Commitment To Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion
As a Lutheran institution of higher learning which serves a diverse community, our heritage grounds us in a belief that all people are beloved and fallible, that our lives are for the common good, and that we are called to be part of the unfolding justice and mercy of God.
We Are Committed To:
- Equality - We promote a culture of mutual respect and strive to create opportunities for all.
- Inclusion - We are committed to fostering a welcoming atmosphere that respects and celebrates contributions made by our diverse community members and their cultures.
- Social Justice - We are called to work alongside people on the margins to empower them and to improve their quality of life.
- Freedom - We value dialogue, difference, and debate in pursuit of knowledge and understanding that encourages growth and discovery.
- Leadership Through Service - We value opportunities for growth as global citizens and leaders through service learning and civic engagement.
Proud To Be A Hispanic-Serving Institution
With a Hispanic student population of 40 percent, TLU is a Hispanic-Serving Institution (HSI) as designated by the Department Of Education. HSIs also serve students by promoting a racially diverse student body, fostering a positive and open campus, and providing services that are specifically designed to help Hispanic students.
Diversity Action Plan
In Spring 2018, the university was one of 25 colleges and universities selected to participate in an institute sponsored by the Council of Independent Colleges (CIC) titled, "Diversity, Civility, and the Liberal Arts." Participating in the institute led TLU to develop a detailed action plan focused on the following goals:
- Expand student support systems in ways that consider distinctive needs of our diverse student body
- Prioritize faculty and staff diversity at every level of the university
- Build models on our campus for civil discourse across difference
- Refine and expand curricular offering in ways that emphasize diversity and inclusion
- Increase co-curricular modules devoted to diversity and inclusion
- Implement a university-wide review and revision of hiring procedures with the goal of increasing diversity
- Host a lunch series on cultivating civility in both the classroom and student life
- Expand educational opportunities in interfaith diversity through curriculum revision and invited speakers
- Train faculty and staff in the pedagogical practices of the Inter-Group Relations (IGR) program at the University of Michigan
- Prioritize diversity issues in the next university strategic plan
Learn More about the CIC’s Institute
Campus-Wide Diversity Efforts
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A Special Message From President Cottrell
Texas Lutheran University’s excellence is directly tied to its diversity. We are fortunate to be a campus that encompasses a variety of backgrounds, a diverse array of perspectives, and a respect for difference. We are particularly proud to be a place that welcomes and supports first-generation college students. By design and practice, we serve and reflect our region well. The values articulated in our Commitment to Diversity Statement—equality, inclusion, social justice, freedom, and leadership through service—provide the foundation for the teaching and learning that take place at TLU every day.
We also recognize that the critical work of diversity, inclusion, and equity is not easy, nor is it ever finished. The environment on our campus requires that we continually put energy toward respect, education, and communication as we celebrate the differences within our community.
Our Diversity Committee, working closely with the President’s Cabinet, will continue to do important work on our campus. We anticipate focusing on opportunities associated with training and development, search processes, assessment efforts to help inform our strategic planning process, and welcoming speakers like interfaith expert Eboo Patel. The success of this work will require that all members of our campus community participate in these opportunities and consider individually and collectively how we will grow and advance the concept of being an inclusive campus.
As the president of TLU, I am committed to furthering all of these efforts and to celebrating the diverse components that comprise our community of learning and community of faith. It is an honor to join you on our journey of excellence and diversity.
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Religious Diversity
TLU is one of 26 colleges and universities associated with the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA), the largest Lutheran denomination in the United States.
TLU students, faculty, and staff have a wide variety of religious identities, including no religion at all. We welcome religious diversity and believe that it enriches our life together. We do not require a faith commitment of any kind.
Chapel services on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays provide opportunities for prayer, community, and spiritual growth. These are purely voluntary and incorporate worship practices from many Christian traditions. As part of the general education curriculum, students take at least one course in theology so as to cultivate informed reflection on faith and its relation to the contemporary world.
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First-Generation Students
More than half of our students are also first-generation meaning they are the first person in their immediate family to attend or graduate from college. Many of our faculty and staff are also first-generation college graduates.
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Student Demographics
Fall 2019 Overall Student Body
- White: 47%
- Hispanic: 40%
- African American: 9%
- More Than One Race: 2%
These numbers were sourced from the TLU Registrar's Office as self reported by students as reported on their application for admission. International, Asian/Islander, and Native American students are included in the remaining percentages as well as students who reported unknown.
- White: 47%
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Title IX Information
Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972 is a federal law that prohibits sex discrimination in education. It reads:
"No person in the United States shall, on the basis of sex, be excluded from participation in, be denied the benefits of, or be subjected to discrimination under any education program or activity receiving Federal financial assistance."
Legal Citation: Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972, and its implementing regulation at 34 C.F.R. Part 106 (Title IX). Sex discrimination includes sexual harassment and sexual assault.
- Campus Climate Survey
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Resources
Student Groups
TLU encourages student involvement through a wide variety of organizations, events, activities, workshops, seminars, and structured experiences that promote personal learning and growth in a student-centered environment. Organizations include the Mexican American Student Association, Black Student Union, SAFE (Sexual Awareness For Everyone), Environmental Action (EnAct), Mariachi Oro y Negro de TLU, and many others.
View all Student Organizations
Academic Resources
Counseling Services
The Counseling Center at TLU recognizes at its core that bias and discrimination have devastating consequences on marginalized individual’s physical and mental health. Data on race, ethnicity, gender and gender identity show time and time again that the experience of bias has a severe impact on individuals’ feelings of self-worth, willingness to receive care, and ability to attend to medical and mental health conditions as they arise. Clinicians must do the work to understand and respect the needs of all of their patients as a matter of the care they provide at the most basic and human level.
We are committed to helping students navigate challenges related to mental health and well-being. We offer free and confidential services to all registered TLU students.
For additional information about accommodations or counseling services, please email Dr. Marlene Moriarty, LPC-S or call 830-372-6585.
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Center For Servant Leadership
TLU's Center For Servant Leadership is dedicated to civic engagement; the action to meet the basic needs of a community. TLU graduates are empowered to collaborate for positive social change, both as local leaders and global citizens.
At TLU, we know that transformation happens through relationships. We grow the most when we learn and do with community partners, rather than for them. TLU faculty and staff design service and civic engagement projects to invigorate learning about community, personal civic identity, and the strengths of both academic and community knowledge. Learning boldly and living to inspire doesn’t wait until graduation – it’s an everyday experience at TLU.
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Diversity Committee
- Dr. Chris Bollinger, Communication Studies
- Dr. Rebecca Czuchry, History, Director of African American Studies
- Amelia Koford, Director of Women's Studies
- Samira Lopez, Director of First-Year & Campus Programs
- Dr. Jennifer Mata, Director of the Center for Mexican American Studies
- Dr. Marlene Moriarty, Director of Counseling & Disability Services
- Dr. Tiffiny Sia, Psychology
- Dr. Chris Bollinger, Communication Studies