Diversity, Equity & Inclusion

The Office of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion works hard to ensure all students at Coe feel like they belong so they will flourish and succeed.

To this end, and in partnership with faculty and all of our colleagues at the college, we commit to creating meaningful opportunities to learn, providing welcoming spaces to live and socialize, and offering thoughtful and informed support and guidance when needed. Specific areas of focus include racial/ethnic diversity, religious and spiritual life, LGBTQIA+ inclusion and internationalism. Anyone is welcome to participate in DEI activities at Coe, and students from underrepresented and marginalized groups are particularly encouraged to participate. At Coe each student matters and your experience at Coe is important to us. If at any point you have questions, needs or concerns, please know that we are here for you. We will be your friend, advocate, mentor and greatest encourager.

An action-based commitment to DEI

Coe has increased its percentage of diverse incoming students by 166% since 2011, outpacing diversity growth at all colleges and universities in the Associated Colleges of the Midwest (ACM), American Rivers Conference (ARC) and the Iowa Board of Regents.
As of spring 2022, 26% of Coe's overall student population is diverse, the highest percentage among ARC colleges and Iowa Regent universities.
The Williston Jones Full-Tuition Scholarship Program offers a variety of scholarships including full- and partial-tuition scholarships for historically underrepresented students. Coe’s investment in Diversity Leadership Scholarship funds offered over the past decade has expanded from $309,600 in 2009, to $940,000 in 2019, to $1.7 million in 2020 and to $2.2 million in 2021.
Diversity representation among full-time faculty and staff has increased 44% in the last five years.
Coe is the only college or university to earn a B or above on all pillars of Diverse Organizational Impact and Transformation (DOIT), a study that certifies an institution’s progress on diversity and inclusion featured in the journal Diverse Issues in Higher Education.
In the summer of 2020, Coe’s Board of Trustees passed a unanimous resolution and Coe’s senior staff developed a campus action plan integrating measures to reinforce the commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion on campus.