CONWAY, SC (WBTW) – Coastal Carolina University is set to add an Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion course this fall; this is the very first course of it’s kind that will be taught at the university.
The online module was initially scheduled to be offered in the fall semester of next year but, the university says recent outcries for justice in America changed the initial plan.
The course is required for incoming freshman and will be available for continuing students and staff.
Dr. Atiya Stokes-Brown, director of diversity, equity, and inclusion at CCU said they are committed to creating a diverse space for students.
“Our differences are important and should be valued and seen,” she explained. “That then allows us to develop a different set of skills and a different lens so then we begin to think about how to engage with others in a way that affirms them and values them and ultimately includes them.”
This is one of the many initiatives the university plans to incorporate in-and-outside of the classroom starting this fall.
The module takes about an hour and 15 minutes to complete. Dr. Stokes-Brown told News13 that faculty members are talking with the community on ways to expand the initiative even more.
Other universities like the University of South Carolina announced it will also offer an online module on diversity this fall, required for incoming students.
Dr. Stokes-Brown believes all universities should have similar courses saying it is key to necessary education on systemic racism in America.
“This is a point at which as a nation, we are coming to grips with our history,” she explained.
“This is a wonderful opportunity to not only learn more about our history and learn more about how these things are so deeply ingrained in all that we do but, this is a moment of transformation for our institution as well,” Dr. Stokes-Brown said.
Faculty members at CCU are not required to take a diversity course, however, the institution offers a three-part diversity series specifically designed for CCU staff members.
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