From the Nominator

"As a national leader in diversity and internationalization, UC Davis is committed to advancing inclusivity at all levels. With this commitment in mind, in recent years the UC Davis division of Development and Alumni Relations (UC Davis DEVAR) has incorporated ambitious diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) goals into its strategic plan and staff initiatives. Major steps toward key goals included establishing DEVAR’s DEI Committee, comprised of full-time staff volunteers who serve as influential leaders helping to guide organizational growth and change related to diversity, equity and inclusion.   

“Using Inclusive Language: A Brief Guide” was created by DEVAR’s DEI Committee (with support from communications colleagues) to serve as a resource for DEVAR staff in support of the division’s ongoing commitment to advancing principles of DEI in every aspect of our professional and community interactions. It outlines core principles for choosing language that reflects diverse perspectives, and seeks to make communication more inclusive and more equitable for all. 

Communicating in inclusive ways is critical to the relationships we build with every donor, partner, patient and constituent. This guide was tailored to support development staff in their daily work as fundraising professionals and as members of a highly diverse university community.  

This inclusive language guide has also been made available on DEVAR’s public website, where it serves an important strategy of demonstrating to various external constituents—including job seekers, collaborators and potential donors—how our division’s commitment to DEI is being put into practice and translated into shared principles."

From the Judges

We believe that this inclusive language guide, which specifically addresses the needs of advancement departments, is a valuable resource for the CASE community at large. It will continue to help development, communications, and alumni offices advance the principles of diversity, equity, inclusion, and justice in our work, both internally and externally. This guide is easily accessible, and will prompt fruitful discussions within advancement offices at other institutions.