Society is split along five faults [race, gender, generation, geography and class], and we try in vain to paper them over, fill them or pretend they aren’t there…. [These] underlying forces, like those in the center of the earth, will thwart us until we come to see our differences as deep, but completely natural things, as natural as geologic fault lines. We don’t have to resolve our differences. We can agree to disagree.
—Robert C. Maynard

I. Introduction
The Department of Journalism is committed to diversity and inclusivity in its student population and faculty and to the creation of a learning environment that exposes students to a broad spectrum of voices and views. The Department believes that the Fault Lines approach of the late Robert C. Maynard provides a valuable framework for this effort and agrees with his analysis that race, class, gender, generation and geography are the key forces shaping our society and need to recognized more explicitly in the classroom. The Department further believes that diversity is a core journalistic value that is essential to achieving fairness and accuracy

The Department pursues its goals of diversity and inclusivity in these areas: faculty, administration, student population, student employment, curriculum and campus activities.

II. Faculty
The goal of the Department is to recruit and retain a faculty that recognizes the importance of diversity across the dimensions of race, gender, class, generation and geography. The Department seeks to have faculty members who represent each of these categories:

* Racial/Ethnic Minority
* Female
* Under 45 Years of Age
* Over 45 Years of Age
* Born Outside U.S. Midwest

III. Administration
The goal of the Department is to ensure that leadership roles within the department, particularly the position of chair, are filled in such a way as to reflect the diversity of the faculty but not to the exclusion of any individual member.

IV. Student Population
The goal of the Department is to attract majors and minors who reflect diversity across the dimensions of race, gender, class, generation and geography.

V. Student Employment
The goal of the Department is to hire student assistants who reflect diversity across the dimensions of race, gender, class, generation and geography.

VI. Curriculum
The goal of the Department is to help students learn about the multicultural communities that the media serve and to understand the diversity and complexity of people, perspectives and beliefs in a global society.

VII. Campus Activities
The goal of the Department is to reach beyond the classroom to promote diversity and inclusivity in student clubs, activities and special events.

VIII. Implementation
The Department shall produce on an annual basis a report describing its activities in support of this plan. This report will allow the Department to measure its progress in implementing this plan.