News and notes compiled each week by the iSchool Office of Inclusion, Diversity, Equity, Access & Sovereignty

For previous editions of the iDEA Digest, see the iSchool Intranet (MyUW log-in required).

“There is nothing in nature that blooms all year long. So don’t expect yourself to do so either. - Author Unknown” 

Hello iSchoolers,

The Office of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) is excited to confirm and announce our name to change to Inclusion, Diversity, Equity, Access & Sovereignty (IDEAS)! As you know, last Autumn, iSchool Dean/Professor Dr. Anind Key created IDEAS by appointing as Dr. Wanda Pratt (Associate Dean) and Nekya Johnson (Program Manager) to expand the DEI reach of Program Advisor, Cynthia del Rosario.

The decision to include “Access” & “Sovereignty” in the iSchool’s DEI mission is based upon our team’s commitment to help faculty, staff, students, and alumni progress toward a teaching, learning, research, and working community free of bias, microaggressions, discrimination, stereotypes, oppression, and prejudice. Furthermore, the change is also a result of valuable feedback received from iSchoolers who hold us accountable for addressing the needs of faculty, staff, and students with diverse abilities and/or a part of the Native & Indigenous communities.

During summer, the IDEAS team will spend time intensively planning and taking steps to draft a strategic plan. During this time, we will temporarily suspend the iDEI Digest and will send a survey link to iSchoolers to get feedback about ways the Digest can better support faculty, staff, students and alumni. In the meantime, if you have questions for IDEAS or would like to learn more about the name change, please email:

Dr. Wanda Pratt, PhD
She/her/they/them
Associate Dean for Inclusion, Diversity, Equity, Access & Sovereignty (IDEAS)
Professor, Information School and
Adjunct Professor, Biomedical & Health Informatics, School of Medicine

Cynthia del Rosario 
She/her
Inclusion, Diversity, Equity, Access & Sovereignty (IDEAS) Advisor 

Nekya Johnson
She/her/ma’am
Inclusion, Diversity, Equity, Access & Sovereignty (IDEAS) Manager