2024-2025 Student Handbook

Office of Equity, Diversity, Inclusion, and Justice

1815 Massachusetts Avenue – Second Floor

617.349.8608

edij@lesley.edu 

Equity, Diversity, Inclusion, and Justice | Lesley University

  

About Us

The Office of Equity, Diversity, Inclusion, and Justice (EDIJ) builds, sustains, and grows Lesley University's EDIJ capabilities. We work with students, faculty, and professional staff, to help weave equity, diversity, inclusion, and social justice throughout all levels and functions of the University’s structure. We are dedicated to fostering a diverse and inclusive community, valuing meaningful dialogue, diverse identities, and inclusion. Our department focuses on enhancing belonging by creating a sense of community for all, including students, faculty, staff, and visitors, through various programs and initiatives. Additionally, we remain committed to striving towards an equitable future by addressing systemic barriers and social inequalities through education, advocacy, and collaborative efforts across campus for a more just society.

Our Departments

Intercultural Affairs

We create welcoming environments that enable Lesley's diverse community of students, faculty, staff, and alumni to interact with one another through meaningful dialogue and engagement that bridge their differences and strengthen the Lesley community. This department supports affinity spaces for students, resource groups for faculty and staff, wellness and brave spaces, lectures on global topics, and various other ways for students, faculty, and staff to engage around equity, diversity, inclusion, and justice at Lesley and beyond.

Training, Education, and Development

We create learning programs and development experiences that recognize and value diverse perspectives throughout our community. Through educational programming and resource curation we create opportunities for transformation and change at the personal, interpersonal, institutional, and cultural levels of the institution. Our aim is to make Lesley a stronger community of learners, teachers, and professionals, as well as to enable students to incorporate equity, diversity, inclusion, and justice in their lives, their communities, or wherever their paths take them. 

Office of Equal Opportunity

Lesley's Office of Equal Opportunity (OEO) is responsible for addressing and responding to reports of discrimination and harassment, including sexual misconduct, to help create a campus where all members of our community have access to the University. In light of this mission, we work to promote equal opportunity and inclusion for all individuals. We also engage with students, faculty, and staff to give members of our community the tools they need to create the conditions that optimally support and enhance our equity and inclusion efforts.

Urban Scholars Initiative (USI)

The Urban Scholars Initiative (USI) serves the mission of making college access and success obtainable for first-generation college students of Greater Boston.  At Lesley, we know potential isn't defined by socioeconomic status. That's why USI provides tuition assistance, individualized success coaching, tutoring, as well as book and supply stipends, to support students' financial, academic, and emotional needs. Since launching in 2013, more than 100 students have graduated, and our retention rates have remained consistently high at 80%.