Definitions

University Terms and Definitions

Having shared understanding of language within an organization assists in collective efforts toward the same goal. Growing research on and attention to marginalized people have led to better defined concepts that more accurately describe their meaning. The following list of terms and definitions is an evolving one that will provide users guidance and help ensure campus-wide consistency in language as the Elon community strives for inclusive excellence. In this work, both terms and their meanings can shift over time as marginalized groups are increasingly heard and valued.

Core Constructs

Inclusive Excellence

Inclusive excellence is the shared responsibility of Elon University members to act deliberately toward equitable outcomes through:

collective strength derived from people of all identities, abilities and perspectives;
pluralistic orientation reflected in pedagogies, programs and policies;
and positive cross-cultural engagement at all times and in all places.

Central to Elon’s mission of transforming mind, body and spirit, inclusive excellence requires addressing systems in ways that achieve equity and help individuals thrive.

Belonging

Elon’s wellness framework defines belonging as feeling a sense of community.

Diversity

Diversity is a multifaceted phenomenon of human differences related to identity, experiences, thoughts and perspectives. Elon believes that this wide range of differences is an essential component of the educational experience, academic excellence and an inclusive community.

Equity

Equity is the practice of understanding and satisfying human needs, particularly those created by historical and social forces that have generated disparate outcomes for groups of people based on their identities. Elon conceptualizes equity also as a goal of eliminating oppressive practices and systems that prevent some groups from achieving their fullest potential.

Inclusion

Inclusion is the outcome of creating environments in which any member of an organization feels welcomed, respected, supported and valued in the full range of experiences at Elon.

Well-being

Well-being is a sense of engagement and connection one has with where they live and a feeling of both safety and pride in one’s community.

Ability: Refers to a person’s physical, developmental, and/or psychological ability (Examples: Physically able, temporarily able-bodied, hearing impaired, visually impaired, attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, Alzheimer’s disease)

Advocacy: The process of actively addressing a social issue or inequity, with the goal of seeking positive social and/or systematic change, on behalf of an individual or group experiencing struggles or difficulty; regardless of one’s personal affiliation to said individual or groups.

Affected individual/ group(s): those directly or indirectly impacted by bias, prejudice, hate, and/ or bigotry, whether intentional or unintentional. Affected individuals can also include those intentionally and unintentionally involved in the harm.

Age: Refers to number of years lived, significance milestone based lived years or life experiences (Example: 18-year old, 21- years old, 50-year old, young adult, older adult, infant, Bar or Bat Mitzvah age, Quinceañera age, etc.)

ALANAM: At Elon, faculty, staff and students, particularly those from underrepresented and historically marginalized racial and ethnic communities are described with this acronym: (African American/Black, Latinx/Hispanic, Asian/Pacific Islander, Native American, Alaskan Native, and Multiracial).

Anti-Black Racism: Any behavior, practice, or policy that explicitly or implicitly reflects the belief that Black people (those of African descent) are inferior to other racial groups. Anti-Black Racism is reflected in interpersonal, institutional, and systemic levels of racism and is a function of the culture of White supremacy.(National Association of Diversity Officers in Higher Education, A Framework for Advancing Anti-Racism Strategy on Campus, p. 8)

Anti-Racism Education: Anti-racism education is not an end in itself but rather the beginning of a new approach to thinking, feeling, and acting. Anti-racist consciousness and behavior means having the self-awareness, knowledge, and skills—as well as the confidence, patience, and persistence—to challenge, interrupt, modify, erode, and eliminate any and all manifestations of racism within one’s own spheres of influence. — Derman-Sparks and Phillips from Teaching/Learning Anti-Racism: A Developmental Approach

Antisemitism: discrimination, prejudice, hostility or violence against Jews as Jews (or Jewish institutions as Jewish). – The Jerusalem Declaration on Antisemitism

Bias: An inclination or preference either for or against an individual or group that interferes with impartial judgment.

Bias impact: Harm caused by negative bias, prejudice, hate, and/ or bigotry. Bias impact can include but is not limited to:

Interference with ability to work, learn, and maintain healthy relationships.
Marginalization from the community and barriers to participation.
Rendering groups more vulnerable, powerless, and feeling unwelcome.
Increased distrust and the erosion of a healthy sense of community.

