Diversity, Equity & Inclusion

Facts & Figures
Historical Progress
Newsroom
Resources

A Message from Dr. Taffye Benson Clayton

"At Auburn, we appreciate diversity as a strength and are committed to expanding equity and inclusion for all. Your university leaders have been collaborating together to achieve our DEI objectives. We are eager to share progress with you and keep you updated on our journey as we promote a vision of belonging in which everyone is a welcomed and valued member of the Auburn Family. We know we can maximize our university's potential through this steadfast dedication to diversity, equity and inclusion which will create opportunities for students, faculty, staff and alumni to flourish and become leaders who change the world."

- Taffye Benson Clayton
Vice President and Associate Provost for Inclusion and Diversity at Auburn

Auburn Campus Climate Survey

As a part of Auburn University’s ongoing commitment to providing a welcoming, respectful, and inclusive environment for all members of the Auburn Family to thrive. We seek to foster an Auburn Experience that is open and accessible to all, fosters respect, and a sense of appreciation throughout our campus. The overarching goal of our continuous campus climate studying is to provide a foundation for establishing and maintaining a culture of equity, diversity, and inclusiveness that is embedded throughout the university.

Campus climate is defined as the current attitudes, behaviors and standards of faculty, staff, administrators and students concerning the level of respect for individual needs, abilities and potential. *

* Pascarella, E. T., & Terenzini, P. T. (2005). How College Affects Students: A Third Decade of Research. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass

Learn more about:
The 2022 Campus Climate Study
The 2016 Campus Climate Study Key Findings

DEI Strategy Overview

Auburn has compiled its five-year strategic plan with those from across its colleges, the Presidential Task Force for Equity and Opportunity and Office of Inclusion and Diversity into one comprehensive plan with key goals that work to create a campus that is equitable and works for students, faculty and staff from all backgrounds. Auburn intends to place a heavy focus on recruitment and retention that creates a robust and diverse enrollment, as well as ensure students from underrepresented backgrounds have the tools and support they need to succeed at Auburn.

Auburn DEI Strategy Overview

Auburn State of Inclusion

Auburn hosted its first State of Inclusion event in April 2022, convening campus leaders who are accelerating DEI progress at Auburn for our people, our campus, and our community. This presentation outlines progress to date on key DEI issues and the strategic efforts Auburn has made at an institutional level to make Auburn a community where all members are valued, respected, and can thrive personally and professionally. Developed by the Office of Inclusion and Diversity in conjunction with university leadership, this summary features the progress Auburn has made largely within the last few years and especially following the formation of the Presidential Task Force in 2020 which has implemented new initiatives, scholarships, hiring practices, and campus policies to create a more accepting campus environment. Most importantly, it highlights Auburn’s commitment to continued progress and how the university is always striving to create a better tomorrow for its students, faculty, staff, alumni, and surrounding community.

2022 State of Inclusion

Spring 2022 Campus Climate Study

Building upon campus climate studies conducted in 2016 and 2021, Auburn University will formally and anonymously assess students, staff, faculty, post-doctoral scholars, and administrative professionals about their experiences and perceptions of campus and/or workplace climate during the Spring 2022 semester. Student Affairs and the Office of Inclusion and Diversity have partnered with SoundRocket to administer the campus climate survey to campus. SoundRocket has administered climate studies across professional industries, including other research-intensive institutions of higher education. Surveying will begin the week of March 28, 2022, and will continue until mid-to-late April. To learn more about SoundRocket, please visit their webpage. Frequently asked questions can be found at this link.

To take part in our survey, please monitor your Auburn University email account for survey distribution and reminders.

We will host one open forum for participants to learn more about SoundRocket and the campus climate survey process. This forum will take place via Zoom Webinar on:

April 6, 2022, from noon-1 p.m. via Zoom. Register for the zoom meeting here.

