Department Spotlight: Office For Institutional Equity

Department: Office for Institutional Equity

Years at Duke: Since 1995

Who they are: The Office for Institutional Equity (OIE) provides leadership in areas of diversity, inclusion and equity through strategic leadership, workshops and training focused on diversity, inclusion, equal opportunity, harassment, and discrimination prevention. 

What they're known for: The office and its consultants play a key role in developing and implementing strategies and initiatives to insure the Duke community is inclusive and respectful. 

What they can do for you: OIE offers services designed to support Duke's commitment to learning and work environments that are diverse, inclusive and free from prohibited behaviors. Office for Institutional Equity services, which are open to the entire Duke community, range from the creation and facilitation of senior-level diversity leadership groups, in-person training, online tools for supervisors, as well as long-term collaborations with individual departments. "We are always working to get employees across the institution to play an active role in enhancing a culture of diversity and inclusion. It can't only be top-down," said Ben Reese, vice president for institutional equity. "Through our work with others, we want to help foster a sense inclusion and excellence that contributes to a better institution."   

Number of Employees: 11

Hidden Department Fact: Instead of using Duke employees to role-play workplace interactions, OIE uses professional actors to demonstrate productive and non-productive workplace behaviors and to provide managers with practice in resolving workplace issues.  "Professional actors allow us to re-play and modify simulations to provide an opportunity for managers to arrive at the most effective approach to many of our complex workplace issues" Reese said.

Significant Achievement: Reese is proud of the work done by the office in establishing diversity leadership groups within the Duke University Health System. Senior Health System administrators and human resource personnel comprise the groups' membership. On campus, an Institutional Equity Council is comprised of deans and administrators. "By bringing together top leaders to work on strategies, we're able to improve our work environment all across Duke," Reese said. 

Big Goal: "We're constantly trying to contribute to building a more inclusive work environment," said Reese, noting that OIE works continuously to make diversity and inclusion an integral component of Duke. "We want to create a place where every employee can feel like they make an important contribution regardless of job level, role or location. Every employee is valued and has a place at the table."         

How They Make a Difference: Because of its responsibilities and mission, the Office for Institutional Equity helps focus the university's diversity efforts.  "We recognize that with students and employees, building an environment that emphasizes the importance of diversity and inclusion is as important as ever in the global environment we live in," Reese said. "We're going throughout Duke to make sure the Duke community has a wide range of skills and ways of appreciating people with a variety of race and cultural backgrounds."

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