Diversity Statements

Position Statement on Domestic Partner Benefits at the University of Illinois

Endorsed on April 27, 2004 by the Executive Committee, Department of Educational Psychology

As psychologists and educators, we are committed to respecting and appreciating the diversity of our fellow faculty, staff, and students. Furthermore, we are committed to promoting and working toward creating a diverse and accepting environment within the university and the surrounding community. We believe that the issue of domestic partner benefits is an important issue that is applicable to our position on diversity.

The passage of the July, 2003, proposal providing health benefits reimbursement for the domestic partners of university faculty represents a progressive step toward creating a more equal and accepting environment on campus. We would like to extend and voice our support for this legislation. In addition, we believe that the Board of Trustees should provide domestic partner health benefits to lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender faculty, staff, and students that are equal in terms of financial coverage and provisions to the health benefits extended to married partners of heterosexual faculty, staff, and students.

As faculty in the Department of Educational Psychology, we actively work to promote and encourage diversity within our faculty and student population. We believe that doing so provides positive examples to our students, brings new views and ideas to our division, and enriches the quality of our program. We believe that benefits packages can often be an important aspect of recruiting and retaining faculty at this university. Offering domestic partner benefits allows us to remain competitive with other universities that offer domestic partner benefits. In addition, it demonstrates to potential faculty that our division is actively seeking to attain a diverse teaching community. Therefore, the faculty members of the Department of Educational Psychology wish to go on record as advocating the continued efforts to provide equal partner benefits to the partners of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender faculty, staff, and students at the University of Illinois.

Chief Illiniwek resolution (Resolved and retired Feb. 2007)

Adopted by the Executive Committee of the Department of Educational Psychology on April 27, 2004,

As psychologists and educators, we are committed to understanding and respecting multicultural differences. We are committed to providing an environment free of racial and cultural stereotypes and one that promotes social justice and equity for all students. We believe that the use of Chief Illiniwek as a symbol of the University of Illinois is incompatible with these goals and commitments.

Although the symbol of the Chief has been intended as a positive representation, and is clearly understood by some to honor the Native American heritage, it is equally clear that this is not the experience or understanding of many Native Americans themselves. We support the views of Native American members of our community and anti-racist activists who have repeatedly and publicly stated that they consider the Chief to be a degrading and offensive stereotype.

We support the right of all racial, ethnic, and cultural groups to define their identity and how they will be represented to others. Therefore, the faculty of the Department of Educational Psychology wish to go on record as advocating the retirement of Chief Illiniwek as a symbol of the University of Illinois .