FAIRness Council

CALES FAIRness Council

Together, we’re building a college rooted in opportunity, access, and belonging.

A place where every person can thrive.
Together, we make it possible.

Creating a college community rooted in fairness, access, inclusion, and representation takes shared commitment. The FAIRness Council (Fairness, Access, Inclusion, and Representation) works across CALES to foster dialogue, learning, and collaboration that support belonging and accountability. Through recognition, programming, and shared resources, the Council helps elevate practices that strengthen our college and create more equitable experiences for faculty, staff, and students. Explore how the FAIRness Council supports this work across CALES.

 

Awards & recognition

Events

Resources

Mission & Purpose

Our mission is to advance understanding and support practices that promote fairness, expand access, foster inclusion, and strengthen representation—creating an environment that inspires belonging and accountability across the college.

Council membership reflects diverse perspectives across the college and supports shared leadership and accountability.

 

Membership

FAIRness Council members are elected or appointed representatives from across CALES, selected in partnership with college leadership. The Council seeks membership that reflects a broad range of experiences and perspectives across the college, including Cooperative Extension, the Arizona Experiment Station, and support areas, as well as undergraduate and graduate students, postdoctoral scholars, faculty, and staff. This representation ensures that multiple voices inform Council discussions and that lived experiences are centered in decision-making.

Faculty and students examine potted succulents together inside a greenhouse during a Plant Sciences Club and Campus Arboretum collaboration, surrounded by a variety of plants.

Membership Duration

Council members are appointed for a three-year term and may serve multiple terms. To support continuity and shared knowledge, the Council aims to stagger appointments so that no more than one-third of members transition in any given year.

Member Responsibilities

Council members are expected to:

  • Actively participate in Council meetings and subcommittees, coming prepared to contribute thoughtfully and constructively.
  • Seek input from those they represent and bring forward perspectives, needs, or concerns related to fairness, access, inclusion, and representation across the college.
  • Share Council updates, including events, initiatives, and recommendations, with colleagues and communities they represent.
  • Approach discussions with openness, empathy, and curiosity, recognizing the diversity of perspectives and experiences across CALES.
A faculty member and a student examine plants together in an outdoor agricultural field, discussing plant growth among rows of crops.

 

An aerial view of the University of Arizona campus at sunset, showing historic red-brick buildings, green mall spaces, and surrounding city and mountains.

What the Council Does

Goals

The FAIRNESS Council focuses on creating meaningful opportunities and shared practices that support fairness, access, inclusion, and representation across the college. The Council seeks to:

  • Provide opportunities for learning, reflection, and growth around FAIR principles.
  • Model a culture of openness, where dialogue and mistakes are recognized as opportunities for shared understanding and improvement.
  • Facilitate open conversations, collaboration, and problem-solving.
  • Highlight programs and practices within the college that advance fairness, accessibility, inclusion, and representation.
  • Encourage sharing of effective strategies across the college and recognize individuals who exemplify FAIR principles through awards.
  • Partner with college leaders to integrate FAIR principles into everyday decision-making, communication, and organizational culture.
  • Foster collaboration and transparency across departments and disciplines.
  • Connect college leadership and teams by communicating needs, challenges, and best practices related to fairness, access, inclusion, and representation.

Scope

The Council does not claim expertise in all matters of fairness or inclusion. Instead, it serves as a connector and catalyst—bringing together expertise, elevating FAIR principles in decision-making, and highlighting practices that promote equitable experiences across the college. The Council works to:

  • Collaboratively develop and implement a college-wide vision for fairness, access, inclusion, and representation.
  • Partner with college leaders to ensure policies and practices provide equitable opportunities for staff, faculty, and students.
  • Identify emerging issues related to fairness, access, and representation and support corrective action where needed.
  • Host and program events that foster understanding, empathy, and connection across the college community.