Mission
The overarching aim of the National Institute for Transformation and Equity (NITE) is to create and utilize tools to assist postsecondary institutions in their efforts to examine, understand, and improve their campus environments and maximize success among diverse student populations.
History
The Culturally Engaging Campus Environments (CECE; pronounced see-see) Project emerged from the voices of hundreds of people calling and fighting for change on college campuses. It was fueled by emerging scholars who made the sacrifice of leaving their communities and their families because they believed in contributing to a better world. It is made relevant by student activists who reject an education that does not respond to the needs of their people. It grows stronger because of leaders on campuses all over the country who are committed to a vision to build more inclusive campuses.
The CECE Project was subsumed under the newly established NITE. We have been hard at work to develop solutions to higher education’s most pressing problems. Over the last decade, our team has conducted over a thousand interviews with educators and students, we have collected and analyzed survey data from thousands more, and we have worked with hundreds of leaders on campuses across the nation to effect positive change. Moving forward, their stories drive our agenda. The national institute expands the focus of our work to engage in new lines of research and generate new resources to effect change and advance equity.
Four Pillars
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Vision: Cultivate a shared vision of what campuses must put in place to be inclusive and equitable.
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Equity: Foster environments that engage and reflect the diverse backgrounds and identities of all students.
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Inquiry: Utilize culturally relevant and responsive research and assessment practices to inform inclusion and equity efforts.
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Transformation: Engage in holistic long-term efforts to transform campus policies, programs, practices, pedagogy, curricula, and activities.