The Office of the Vice Provost for Inclusive Excellence

The mission of the Office of the Vice Provost for Inclusive Excellence (VPIX) is to promote excellence in all aspects of UB’s operations by facilitating processes that remove barriers to access and advancement on the basis of race, gender identity, sex, sexual orientation, religion, disability, or veteran status for students, faculty and staff. Excellence—embracing and exhibiting the highest level of quality in research, teaching and service—can be achieved only when diverse perspectives are engaged. 

The Office of the Vice Provost for Inclusive Excellence is responsible for coordinating and monitoring UB’s efforts to institutionalize the culture of equity and inclusion university-wide, which is critical for providing the learning and working environment necessary for achieving excellence in today’s highly globalized and rapidly changing world. We collaborate with academic and administrative offices to create strategies that empower members of the campus community – whether faculty, students or staff – to achieve their full potential, unburdened by barriers to advancement based on stereotypes and bias. We promote equity, inclusion and diversity and integrate inclusive excellence into all aspects of university operations. And we foster community relationships and engagement to further develop relationships with prospective students, alumni, donors and other friends of the university. 

• Inclusive Excellence is a comprehensive approach that integrates inclusivity into all aspects of university operations and creates a culture of shared responsibility in which all members of the university community are integral to fostering a diverse and inclusive environment.
  
• Equity requires recruiting and retaining diverse people and perspectives at all levels of the university, ensuring that their voices are heard, and that they compete on a level playing field. Equity is treating people fairly across their differences.
• Inclusion requires that UB is a welcoming community that values the participation and active engagement of all its members. Inclusion is being welcoming to every member of the community.
  
• Diversity, both culturally and cognitively, is what makes teams and environments better and faster at problem solving and innovation.  It drives inclusive excellence.