Bias-related incident: An intentional or unintentional event (language/expression, behaviors and acts) motivated, in whole or in part, by bias or prejudice against a person or group based on (including but not limited to) Elon’s protected categories. It differs from a hate crime in that no criminal activity is involved. While hate crimes, if charged and prosecuted, will be dealt with in the court system as well as through our Elon policies, Elon will handle bias incidents through grievance procedures and educational programs.

BIPOC (pronounced “bye-poc); (also see ALANAM): This acronym stands for Black, Indigenous, and People Of Color and is a term mainly sed in the United States to address and center the experiences of Black/African diaspora identities, Indigenous identities, and other historically marginalized racial and ethnic identities.

Bisexual (or Bi): A person whose emotional, romantic, sexual, and/or relational attraction is to more than one gender. Degree of attraction and choice of primary relationship partner(s) varies for each person.

Cisgender: Refers to when a person’s gender identity corresponds to their sex assigned at birth.

Discrimination: Adverse treatment that results in the exclusion of participation or denial of benefits based on protected categories.

Ethnicity (also see Race): Cultural, linguistic, spiritual, and traditional ties that describe people, often linked to a group or regional identity. (Examples: Italian, Jewish, Korean, Latino, Colombian, Arab, Scandinavian, Ethiopian)

Faith Traditions: “Faith” is a concept that emerges from the early Christian church and only imperfectly suggests the tremendous range of attitudes and motivations cultivated among the world’s religious and spiritual traditions. Nevertheless, “faith traditions” has become a phrase commonly used to refer to religious traditions of various sorts. At Elon, “faith traditions” refers not only to religious communities that have developed and endured throughout history, but also to non-theistic traditions that aim to promote a moral vision of what it means to be human based on carefully considered values.

Gay: A male-identified individual whose primary emotional, sexual, and/or relational attraction is to other people who are male-identified.

Gender: refers to the attitudes, feelings, and behaviors that a given culture associates with a person’s biological sex. Behavior that is compatible with cultural expectations is referred to as gender-normative; behaviors that are viewed as incompatible are called gender non-conformity. (CATL’s Links to Gender Pronouns)

Gender Identity: refers to one’s sense of oneself as male, female, or transgender. When one’s gender identity and biological sex are not congruent, the individual may identify as transgender or another category. (CATL’s Links to Gender Pronouns)

Generation:

a cohort grouped together based on their birth years, experiences, and societal exposures (Examples: Baby Boomer, Generation X, Xennials, Millennials, Generation Z, Generation Alpha)

May also refer to the children of immigrant parents, first in a family line to be born in the new country;
May also refer to the first person or generation in a family to attend an institution of higher education

Global Citizenship: It implies recognition of the values and responsibilities that emerge from knowledge of and ethical reflection on the changing nature of human communities in an era of deepening interconnectedness and global conflict. Global citizens embrace the personal and social responsibility to advocate for the dignity of all human communities and to collaborate in the creation of pluralistic and harmonious societies.

Graysexuality: Refers to weakly feeling or rarely feeling sexual attraction.

Harassment: Acts that unreasonably interfere with an individual’s work or academic performance, or create an intimidating, hostile, humiliating or offensive working, living or learning environment, based on their protected categories. This includes verbal, written, visual or physical harassment.

Harm transformation: systems change(s) that involve the understanding of the perspective of the harmed parties, but does not always involve the person(s) harming and/ or the person(s) harmed.

(Harm transformation and restorative practices are community processes aimed to promote equities and reduce social disparities.)

Hate crime: In North Carolina a hate crime is defined as any act prohibited by law that is motivated because of the victim’s race, color, religion, nationality or country of origin.

Historically and Presently Marginalized Groups: social identities/groups that have been historically devalued in society affecting present-days consequences in how their groups are perceived or treated by individuals or institutional structures. This devaluing encompasses how the group is represented, what degree of access to resources it is granted, and how the unequal access is rationalized.

Identity (also see Personal Identity and Social Identity): Refers to how people think about and express their personalities and/or group affiliations.

Identity-based Bias: The inclinations or preferences that demonstrate discrimination or hate against a person or groups based on their association with any of (included but not limited to) Elon’s protected categories.

Implicit Bias: Attitudes or stereotypes that affect our understanding, actions, and decisions in an unconscious manner.

