Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion
Welcome to the Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion. It is an honor and privilege for me to serve as the Vice President. Our goal is simple – to connect students, faculty, and staff through diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts. Our initiatives, programming, and events are driven by the strategic diversity and inclusion plan.
We recognize that everyone has their own unique lived experiences and that UNA benefits from a diverse and engaged campus community. This is key to new perspectives, which enhances academic and non-academic educational experiences. I welcome you to visit our website and the variety of resources and information for our entire community, including students, faculty, and staff. We are committed to creating a diverse, inclusive, and equitable campus community at the University of North Alabama.
I hope you will join us in these efforts.
Sincerely,
Ron K. Patterson, Ed.D.
Vice President for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion
"I do think that treating everyone equally no matter where they came from, no matter who they are and what role they have is a big key because you never know who you’re talking to, really. You never know where they’ve been. You never know where they’re going. So, it just makes a lot of good sense to treat everyone the same and treat them well." – Arlan Hamilton
Diversity in Action
Mission, Vision, & Values
Strengthen UNA's continuing pursuit of being diverse, equitable, and inclusive.
Definitions & Glossary of Terms
View frequently utilized and/or referenced terms related to Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion.
From the VP's Desk
Welcome to DEI. We are pleased to provide information to add to your toolkit.
Awareness, Education, and Training
Browse our on-campus and online training program offerings, then sign up to participate.
Signature Programs
Browse our Signature Programs, we invite you to join us.
Strategic Diversity and Inclusion Plan 2020-2025
We are pleased to introduce our new Strategic Diversity and Inclusion Plan.
UNA Inclusive
International Students
Military and Veterans
First-Generation Students
Countries Represented
Engage With Us
Student Resources
The Office of DEI supports unique and innovative programming that serves the needs of diverse students.
Faculty Resources
The Office of DEI is pleased to release resources to assist faculty with search committees...
Staff Resources
The Staff Resource Center plays an integral role at the University, supporting vital services and...
Data and reports
The Office of DEI is committed to building a more diverse, equitable, and inclusive campus environment...
Committees and Community Engagement
Shared governance is a structure and process for collaboration, and equity for matters related to...
Diversity and Inclusion Spotlight
Trio Leo, Chamber Ensemble-in-Residence at UNA
Dr. Whitney O’Neal, Assistant Professor, Music
Assistant Chair and Coordinator of Woodwind Studies, Department of Music
Ms. Karen Cantrell, Staff Collaborative Pianist, Music
Dr. Meghan Merciers, Associate Professor, Music
Associate Director of UNA School of the Arts and Department of Music Chair
