Colleges and Universities: Committed to Diversity

YEAR 2016

COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES

COMMITTED TO

DIVERSITY

YEAR 2016

www.minorityaccess.org

i

COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES COMMITTED TO DIVERSITY

ii

Minority Access, Inc.

CONTENTS Forward . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 Acknowledgment. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 Anne Arundel Community College. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 Auburn University. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7 Barry University. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10 Bellevue College. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14 Belmont University. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15 Bowie State University. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18 Bristol Community College . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23 California State University San Marcos. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24 California State University Northridge. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26 Central Washington University. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29 Cuyahoga Community College . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32 Eastern Kentucky University . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34 Edward Via College of Osteopathic Medicine . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35 Excelsior College. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37 Florida Atlantic University . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38 Hamilton College . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39 Howard University . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40 Livingstone College. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41 Metroplitan State University- Minnesota. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42 Michigan State University. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44 Mississippi State University . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47 Morgan State University. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 50 Northwest Missouri State University. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 52 Oklahoma State University. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 53 Prince George’s Community College. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 55 Santa Clara University . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 57 Union College. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 60 The University of Alabama at Birmingham. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 63 University of Mississippi . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 65

University of North Alabama. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 72 University of Phoenix. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 74 University of Central Arkansas . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 76 University of Virginia. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 80 Utah Valley University. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 81 Western Illinois University . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 84 Western Michigan University. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 85

YEAR 2016

FOREWORD Minority Access is delighted and pleased to present the 2016 edition of American Colleges and Universities Committed to Diversity. We congratulate and honor the colleges and universities listed in this publication for their commitment to diversity.

Incorporated in Minority Access’ charter as a 501 (c)(3) nonprofit organization is the mission of assisting colleges and universities to diversify their campuses and worksites.

We have been resolute to this mission since our incorporation in 1995. Needless to say, advocacy of diversity is not new to Minority Access.

As you peruse this book, you will be presented with wide-ranging initiatives and activities that the colleges and universities we are honoring for their commitment to diversity in 2016 have engaged in to expand components of diversity on many levels.

These activities cover all stages of college life. They include cooperating with the outside community; recruiting, retaining, educating and graduating a diverse pool of students; faculty hiring; and diversifying the support staff and administration of the institutions.

We are stimulated each year by the strategies that colleges and universities employ to advance diversity on their campuses. They are enriching the lives of their students, faculty, staff, communities and contributing to the strength of our nation.

Diversity officers and other administrators committed to enhancing diversity at their institutions should find some of these practices worthy of emulation. Prospective students should find this publication to be an invaluable source of information on available scholarships and special programs to mesh with their desires and needs. — ANDREA D. MICKLE PRESIDENT MINORITY ACCESS, INC.

www.minorityaccess.org

1

COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES COMMITTED TO DIVERSITY

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS For the tenth year, Minority Access is recognizing colleges and universities that are committed to diversity. We thank the colleges and universities cited in American Colleges and Universities Committed to Diversity Year 2016 for their cooperation in submitting information and data that demonstrate their commitment to diversity for Year 2016. We applaud a special group of colleges and universities for demonstrating their continuing commitment to diversity by their inclusion in our publications for the past nine years. Minority Access is thrilled to honor all of the institutions cited in this publication and to recognize them for their contributions to the enrichment of higher educational experiences of their students.

Recognizing that diversity enriches the educational experiences of students and enhances the workplace, colleges and universities are embracing visions of diversity and inclusion to eliminate disparities and propel us forward towards a better society. Embracing and acceptance of diversity will make our country a better nation for all its citizens.

Minority Access acknowledges and thanks all who made the American Colleges and Universities Committed to Diversity Year 2016 publication possible.

2

Minority Access, Inc.

YEAR 2016 COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES

COMMITTED TO DIVERSITY CITED BY

Minority Access, Inc. AT THE

National Role Models Conference September 30, 2016 - October 2, 2016 The Mayflower Hotel Washington, D.C.

COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES COMMITTED TO DIVERSITY

Anne Arundel Community College Commitment to Diversity

The Diversity Committee

Anne Arundel Community College values diversity among its own students, faculty, and staff as well as within our local, national, and global communities. We are committed to creating and sustaining a college culture and climate that is welcoming, inclusive, respectful and free from discrimination, intolerance and harassment.

We prioritize recruiting, retaining, and supporting a diverse student population and a diverse workforce. We believe that the study of diversity is an essential part of contemporary education, so our students study how ideas about diversity are shaped by culture, affect the way people think and live, and depend on complex systems of power and privilege.

In collaboration with the Chief Diversity Officer, the Diversity Committee is responsible for managing the College’s comprehensive diversity plan and provides student groups with monetary incentives to support diversity events and activities. The Diversity Committee membership represents multiple areas of the college including students, faculty and staff whose specialties range from direct support to administrative responsibilities..

Leadership Chief Diversity Officer AACC hired James A. Felton III as its first Chief Diversity Officer in July 2014 The Chief Diversity Officer reports to the President and works collaboratively with the Vice Presidents and the President’s leadership team to promote a culture of inclusive excellence. Specific duties include: developing and implementing the college’s diversity plan; increasing the recruitment and retention of underrepresented faculty, staff and students; reviewing and developing policies that address issues of access, equity, and nondiscrimination; celebrating the diversity of the campus and the local community; building strategic partnerships at the local, state and national level; and providing trainings and workshops to increase cultural competency.

The Office of Inclusion, Diversity, Equity, Access, and Leadership (IDEAL) The Office of Inclusion, Diversity, Equity, Access and Leadership (IDEAL) fosters a community of inclusive excellence, works to remove barriers for historically underrepresented groups, serves to build and strengthen partnerships with diverse organizations and agencies in the community, and promotes intercultural relations and cultural competency in order to sustain an inclusive learning and working environment..

4

Minority Access, Inc.

Programs and Initiatives AAC&U Equity Project Anne Arundel Community College was one of twelve schools selected nationally to participate in a two-year grant funded project entitled: Committing to Equity and Inclusive Excellence: Campus-Based Strategies for Student Success. The purpose of the project is to: • Increased student access to and participation in highimpact practices.

• Increased course completion, retention, and graduation rates for low income/Pell, first-generation, adult learners and/or minority students.

• Increased achievement of learning outcomes for underserved students using direct assessment measures.

• Increased student understanding of guided learning pathways that incorporate HIPs and the value to workforce preparation and engaged citizenship (i.e. completion with a purpose).

Curriculum Transformation Project As part of its annual Diversity Institute, The Curriculum Transformation Project hosted a three day session on “Seeking Social Justice for Baltimore” on May 23-26, 2016. An excerpt from the Institute: “The killing of Freddy Gray and the protests and unrest that followed brought Baltimore’s story into the national dialogue. We think it’s important to give our students the opportunity to think through the complex historical, social, and economic variables that led to

YEAR 2016

this moment. Therefore, the goal for this year’s Diversity Institute is for participants to create a comprehensive learning project or activity focused on Baltimore for use in an existing course, or for use as a co-curricular or extracurricular activity. All faculty and staff are welcome and encouraged to participate.

Participants may choose to work individually, or team up with another participant. Our hope is that by educating ourselves and our students about social injustices in Baltimore, we will collectively create a community who will make positive change. “ Faculty Diversity Fellows This year-long piloted program was established to provide apprenticeships for aspiring faculty of color.

It was sponsored by the Chief Diversity Officer in collaboration with the Vice President for Learning and Human Resources with generous support from the AACC Foundation Board. Fellows were asked to provide college service to the diversity office, receive mentorship by a full-time experienced faculty mentor, and attend an academic or professional development conference of their choice. The goal is that the fellows will apply for fulltime positions based on eligibility and availability, thereby increasing the number of underrepresented faculty at the college. The benefits of the program are that fellows will receive valuable teaching and professional development experience. They also get the distinction of being named a fellow—whether they apply for positions at Anne Arundel Community College or elsewhere. Three adjunct faculty and two faculty mentors were selected to participate in the program this past year.

Interfaith Services The Interfaith Services Program was established to provide opportunities for members of the college community to fellowship with-and participate in religious and faith-based services sponsored by various religious groups and leaders at the local, county, and national level. Interfaith Affiliates, under the supervision of the Chief Diversity Officer, will be responsible for providing programs including: Special prayer services and religious

observances, individual and group services, guest lectures, intergroup dialogues, soul café’s, and trips to various sites and places of worship.

Meeting of the Minds In 2015 the Division of Learning launched this new programmatic initiative meant to showcase the intellectual expertise of our faculty and staff while providing a space for students, faculty, and staff to reflect on topics in culture regarding diversity. The program consists of a series of panels comprised of AACC faculty and staff who are experts in their chosen topics. Sessions are structured so that experts will offer their points of view briefly, and then allow time for discussion with audience members.

