Greetings outdoors folk!
Now that the semester has ended, the DEI Committee would like to share what we have been up to the past few months! This email is meant to inform you of important changes that have been implemented regarding policy and hold the DEI chair and committee accountable for our efforts to make the club more diverse, inclusive, and accessible. Please read on!
Policy Changes
We have merged our formerly separate Harassment & Discrimination Policy and Sexual Misconduct Policy into one! This was done to ensure consistency between the two policies and make it easier to find important information by having it all in one place. The new Harassment, Discrimination and Sexual Misconduct Policy will soon be updated on the website under the resources tab.
We also established a protocol for the DEI chair to make edits to important documents such as the misconduct policy, which includes approval by both the DEI Committee and the Officers.
If you are interested in learning more details about the policy changes this semester, please feel free to reach out to the DEI chair (me!) at ygn9bz@virginia.edu.
Collabs
We had one collaboration this semester, a bonfire with QSU! It was great to see so many faces out there enjoying the amazing food and company.
Town Halls
We had a cozy town hall meeting! Town Halls are announced periodically during the semester based on demand, and are a great way to share your questions/comments/concerns about the club in an in person setting! These are meant to be very informal, just a way to make the leadership of the club feel more approachable.
Affinity Trips
Thanks to all our trip leaders who have led affinity trips this semester, keep it up! (A big shout-out to the W/T/F biking trips)!! Having all kinds of affinity trips is extremely important to making our club more welcoming and accessible. If you ever have an idea for one but need some extra guidance, feel free to reach out to me (ygn9bz@virginia.edu) or the officers (outdoors-officers@virginia.edu)! General guidelines for affinity trips can also be found in the trip leader manual.
Census
The Fall 2023 Census was sent out about a few weeks ago! Remember to fill it out here. Your responses are greatly appreciated!
Hope you all have an amazing break! If you ever have any questions or suggestions related to DEI in the club, feel free to reach out to me at ygn9bz@virginia.edu.
Peace, love, and dirt,
Anusha & the Officers