Northern Illinois University
Department of Philosophy
College of Liberal Arts and Sciences

Climate Officer

The Department of Philosophy is committed to creating and sustaining an inclusive climate where all students can flourish, regardless of their race, ethnicity, national origin, sex, gender identity, religion, age, disability status, marital status, veteran status, sexual orientation, political affiliation, or any other factor unrelated to their academic qualifications.

To help accomplish these goals, the department appoints a faculty Climate Officer. The Climate Officer is charged with proposing and implementing initiatives to monitor and improve department climate, and consulting with students and faculty on issues related to departmental climate.

The current Climate Officer is Professor Alicia Finch (afinch@niu.edu).

NIU students and faculty with concerns or suggestions related to departmental climate are encouraged to contact Professor Finch.

Climate-Related Resources at NIU

• Sexual Misconduct Response and Prevention at NIU
• Division of Academic Diversity, Equity and Inclusion
• Ombudsperson

Other Climate-Related Resources

• Minorities and Philosophy (MAP)
• MAP's Best Practices for an Inclusive Classroom
• MAP's Resources on Diversifying Syllabi
• American Philosophical Association (APA), Diversity Resources
• APA’s Diversity and Inclusiveness Syllabus Collection
• APA Guidelines for Non-Sexist Use of Language
• The Rutgers Philosophy Department Climate Page (which contains a wealth of climate-related information and links to additional resources)