This year’s program included sessions on a wide variety of topics and current events such as Kaitlyn Jenner, Donald Trump and the Presidential Election, Police, “Friend or Foe”, Do Guns Make Us Safe?, and Discrimination Against People Labeled “Obese”.

Student Achievement and Success Program (SASP) The college continues to address the student achievement gap and is part of the Achieving the Dream: Community Colleges Count national initiative to improve student success among low-income students and students of color. AACC is committed to minority student success and achievement and has multiple exemplary programs in place, including the Student Achievement and Success Program (SASP), First-Year Experience (FYE), Black Male Initiative (BMI) and the Adelante Bridge Program for Latino/Latina students. Since 2002, SASP has served as a support and retention program designed to increase the academic success, retention, graduation and transfer of students who traditionally may have more barriers and challenges to overcome in order to realize their goals.

These students are first generation college students, low income, under prepared and/or minority. Services provided include walk-in tutoring, life skills and study strategy workshops, cultural activities, college visits, informal interactions with faculty and staff, academic monitoring and incentive scholarships. SASP enrollment continues to increase with over 1,000 participants served during the 2015-2016 academic year.

www.minorityaccess.org

5

COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES COMMITTED TO DIVERSITY

Awards Over the past year, the Chief Diversity Officer identified a team of 10 faculty and staff members that authored and submitted an application to INSIGHT Into Diversity’s Annual Higher Education Excellence in Diversity (HEED) Award. The HEED Award is the only award in the nation to recognize colleges and universities for their diversity efforts. The college received, and was presented with this prestigious award by Lenore Pearlstein, co-editor of INSIGHT Into Diversity at the fall convocation in August 2015. In addition, the college received recognition as a “Diverse Institution” from Minority Access, Inc.; and received both 2015 Regional, and National Equity and Diversity Award from the Association of Community College Trustees (respectively), for its exemplary efforts to increase diversity on campus as well as the community. Finally, the college was selected as one of twelve institutions as part of the Association of American Colleges and Universities Committed to Equity and Inclusive Excellence initiative.

6

Minority Access, Inc.

YEAR 2016

Auburn University Auburn University is committed to having diversity as a core value. The Office of Diversity and Multicultural Affairs has several initiatives that promote diversity on our campus. These initiatives foster and sustain an environment that promotes academic excellence, respects differences, and accepts inclusiveness.

Alabama Alliance for Students with Disabilities in STEM (AASD-STEM)—AASD-STEM is a collaborative effort involving Auburn University, Tuskegee University, Alabama State University, Auburn University Montgomery, Southern Union State Community College, and eight public school districts in East- Central Alabama.

The goals of the Alliance are to increase the quality and quantity of students with disabilities in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics disciplines entering college and completing associate, baccalaureate, and graduate degrees in STEM disciplines. The Alliance is accomplishing these goals by providing scholarships, research experiences, and mentoring opportunities to high school students, undergraduate, and graduate students.

Provost Leadership Undergraduate Scholarship (PLUS) Program—The PLUS program was instituted to increase diversity among the undergraduate student population at Auburn University, with an emphasis on students from underserved populations. The program assists over 100 students per year financially, academically, and socially to ensure that they are successful at Auburn University. Retention activities include peer mentoring, workshops on time management and study skills, tutoring and counseling services, leadership opportunities, and enrolling new students in freshman level core classes together.

Pre-Freshmen PLUS Study Abroad Program—The PreFreshman PLUS Program in the Virgin Islands is a one-week summer program designed to give incoming freshmen the opportunity to live and learn in an intercultural setting and meet new friends while taking the course “Explore Sustainability and Marine Science in an Island Environment” in St. Thomas, St. John, and Tortola in the U.S. and British Virgin Islands.

Students live and attend lectures at University of the Virgin Islands in St. Thomas, and they participate in excursions that expand upon their classroom topics.

Providing Peer Opportunities for Developing Students (P2ODS)—The P2ODS Program is designed to mentor and empower underrepresented and disadvantaged students to excel in academics and leadership. The goal of the program is to increase the retention and graduation rate of students at Auburn University. Activities of the P2ODS program include participation in Diversity events, group and individual mentoring sessions, leadership training, and lectures on academic and career success strategies.

Summer Enrichment Experience (SEE) Program—SEE is an intensive four-week residential summer program for over 30 underserved students. The program is staffed

by Mathematics and English faculty, graduate teaching assistants, counselors, and academic advisors. Students take two classes designed to prepare them for freshmanlevel coursework and participate in parallel workshops supplementing the classroom instruction. The aims of the program are to increase enrollment for underserved populations, increase students’ mathematics and English skills, expose students earlier to various fields, develop study and time management skills, and introducing the students to a network of faculty, staff, and fellow minority students.

Auburn University College Preparation Summer Academy (AUCPSA)—Each summer, two separate one- week academies are held on Auburn University’s campus for rising 11th and 12th graders. These residential programs for underrepresented students focus on college readiness and giving students a clear two-year plan for admission and success at AU. President’s Graduate Opportunity Program (PGOP)—The major purpose of the PGOP Program is to recruit, retain,

www.minorityaccess.org

7

COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES COMMITTED TO DIVERSITY

and support African-American students engaged in graduate study leading to a doctoral degree from Auburn University. Fifteen students each year receive a Fellowship in addition to a stipend provided by the department, school, or college in which recipients are enrolled. Both the fellowship and stipend are renewable for up to three years of doctoral study.

Louis Stokes Alliance for Minority Participation (LSAMP)— The LSAMP Program is aimed at increasing the quality and quantity of students’ success in completing STEM baccalaureate degree programs and increasing the number of students matriculating into programs of graduate study. Scholarships are awarded to outstanding incoming underrepresented minority freshmen majoring in Science, Engineering, or Mathematics. Recipients are required to attend Chemistry, Mathematics, and Physics Workshops and maintain a 3.0 GPA. Bridge to the Doctorate (BD) Program—The Bridge to the Doctorate Program is sponsored by the National Science Foundation and provides financial support to eligible students for two years of graduate study in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics disciplines.

The goal of the program is to increase the production of new minority PhDs and their entrance into productive faculty or research careers. BD Fellows receive a $30,000 annual stipend, cost-of-education allowance for tuition and fees, mentoring programs, conference and research travel opportunities, seminars and workshops, graduate

8

Minority Access, Inc.

and professional student associations, and academic enrichment experiences.

Multicultural Center—The Multicultural Center develops services and programs that promote the retention and success of students of color and international students.

It also promotes education and understanding across cultures and creates an environment that ensures that underrepresented students, staff, and faculty feel at home at the university and in external communities. The Center serves as a resource center for cultural education and as the home of cultural and ethnic student organizations.

Women’s Resource Center (WRC)—The WRC serves as a base for activities that reflect the diversity of interests and aspirations of women at Auburn University. The center also supports the pursuit of an equitable and supportive campus climate for all members of the AU community through education, advocacy, and the provision of support services, and emphasizes leadership for women. The WRC provides opportunities for leadership development and professional growth for women students, staff, and faculty. Several of the center’s programs work to increase the representation of women at all levels of the faculty.

Women In Science & Engineering (WISE) Institute—The WISE Institute provides hands-on experiences for K-12 female students to get them excited about science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM); develops programs for K-16 young women to increase

YEAR 2016

global community. CEGLO develops collaborative partnerships with international institutions of higher education, industry, governments, non-governmental organizations (NGOs), bilateral & multilateral agencies, foundations, and donor institutions that cross cultural, ethnic, and socioeconomic boundaries in support of the State of Alabama and the United States’ efforts to promote international engagements in commerce, entrepreneurship, education, capacity building and leadership.

their interest and skills in STEM fields, and increase opportunities for young minority women to participate in these programs; and provides female mentors and role models who are active in research in STEM for K-20 female students.

Educational Opportunity Resource Center (EORC)—The Educational Opportunity Resource Center provides Auburn students with academic and counseling services, particularly students of color and low-income or first generation undergraduate students, and assists the university in determining and implementing best practices for recruiting and retaining students with diverse backgrounds. The EORC provides underrepresented students with information about financial aid, careers, tutoring, mentoring, and other success strategy skills; and bridges the gap between international and domestic students.

Masamu Program—The primary goal of the Masamu (masamu means mathematics in Southern Africa) Program is to enhance research in mathematical sciences within Southern Africa Mathematical Sciences Association (SAMSA) institutions through promotion of international research collaboration. A key component of the Masamu Program is the Advanced Study Institute and Workshop Series in mathematical sciences, which provides a platform for such collaboration. Under the Masamu Program, an international collaborative research network has been established consisting of senior research faculty in mathematical sciences from the US, SubSaharan Africa, Canada, and Europe.