This study is one part of Auburn University’s ongoing efforts to foster a supportive, healthy, and inclusive campus for all members of the Auburn Family. After data is collected, executive summaries and other reporting will be generated at the campus-level. Unit-level reports will be created and distributed to senior leaders of their respective area at a later date.

Campus Climate Study Contacts

Dr. Taffye Benson Clayton, Vice President and Associate Provost, Office of Inclusion and Diversity
Dr. Bobby Woodard, Senior Vice President, Student Affairs
Corey Edwards, Assistant to the Senior Vice President, Student Affairs
Dr. Abby Langham, Director, Assessment and Strategic Planning, Student Affairs
JuWan Robinson, Chief of Staff and Special Assistant, Office of Inclusion and Diversity

Auburn University Diversity Statement

Diversity, equity, inclusion and social justice are important values at Auburn University.

Auburn University will proactively work to eliminate barriers facing underrepresented community members and commit to sustaining and supporting diversity in all its forms including those based on life experience, gender, sex, nationality, race, identity, ethnicity, age, political affiliation, sexual orientation, gender expression, gender identity, socioeconomic status, veteran status, disability, neurodiversity, and religion. Auburn will actively cultivate a community where all members are valued, respected and can thrive personally and professionally. Auburn will invest substantial resources to increase the number of underrepresented groups in all facets of the University to include staff, students, faculty, vendors, partners and those who offer voluntary service.

Auburn will measure its commitment to diversity, equity, inclusion and social justice through ongoing assessment and evaluation of activities and individual and collective actions as reflected in practices, procedures, programs, relationships, behaviors and campus culture.

Presidential Task Force for
Opportunity and Equity Progress Updates

The four subcommittees of the Presidential Task Force for Opportunity and Equity have made recommendations to address disparities in recruitment and retention, as well as the implementation of a campus-wide Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Education program. Read more about the Task Force’s progress here.

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Auburn expanding opportunities for diversity, equity and inclusion learning

Auburn University believes in the importance of creating a safe and healthy environment that is free from harassment and discrimination for all members of the Auburn Family. As Auburn continues along its diversity, equity and inclusion, or DEI, journey, it is committed to providing self-directed learning opportunities for employees to advance their knowledge, skills and competencies regarding DEI.

In advancement of this commitment and efforts from the Presidential Taskforce for Opportunity and Equity, the Office of Inclusion and Diversity, or OID, would like to introduce new learning options available to the campus.

Auburn faculty and staff learning modules - Access via AUAccess/Employess/Fast-Train

Auburn student learning modules

Auburn demographics for student
body, faculty, staff and alumni

Across the state, America, and the world

All 67 Alabama counties represented in student body
Student population includes students from all 50 states and 121 countries
8.1% of the total student population is international

Demographic data as of 2020

Race/Ethnicity

77.4% - White
5.3% - Black or African American
3.6% - Hispanic
2.4% - Asian
11.3% - Unspecified

Gender

50.3% - Male
49.7% - Female

Race/Ethnicity

78.3% - White or Caucasian
4.3% - Black or African American
2.9% - Asian
1% - Hispanic
13.5% - Unspecified

Gender

53.6% - Male
46.4% - Female

Race/Ethnicity

73.2% - White
10.8% - Asian
4.6% - Black
4.3% - Hispanic
7.1% - Unspecified

Gender

59% - Male
41% - Female

Race/Ethnicity

79.4% - White
14.3% - Black
1.8% - Hispanic
1.6% - Asian
2.9% - Unspecified

Gender

57% - Female
43% - Male

Auburn's Historical Progress

Auburn is dedicated to strengthening its commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion. This historical timeline highlights some of the milestones since our founding as a land-grant institution, as we work toward the ideal environment for everyone in the Auburn Family.

A photograph of the first building on campus

1872

The First Land-Grant College in The South

Under the Morrill Act in 1872, Auburn became the first land-grant college in the South. Since then, Auburn has developed into one of the largest institutions of higher education in the South and been one of the few to carry the torch as a land, sea and space grant university so that members of the working classes could obtain a liberal, practical education.