Intercultural Competence/Intercultural Awareness: Developing the attitude, knowledge, and skills that would allow persons, organizations, and systems to effectively and appropriately interact and communicate with diverse social groups. (Adapted from Deardorff- The SAGE Handbook of Intercultural Competence (2009)

Intersectionality: Coined by scholar Kimberlé Crenshaw in 1989, intersectionality is a way of examining and understanding how social identities overlap and interconnect within system of privilege, discrimination, and oppression.

The following list of terms and definitions is an evolving one that will provide users guidance and help ensure campus-wide consistency in language as the Elon community strives for inclusive excellence. Currently, there are no terms that start with this letter.

Lesbian: A female-identified individual whose primary emotional, romantic, sexual, and/or relational attraction is to other people who are female-identified.

Marginalized/Minoritized groups: See historically and presently marginalized groups.

Microaggressions: Everyday verbal, nonverbal, and environmental slights, snubs, or insults, whether intentional or unintentional, which communicate hostile, derogatory, or negative messages to target persons based solely upon their group membership.

Multi-faith: Elon refers to its efforts to promote education about a broad range of spiritual traditions and to promote dialogue and understanding among diverse communities by the term “multi-faith.” Multi-faith work at Elon does not pursue an erasure of real difference or an affirmation of superficial commonalities, but rather the more profound understanding of one another that can lead to meaningful cooperation and honest dialogue.

Personal Identity (also see Identity, Social Identity): Characteristics that describe personality traits, habits, skills, behaviors- without regard to groups or categories. (Examples: humorous, organized, etc; athletic vs athlete)

Personal Power: Influence derived from the capacity to lead as a follower who is seen as knowledgeable, likable, or skilled.

Positional Power: Influence derived from one’s actual rank or position within an organization.

Power: The ability to get what one wants; access to resources that enhance a person’s chances of getting what they need, or the ability to influence others/systems to get wants and needs, usually as a result of a privileged status or identity.

Power Broker: Anyone in an institutional or organizational role who is authorized to buy, sell, offer, negotiate, trade, or arrange services, goods, and programs for others (Racial Equity Institute)

Prejudice: Attitudes, beliefs, and/ or decisions held without facts, experience, or adequate knowledge. In this context, most often used to refer to preconceived, usually unfavorable, judgments toward people because of assumptions about their identity or identities.

Privilege: Refers to a right or exemption from liability or duty, granted as a special benefit or unearned advantage to some and not others based on social identity.

Pronouns: A pronoun is a word that refers to either the people talking (“I” or “you”) or someone or something that is being talked about (like “she”, “it”, “them”, and “this”). Gender pronouns (he/she/they/ze etc.) specifically refer to the person you are referring to. Pronouns are part of someone’s gender expression, and people can have multiple sets of pronouns for themselves. Pronouns are not “preferred” but instead are required for respectful communication. Not only transgender or nonbinary communities use pronouns, as it is something we all use and have since we were little. (CATL’s Links to Gender Pronouns)

Commonly Used Gender Pronouns:

She/her – for those who identify as women
He/him – for those who identify as men
Sie/hir – gender neutral terms (pronounced “see” and “here”)
Zie/zir – gender neutral terms (pronounced “zee” and like “sir” with a “z”)
They/them – traditionally used as plural terms, but increasingly used as gender neutral singular terms
Instead of “Mr.” or “Ms.,” some might use the gender-neutral term “Mx” (pronounced “Mix”)

Protected categories: The following are considered “protected identity categories” with respect to discrimination, harassment and bias: age, (dis)ability, ethnic origin, faith tradition, gender expression, gender identity, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, race and veteran’s status.

Queer: An umbrella term used by some to refer to any one who is not heteroromantic heterosexual. Some, however, view this term as offensive, so be sure to respect individual differences.

Questioning: A person who is figuring out/coming to terms with and/or accept their sexual orientation, gender identity, or gender expression (or other identities).

Race/Skin Color (also see Ethnicity): Social construct based on history, plays out largely by appearance everyday, it is assigned (Ex: White, Black, Asian, American Indian, Latinx {though not officially on 2010 census}). Assigned categories of people that are seemingly based on:

Biological characteristics
Geographic origin
Skin color and/or physical appearance

But race is actually an ideological social construct created during colonial times to assign and maintain power (and it still used that way today). Our racial categories continue to change and evolve, depending on the institution.

Racism: The system of structuring opportunity and assigning value based on the social interpretation of how an individual looks based on skin color. This process unfairly disadvantages some individuals and communities, unfairly advantages other individuals and communities, and may be intentional or unintentional. It operates at various levels in society.

