At Lincoln Land Community College, we value diversity as an asset and strength in our student body, faculty, staff and the communities we serve. Open to all, we create an equitable, inclusive and just environment inside and beyond the classroom. We drive innovation in our learning and working spaces by dismantling systemic, academic, financial and geographic barriers to individual success. 

You belong at Lincoln Land Community College. 

Diversity acknowledges and celebrates the different identities, perspectives and backgrounds that make up our institution. We are intentional in our support of, and outreach to, those who are marginalized and minoritized to ensure our student body and workforce reflect the diversity of those we serve. 

Equity creates conditions that allow all to reach their full potential, even though we each arrive at this institution with different circumstances and experiences. Success may look different to each member of our community. We foster a culture that recognizes and addresses each person’s unique needs by implementing practices that eliminate structural disparities. 

Inclusion affirms and amplifies the many voices that make up all areas of our institution. Recognizing our individual and collective power to foster a sense of belonging for all, we create safe, welcoming and courageous spaces where all can feel valued, respected and empowered to reach their full potential. 

Justice strives to make our institutional systems and practices effective, accountable and transparent at all levels. This requires continual dialogue, clear goals and action to eliminate disparities and achieve full belonging, especially for those who face disadvantages. In doing so, we move our institution forward and lead by example. 

About

Last Academic Year LLCC established a group to develop a new diversity, equity and inclusion statement as well as define what these terms mean to LLCC. This statement and definitions tie back to multiple priorities identified in the college’s current strategic plan. The new diversity, equity, inclusion and justice statement is intended to serve as a foundational vision in our efforts to ensure we are embracing the diversity and different backgrounds of each individual that makes up our LLCC community. The group spent many hours conducting research on this topic and developing and refining many iterations of the statement itself. We would like to thank the members of this group for their commitment and diligent work throughout this process. The group members were:

Kim Alexander, accessibility specialist
Natasha Casey, assistant professor, communication
Nichole Coffey, student accounts manager
John Freml, instructional designer
Teresa Liberati, professor, biology
Preston Siewert, student representative
Candace Silas, director, WEI & PATH
Brent Todd, dean, natural & agricultural sciences
Kayla Weitzel, employment specialist

There will be a session on Professional Development Day that will be hosted by various members of this group to discuss the new statement, the process and next steps. Additionally, LLCC Institutional Research & Effectiveness will be hosting a session to discuss the most recent PACE survey findings on this topic.