1892

Auburn’s First Female Students

Willie Little, Katherine Broun and Margaret Teague were admitted to Auburn as the first women to enroll in the university. All three women graduated with honors, and Broun became the first female graduate student at the university.

The Women Student Government Association

1922

Women’s Student Government Association Established

Auburn’s Women Student Government Association was established as the university’s first female advocacy group to improve women’s conditions on campus. They adopted a new constitution to recognize their rights as an individual and as a group. The constitution also included a set of regulations regarding women’s dormitories.

1945

Club Latino Americano Founded

Club Latino Americano was founded as the first student organization for Latino students at Auburn.

Nov. 5, 1963

A U.S. District Judge rules that Auburn University could not deny the admission of Harold A. Franklin Sr. of Talladega, Alabama. The judge later ruled the university would also provide him living accommodations on campus.

Jan. 4, 1964

Harold Franklin arrives at the Auburn library to register for classes in the graduate school, solidifying his place in history as the first African-American student to be admitted to Auburn.

1966

Josetta Brittain Matthews becomes the first African American and first African-American woman to graduate from Auburn. After earning a master’s degree and teaching at Tuskegee, she returned to Auburn for a doctoral program in social science education, completing her degree in 1974. She then joined the faculty in the School of Arts of Science, becoming the first African American to do so.

Samuel Pettijohn receives an honorary doctorate from.

1967

Samuel Pettijohn is the first African American to earn an undergraduate degree at Auburn.

1968

Henry Harris enrolled at Auburn and joined the freshman basketball team, becoming the university’s first black scholarship athlete.

James Owens in an Auburn football uniform.

1969

Birmingham native James Owens becomes Auburn’s first African-American scholarship football player.

1970

Alfred Powell becomes the first African-American student at Auburn to earn a doctorate.

1971

Anthony Copeland is the first African-American to be elected vice president of the Student Government Association and president of the Student Senate.

Anthony Copeland sits among other students.

1972

Thom Gossom is the first African-American football player to graduate from Auburn.

1972

Omega Psi Phi Fraternity Inc., shown here in a 1973 Glomerata photo, is chartered as Auburn’s first Black fraternity.

1974

Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc., the first Black sorority, is chartered on Auburn’s campus.

1974

Linwood Moore becomes the first African-American cheerleader.

1985

Dr. Bessie Mae Holloway was appointed as the first African American to serve on Auburn’s Board of Trustees.

1985

Vincent “Bo” Jackson wins the Heisman Trophy, the most prestigious award in college football which annually recognizes the nation’s top athlete. He becomes Auburn’s first African-American football player to win the award. Cam Newton would follow in 2010.

1987

Harold Melton, a student in international studies and Spanish, runs for president of Auburn’s Student Government Association. Capturing more than 65 percent of the vote, he becomes the first African-American student at Auburn to serve as SGA president.

October 1990

Spectrum: Auburn University’s Gay-Straight Alliance Founded

Spectrum was founded as the university’s first LGBTQ+ advocacy group. They promote mutually supportive relationships among all students in the interest of advancing campus and community diversity. Spectrum serves as a safe space for students who are part of gender, sexual, and romantic minorities, those who are still discovering themselves and their allies to gather and discuss topics that relate to them, as well as establish an environment free from discrimination based on sexual orientation as well as gender identity and expression.

1991

The Auburn Black Caucus is chartered as an organization for African Americans at Auburn.

1994

Vania Clemons Bynum becomes the first African-American Miss Auburn.

1994

The Black Student Union is formed at Auburn. The student organization exists to represent the interests and concerns of Black students, to bring together all aspects of Black student life for the purpose of improving the campus environment and encourage the involvement of Black students in all campus activities.

1995

Danyelle Hillman, from Russellville, Alabama, becomes the first African-American female cheerleader.