Center for Global Development (CEGLO)—The goal of the Auburn University Center for Global Development is to leverage the extensive capacities of the university to promote international education, business, entrepreneurship, and research & development (R&D) engagements between the State of Alabama and the

www.minorityaccess.org

9

COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES COMMITTED TO DIVERSITY

Barry University Barry University in Miami Shores, Florida, is one of the largest Catholic universities in the Southeast and enrolls more than 9,030 students, in over 100 undergraduate, graduate, professional and doctoral programs. Barry’s academic structure is divided into two Colleges, the College of Nursing and Health Sciences {CNHS) and the College of Arts and Sciences (CAS),and seven Schools: Professional and Career Education, Education,Business,Human Performance and Leisure Sciences,Law,Podiatric Medicine, and Social Work.

Student Body Barry University has long been noted for diversity and minority enrollment. The July 2003 edition of Black Issues in Higher Education highlighted Barry and reported on the “proportionate representation of students of color” in the 2001-2002 school year. The U.S. News & World Report America’s Best Colleges Edition ranked Barry University first in campus diversity in the Southeast United States for eight years in a row {2008) and the 2009 edition showed Barry University tied for l0th place among more than 250 American colleges and universities for most racially diverse student body.

Barry University is characterized by a minority-majority standing in its student body and is designated as a minority, Hispanic-serving institution. The majority of students enrolled at Barry University are known to be from several minority backgrounds. The demographic profile of the university’s comprehensive student population is: 20% White non-Hispanic; 29% Hispanic; 32% Black non-Hispanic;8% Nonresident Alien;1% Asian; and,9% Unknown/Unreported,1% two or more races, and less than 1% American Indian, Alaskan Native, Hawaiian Native, Pacific Islander.

For HACU’s membership purposes, Hispanic-Serving Institutions {HSIs) are defined as colleges, universities, or systems/districts where total Hispanic enrollment constitutes a minimum of 25% of the total enrollment.

10

Minority Access, Inc.

Law School Last January, the Barry University School of Law was named one of the nation’s Most Diverse Law Schools

by Prelaw Magazine. Barry Law was ranked as the gth_most-diverse law school in the United States by the magazine,earning a grade of A+. The nation’s law schools were ranked according to diversity reflected in both faculty and student body. According to the magazine,the study “was not designed to identify the best schools for blacks, Hispanics or any other single race. Neither was it designed to rank the schools with the most minorities.

Instead,it seeks to identify the schools that do the best job of enrolling students of all races, thereby increasing the likelihood of different voices in the classroom.”

Mission and Core Commitments Barry University’s current mission and core commitments were approved by the Executive Committee of the Administration,the University President, the Board of Trustees,and the General Council of the Adrian Dominican Sisters in 2008. Catholic intellectual and religious traditions guide us in the fulfillment of our mission. The mission and values of the Adrian Dominican Sisters serve as the inspiration for our core commitments.

Our Mission and Core Commitments demonstrate that diversity, multiculturalism,and inclusion are central to who we are and what we believe.

Mission Statement Barry University is a Catholic institution of higher education founded in 1940 by the Adrian Dominican Sisters. Grounded in the liberal arts tradition,Barry University is a scholarly community committed to the highest academic standards in undergraduate,graduate and professional education.

In the Catholic intellectual tradition, integration of study, reflection and action inform the intellectual life. Faithful to this tradition,a Barry education and university experience foster individual and communal transformation where learning leads to knowledge and truth,reflection leads to informed action,and a

YEAR 2016

commitment to social justice leads to collaborative service.

Barry University provides opportunities for affirming our Catholic identity,Dominican heritage,and collegiate traditions. Catholic beliefs and values are enriched by ecumenical and interfaith dialog.

Through worship and ritual,we celebrate our religious identity while remaining a University community where all are welcome.

Core Commitments Knowledge and Truth Barry promotes and supports the intellectual life, emphasizing life-long learning,growth and development.

The University pursues scholarly and critical analysis of fundamental questions of the human experience.In the pursuit of truth,the University advances development of solutions that promote the common good and a more humane and just society.

Inclusive Community Barry is a global,inclusive community characterized by interdependence,dignity and equality, compassion and respect for self and others.Embracing a global world view, the University nurtures and values cultural,social and intellectual diversity, and welcomes faculty, staff,and students of all faith traditions.

Social Justice Barry expects all members of our community to accept social responsibility to foster peace and nonviolence, to strive for equality,to recognize the sacredness of Earth, and to engage in meaningful efforts toward social change.

The University promotes social justice through teaching, research and service.

Collaborative Service Barry is committed to serving local and global communities through collaborative and mutually productive partnerships. The University accepts responsibility to engage with communities to pursue systemic,self-sustaining solutions to human, social, economic and environmental problems.

2011-16 Strategic Agenda Flowing from our Mission and Core Commitments,Barry University has prioritized efforts in the Strategic Agenda to institutionalize this commitment to diversity. Goal Ill of the University’s Strategic Agenda states: Identify, model and promote best practices in higher education that create an effective and sustainable multicultural and diverse living and learning environment. Aligned with this goal are the following objectives and outcomes: Objective 1: Create effective and sustainable multicultural and diverse living and learning environments.

Outcome 1: Increased shared understanding of multiculturalism and diversity by the University community.

Outcome 2: Informed analysis of University activities and constituencies within the context of the conceptual framework.

Outcome 3: Plan for effective and sustainable multicultural and diverse living and learning environments established.

Objective 2: Promote best practices in higher education that create an effective and sustainable multicultural and diverse living environment.

Outcome 1:Structure and process for internal and external promotion established. Outcome 2:Scholarly/professional reporting of model development and implementation.

Inclusive Excellence Framework In support of our 2011-16 Strategic Agenda, the Executive Committee of the Administration (ECA) approved the Multicultural and Diversity Taskforce’s conceptual framework and recommendations for Inclusive Excellence.”

Inclusive Excellence is a framework to guide Barry University’s efforts to comprehensively and effectively engage diversity on our campus. The framework includes four key initiatives: 1. Recruit compositionally diverse students, faculty and

staff;

www.minorityaccess.org

11

COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES COMMITTED TO DIVERSITY

2. Develop a campus climate that positively views and

pursues inclusivity; 3. Transforming curriculum,co-curriculum,and

pedagogy to reflect and support goals for inclusion;and 4. Demonstrate a strong institutional commitment

by examining the impact of the traditional higher education practices on historical underserved students and developing plans,policies and procedures to systematically monitor and address those inequities.

Within this framework,engaging diversity is conceptualized as an ongoing process toward enhanced learning,rather than an outcome. It is important to note, that this is a conceptual framework,and should not be confused with a programmatic model.

In support of this framework,the Division of Student Affairs invited Dr. Jacob Diaz, Dean of Students at University of South Florida,St Petersburg,and a skilled diversity trainer,to facilitate a two-day training session entitled Inclusive Excellence through Dialogue Across Difference.

Next fall, a Sister Linda Bevilacqua, Barry University President, will constitute a new taskforce that will be charged with reviewing the recommendations outlined by the taskforces and collaborating with faculty, staff, and students to develop an implementation strategy.

Non Discrimination Policy Barry University Non-Discrimination Policy is further evidence of our commitment to diversity and inclusion.

The policy states: Barry University does not discriminate an the basis of race, creed, color, ethnicity, national origin, ancestry, religion, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, genetic information, familial status, marital status, pregnancy, age, disability status or veteran status. This policy applies to students, employees, applicants and trustees with respect to participation in any program, benefit, activity or student/employment opportunity offered by the University. Every member of the University community is expected to uphold this policy as a matter of mutual respect and fundamental fairness in

12

Minority Access, Inc.

human relations. Every student of this institution has a responsibility to conduct himself/herself in accordance with this policy as a condition of enrollment. Further, every University employee has an obligation to observe Barry University policies and implementation of federal and state law as a term of employment. No person shall be retaliated against for reporting violations or concerns about prohibited discrimination or bias through appropriate University channels.

Nothing in this non-discrimination statement shall require Barry University to act in a manner contrary to the beliefs and teachings of the Catholic Church or the University mission statement.

Program Highlights Barry University offers many meaningful programs and services that espouse our commitment to diversity and social justice. Below is a sample of the programs and services regularly offered to our students.

Africana Studies Program Africana Studies is the study and understanding of the vast experiences, history,culture,political perspectives and theoretical underpinnings reflecting people and nations of African descent around the world. Course offerings in the Africana Studies program are designed to consider the historical,literary, social, economic,and political perspectives of people of African descent around the world. The faculty members are committed to delivering an up-to-date curriculum that seeks to acknowledge the histories of African,African American, and Caribbean people whose struggles have often been overlooked.