Racist Idea: Any concept that regards one racial group as inferior or superior to another racial group in any way.

Religion/Spirituality: A set of beliefs about life’s meaning and the ultimate purpose of the universe, if any (Examples: Jewish, Christian, Buddhist, Hindu, Atheist)

Restorative practices: Processes that involve harmed and harming parties aimed at repairing, healing, and creating healthier relationships, communities, and systems

(Harm transformation and restorative practices are community processes aimed to promote equities and reduce social disparities.)

Sex: Refers to a person’s biological status and is typically categorized as male, female, or intersex. There are a number of indicators, including sex chromosomes, gonads (testes and ovaries), internal reproductive organs, and external genitalia. (CATL’s Links to Gender Pronouns)

Sexual Harassment: A particular type of harassment and is a form of prohibited sex discrimination. Sexual harassment includes sexual violence. Sexual harassment generally may be described to include unwelcome sexual advances, requests for sexual favors, or other physical and expressive behavior of a sexual nature when:

Submission to or rejection of such conduct is made either explicitly or implicitly a term of or a condition of education, employment, or participating in university activities;
Submission to or rejection of such conduct by an individual is or could be used as the basis for evaluation in making academic or personnel decisions affecting that individual; or
Such conduct has the purpose or effect of unreasonably interfering with an individual’s performance, or creating an intimidating, hostile or offensive working, living or learning environment.

Shared Equity Leadership: A collective process by which equity becomes everyone’s work, rather than being relegated or siloed in one office or one leader’s portfolio. (Kezar, Adrianna, Elizabeth Holcombe, Darsella Vigil, and Jude Paul Mathias Dizon. 2021. Shared Equity Leadership: Making Equity Everyone’s Work. Washington, DC: American Council on Education; Los Angeles: University of Southern California, Pullias Center)

Social Change: The way human interactions and relationships transform cultural and social institutions over time, having a profound impact of society.

Social Identity (also see Identity, Personal Identity): Identities that reflect the social group categories that we claim and which others categorize us by according to race, ethnicity, gender, sexual identity/orientation, ability, social class, nationality, etc.

Social Justice:

The belief that all people should have equal rights and opportunities. How these rights and opportunities are made accessible and equal may not look or be the same for everyone. The differences in how equality is achieved for everyone is equity at work. (National Association of Diversity Officers in Higher Education, A Framework for Advancing Anti-Racism Strategy on Campus, p. 8)
Both a process and a goal. “The goal of social justice education is full and equal participation of all groups in a society that is mutually shaped to meet their needs. Social justice includes a vision of society that is equitable and all members are physically and psychologically safe and secure.” — Adams, Bell and Griffin from Teaching for Diversity and Social Justice (2007)

Socioeconomic Status or Class: Combined total of an individual’s or family’s economic and social position. Measures not only income, but also education, occupation, assets and inheritance, and access to resources. (Examples: Lower class, working class, middle class, upper class {these are just broad categories})

Spiritual Formation and Expression: The knowledge and wisdom that develop from exploration of and commitment to one’s inherited or chosen tradition or perspective. This intentional process of maturing as a whole person in community includes acquiring the ability to articulate a set of values, commitments, and traditions and deepening one’s sense of identity as a member of distinct but overlapping communities. “Spiritual” signals the humanistic contention that human fulfillment lies outside the realm of purely material concerns and, therefore, refers to both religious and non-religious ways of making meaning.

Stereotype: An oversimplified thought or generalization about an individual or group of people without considering individual differences. Stereotypes are often negative, but even positive thoughts/generalizations have negative consequences.

Systemic Oppression: The discrimination of one social group against another, backed by institutional power.

Transgender (or Trans): An umbrella term for individuals whose gender identity is not accurately or adequately described by the gender assigned at birth. Includes nonbinary and gender queer people. Not a sexual orientation.

White Supremacy Culture: By “white supremacy” I do not mean to allude only to the self-conscious racism of white supremacist hate groups. I refer instead to a political, economic and cultural system in which whites overwhelmingly control power and material resources, conscious and unconscious ideas of white superiority and entitlement are widespread, and relations of white dominance and non-white subordination are daily reenacted across a broad array of institutions and social settings. — Frances Lee Ansley in “Stirring the Ashes: Race Class and the Future of Civil Rights Scholarship” (1989)