2001

Auburn awards Harold Franklin an honorary doctorate of arts.

2011

Auburn Wheelchair Basketball Team Formed

Auburn Wheelchair Basketball was created to give students with disabilities an avenue in which to compete and thrive as student-athletes. The program was formed thanks in part to the campus-wide interest generated as the result of Auburn student Jared Rehm competing in wheelchair tennis from 2009-10.

2015

A historical marker is installed on Auburn’s campus, commemorating Harold Franklin’s admittance to the university. The marker concludes with the words, “A century of institutional segregation effectively ended that day, clearing the path for other African American students to enroll and attend Auburn University.”

2015

Auburn launched its most comprehensive climate assessment process that focused on better understanding to the lived experiences of all members of the Auburn Family. The implementation committee, comprised of faculty, staff and students, originally identified 17 recommendations to guide the institution’s future diversity, equity and inclusion efforts.

Nov. 2, 2016

Auburn names Taffye Benson Clayton as its first associate provost and vice president for inclusion and diversity.

2017

Korea Corner Created

Auburn’s Office of Professional & Continuing Education opened Korea Corner—an educational and cultural resource center designed to increase access to materials on Korea and create an educational experience for Auburn students and the local community.

2018

The SGA Student Senate unanimously passes legislation in support of the National Pan-Hellenic Council’s campaign to create a legacy plaza at Auburn.

2018

Eagles Program Created

The College of Education created the Education to Accomplish Growth in Life Experiences for Success, or EAGLES program, to provide opportunities for students with intellectual disabilities. Its first group of program graduates participated in commencement exercises in December 2020.

Three EAGLES students pose for a photograph at graduation.

February 2020

Ada Ruth Huntley, a global studies major, become the first African-American female Student Government Association president.

Feb. 19, 2020

Harold Franklin defends his thesis to members of the Department of History.

May, 2020

Harold Franklin is scheduled to receive his master’s degree from Auburn, but the COVID-19 pandemic cancels formal commencement exercises. Auburn mails the degree to Franklin in June.

June, 2020

Auburn establishes the Presidential Task Force for Opportunity and Equity to examine current diversity, equity and inclusion issues and to recommend steps leading to a stronger and more impactful Auburn for students, faculty, staff, alumni and the communities it serves.

July 2020

The Auburn Board of Trustees supports the creation and naming of the National Pan-Hellenic Council Legacy Plaza. The symbolic and functional space, to be erected in front of the new Academic Classroom and Laboratory Complex, will recognize the legacy of the Black Greek organizations and African-American culture at Auburn. Construction is expected to begin in 2022.

Fall 2020

The Black Alumni Council is formed to support the goals and mission of the Auburn Alumni Association specifically on matters pertaining to Black alumni.

September, 2020

The Auburn Board of Trustees acts to name the Student Center for Harold Melton, chief justice of the Georgia Supreme Court and the first person of color to be elected SGA president.

Nov. 2020

The Student Center is officially renamed the Harold D. Melton Student Center, becoming the first building on campus to bear the name of an African American.

Melton poses infront of the Student Center

Dec. 12, 2020

Harold Franklin, Auburn’s first African American student, participates in graduation ceremonies at Auburn after the COVID-19 pandemic delayed his participation from the spring.

Harold Franklin takes part in graduation.

April 16, 2021

Tiger Hall is renamed Bessie Mae Holloway Hall in honor of Auburn’s first African American Board of Trustees member, who represented the 1st Congressional District in that capacity from 1985-2000. Members of Holloway’s family—including her nephew Norman Vivians—represented Holloway, who passed away on Sept. 11, 2019, at the ceremony.

People stand in front ofo Holloway Hall.

April 26, 2021

Eagle Hall is renamed Josetta Brittain Matthews Hall in honor of Auburn’s first African American graduate and faculty member. Heidi Wright, an Auburn University special education professor, accepted on behalf of Matthews, who passed away on Dec. 15, 2019.