You Belong Here: The Report on Culture and Community at Rice Business

Measuring and reporting data about the composition of our community is important and supportive of our efforts to achieve greater inclusiveness. Yet, we recognize that beyond the numbers lies a set of unique narratives that sit at the core of our school’s vibrant and diverse community. Our faculty, staff and students encompass a rich mosaic of life experiences and backgrounds, and we acknowledge and embrace each member of our collective. Our success depends on recruiting, developing and retaining members of the Rice Business community whose unique perspectives and experiences are appreciated and valued.

Our Values

The Office for Diversity, Equity and Inclusion seeks to foster positive, productive collaboration among all members of a diverse Rice Business community—students, faculty, staff, alumni and other stakeholders. By ensuring that every member of the community feels welcomed, valued and respected, our efforts will help to create and sustain a community well-versed and equipped with competencies and resources necessary to succeed in a world that recognizes and embraces our individual and collective uniqueness. This year, we are proud to be recognized as No. 10 for Greatest Resources for Minority Students by the Princeton Review.

Diversity

 — Psychological, physical and social differences that occur among all individuals; including but not limited to race, ethnicity, nationality, religion, socioeconomic status, education, marital status, language, age, gender, sexual orientation, mental or physical ability, and learning styles.

Equity

 — Guarantee of fair treatment, access, opportunity and advancement while at the same time striving to identify and eliminate barriers that have prevented the full participation of some groups. The principle of equity acknowledges that there are historically underserved and underrepresented populations and that fairness regarding these unbalanced conditions is needed to assist equality in the provision of effective opportunities to all groups.

Inclusion

 — The act of creating environments in which any individual or group can be and feel welcomed, respected, supported and valued to fully participate. An inclusive and welcoming climate embraces differences and offers respect in words and actions for all people.

Collectively, all three of these are necessary to create a culture at Rice Business where we respect and value our differences, leveraging them as sources of strength and innovation — on campus — and in the business world.