The Institute for Hispanic/Latino Theology and Ministry The mission of the Institute is to prepare leaders to serve the Church and the Hispanic/Latino community in South Florida and throughout the United States. Through the Department of Theology and Philosophy, we offer our students the joint benefit oftheological education and ministerial formation that critically engages praxis of the Hispanic/Latino community.

YEAR 2016

Catholic Hispanic Ministry in the United States: The Road Ahead The Barry University Department of Theology and Philosophy and the National Symposium on Catholic Hispanic Ministry shared a presentation and study for pastoral and educational leaders involved in the Catholic Church. The presenter was Hosffman Ospino, PhD an Assistant Professor of Hispanic Ministry and Religious Education, Boston College Office of International and Multicultural Programs The purpose of the Office of International and Multicultural Programs (IMP) is to provide resources, services,and programs that further develop the international and multicultural dimension of Barry University.

on campus is displayed through student-sponsored country booths,food,music and dance, educational workshops,games, performances,and other exciting activities.

Diversity in Leadership Week Sponsored by the Office of International & Multicultural Programs (IMP),Diversity in Leadership Week offers a variety of activities that emphasizes the importance and relevance that diversity plays not only on campus but in society.

Festival of Nations Celebration The Festival of Nations focuses on celebrating and exploring the vast cultural diversity that is represented on campus. The richness of our international culture

www.minorityaccess.org

13

COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES COMMITTED TO DIVERSITY

Bellevue College Bellevue College has grown tremendously since it opened in 1966—from a few hundred students to approximately 34,000 today and from less than one hundred employees to over 1500 faculty, professional/exempt, and classified employees. The last twenty years have garnered significant growth in the number of students and the diversity of students served. For example, we currently serve twelve hundred students with disabilities. Regarding student racial/ethnic demographics, 48% of the student population identify as students of color (BC Office of Effectiveness and Strategic Planning, 2015). However, faculty diversity along race and ethnicity has not kept pace with student demographics. Currently, 21% of full-time identify as faculty of color and 79% identify as white.

Bellevue College is part of the 34 Washington State Community and Technical college system under the State Board for Community and Technical Colleges (SBCTC).

SBCTC data show that lack of racial diversity amongst full and adjunct faculty ranks is a systemic issue and the percentages of Black/African American, Latino and Native American faculty have remained stagnant or decreased over the last five years. Bellevue College is one of five colleges in our system that has demonstrated incremental progress in the recruitment and hiring of faculty of color.

14

Minority Access, Inc.

Diversity and Equity Initiatives The list below highlights college initiatives which focus on integrating equity into our policies, growing diverse leaders from historically marginalized and underrepresented groups, and building more equitymindedness amongst faculty and staff. Three initiatives stand out for your consideration; 1. Mandatory implicit bias training for any employee that

wishes to serve on a screening advisory committee for hiring. To date over four hundred employees has participated in the training.

2. As part of the collective bargaining agreement

between faculty and administration, all tenuretrack faculty must complete thirty-three hours of Educational Equity professional development training coordinated by the Office of Equity and Pluralism.

3. Social Justice Leadership Institute (SJLI)- led by Dr.

Sayumi Irey to address the under representation of people of color, persons with disabilities, and those identifying as Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender and Queer. SJLI is open to employees from all community and technical colleges in Washington State. The Institute was created to: a.

To foster leadership identity among historically underrepresented groups.

b.

To develop a network of colleagues through cohort and small-groups in system wide.

c.

To develop the pipeline of employees that are able to move into higher leadership positions.

YEAR 2016

Belmont University Belmont University has embraced diversity as a core value and part of its mission statement for a number of years. The mission statement of the university directs faculty and staff to provide an education that empowers men and women of diverse backgrounds to “engage and transform the world.” Belmont’s previous strategic plan, Vision 2015, states the university “will become increasingly more diverse and broadly reflective of our local and global communities” by creating a culture of inclusion, actively and intentionally recruiting diverse faculty, staff, board and students and ensuring learning experiences that enable students to gain strong intercultural competency. The entire Belmont community has been actively engaged in developing the university’s current strategic, Vision 2020, where the fourth guiding principle states the university’s commitment to enhancing diversity across its community.

Belmont has chosen to make diversity and inclusion the responsibility of every individual employee to foster institution-wide ownership and acceptance by establishing its Welcome Home Team. This team, made up of faculty, staff and students across campus, supports the university’s goal of becoming more diverse and broadly reflective of its local and global communities. The vision of the Welcome Home team is to allow the University “to become a model for creating and sustaining a culture of racial and ethnic diversity, producing a welcoming environment among its students, faculty and staff.” The team meets bi-weekly to explore initiatives and plan strategies to create a culture of inclusion through a tactical approach that recognizes and supports on-going campus initiatives and creates goals focused on the recruitment, engagement and retention of diverse students, faculty and staff.

Recruitment Initiatives The Welcome Home Team has developed a number of initiatives devoted to the recruitment of racially and ethnically diverse faculty, staff and students. A few highlights include: -

Students

o

Bridges to Belmont, a program designed to enroll qualified, high potential students from Metro Nashville Public Schools who may not have previously been able to attend, provides full scholarships to participating students and was endowed in 2015 with a $10 million gift.

 Started in 2013, the program will graduate its first Bridges to Belmont seniors in 2017.

-

Faculty/Staff

o

Compact for Faculty Diversity

 Belmont attends the Compact for Faculty Diversity to promote the institution as a workplace. o

Search Committees

 Belmont’s Office of Human Resources is intentional about providing all search committees with necessary resources to ensure diverse searches are completed and diverse representation is included on all search committees. o

Diverse Marketing and Advertising Initiatives

 Belmont’s Offices of Communications and University Marketing are committed to ensuring diversity is properly represented in marketing materials.

Additionally, these teams have taken great strides to ensure the University is marketing itself in diverse publications. This has led to the creation of strong relationships with community publications.

-

Supporting Programs

o

Belmont Distinguished Scholars and 100 Kings

 These college prep and access programs serve local, diverse Metro Nashville Public School students in Belmont’s community

www.minorityaccess.org

15

COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES COMMITTED TO DIVERSITY

Engagement Initiatives The Welcome Home Team has developed a number of initiatives devoted to the recruitment of racially and ethnically diverse faculty, staff and students. A few highlights include:

16

-

Belmont’s Supplier Diversity Pilot Program

o

The office of Community Relations has launched its Supplier Diversity Pilot Program, aimed at reaching minority-owned businesses in the Nashville area and encouraging those businesses to participate in business at Belmont.

-

Inaugural Diversity Week

o

In an effort to engage faculty, staff and students across campus, the Welcome Home Team hosted its Inaugural Diversity Week in 2015. The week included a spoken word event hosted by students, a dinner and convocation with Belmont’s first African American graduate Dr. Fannie Hewlett, a conversation on diversity and cultural sensitivity and a convocation hosted by James Threalkill, a local artist hired to commission a piece of art that celebrates Belmont’s diversity. This week will continue annually and Belmont’s annual Scholarship Day now includes the presentation of the Dr. Fannie Hewlett Award, given to the students who most exemplify courage, leadership and an active contribution to diversity and inclusion on Belmont’s campus.

-

Visiting Professorship

o

The Welcome Home Team sponsored Belmont’s first visiting professor, Stillman College President Dr. Peter Millet, through a program created to celebrate diversity within higher education and encourage students to consider the field as a career.

-

Post-Doctoral Fellowship

o

Belmont’s post-doctoral fellowship program provides opportunity for post-docs from diverse backgrounds to spend two years at Belmont researching and teaching. This exposes these diverse individuals to academia, recruiting them for potential employment opportunities.

Minority Access, Inc.

Retention Initiatives A number of retention initiatives have been created. A few of these include: -

An increased number of racially and ethnically diverse student organizations to further represent the diversity on Belmont’s campus and the creation of a community space for diverse student engagement.

-

A formed faculty cohort group that provides opportunities to focus on full-range of academic issues.

-

The identification of diverse speakers and audience representatives to participate in campus events.

Future Recommendations The Welcome Home Team is also charged with examining Belmont’s community and creating recommendations to be presented to senior leadership to further racial and ethnic diversity. Future recommendations include: -

Cultural sensitivity training for students, faculty and staff and the creation of employee resource groups

-

The expansion of diversity competency in 360 degree review (required for each employee)

-

Incorporation of diversity in campus-wide, interdisciplinary curriculum

-

Incorporation of diversity in campus-wide, interdisciplinary curriculum

The progress and successes of the university initiatives are communicated through a variety of outlets including campuswide emails, web postings, campus magazine articles and departmental presentations. A web site has been developed, Diversity and Global Engagement, that highlights all of the team’s initiatives as well as other resources related to Belmont’s diversity efforts. The Office of Alumni Relations has increased stories and images of diverse alumni within their publications including links to the Office of Human Resources Why Work at Belmont webpages. This website is also linked to the jobs.belmont.edu recruitment site and provides a link for applicants to connect to current staff and faculty who have agreed to personally discuss their experience at Belmont.

