Mission Statement of the Department Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) Committee
The Department of Classics is devoted to fostering an equitable, respectful, inclusive, and supportive environment for all its members--students, staff, and faculty at all levels--regardless of race, gender, sexuality, social class, age, disability, religion, or national origin. We do our best to cultivate a climate of inclusion, be alert to inequities, be sensitive to power dynamics, and foster equity in all aspects of our work.
Our Department takes diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility seriously in all facets of the academic experience. We offer an ever-growing range of courses on DEI-related topics, including Gender and Sexuality in Classical Art and Archaeology; Greek and Roman Slavery; Jews, Greeks, and Romans in the Ancient World; Race, Identity, and the Ancient Mediterranean World; Sex, Gender, and Representation in Greek and Roman Literature; Society and Status in Greece and Rome; and Women in Antiquity.
We also support research on all aspects of the ancient world, from slavery and sexuality to the reception of Classics in global contexts, employing a diverse range of methodologies. To that end, we encourage students and faculty to collaborate across disciplines: our graduate students take courses such as Disability Studies and Trans Studies offered by other departments, and our faculty participate in or are affiliated with Cinema & Media Studies; Comparative Religion; Gender, Women & Sexuality Studies; Hellenic Studies; History; Jewish Studies; the Office of Minority Affairs and Diversity; and Middle Eastern Languages & Cultures.
In addition, our faculty, graduate students, and alums have taken leading (and sometimes foundational!) roles in the key DEI-related groups of our discipline, including the Asian and Asian American Classical Caucus, the Lambda Classical Caucus, and the Women's Classical Caucus, among others.
We are especially proud that in 2014 the Department was chosen to receive the first-ever Award in Professional Equity from the Women's Classical Caucus. The University-wide Graduate and Professional Student Senate awarded our Department in 2010 its annual Gold Star Award in recognition of its financial, professional, and emotional support for graduate students.
We are proud of this track record, but we have no wish to rest on our laurels. We are committed not only to sustaining our past efforts, but to improving on them, including ongoing reflection on the harmful and exclusionary legacies of our discipline. It is the mission of the DEI Committee, in collaboration with the rest of the Department, maintain a commitment to diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility in all aspects of our work.
Department DEI Committee Members
- Prof. Sarah Levin-Richardson (faculty member and chair), sarahlr@uw.edu
- Prof. Christopher Waldo (faculty member), cwaldo1@uw.edu
- Prof. Kathryn Topper (faculty member and chair), ktopper@uw.edu (winter and spring 2023)
Classics Faculty Adjunct in Gender, Women & Sexuality Studies (GWSS)
- Prof. Emeritx Ruby Blondell
- Prof. Catherine Connors
- Prof. Deborah Kamen
Diversity (DIV) Courses in the Department of Classics
The University requires all undergraduates to take a minimum of 3 credits, approved by the appropriate school or college, that focus on the sociocultural, political, and/or economic diversity of the human experience at local, regional, or global levels. This requirement is intended to help you develop an understanding of the complexities of living in increasingly diverse and interconnected societies. Courses that fulfill the diversity requirement focus on cross-cultural analysis and communication; and historical and contemporary inequities such as those associated with race, ethnicity, class, sex and gender, sexual orientation, nationality, ability, religion, creed, age, and socioeconomic status. Course activities should encourage thinking critically about topics such as power, inequality, marginality, and social movements, and support effective cross-cultural communication skills.
Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Resources
General diversity, equity, and inclusion resources
Diversity at the University of Washington: The University of Washington’s main diversity website
Recommended Reads for Equity: Recommendations for books about diversity, equity, and inclusion, curated by the UW Libraries
Anti-Racism resources
UW's List of Anti-Racism Resources: Provided by UW's Race & Equity Initiative
Classics Department's List of Anti-Racism Resources: Compiled by Anna Simas (PhD '20)
Minority affairs resources
Office of Minority Affairs and Diversity: Works to increase diversity on campus and enrich the experiences of students, faculty, and staff
Samuel E. Kelly Ethnic Cultural Center: An inclusive space designed to foster academic and personal success
Office of Equal Opportunity and Affirmative Action (EOAA): Oversees and manages the University’s affirmative action program
Immigration resources
Leadership Without Borders: Resources for undocumented students
International Student Services Office: Visa and immigration advising for international students on F or J student visas
Disability resources
The D Center: UW’s Disabled and D/deaf cultural center
Disability Resources for Students: Resources for setting up access and accommodations at UW
CripAntiquity: Resources for neurodiverse and disabled students and teachers of the ancient world
A Brief Guide to Disability Terminology and Theory in Ancient World Studies
Gender and sexuality resources
Title IX at UW: Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972 states: “No person in the United States shall, on the basis of sex, be excluded from participation in, be denied the benefits of, or be subjected to discrimination under any education program or activity receiving Federal financial assistance.” Our interim Title IX coordinator is Valery Richardson, valeryr@uw.edu, 206-616-9713
Education and outreach: Online and in-person training for preventing sex discrimination and sexual harassment, and responding to those affected by sexual misconduct
Survivor Support & Advocacy: Health & Wellness offers confidential advocacy and support for students impacted by sexual assault, relationship violence, stalking, sexual harassment and other related experiences.
Q Center: A student-run LGBTQ center for UW students, faculty, staff, alumni and community members
MyPronouns.org: Resources on personal pronouns (what they mean and why they matter)
Mental health resources
Counseling Center: Resources for students seeking help in coping with stress or other mental health concerns
Let’s Talk: Free, confidential, informal drop-in counseling service at UW
Economic resources
Undergraduate Textbook Fund: Provides or defrays the cost of textbooks needed for courses taught by instructors from the UW Department of Classics
Sportula: Provides microgrants (petty cash of $5-$300) to economically marginalized undergraduates in Classics
UW Campus Food Pantry: Provides UW students, staff, and faculty with nonperishable groceries and select fresh produce for no cost
Teaching resources
Diotíma: Resources for the study and teaching of women and gender in antiquity
Classics at the Intersections: Rebecca Futo Kennedy’s blog includes syllabi for teaching race, ethnicity, immigration, and marginality in antiquity
From Abortion to Pederasty: Addressing Difficult Topics in the Classics Classroom: The essays from Nancy Sorkin Rabinowitz and Fiona McHardy’s edited volume (2014)--on teaching sexuality, rape, violence, and other difficult topics--can be downloaded here
Teaching Rape Texts in Classical Literature: A useful article by UW Classics PhD alumna Yurie Hong on talking about rape in the Classics classroom
Reporting violence
Bias Incident Advisory Committee: How to report bias incidents
Safe Campus: How to report violence or threats to the safety of yourself or others. NB: Faculty and TAs at UW are encouraged to report to the authorities any reports or evidence of sexual violence they encounter (and are required to do so if the incident involves minors); one way to do so is through Safe Campus.
Resolving conflicts
Office of the Ombud: A collaborative and confidential environment to discuss your situation, consider options, and develop a plan for the future
University Complaint Investigation and Resolution Office (UCIRO): Investigates complaints that a University employee has violated the University’s non-discrimination and/or non-retaliation policies