PCOE₂ Members Charge

• Provide pro-active support for the broadest forms of equity, the intersectionality of various forms of identities and social relations on our campus community;
• Review relevant support services needed by students, faculty, and staff;
• Bolster our efforts at professional development; and
• Examine campus communication methods to educate and inform our community about excellence in an equitable environment.

PCOE₂ Equity Statement

Texas A&M University-San Antonio values the rich diversity and heritage of the community it serves. To support this work, President Matson created the PCOE² and charged it with leadership to build “a culture of excellence that values equity and inclusion.” This statement describes why equity is important to our A&M-San Antonio family and how creating an equitable environment will help the University meet its strategic goals:

• Equity

  Equity means creating opportunities for all members of the University community to have equal access to and participation in educational programs as well as professional and leadership development, including placement. An anti-racist approach discourages the oppression and sense of superiority over other races and promotes racial tolerance. It creates brave spaces to encourage individuals to contextualize information from different perspectives while maintaining the humility and mutual respect of meeting people where they are.

• Equity-Mindedness

  Our path to equity-mindedness contemplates digital equity and minimizing, if not eliminating, the digital divide. This is especially important for those from groups whose access to success has been and continues to be limited. Through these learning opportunities, we can bridge the historical educational gap and reduce the differences in student success, graduation rates, and inequities in the broader University community.

• Inclusive Campus

  When we are equity-minded, we are aware of differences and inequalities and are willing to discuss them so we can act to resolve them. Differences and inequalities might refer to race, ethnicity, gender, class, age, ability, sexual orientation, gender identity, country of origin, or other characteristics. However, they might also be related to whether or not a student is working, has children, or served in the military. In an inclusive campus, we must all meet each other as we are and work toward a common goal. Equity applies to a broad range of characteristics, and equity-mindedness means that we must be willing to examine and honor all of them.

• Empowering Environment

  Adopting an equity-minded approach ensures that each member of the A&M-San Antonio family has an opportunity to succeed. It creates an environment that empowers students to advocate for themselves. It gives students the opportunity to learn leadership skills to become transformative leaders in their families, professional environments, and the larger community. It strengthens ties between A&M-San Antonio and the communities we serve and enhances our unique standing among state and national universities.