Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion
Our Equity Focus
Calbright recognizes that many populations face structural barriers within the education system and labor market. Our equity focus includes (but is not limited to) narrowing gaps in enrollment and outcomes by race, ethnicity, and gender, as well as lowering barriers based on gender identity and expression, sexual orientation, age, disability, national origin, veteran status, justice involvement, and rural residency.
What We Value
At Calbright, we work to create and maintain a culture in which implicit bias is recognized and eliminated, and where all members of our community, students, faculty and staff, have the opportunity to realize their potential.
Student Demographics
We collect statistical data about our student body to ensure that we fulfill our mission: to extend the power of higher education to adults who have been underserved by traditional learning institutions. Our outreach efforts are designed to reach those who most benefit from our asynchronous, competency-based programs: the underemployed, students who are parents or caregivers, and adults looking to change careers.
The diversity of our students reflects the richness of California. They come from every part of the state, and from a variety of backgrounds. What they have in common is the will to tackle new challenges, a determination to overcome the barriers they face, and a vision of a better future for themselves and their families. We're committed to reaching them where they are, and helping them succeed.
Demographic data as of December 31, 2023.
Student Community
Students are at the center of Calbright's design, and so it's critical that our learners and alumni help guide the College and engage with each other as we continue to grow. Our digital community — which utilizes Slack, Zoom, and other common workplace communications tools — provides an opportunity to exchange resources, work through coursework together, and speak directly with faculty and staff. In addition, we're building organizations like student government, which serves as a platform for students to have a direct impact to shape Calbright today and into the future.
Accessibility Services
Students with physical, learning, or other disabilities may meet with an Accessibility Counselor upon enrollment, to have their needs assessed and to learn about resources available to them during their program, including mental health supports, financial help, and assistive technologies.
Community in Practice
Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion isn’t a static milestone one can achieve, but instead a mindset and commitment to continual progress and improvement. Calbright faculty and staff created the College’s internal Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Task Force to ensure that the principles of access and equity are used to guide our decision-making at every level.
Through monthly employee workshops, student-facing events, and equity-focused discussion channels, the DEI Task Force provides meaningful social and historical context to the work we do as well as knowledge and insight to every department, helping us align our actions with our values.
DEI Task Force Mission Statement
Access and equity are social justice principles, concepts against which all Calbright College services should be measured. They will be reflected in how decisions are made, about who and how we serve, how resources are allocated, and how the needs of people from diverse backgrounds are met.
Technology and Tools
We've designed our programs to remove as many hurdles as possible. The technologies that allow for flexibly paced distance learning can be a bridge to economic opportunity, but they must be accessible and affordable. Our lending library is just one of our services that helps students with their program. Every Calbright learner may borrow an internet-enabled laptop and mobile Wi-Fi internet hotspot for the duration of their program at no cost.
