Implementation of Inclusive Excellence and RIT-RISE Programs
Before the implementation of Inclusive Excellence (IE) and RIT-RISE programs, some of the students at the Rochester Institute of Technology faced significant challenges to persistence, degree completion, and accessing research opportunities. RIT-RISE, in particular, sought to address barriers to research faced by Deaf and hard-of-hearing (DHH) students in the biomedical sciences. Rochester aimed to address these issues using a combination of faculty/staff training, community engagement, policy changes, and student support in the institution’s respective spaces. Both programs showed positive outcomes, including increased awareness, improved diversity, and the creation of new positions and policies, though the cultural impact was challenging to measure.