YEAR 2016

Through the efforts of the Welcome Home Team and other initiatives across campus, Belmont has experienced significant growth in its diverse faculty, staff and student populations.

From 2010 to 2015, diverse faculty population grew 56%, diverse staff population more than doubled and diverse student population grew 46%. Though the institution is proud of these numbers, it is interested in expanding beyond them.

Please see links that further describe the WHT initiatives and its ongoing impact to Belmont University. o

WHT Summary and Web pages

o

Belmont University Vision 2015

o

Belmont University Vision 2020

o Belmont University Vision 2020 Phase IV:Strategic Priorities

www.minorityaccess.org

17

COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES COMMITTED TO DIVERSITY

Bowie State University Diversity Initiatives and Programs The Core Value of Diversity is measured through faculty and staff surveys and the Noel Levitz Student Satisfaction Inventory survey. Each survey is administered every three years. Baseline data indicate that faculty, staff and students agree that the University values diversity.

The specific marketing and recruitment goal related to diversity is to increase new student ethnic and geographic diversity each year through the current year of 2015 as measured by a 1.0 % increase annually. Between fall 2013 and fall 2014, the percentage of non-­African-­American students increased from 15 percent to 17 percent. The non-­African-­American undergraduate student population grew from 11 to 13 percent. The non-­African-­American graduate student population grew from 27 percent to 30 percent due to an increase in students from foreign countries, most notably Saudi Arabia, India, Nigeria, Cameroon, Pakistan and Turkey, often in the STEM disciplines. Evidence of BSU’s commitment to cultural diversity is seen in all of the critical recruiting documents emanating from the University. Current, faculty, students and alumni from diverse backgrounds are highlighted in all our marketing efforts. In academic programs, the Department of Nursing, through the continuing Maryland Higher Education Commission Nursing Accelerated BSN grant, focuses on recruiting second degree and transfer students from culturally diverse backgrounds. The Who Will Care grant, funded by the Maryland Hospital Association, also focused on recruitment and retention of minority nursing students.

The Minority Nurse Pipeline Grant promotes interest in nursing to Prince George’s County Public Schools (PGCPS) minority students. The College of Education is aggressively meeting the challenge of producing more teachers and education leaders who are equipped to serve increasingly diverse populations throughout the state. The U.S. Department of Education funded the multi-­year Culturally Responsive Leaders in Special Education (CRELSE) project in FY 2014. The CRELSE will prepare 15 leaders with a doctor of education (Ed.D.) in education leadership with specific emphasis on special education leadership. Scholars will receive

18

Minority Access, Inc.

training in order to secure professional employment as university faculty and non-­faculty positions. Employment as non-­faculty member may include positions such as district-­level administrator, school superintendent, and special education curriculum leader. CRELSE scholars will be prepared to respond to the needs of culturally and linguistically diverse (CLD) students in general and special education, students in all disability categories, and in racially/ethnically diverse geographic locations.

The Division of Academic Affairs completed the groundwork for Bowie’s participation in the HBCUs-­ China Network during FY 2014. The goal of the program is to promote international awareness to current students.

Through the Network, Bowie students interested in exploring international opportunities for academic research and professional study can apply for the China Study Abroad Scholarship. The Chinese Ministry of Education awards scholarships to assist students attending HBCUs with the cost of student in China for periods of three weeks to one year. Currently, eight students and one coordinator are traveling to participate for one academic semester. The HBCUs-­China Network responds to the regional and economic development needs of the United States and China and promotes the cultural and educational exchange of students from HBCUs and Chinese universities.

Bowie State University’s workforce consists of a diverse group of dedicated professionals who are committed to implementing the mission of the University. The objective of the Bowie State University Office of Human Resources (OHR) is to attract a qualified pool of diverse candidates to staff positions at the University. Over the past year, the OHR has aggressively placed job postings with Maryland Workforce Exchange, Department of Rehabilitative Services (DORS), and Maryland Department of Veteran Affairs. Additional advertisement was placed through various media outlets such as HigherEDjobs.com, The Chronicle of Higher Education, The Washington Post, The Nursing Spectrum, The Association of Fundraising Professionals (AFP), The National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA), The Baltimore Sun, Inside Higher Ed, National Association of Student Financial Aid

YEAR 2016

Administrators, and Eastern Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators.

In fall 2014, 19% of full-­time staff were non-­African-­ American. This percentage has been fairly consistent since 2008. During FY 2014, the University hired 85 contractual and regular employees. This included 14 (17%) employees of diverse background. Effective July 1, 2009, the State of Maryland offered benefits to same sex domestic partners and their children. The University continues its focused efforts to hire and retain veterans and individuals with disabilities by posting job vacancy announcements on websites that recruit individuals with disabilities and veterans.

The Office of Human Resources targeted diversity training for the university staff. The workshops provide a review of definitions, discussion of terms and history of diversity, description and discussion of stereotypes and biases, and a discussion of strategies for removing barriers to enhance diversity in the workplace.

The full-­time faculty distinguishes itself through excellence in teaching, scholarship/research, and service.

The recruitment of faculty is typically a departmental responsibility. In addition to posting faculty positions on the BSU website, departments usually work collaboratively with Human Resources to provide an EEO briefing to the Faculty Search Committees. The percentage of African American full-­time faculty has remained steady between 2013 and 2014 at 72 percent.

Faculty and staff members for H-­1B Visas and Permanent Residency (Green Cards) have been sponsored. Bowie State University sponsored or was in the process of sponsoring four staff members from various countries.

The University goals of infusing international and diversity awareness in the curriculum and expanding co-­ curricular programs that promote diversity awareness are the two primary approaches that BSU employs to create a welcoming campus climate. Bowie State University offers many courses and academic programs that support cultural diversity. The following are mere samples of ongoing programs with significant content related to cultural diversity.

The Psychology department prepares students for leadership in a global community through the development of their knowledge and skills in the history and theories of psychology, human development, and understanding of individual differences. Research and field experiences prepare students for graduate education and professions in psychology. Guest lecturers from various ethnic groups are invited to participate. In past semesters the focus was on Native Americans.

The Nursing curricula at the undergraduate and graduate level were developed and implemented based on the belief that cultural competent care is essential to providing excellent nursing care. The nursing curricula prepare professional nurses who demonstrate excellence in understanding and valuing diversity. The Department of Nursing is committed to increasing the number of underrepresented minorities in the nursing profession.

This is accomplished through departmental and campus initiatives.

In the College of Education, diversity is embedded in the coursework, in the placement of teacher interns in diverse classroom experiences in the Professional Development Schools (PDSs), and in provision of support for professional development of faculty to attend conferences to learn of other efforts to facilitate student success. The College of Education was awarded grant support for the Early Childhood Engagement Center (ECEC). The Center provides support for new special education teachers to enable them to serve culturally and linguistically diverse young students with disabilities. The goal is to improve the education of young children with disabilities by providing coursework leading to dual certification in early childhood education and special education with infused Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL) competencies. Project ECEC will prepare and graduate two cohorts of 20 diverse teachers for a total of 40 Bowie State University students.

The Department of Counseling is committed to providing education, training, and leadership to its students to assist them in developing into the most highly skilled, knowledgeable, and competent professionals and

www.minorityaccess.org

19

COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES COMMITTED TO DIVERSITY

practitioners through the integration of theory and practice. Moreover, the thrust of the department is to prepare its students to become competent and skilled in counseling, consultation, and evaluation; to understand persons across all cultures within the profession; and to become competent professionals in meeting the needs of a multicultural and diverse population in the 21st century.

The Counseling Department’s academic programs integrate the theoretical with the practical by combining academic preparation in the area of behavioral sciences as well as related areas of counseling, psychology, and research with practical experiences relevant to a diverse and multicultural population. The Department added a student organization called the African Psychology Student Association to help students understand the impact African heritage has on psychological and emotional issues for African American youth and adults.

This is accomplished through workshops, seminars and guest speakers provided throughout the year and by having students attend conferences such as Association of Black Psychologists National Conference. We are also proud of the Spanish Social Work Club, El Club de la Familia Espanola. Recognized by the university in 2009, it’s purpose is to provide a vehicle for social work majors, and other interested students, to create a milieu in which students are able to practice speaking the Spanish language and to be exposed to various aspects of Hispanic cultures through opportunities to serve local Hispanic communities. The Club has sponsored a number of cultural diversity programs, including “Bridging the Gap between Afro-­Latinos and African Americans: The African Presence in Latin America,” Spanish poetry readings by Bowie students, and community focused projects.

