We also believe in going further. At Red Rocks Community College we have a focus on equity and belonging. We strive to create a community in which everyone feels respected and valued for their unique talents and contributions, and where people from all backgrounds are able to achieve their goals.
The College is an equal opportunity educational institution and does not discriminate on the basis of disability, race, creed, color, gender, sexual orientation, gender expression, religion, age, national origin, veteran status, ancestry, or any other category protected by applicable law.
RRCC's values of learning, collaboration, community, belonging and empowerment drive our DEIBA work. Our DEIBA efforts require innovation, intention, and an institutional commitment to these complex and multi-faceted principles across our entire college community. To that end, RRCC has dedicated DEIBA specialists in Academic Affairs, Student Affairs and Human Resources. These professionals are dedicated to building a culture of belonging and improving student outcomes across the college via programming and professional development.
The College’s DEIBA work is further supported by an inter-disciplinary DEIBA Committee, the Hispanic Serving Institution Committee and multiple student organizations.
Inclusive Excellence drives our approach to engagement. Please review the information available here, and feel free to contact us with any questions or concerns you may have. We exist to serve you!
During the 2019-2020 academic year, the Equity and Inclusion Council developed the following definitions to guide our diversity, inclusion, and equity work within the college.
Diversity
The broadest spectrum of humanity which include individual differences (e.g., personality, prior knowledge, and life experiences) and group/social differences (e.g., race/ethnicity, class, gender, sexual orientation, country of origin, and ability as well as cultural, political, religious, or other affiliations)
Inclusion
Active, intentional, and ongoing efforts to create a culture of belonging where individuals feel welcome, valued, and supported
Equity
The creation of opportunities, systems, and structures which remove barriers and close gaps in outcomes for those from historically underrepresented groups.
In order to preserve the racial justice roots of the term equity, and because we know that our students of color experience gaps in outcomes as compared to our white students, our primary lens of equity analysis is through race. However, we also are committed to ending other forms of inequity, such as inequity based on socioeconomic status, gender identity, etc.
Equity-Mindedness
"The term 'Equity-Mindedness' refers to the perspective or mode of thinking exhibited by practitioners who call attention to patterns of inequity in student outcomes. These practitioners are willing to take personal and institutional responsibility for the success of their students, and critically reassess their own practices. It also requires that practitioners are race-conscious and aware of the social and historical context of exclusionary practices in American Higher Education."
Belonging
A sense of fitting in or feeling like you are an important member of a group.