Disruptions from COVID-19 continue to impact various programs and initiatives on campus, but one has been formally relaunched as of fall 2023 with renewed vision.

UT became a campus affiliate of the National Coalition Building Institute (NCBI) in February 2020, just before the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. But with operations and staffing back to pre-pandemic levels, the facilitation-style trainings are now occurring on a regular
basis again.

Through NCBI, participants are equipped with tools needed to advance inclusive excellence through conversations. Participants are intentionally trained with other peer leaders in order to support an ongoing institutional effort to combat racism and discrimination while also promoting the kind of atmosphere that includes both visible and invisible differences found in a workplace or community.

“The initial pause for NCBI was due to COVID-19 and some staffing changes,” says Crystal Hardeman-Ikem, associate dean of students in the Division of Student Life. “But when we started considering a relaunch, it was a welcome surprise to find that most of the original facilitators were still available and already engaged in similar diversity-promoting work in their areas.”

Hardeman-Ikem, who also serves as the UT campus director for NCBI, notes that the original facilitation team was passionate about continuing NCBI at UT and ready to get started.

NCBI has developed an international network over the past 38 years, which includes delivering effective diversity programs on hundreds of college campuses and universities. NCBI focuses on identifying similarities among people and people groups and building relationships based on those similarities.

“People might wonder how to tackle difficult topics, build bridges with people who aren’t like themselves, or form deep relationships across other groups,” says Hardeman-Ikem. “These and other inclusive practices are the kinds of tools participants leave NCBI with.”

At UT and other campus affiliates, NCBI consists of a representative cross-section of students, faculty, and staff who are trained to promote a more inclusive campus environment. Participants in the team-led workshops acquire practical skills for shifting prejudicial attitudes and also learn how to become more effective allies for one another.

Moving forward, UT’s NCBI team plans to hold workshops each semester to promote a more equitable and diverse learning environment and workplace for all Vols. Four six-hour sessions are currently planned for the 2023–2024 academic year.