An important component of the Office of Institutional Diversity and Equity's responsibility is advocacy both internally and externally in the larger higher education community. The OIDE's advocacy and policy formulation occur by service on various university committees and initiatives as well as service on external boards and programs that advance diversity in its many dimensions. Community engagement is a vital component of a comprehensive diversity program. Creating trust and building partnerships with communities of color serve several objectives to include:
- Creating a pipeline for students, faculty, and staff to become part of DePaul University.
- Creating awareness in these communities that DePaul is a viable urban partner.
- Exhibiting to personal constituents that diversity in its totality, beyond the borders of DePaul's buildings, is a vital commitment of the university's diversity mission.