How does a Christ-centered academic community, committed to consistently living out its Christian convictions as outlined by The Wesleyan Church, live together in loving relationship with those who may not hold those same beliefs and convictions?
The President of Indiana Wesleyan University has thoughtfully curated a team of experts to explore this conversation. Their desire is to live in a community that embraces "the dignity of difference"; their purpose is to offer a summative response as it relates to IWU (broadly), then to provide a framework and set of recommendations for the practical application of that response.
After a season of hearing one another’s stories of exclusion and embrace and active dialog to the prompt, the task force will:
The task force will meet bi-weekly over three months to complete the objectives and offer a response to the President of Indiana Wesleyan University.
Phase 1: Task Force (Sept-Dec)
The task force will meet through fall of 2020 to articulate principles, develop a framework, and make recommendations for application.
Phase 2: IWU Planning and Implementation (Jan-June)
The University representatives to the taskforce will work with the individual units (IWU Marion, IWU N/G, Wesley Seminary, Central Admin.) to create sub-taskforces that are unit specific to take the recommendations in light of the principles and framework and develop specific and practical application.
Phase 3: Implementation Continued and Sustained Engagement (July 2021 forward)
The University units will continue the process of implementation of recommendations and maintain sustained engagement in light of the guiding principles moving forward.
“We are committed to developing and nurturing a culturally, ethnically, and internationally diverse academic community embracing the mandate of Christ for reconciliation to God and each other.”
The purpose of the Multicultural Enrichment Council is to champion a holistic, integrated, and intentional initiative to enrich a university-wide culture that welcomes all students, faculty, and staff of ethnic and cultural diversity and international origins. The council seeks to foster richly diverse curricular and co-curricular educational experiences and spiritual formation rooted in the Wesleyan tradition that fully engages students, faculty, and staff as we prepare all students for Christian service locally and globally.
Acknowledge: Build upon the resources, tradition, heritage, and core values of The Wesleyan Church to increase IWU-Marion and IWU-National & Global commitment to multicultural and ethnic diversity education with a focus on a Biblical perspective and a call for reconciliation to God and each other.
Associate: Invite and introduce the IWU community to diversity, creating opportunities for open and honest interaction and involvement with many cultures and ethnicities.
Assemble: Become a more culturally, ethnically, and internationally diverse university.
Assist: Resource and support culturally, ethnically, and internationally diverse students and faculty.