A number of the Bowie State University faculty focus their scholarly activities on cultural diversity issues and awareness. Faculty from Counseling, Education, Nursing, Psychology and Social Work departments have presented scholarly work related to cultural diversity at national and international conferences.. Faculty are also engaged in community service supporting cultural diversity. Faculty have served on the Maryland Alliance to Diversify Health

20

Minority Access, Inc.

Professions, National Strategy to Increase African-­ American Nurses, Latino Student Nurse Initiative, at the Catholic University of America.

Finally, faculty provide cultural diversity training in the greater Bowie community. Faculty in the Department of Social Work conduct continuing education workshops on cultural diversity at Contemporary Services of Prince George’s County as well as the Ivy Community Charities of Prince Georges County, Inc. The Department of Behavioral and Human Services has conducted workshops on ethnographic research methods, which capture cultural diversity where other methods may not. A number of units on campus offer programming to increase cultural awareness. In an effort to continue system-­wide support for women and other diverse populations, the Office of Human Resources hosted the University System of Maryland Women’s Conference, Bridging the Gap at Bowie State University where 230 women were in attendance. The conference included concurrent sessions and President, Dr. Julianne Malvauex as the keynote speaker as well as opportunities for mentoring and networking, The Center for Global Engagement (CGE), the Office of International Programs and the International Student Office all support international awareness. The CGE and Office of International Programs organize programs and activities designed to promote awareness of international issues. In 2014, the CGE hosted a lecture on comparisons between Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and President Nelson R. Mandela as well as “Toward the Communal State in Venezuela: A Look Inside the Bolivarian Revolution.” In addition, the CGE continues to host an international week event each year and support faculty development abroad. The University continued activities focused on making the transition easier for international students. The Student Affairs division, International Student Office serves as the one-­stop-­shop for these students and to bring international student concerns to the University’s attention. These offices played an important role in welcoming a large number of foreign students entering in fall 2013 and fall 2014.

To support sensitivity to Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual & Transgender issues, Bowie State University established

YEAR 2016

the Gender and Sexual Diversities Resource Center in 2012. The Center was the first of its kind at a Historically Black Institution. Its mission is to foster an environment that is open, safe and inclusive for people of all sexualities and gender identities. The Center works with faculty, staff and students to increase awareness and affirmation of LGBTQIA individuals to reduce discrimination and harassment based on sexual orientation and gender identity. In addition, the center collaborates with faculty, staff, and students to develop programs to promote knowledge and awareness. The Resource Center collaborates with the Gay-­Straight Alliance at BSU and other organizations on campus to develop programs, workshops, and activities to raise campus awareness about LGBT concerns. The Resource Center maintains a collection of LGBTQIA resource materials (books and pamphlets) for use by the University community. The Center provides resources for anyone who is interested in learning about LGBTQIA issues and concerns.

for active play instruction for children. The puppets purchased for the collection include African-­American, Asian, Caucasian and Hispanic which reflect world-­wide racial and ethnic diversity. A number of programs in the Student Affairs Division are offered annually to promote cultural diversity. Since 2008, Bowie State University’s Department of Psychology and Disabled Student Services office have cosponsored Disability Awareness Day. This program is designed to provide information to the campus community about physical and psychological disabilities, and also to make the community aware of the resources and support services available. This event is held during the spring semester. The Counseling Services Center offers a student development workshop series. The series provides a forum for creative expression, artistic performance, and educational programs. The philosophy of the Center derives from the belief that every student has basic and unique needs, which must be fulfilled in order to function successfully in a learning environment.

The Thurgood Marshall Library’s Curriculum Laboratory supports College of Education academic programs.

During the FY 2014 added materials to the collection that reflect cultural and ethnic diversity targeted for instruction, education and research of children in grades P-­12. The children’s magazine, “Faces” was added to the children’s periodicals collection. “Faces” is a monthly children’s magazine that provides stories of what life is like in other countries for children around the world. Bilingual books, some with an audio CD accompaniment, for languages taught Prince Georges County schools include: Russian, Arabic, French, Chinese and Japanese. These items were collected to support instruction for world languages. Annually, the Curriculum Laboratory collects award winning and notable books in ethnic diversity, such as the winners and honor books of American Library Association, Belpre and Coretta Scott King Awards. The Belpre Award is given to writers and illustrators that best portray Latino/a culture. The Coretta Scott King Award is given to authors and illustrators that best demonstrate an appreciation of African American culture. Lastly, non print instructional materials such as puppets were purchased to be used

Recognized student organizations at Bowie State University reflect the diverse nature of our student body.

These organizations include: Cultural—African Student Association, United Caribbean Association, La Familia Espagnola, Muslim Student Association; LGBTQ Organizations—(Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer), Questioning Allied Support Organization and Eyes Wide Shut; Religious Organizations—Advent Fellowship, Alpha Nu Omega Sorority, Inc., Apostolic Fellowship, Bethel Campus Fellowship, Christ Side Ministries, and Lighthouse Campus Ministries; Women’s Organizations—Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc., Alpha Nu Omega Sorority, Inc., Chi Eta Phi Sorority (Nursing), Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc., Golden Girls Cheerleading, Mom Phi Mom, National Council of Negro Women, Sigma Gamma Rho Sorority, Inc., Sisters of Nia, Society of Sophisticated Ladies, Swing Phi Swing Social Fellowship, Tau Beta Sigma National Band Sorority, Virtuous Women, and Zeta Phi Beta Sorority, Inc.; Men’s Organizations—Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc., Black Male Agenda, Groove Phi Groove Social Fellowship, Iota Phi Theta Fraternity, Inc., Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, Inc., League of Extraordinary Gentlemen, Omega Psi Phi

www.minorityaccess.org

21

COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES COMMITTED TO DIVERSITY

Fraternity, Inc., and Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity, Inc.; and co-­ed organizations—Kappa Kappa Psi—the National Band Fraternity which hosts male and female members.

A number of student focused events are held on campus to promote cultural diversity including: Latin Afro Cuban Dominican Awareness/Dialogue, Around the World Culture, Diversity and Stereotypes, Gospel Extravaganza, Bible Studies, Caribbean Week, Pants Up Hats Off, End of Year Praise Party Sister Fellowship, Christian Variety Bowie State University FY 2014 Cultural Diversity Report Prepared for the University System of Maryland and The Maryland Higher Education Commission 9 Show, Greek House Lollipop and Scripture, LGBTQIA Awareness Program, Wake Up Black People, 12 Hour Prayer Room, Documentary on Cultural Issues, Religious Groups Forum, Caribbean Food Fair, Salsa Dancing, Holiday Bazaar, Winter Concert, Morning Prayer, Week of Prayer, Thanksgiving Food Drive, Gospel Explosion, The Black Church, National Coming Out Day Event, Spanish Education Mini Game Night, Christmas Cards for St. Jude’s Children, Greek Step Show, My Skin Is In— Panel Discussion, Native American Heritage, Single Mom Empowerment Program, African Student Association —Let’s Go Back to the Motherland, Men of Color Leadership Institute, and Bulldog Worship Service.

In conclusion, Bowie State University has committed institutional resources and employees to expand cultural diversity awareness. Students from diverse backgrounds attend BSU. The Affirmative Action Plan sets targets for employee diversity. The curricula in social services programs heighten student cultural awareness. Student Affairs staff offer new programming to meet changing campus community needs. These activities sustain Bowie as an institution that has a welcoming climate for

22

Minority Access, Inc.

diversity.

The above outlines the initiatives and programs implemented by Bowie State University that embrace and support diversity. We are proud of the great strides that have been made in the 21st century and look forward to making our reach even wider. It is with pleasure that we submit to you Bowie State University’s initiatives and programs, for the honor of being nominated as an Exemplary College or University Committed to Diversity for Year 2015.

YEAR 2016

Bristol Community College (BCC) At Bristol Community College (BCC) we pledge wholehearted commitment to building a diverse community. This commitment stems from our determination to provide a warm, accepting and inclusive environment that fosters learning.

For us it is important not only to recognize diversity but also to celebrate it. In our opinion, any institutional commitment to excellence must embrace this premise, since differing perspectives enhance the quality of the educational process.

We value the great strengths that diversity –of students, faculty and staff- brings to our BCC family.

The accepted standard in higher education with regard to diversity typically focuses on matching the demographic profile of the institution’s service area. At BCC we believe that the special nature of the community college mission carried the responsibility for us to exceed that demographic profile in this region. BCC provides unique opportunities to under-served populations, and we take this responsibility very seriously.

