Inclusive excellence is both the practice and commitment to identify, amplify, and champion the pluralistic excellence of all members of the UCLA community in all that we do. The Office of Inclusive Excellence’s (OIE) mission is “to weave excellence into our culture and institutional fabric through intentional connections, respectful engagement, deep learning, and challenging yet constructive dialogue.”
Achieving inclusive excellence begins with a shared understanding of what it looks like at UCLA and how it is reflected in everyday practices, interactions, and institutional culture. Digging deeper, inclusive excellence can be further defined both by what it is and what it is not.
To illustrate the breadth and vital elements of inclusive excellence, we have put together the below helpful breakdown:
| Inclusive Excellence (IE) is… | Inclusive Excellence (IE) is NOT… |
|---|---|
| Embedded across institutional missions, operations, and practices | Siloed or program-based |
| A purposeful culture of inclusion and belonging | An environment where climate and belonging are overlooked |
| Ongoing and growth-oriented | Static and compliance-driven |
| Interactive and community-centered | Passive or performative |
| Thoughtful and reflective | Thoughtless or reactionary |
| Introspective and self-aware | Egocentric or exclusionary |
| Willing to engage in difficult conversations | Avoidant of difficult conversations |
| Addressing the specific needs of all members of the community | Assumes everyone thrives with the same support |
| Focused on meeting people where they are | Assumes everyone shares the same background or experiences |
| Rooted in a growth mindset | Rooted in a fixed mindset |
| Valuing and respecting all individuals | Centering only historically dominant perspectives |
| Broadly and globally inclusive | Narrow or limited in scope |
| Civil and respectful | Discourteous or dismissive |
| Compassionate and empathetic | Insensitive or harmful |
| Focused on understanding and connection | Driven by fear, division, or misunderstanding |
| Celebratory of diverse forms of excellence | Dismissive of differing perspectives or contributions |
| Intentional and structured | Unstructured or inconsistent |
| Grounded accountability and shared responsibility | Treated as optional or disconnected from institutional goals |