HC courses should include the following statement on their syllabi:

The Honors College and its members strive to create an equitable and inclusive community in which all members are welcome, heard, and treated with respect.  We uphold these values and take the opportunity to learn from each other.  Our greatest strengths and most innovative ideas come from disagreements and collaborations among people with diverse perspectives, lived experiences, and expertise.

This statement draws on definitions developed by OSU’s Office of Institutional Diversity:
  • Diversity reflects the many ways in which individuals and communities are unique, contributing distinct and valuable experiences and perspectives to the mission and vision of an organization
  • Equity reflects fairness in the distribution of and access to opportunity for all individuals
  • Inclusion reflects the manner in which individuals of diverse backgrounds are not only included, but valued as necessary voices within an organization
Ideas for integrating the statement into your course (building on the syllabus) include:
  • Engaging students in discussion about the statement (What does it mean? What will it look like in practice for this class?)
  • Leaving space below the statement to add community guidelines and developing those as a class
  • Inviting students to reflect at the end of the term on how the statement has informed or shaped the course experience

For other resources on inclusive pedagogies and culturally responsive teaching, see https://diversity.oregonstate.edu/diversity-education, https://ctl.oregonstate.edu/tuesday-teaching-talks, and https://facultyaffairs.oregonstate.edu/sjei/workshop-descriptions.

For information on minimum syllabus requirements, see https://apa.oregonstate.edu/syllabus-minimum-requirements/.  The HC also recommends including a basic needs statement; two options are posted at https://studentlife.oregonstate.edu/hsrc/other-resources/osu-basic-needs-statement.