Commitment to Inclusive Excellence
The Department of Construction Management embraces CSU’s mission to foster a campus environment that welcomes, values, and affirms the contributions of all its members.
CSU’s longstanding commitment to diversity reflects its role and mission as a land-grant institution. Only through the inclusion of the rich diversity of students, staff, faculty, administrators, alumni, and CSU’s partners can we truly be excellent in our pursuits.
As such, the Department of Construction Management is committed to:
- Providing an inclusive and welcoming educational and working environment for everyone in our community.
- Strengthening the diversity of students, staff, faculty, alumni and industry partners in our teaching, research, and engagement endeavors.
- Enhancing access and opportunities for all students, staff, and faculty to promote their professional growth and success.
- Rejecting any act of hate, bias, sexual misconduct, sexual assault, gender discrimination, and gender-based violence within our community.
- Assessing departmental efforts in diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) to continually recognize and focus on areas needing improvement, while also highlighting and celebrating areas where work is being done.
Teaching
This is a sampling of Construction Management courses with DEIJ content.
Recruitment, Retention, and Outreach Initiatives
Get Involved
We value and encourage participation by students of diverse backgrounds in our department activities. Check out these opportunities for ways you can get involved.
Change Team Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Committee
The Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Committee shall support sustainable change in the Department’s environment, practices, and program to create a more inclusive home for the Department’s students, staff, and faculty. Membership includes faculty, staff, and representatives from both graduate and undergraduate students.
The duties of the Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Committee shall include, but are not limited to:
- Identifying how Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion principles and practices can be integrated into both the undergraduate and graduate admission processes, student experiences, and curriculums (e.g., incorporation of specific ideas into existing courses and potentially developing new courses focusing on Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion).
- Providing continuing assessment of Department climate and culture in diversity, equity, and inclusion and identifying sustainable and long-term steps in improving both.
- Identifying programs and workshops related to Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion to be integrated into future departmental meetings and retreats.
- Identifying industry or academic guest speakers who can address Diversity, Inclusion, and Equity principles in the construction industry.
- Seeking support from and communicating with the Assistant Dean for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion of CHHS in pursuing the abovementioned objectives.
- Coordinating as necessary with the Recruitment and Retention Committee on issues related to student diversity.
Faculty Publications, Research, and Service
- Valdes-Vasquez, R., & Besiktepe, D. (2022). “Understanding How Green Contractors Displayed Social Sustainability Actions due to the BLM Movement in 2020.” In Construction Research Congress 2022 (pp. 121-130).
- Burgoon, J., Arneson, E., Elliott, J. W., & Valdes-Vasquez, R. (2021). “Visual ethnographic evaluation of construction programs at public universities: “Who is valued in construction education?” Journal of Management in Engineering, 37(4), 04021025.
- Rodolfo Valdes-Vasquez – New NSF grant will build capacity to support a more equitable infrastructure.
- Burgoon, J., and Elliott, J.W. (2021). Evidences of Opportunity Gaps in Construction Management Education. 57th annual International Conference of the Associated Schools of Construction, Virtual, April 5-9, 2021, BEST PAPER AWARD.
- Villacias Tapia, E.V., Luxton, I., Valdes-Vasquez, R., Ozbek, M. E., and Ayarza, C. (2020). “Breaking Students’ Comfort Zone: Learning from Community Members, a Strategy within the AEC Education.” In: Proceedings of the EURO MED SEC 03 Conference: Holistic Overview of Structural Design and Construction, EPE.07.01-EPE 07.06, August 3-8, Limassol, Cyprus.
- Hashem M. Mehany, M.S, Utter, K., Fontana, A., and Valdez-Vaquez, R. (2019). “The Development of a Construction Management Summer Program for Young Females – A Case Study”, ASC 55th Annual International Conference, Denver, Colorado.
- Inguva, G., Clevenger, C., Ozbek, M. E., and Abdallah, M. (2019). “Workplace Experiences for Women and Men Using BIM/VDC in Construction.” In: Proceedings of the Canadian Society for Civil Engineering 7th International Construction Specialty Conference, 159.1-159.9, June 12-15, Laval, Canada.
- Inguva, G., Clevenger, C.M., Ozbek, M. E. (2014). “Differences in Skills Reported by Construction Professionals who use BIM/VDC.” In: Proceedings of the 2014 Construction Research Congress, 61-69, May 19-21, Atlanta, GA.
- Dr. Mehmet Ozbek currently serves as a member of the American Society of Civil Engineers Transportation and Development Institute’s Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Task Committee. This Committee’s goal is to develop a strategic action plan to advance diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) within the transportation and development profession. He specifically leads the group charged with identifying DEI strategies for the ASCE Transportation and Development Institute’s flagship conference.
- Dr. Mohammed Mehany’s research covers social equity and justice: Socioeconomic Resilience – USGBC Infrastructure Sustainability and Resiliency
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22.7% of CM undergrads identify as diverse
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23.9% of CM undergrads are first generation
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12.8% of CM undergrads are female