College of Liberal Arts & Social Sciences > Academics > Philosophy > Student Resources > SURG

SURG (The Society for Under-Represented Groups)

Meet SURG: 

In the spring of 2012, DePaul philosophy graduate students formed SURG (The Society for Under-Represented Groups), which was met with the full support of the Department of Philosophy.  We exist primarily to support those from under-represented groups who currently work and study in the department. Secondarily, we seek to increase the number of students from under-represented groups in the profession, beginning at home with our own philosophy graduate program. 

SURG provides support in a variety of ways, including:

  • Organizing events for under-represented students and/or faculty, in cooperation with the Department of Philosophy at DePaul, and independently. 
  • Providing information to raise awareness about the specific challenges faced by under-represented students and/or faculty. 
  • Intervening at the individual or departmental level. 
  • Facilitating mentoring between and among faculty, graduate students, and undergraduates. 

On the broader scale, SURG is invested in improving the lot of under-represented persons in philosophy across Chicago, the US, and beyond, through forging connections with other academic departments and diversity groups.

SURG membership is open to all current graduate students in the DePaul Philosophy graduate program.

Contact SURG:
If you are not a DePaul graduate student but want information about SURG, or if you are a DePaul graduate student and want to get involved in SURG or to arrange a confidential meeting with a SURG coordinator to address a climate concern, please contact: surginphilosophy@gmail.com

Initiatives:

Currently, SURG is working with DePaul’s Department of Philosophy and the Department of Women’s and Gender Studies to facilitate philosophy graduate students’ ability to obtain the Women’s and Gender Studies Certificate. More information on the WGS Certificate can be found here.