Inclusivity Statement

The College of Saint Benedict and Saint John’s University Writing Center exists to help students with all aspects of the writing process and equip them with skills needed to be successful writers. Our mission is to empower students by providing an inclusive, welcoming and safe space which respects all persons.

We acknowledge that language and writing are powerful tools which shape the way we think and act within social institutions. We also recognize that these tools influence our understanding of history and have been used to silence voices and maintain discriminatory systems of power. We are committed to dismantling these systems of oppression which have marginalized fellow community members.

We are called to be effective leaders who are continually learning as well as educating others as we work to create transformative inclusion and be actively anti-discriminatory. Therefore, we are dedicated to creating an equitable atmosphere which recognizes and appreciates cultural diversity to ensure all students feel welcomed and valued. We also commit to the larger CSB/SJU mission to challenge our own practices through self-reflection.

Specific actions we are taking to achieve these goals include, but are not limited to, the practices listed below:
· New peer tutors receive specific instruction on inclusive tutoring practices during initial training;
· All peer tutors undergo additional training annually on inclusive tutoring;
· An anti-discrimination task team of peer tutors focuses special attention on inclusion and diversity;
· Current peer tutors are members of the interview team in selecting new tutors;
· This statement was originally drafted by two peer tutors, Brigid Smith and Sarah Broghammer, with input by all tutors.

The Writing Center will continue to evaluate and evolve this statement and these practices as necessary. For further information or if you have questions, please contact the Writing Center or the director, Kyhl Lyndgaard ([email protected] or [email protected])