All affinity networks will be designed to be democratic and embrace the following equity-based principles: that (a) everyone has knowledge to share, (b) everyone has learning to do, and (c) participants bring many identities and ways of knowing and that such diverse expressions should be encouraged and incorporated into affinity group’s activities. In this way, all affinity groups will be structured and monitored to support the growth and learning of all members.

Affinity netoworks are member-driven, so they may serve different purposes for different groups. The ways in which affinity groups are organized, the questions they consider, and the outcomes they seek will likely vary from group to group.

Given the current social and historical moment and Campus Compact’s commitment to move beyond words and into tangible action, all affinity networks will be designed to center equity. This means acknowledging multiple forms of knowledge, centering marginalized voices, and being inclusive of the multiple intersectional identities of participants. We also strive to make our institutions more equitable, inclusive, and just places and as such we ask that participants be reflective of institutions’ reputations of harm and strive to make a commitment towards the elimination of barriers that impact the participation of individuals in the life and well-being of the institution and the local community.

As new forms of knowledge and ways of knowing enter into and are acknowledged within the higher education community engagement space, it is important that we continue to work together to develop creative strategies that put our developing knowledge into transformative practice. Affinity networks are ideal places to collaboratively design, practice, and evaluate more inclusive, equity-focused approaches to engagement in our institutional contexts.