About the Division
Welcome! The Division of Community Engagement and Belonging is a collaborative leader and initiator of transformative change at CIIS, working closely with students, staff, and faculty to advance belonging and student success, create an inclusive environment, and incorporate the principles of equitable and inclusive excellence across the institution.
The Division offers and/or supports a variety of CIIS experiences including:
- Strategic leadership and expertise through leading and participating in task forces, and committees that uplift our Beloved Community
- Our Beloved Community Agreements, which guides CIIS community members in providing supportive containers in the classroom, in meetings, and in programming
- Transformation: An online conversation series that critically engages with CIIS’ community, while platforming inspiring CIIS voices. The series is free and open to all, including prospective students
- Hosts trainings, workshops, extracurricular events, film screenings, and teach-ins
Through these events and resources, the Division works with CIIS’ community to engage in meaningful dialogues and actions that lead to introspection and change, affecting not only the academic environment and student experience at CIIS, but the community beyond its online and in-person doors.
The Division's open-door policy welcomes all students, staff, and faculty to drop in to chat about ways to get involved, learn more about beloved community, access resources, or simply say hello!
Strategic Priorities
Division of Community Engagement and Belonging's strategic roadmap expresses CIIS’ institutional commitment to create a more sustainable and flourishing institution that accurately reflects our mission and values. The priorities outlined below are the product of close collaboration with the Offices of the President and the Provost, Human Resources, Institutional Effectiveness, Strategic Communications and Relations, and the heroic contributions of our faculty, staff, students, and board of trustees. These priorities are part of a working document and are subject to change.
- Strengthen CIIS’ Core Identity by demonstrating our commitment, visibility,
and leadership in Community Engagement and Belonging - Elevate CIIS’ Educational Prominence and Student Experience by becoming a leader in the advancement and production of Black and Indigenous research, scholarship, and pedagogy
- Support a Flourishing Community with data that informs institutional planning, and decision-making.
- Advance Spirituality and Flourishing Community utilizing Beloved Community as a framework for belonging and inclusion. Enhance the physical, psychological, and spiritual health of our community.
- Advance Ecological Sustainability with a community engagement process, deliberate decision-making, and planning for climate change
Black Psychology Project
The Black Psychology Project at CIIS is an African-centered workshop series for CIIS' community). The project raises awareness of and support for Black Psychology as a field of study and for its application and practice in one’s life work both personally and professionally.
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All students, faculty and staff are encouraged to attend the Black Psychology Project's monthly workshop series.
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- To enhance the integral education learning experiences for the entire CIIS community by increasing knowledge and awareness of Black Psychology as a field of study and its application and practice.
- To offer a series of workshops in Black Psychology over an academic year to explore Black Psychology and other African-Centered wellness practices, both from a professional context as well as an informal, community-based context. This will strengthen the social and educational foundations and provide support for the idea of Black individuals entering mental health careers.
- To continue to expand CIIS' epistemological frame to one that takes an emic approach to psycho-spiritual wellness via African-rooted theories which advance African views, values, and symbolism as restorative praxis.
Beyond Land Acknowledgement Task Force
In the fall of 2021, the Beyond Land Acknowledgement Task Force was formed through the Division of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Staff Advisory Committee. In March 2022, the Task Force began in earnest with an introductory presentation and Inner Work session.
The Task Force ran from March 2022-May 2023 and during its existence conducted research, created space for Indigenous programming and voices, learned about decolonizing perspectives, and created a refreshed CIIS Land Acknowledgement. This work continues as part of the Center for Black and Indigenous Praxis.
Ecological Sustainability
Ecological Sustainability at CIIS is an essential part of the Division of Community Engagement and Belonging as it works to uphold and expand liberatory and ecological perspectives. The following objectives were created to advance our commitment to a more ecologically just CIIS:
- Document the history of sustainability at CIIS
- Attain green building certification
- Increase sustainability programming and community engagement
In the fall of 2022, a sustainability coalition began the process of working towards a green building certification. Additional initiatives and resources are greatly enhanced by collaborations with Public Programs, the Beyond Land Acknowledgment Task Force, and Student Affairs, as well as CIIS’ Green Team.