To fulfill this vision in mind, the college offers multiple opportunities for faculty and staff to participate in diversityfocused activities including, but not limited to:

Student Activities Student Life at Bristol Community College offers many different ways for students to engage with their college education, make friends, meet new contacts, and help build their resume for transfer or career. We know that the most successful students are often the ones who take advantage of these resources and fully immerse themselves in their “college experience.” Several of the clubs and student organizations focus on issues of diversity and minority access and success, for example: • • • • • • • • •

African-American Student Association Latino Student Association Asian Student Association Diversity Equality Unity Gay/Straight Alliance International Club Portuguese Club Veterans Club Multicultural Student Center

• Men of Color Student Association

Multicultural Events Every year, the BCC community has the opportunity to participate in activities thematically connected to minority and diversity issues. A few examples include presentations on Gender and Race issues, the Portuguese Language Month, One book series focusing on gender issues, Holocaust lecture series, etc.

Committee Structure As part of the governance structure of the college, many standing committees focus on issues of diversity and minority representation, including: • • • • • • • • •

Leading for Change Diversity Initiative Committee Multicultural Committee Minority Faculty and Staff Committee Latino Heritage Month Committee Luso Centro African American History Month Committee Martin Luther King Breakfast Committee Dual Enrollment outreach for Males of Color task force Talent Search standing committee (focused on Males of Color)

New Initiatives As part of the College’s Leading for Change Consortium participation, a focused orientation for Men of Color is being developed to be piloted in August 2015. This orientation will have academic components as well as networking, support and role modeling by successful BCC Students of Color.

We also are offering a new College Success Seminar course this fall especially for (and restricted to) Men of Color, to be taught by the Director of the Multicultural Center. This course introduces students to college resources and success strategies as college students, and begins to foster a cohort of men in a supportive environment.

As part of the Presidential Fellowship Program a new Women’s Center is being developed at BCC which will include programmatic as well as service components.

www.minorityaccess.org

23

COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES COMMITTED TO DIVERSITY

California State University - San Marcos Since our founding in 1989, CSUSM has made it a priority to be responsive to our regional needs and to provide our students with an excellent educational experience.

Diversity and inclusion is the core of CSUSM and is reflected in the University’s mission, vision and values.

Addressing our mission has meant providing our students with an inclusive educational experience that prepares them to be effective in a multicultural and diverse work and living environment, both in the region (where most of our students come from and stay) and in the world. We are committed to promoting social justice and educational equity through open communication and dialogue, and we continue developing inclusive curriculum, broadening campus programing and stimulating community discussions related issues.

The Office of Diversity, Educational Equity and Inclusion and Ombuds (ODEEIO) has its origins in the Educational Equity Task Force (EETF) formed by President Haynes during the 2005-06 Academic Year. In 2007, the EETF created an educational equity statement and vision which recommended committing resources to hire an Educational Equity and Diversity Officer. In 2008, President Haynes appointed a faculty member as the Special Assistant to the President for Educational Equity and Diversity, who served until spring 2011 when our first Associate Vice President for Diversity, Educational Equity and Inclusion was hired. In December 2012, our first Strategic Plan for Diversity and Educational Equity was approved.

As further evidence of our commitment to diversity and inclusive excellence, in 2014-2015 our institution hired a consulting firm, Halualani & Associates, to help ODEEIO in identifying our level of diversity and inclusion achievement through a process titled “Diversity Mapping.” The development of a strategic plan for Diversity and Inclusion was one of the key recommendations of the Diversity Mapping Project. Since fall 2015, the Diversity and Inclusion Strategic Plan Work Group has been developing the Diversity and Inclusion

24

Minority Access, Inc.

Strategic Plan (DISP). The intent of the DISP is to ensure that we continue to make effective strides toward building a truly diverse, inclusive, and equitable institution, as well as investing in an infrastructure that facilitates effective diversity planning, implementation, and reporting processes. A draft of our current Diversity and Inclusion Strategic Plan can be read here.

In addition, CSUSM is a Hispanic Serving Institute and an Asian and Pacific Islander-Serving Institution (AANAPISI), as well as a recipient of the INSIGHT Into Diversity Higher Education Excellence in Diversity (HEED) Award for 2014-2015 and 2015-2016. In 1996 our campus honored the life and legacy of César E. Chavez with a statue and plaza (1996) , and since 2001 we have celebrated the Latino civil rights leader and co-founder of the United Farm Worker with César Chavez Day of Service each year on his birthday, March 31.

CSUSM is home to the California Indian Culture and Sovereignty Center, the only of its kind in the state. The Center focuses on serving the unique needs of American Indian students by conducting original research and preserving cultural heritage and languages of tribal communities. The Center facilitates a sense of belonging among the Native population both on campus and off, and prepares students to give back to their tribal communities upon graduation. CSUSM is also home to the National Latino Research Center (NLRC) which is committed to contributing to the knowledge and understanding of rapidly growing U.S. Latino populations through applied research, training, technical assistance, research-based services, and information exchange. Specializing in applied research, the NLRC brings together key stakeholders from the community, government, NGO sector, and private industry to identify solutions and develop strategies to address local and regional challenges. The NLRC conducts research and training in the areas of education, civic engagement, cultural competency, health, environmental issues, public policy, and community development. In addition to research projects, the NLRC provides technical assistance

YEAR 2016

to a range of organizations and actively supports multiagency collaborations that seek to leverage resources and expertise.

In the area of Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM), CSUSM has established the Office for Training, Research and Education in the Sciences (OTRES) that is committed to increasing diversity in science and academic. OTRES is the administrative home for several projects that focus on student and faculty career development and institutional curriculum enhancement in the natural sciences, behavioral sciences, math and other related disciplines. It provides a supportive multicultural environment for student and faculty career development in the biomedical sciences and related disciplines. During the past ten years our student training programs have financially supported more than 400 students who have used the programs to further their academic and research careers. Our program graduates have earned Ph.D. and M.S. /M.A. degrees in a range of disciplines from prestigious universities. Our student graduation rate is 93%, compared to 40% nationwide and 77 % for CSU San Marcos.

In short, diversity and inclusive excellence is the core of CSUSM and is reflected in the University’s mission, vision and values. We seek to build an ethnically, racially, linguistically, and culturally diverse population of students, faculty, and staff that demographically reflects the region by providing a welcome environment for all of our diverse communities and by promoting informal exchange of ideas, social interaction and collaboration within and among all groups. While we believe it is important to have a Chief Diversity Officer and Associate Vice President of the Office of Diversity, Educational Equity, and Inclusion who coordinates and assesses the outcomes of various campus units to increase pathways of success for all students, faculty and staff, especially those from underrepresented populations, we also believe that it is every campus leaders’ responsibility to foster a diverse and inclusive learning and working environment.

www.minorityaccess.org

25

COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES COMMITTED TO DIVERSITY

California State University - Northridge California State University, Northridge (CSUN) is leading diversity-themed change in an intentional manner. In addition to our proud designations as a HSI (Hispanic Serving Institution) and AANAPISI (Asian American, Native American, and Pacific Islander Serving Institution), we continually seek opportunities to celebrate diversity and to forge pathways for access and crossdivisional collaboration in support of inclusion.

The depth of CSUN’s diversity is reflected in the unique experiences, talents and contributions of our 40,000 students and more than 4,000 employees; and our collective commitment to diversity includes recognition of the critical conversations and efforts being cultivated around those designations which transcend compliance toward a genuine action plan for what our notion of institutional excellence is.

From informal exchanges to public discourse to a range of well-established programs, a diversity ethos permeates our campus culture. Through university-wide policies, programming, and open dialogue, diversity is frequently and broadly championed by CSUN President Dianne Harrison and other campus leaders, as a fundamental catalyst for innovation, creativity and excellence in research and teaching. Also championed are high impact practices that involve students in research, community service learning, internships, capstone and culminating projects that occur throughout a student’s tenure at the university. In a recent keynote address to faculty, President Harrison reaffirmed the notion that a diverse faculty can demonstrate to students in whatever field or major that the path to leadership and success is open to everyone of every background. For faculty themselves, recruiting and retaining a diverse faculty is essential for governance and better decision-making as well as for the intellectual growth of faculty overall.

The result of these diversity initiatives has been a more focused, sustained effort toward curricular and cocurricular redesign, broadened pools and pipelines, and a robust support network for individuals from traditionally underrepresented groups.

26

Minority Access, Inc.

The following highlights just some of the ongoing diversity initiatives at CSUN: • With the intent of centralizing activities to prioritize and maximize institutional effectiveness around issues of diversity, CSUN will appoint a Chief Diversity Officer (CDO) in Fall 2015. The CDO will chair CSUN’s Commission on Inclusion and Diversity Initiatives composed of faculty, staff, students, administrators and community leaders.

