Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion (DEI) Committee
The MPS DEI committee is committed to helping students resolve issues with faculty and peers respectfully and discreetly. Consisting of 3 students and 3 faculty, this group functions as a neutral third party that is able to step in on issues related to diversity, equity, and inclusion. The ultimate goal of this committee is to foster a positive atmosphere among students and faculty, prioritizing an inclusive working environment. Items of concern that can be brought to the committee include (but are not limited to) language used in the lab that goes against DEI values, interpersonal issues with faculty or peers, and challenges related to international education. Depending on the issue, it may be resolved through one of the three options below- if none of these options are a good fit for the issue, we will work with the student to find an appropriate course of action. If the issue is not able to be resolved with help from the DEI committee, it will be transferred (with the student’s permission) to an appropriate alternate contact (included at the bottom of page).
| Options for handling student concerns or complaints through the DEI committee |
| Option 1: Casual meeting with student members of the DEI committee. |
| Option 2: Talk between student and faculty member with an unbiased third-party witness (DEI student or faculty member). |
| Option 3: One-on-one talk between DEI faculty and faculty (or other WSU employee) of concern. |
Current DEI Members & Contact Information
We can be contacted directly at mps.dei@wsu.edu if you have any questions, concerns, or DEI related complaints. This official email inbox is shared by the student side of the committee, while information of individual members is also listed below.
| Contact name | Committee Position | Office | |
| Joel Essien | Graduate student | PSB, Third Floor | joel.essien@wsu.edu |
| Jeremy Boutin | Graduate Student | PSB, Third Floor | jeremy.boutin@wsu.edu |
| Tana Arlynn | Graduate Student | PSB, Third Floor | montana.rayburn@wsu.edu |
| Dr. Tarah Sullivan | Faculty Member | Clark 439 | t.sullivan@wsu.edu |
| Dr. Sanja Roje | Faculty Member | PSB 381 | sanja@wsu.edu |
| Dr. Cynthia Gleason | Faculty Member | PSB 261 | cynthia.gleason@wsu.edu |
Useful and/or Alternate Resources:
- MPS Graduate Student Organization (GSO)
- MPS Academic Coordinator (Tiffany Boswell)
- GPSA student bill of rights
- MPS Handbook
- Human Resource Services
- Office of the Ombudsman
- Office of Compliance and Civil Rights
- Plant Pathology DEI Committee: this department has put together a wonderfully in-depth list of resources
- WSU CASE: union information, protections guaranteed to students by the union, additional resources
- WSU Student Affairs: includes links to the international student’s center, LGBTQIA2S+ center, disabled student’s center, women*s center, and more