Commitment to Diversity | LSU Manship School of Mass Communication

Commitment to Diversity

We pledge to further establish a demographically and intellectually diverse environment and an educational experience designed to prepare our students be global citizens in an increasingly diverse world.

In fact, the Association for Education in Journalism and Mass Communication awarded its inaugural Diversity and Equity Award to the Manship School. We were cited for our comprehensive diversity plan, fundraising for diversity, organized efforts to recruit faculty and students, constant attention to the classes we offer, faculty research and service to other universities, journalists and their public through its Forum on Media Diversity.

In March 2022, we created a three-year diversity plan, advisory in nature, that will hold our school accountable for achieving its aspirations of being a premiere institution of true diversity.

Get the Facts

  • 60% of our faculty members have conducted research on topics related to diversity.
  • We have received four separate grants that involve diversity related concepts.
  • In 2021, 27% of our students and more than 30% of our faculty were from historically underrepresented populations.
  • The Reilly Center for Media & Public Affairs helped establish the Forum on Media Diversity, which includes an extensive bibliographic database of academic and professional journal articles, books and conference papers on diversity issues with focus on media, journalism and communication in both national and international contexts. The Media Diversity Forum also serves as the host site for the Minorities and Communication Division of AEJMC.
  • We created the nation's first and only Chair in Race, Media and Cultural Literacy.

Our Commitment to Black Lives Matter

The unfolding of recent national and community events reinforces our mission to advance important conversations. We are committed to supporting research, dialogue and action that combat racism, institutional discrimination and systemic oppression.

We know there is much work to be done. And that work involves the entire Manship School family: students, faculty and staff, administrators and alumni. We are committed to refining our curriculum and school culture to be a more inclusive and cohesive environment. Read more about our plan of action.