Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion at Wisconsin Economics

Our Commitment to Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion

Our world faces many economic challenges, and our best hope for progress is to listen and learn from diverse experiences. We are committed to making the Department of Economics a welcoming and supportive environment for students, staff, and faculty. To enact this goal, we recognize and value the unique contributions of a diverse community with respect to race, ethnicity, sexual orientation, gender identity, disabilities, sex, age, country of origin, religious beliefs, and differences in socioeconomic, cultural and educational backgrounds. We also believe it is important to make special efforts to provide opportunities for underrepresented minorities and individuals from marginalized backgrounds.

We recognize that statements on websites are not enough. We are continuously taking proactive steps to improve the Department’s climate and the creation of the Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Committee is one example of our commitment.  That committee is explicitly tasked with looking for ways to improve climate.  We also have several student organizations and  in the Department of Economics.  One of their important goals is to create a sense of community which is especially important in supporting our students from diverse and historically underrepresented backgrounds. One of these is Women in Economics (WE) which strives to promote awareness of gender disparities and barriers within the field of economics, and to educate and improve the community through outreach, mentorships, and by facilitating conversations among women in the field at all levels. Another is  Wisconsinites for Diversity and Inclusion in Economics (WIDE)  which is a graduate student group working on programming and advocacy for students on issues of diversity and inclusion. The leadership team meets twice a semester to plan workshops and events with seminar speakers.