Terminology

BIPOC - Black, Indigenous, and People of Color
Throughout this project, we refer to BIPOC faculty as faculty who self-identify as Black, Indigenous, and People of Color as these categories of people have been historically minoritized and excluded in U.S. society.   In using the term BIPOC, we acknowledge the historical privileges of whiteness in American society and academia. 

Faculty
All full-time rank faculty are included in this project with a special emphasis on STEM faculty.  Among our goals is to encourage an inclusive culture that will reach beyond rank faculty to all faculty who teach our students. 

Gender
We approach this work by taking into account all genders. Faculty may self identify their gender in multiple ways that may not be apparent in existing legal or bureaucratic categories within academic institutions. We seek an intersectional lens on gender equity in this project and in academia more broadly.

Intersectionality
Intersectionality is a core concept in our approach and a NSF directive towards understanding faculty equity and inclusion.  Over thirty years ago, civil rights advocate and legal scholar, Kimberle W. Crenshaw, introduced the term to highlight the ways that social categories or identities are intertwined within systems of social oppression, which distribute resources, opportunities, and rewards differentially[1] .  We recognize and highlight the intersectionality of race, gender, sexuality, immigration status, age, ability, and other social identities that have shaped oppression in academia and our broader society.   An intersectional approach in all areas of this project seeks to understand and attend to how the advancement of faculty is shaped differentially within academia as a social structure and how we can foster a more equitable environment for all faculty.

STEM
The NSF defines STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) as mathematics, natural sciences, engineering, computer and information sciences, and the social and behavioral sciences (SBS).