussions, the training, or our work with The Racial Equity Group, or if you have ideas to include with our Inclusive Excellence Recommendations.