Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion | BW Conservatory of Music

The Baldwin Wallace Conservatory of Music is committed to creating an equitable, inclusive and diverse environment for students, faculty and staff. Our understanding of diversity and inclusivity encompasses intersections of racial and ethnic backgrounds, age, national origin, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, disability, religion, class and the range of human differences. Inclusion and belonging are not expressed at the individual level alone; we are committed to institutional reflection and the reconciliation of injustice through structural change.

The study of music is a cultural and political act. We understand that there are systemic barriers to accessing cultural and educational institutions. Further, we recognize that centering the music of the dominant culture is harmful, and artists, composers, and scholars from marginalized backgrounds have been historically dismissed or erased; BW is no exception. We pledge to expand the diversity of the music we study, create and perform, and additionally, honor the diversity of ideas, cultural values and perspectives within our community.

Equity is not a destination at which we arrive, but a continuing journey that requires transparency and honest reflection. We know that a commitment to change is not enough – we must enact that change. Everyone in our community is responsible for the steps that will help us move forward. We welcome all members of our community to share insight and feedback with Conservatory leadership. Dr. Beth Hiser, Associate Dean, can be reached at bhiser@bw.edu.

For more information on the specific changes and actions that we are undertaking now in the Conservatory, explore the resources below.

Strategic Plan

The Conservatory has entered year two of its strategic plan, Amplify 2024. For the 2022-23 academic year, three diversity task forces have been formed to develop strategies to:

Create a culture that celebrates a diversity of composers, performers and musical styles throughout the curriculum.
Examine the Conservatory mission, goals and objectives for appropriate statements of commitment to diversity and articulate a public statement of commitment to diversity for the arts.
Build a robust culture of diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) practices throughout the Conservatory, including opportunities in professional development, social engagement and guest artist/lecturer presentations.

Curriculum

Several new curricular initiatives promote diversity and inclusion in our coursework. The music core has been updated and features diverse course content and increased student choice, and new emphasis programs in Afrocentric music, contemporary media, arts management, and music industry are now available to students.
Learn more about updates to our curriculum.

Faculty and Staff Training

In fall 2022, faculty and staff attended DEI professional development sessions, such as "Empowering All Students through Universal Design for Learning," "Trauma-Aware Arts Environments," "Open Educational Resources," "Truth, Racial Healing & Transformation," and "Transgender Equity Training."
Conservatory faculty and staff are required to participate in university-wide training. Additional training options, such as the Safe Zone project for LGBTQ+ community and allyship, are available.

Collaborations

The Conservatory maintains ongoing collaborations with the BW Center for Inclusion and its Academic & Cultural Events Series (ACES).
In partnership with the BW Community Arts School, the Conservatory is the proud home of the Cleveland Transgender Choir. Founded in 2016, this non-auditioned choral group consists of transgender and nonbinary singers both from BW and throughout Greater Cleveland.
The Africa→West Percussion Trio is an ensemble-in-residence at the BW Conservatory of Music. The trio specializes in performances and workshops of West African, Afro-Cuban, and American styles of drumming and composition.
In 2022, the Conservatory entered into a new partnership with Cleveland Play House, funded by a grant from the US Department of Education, to create a teaching artist certificate program with a goal to prepare performing artists to apply their skills in school and community settings with focused training in diversity, equity and inclusion, trauma-informed care and social/emotional learning.

Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion at the Conservatory of Music

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Resources