Diversity Committee

The Diversity Committee is a permanent advisory body at University College Utrecht. It advises on and collaborates with various college bodies (such as the Board of Studies, Admissions and Recruitment office, Management Team) on issues of equality, diversity and inclusion. 

In carrying out this advising role, the Diversity Committee is consulting with a range of student bodies including the Student Council, UCSA, CAR, specific social committees, as well as informal student and alumni networks such as the BLM Alumni Response Group. The Diversity Committee represents University College Utrecht in the Utrecht University EDI Steering Committee.

    Each month we organize events around one theme, according to the following structure:

    1. A “doing diversity” event. This is a public meeting, in which people present their experiences about a diversity-related topic. This meeting is meant for sharing and listening. Sometimes, we offer a workshop.
    2. An “interventions” round table. This is a public follow-up meeting, during which everybody who has a concrete intervention, suggestion, or idea about the theme of the month can join us: we gather input from the community, we take notes.
    3. Harvest session: this is a meeting in which we (diversity committee) come together in our office, we looks at the notes with all inputs from the UCU community, we see what we can do with each of them and who can help meet the needs that have been mentioned in the public meetings. Sometimes a new webpage comes out, sometimes we invite someone from the community and discuss possibilities with them, sometimes we approach the UU EDI office.

    On top of this, we sometimes also (co-)organize lectures or other events that that have no direct relations to the theme of the month. Please check our facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/ucudivcom

    Diversity Committee Members 2022-23

     

    Dr. Chiara Robbiano - Chair

    For me, diversity is first of all a value. As the new Diversity Committee chair, I will look into ways in which faculty, students and staff can learn together and educate each other to value diversity. To do so we need to promote a culture in which we feel the urgency to “listen to different voices”.

    Dr. Konstantina Georgelou

    As a faculty member of the diversity committee, I contribute to the discussions and efforts to render the university a place for practising social engagement. In my own student years in Athens, the highly politicised environment of the university had a great impact on me and since then I have joined collective actions and have co-initiated self-organised platforms in the intersections of the performing arts and politics, especially on issues around (non)work and labour.

    Dr. Corey Wright

    Student Members 2022-2023

    Martha Sanchez Martinez - Vice Chair

    The position of Student Member is not defined through its distinctions from other positions, but rather in relation to the connection I have to my peers. As a student, I am more aware of what my demographic experiences, and as such, work as a bridge between students and staff to ease communication as we follow a path of social change.

    Sara Barbera Romero

    I am a third year Anthroplogy and Psychology student here at UCU. To me, diversity is an effort, practice and a goal more so than a tangible appearance, ratio or number that can be put on paper. Especially at UCU, it is an ongoing process in which we can approach what we see as an inclusive/equal/representative space.