• BUILD@CSUN Program is a new collaborative effort of faculty and administrators at CSUN and is an ambitious effort to create a paradigmatic shift in research training and mentoring to diversify the biomedical workforce by reframing and redesigning current approaches through the lens of Critical Race Theory. The goal is develop rigorous and sustainable research training programs for underrepresented students, using a model of research development that incorporates best practices from the literature, from our undergraduate research programs, and the programs of others. This model addresses student recruitment starting in high school and focuses on a large pool of promising freshmen, sophomores, and early transfer students. Within BUILD laboratories, students and faculty members engage in their ongoing research in a cooperative social environment rather than a competitive one – less hierarchical and more inclusive of input from all members of the laboratory and with attention paid to the social justice implications of one’s work. Ninety-seven faculty have signed on as research mentors and have submitted projects.

• Accelerated Coursework in Computer Science and Engineering for Student Success (ACCESS) is a program geared toward attracting highly-motivated, underrepresented minority and female high school students to careers in engineering and computer science.

• AIMS2 is a collaborative grant with two local community colleges focused on enhancing the transfer rate and graduation of underrepresented minorities in engineering and computer science. Some preliminary program assessment results show that

YEAR 2016

students in the program completed more units than students in a comparison group and earned higher cumulative GPAs. They also experienced a 96.7% persistence rate vs. 78.7%. For its work in accelerating Latino/a success, the program was recognized with an honorable mention by the Excelencia Foundation in Washington, D.C. and included in its compendium of best practices that is available for use by all HSIs. • Teaching to Increase Diversity in STEM initiative (TIDES) is a novel, joint program involving faculty from Computer Science and Music to use music as a way of encouraging women and persons from underrepresented communities to consider careers in computer or information sciences.

• One of CSUN’s longest-running programs of its kind, the NIH-funded Maximizing Access to Research Careers (MARC) program has been on campus since 1990. The goal of the program is to increase the number of competitively prepared traditionally underrepresented students for research careers in basic biomedical sciences. The 2014-15 cycle supported nearly 800 entering freshman through summer workshops and Science 100 courses, and 150 transfer students, as well as hundreds through tutoring and advisement. Since the start of the program: 36 former MARC students have received Ph.D.’s and 17 more are currently in Ph.D. or M.D./Ph.D. programs. The retention and completion rate of CSUN MARC students in Ph.D. programs is 85%, compared to the national average of 57%. MARC graduates are more likely to enter a Ph.D. program than non-MARC students. Students who take the MARC-sponsored math and language arts courses have a significantly higher GPA after one year, and take higher level math and have a higher passing rate in math – something we are looking to scale up at the university.

• Educational Opportunity Program (EOP) has provided access and retention services to low- income and firstgeneration college students since 1969. In recent years, EOP has developed K-12 Outreach and Partnership Programs that create pipelines to the community, and transitional Bridge Programs to help facilitate students’ adjustment to the university.

• Founding the nation’s first Central American studies program and one of the first Chicana/o studies programs, CSUN continues to have one of the largest and most diverse selection of ethnic studies programs in the California State University system including major and minor options in programs like American Indian, Jewish, Central American, Middle Eastern and Islamic, and Russian studies. CSUN also offers separate departments for Asian American, Chicana/o and Africana studies.

• National Science Foundation-funded Partnership for Research and Education in Materials grant in Physics and Astronomy allows CSUN undergraduate physics majors to spend nine weeks at Princeton conducting research. All of the students are from underrepresented groups and the goal is to recruit minorities into careers in physics.

• CSUN is part of a California State University systemwide program called the “Math and Science Teacher Initiative” that includes among its goals increasing the number and diversity of teacher candidates.

• Office of Equity & Diversity (E&D) affirms the university’s commitment to the core principles of diversity and inclusion, to ensuring equal opportunity in education and employment, and to a culture that embraces a multiplicity of talents, knowledge, beliefs, abilities and experiences. E&D provides guidance and leadership to address fundamental issues of bias and exclusion in order to maintain an educational environment free of discrimination, harassment and retaliation.

• Student Housing offers the Oppression Reduction Training program, which provides student staff with training that assist in their ability to understand the manifestation of discrimination, racism, privilege, and disrespect that could be present in the residential community and, therefore, negatively affect the living and learning experiences of our diverse resident population.

• Black Male Initiative – Brings together Black male students with professional staff, faculty and administrators in an effort to create opportunities for

www.minorityaccess.org

27

COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES COMMITTED TO DIVERSITY

engagement, mentoring, intellectual space, and a sense of belonging in order to support student retention and graduation. The Sisterhood program seeks to achieve the same goals as outlined above for Black female students.

• The Pride Center supports lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer (LGBTQ) and questioning students, faculty and staff through programming and educational outreach to improve the campus climate for LGBTQ individuals as well as advocate for the respect and safety of all members of the campus community.

• The Veterans Resource Center (VRC) exists to assist CSUN students as they transition from military service to academic success. The VRC promotes the academic, personal and professional development of student veterans and their dependents through supportive services, resources and community building events.

• National Center on Deafness exists as a nationally known leader in providing educational support and services for deaf and hard of hearing students educated in a mainstream university environment that serves hearing and non-hearing students.

• Disability Resources and Educational Services Office provides mandated accommodation for students with disabilities that empower students, foster independence, promote achievement and assist students in discovering their full potential.

Thorough the strengths-based Thriving and Achieving Program, students are assisted in becoming more selfsupporting.

• Financial Aid Office administers the DREAMERS scholarship program that provides needed financial support for undocumented students who are not eligible for federal financial aid.

• International and Exchange Student Center – CSUN enrolls the largest number of international students attending a public comprehensive university. The primary interest in this area of enrollment focus is to

28

Minority Access, Inc.

provide a diverse global perspective to the educational experiences of our domestic students. The Student Panels for an International Curriculum and Education (SPICE) provides an opportunity for international students to visit classrooms to provide information about the background and cultures of the student presenters.

• Discover, Inquire, & Grow in Los Angeles (DIG LA) is an educational resource for the CSUN community. With the goal of building a culturally diverse community that is appreciative, sensitive and understanding, DIG LA emphasizes the artistic expressions, traditions and historical significance of various cultures. The group activities planned by DIG LA provide an opportunity for students and faculty to discuss cultural issues in a safe and open environment, encouraging a link between classroom learning and to our culturally diverse environment.

• The Associated Students provides funding to support numerous student clubs and organizations, some of which provide opportunities for identity and leadership development, collaboration with other diverse organizations, and the creation of a welcoming experience outside of the classroom. Clubs such as the Armenian Student Association, Black Student Union, Central American United Student Alliance, Chabad Jewish Student Center, Filipino American Student Association, MEChA, Muslim Student Association, and the Vietnamese Student Association illustrate the diverse communities of students who are supported at CSUN. • Peer Mentor Program in the College of Humanities was initiated in Fall 2006 to address retention issues among first and second year students, many of whom are first-generation, across all academic majors at CSUN.

YEAR 2016

Central Washington University University Diversity Goals as outlined in Strategic Plan Central Washington Univerisity includes in the mission statement, values, and strategic plan diversity goals.

1. Provide leadership and communicate commitment to CWU has a proactive approach to diversifying the student diversity body, faculty and staff, and curriculum. Our minority 2. Attract and retain diverse student body student recruitment plan includes high impact practices of 3. Attract and retain diverse faculty and staff recruitment by those who are members of the communities 4. Encourage and sustain diverse curriculum of students that we serve and we meet those students and 5. Encourage and support welcoming environment for their families where they are. This has been effective in diversity recruiting minority students. We have a proactive policy to recruit faculty and staff, which includes monitoring diversity at each step of the hiring process, diversity/ Central Washington Univerisity includes in the mission statement, values, and strategic plan diversity goals. CWU has a proactive approach to diversifying the Goal student body, faculty and staff, and curriculum. Our minority student recruitment plan includes high impact practices of recruitment by those who are inclusion training for search committees and minority Provide leadership and communicate commitment to members of the communities of students that we serve and we meet those students and their families where they are. This has been effective in recruiting representation on search committees. Research has diversity minority students. We have a proactive policy to recruit faculty and staff, which includes monitoring diversity at each step of the hiring process, suggested that increasing diversity is much more likely to diversity/inclusion training for search committees and minority representation on search committees. Research has suggested that increasing diversity is much more likely to happen under these conditions. CWU faculty are working on restructuring the general education program and are committed to happen under these conditions. CWU faculty are working diversity/inclusion as the basis for that restructure. Central Washington University has a training initiative that includes a multimodal approach to diversity on restructuring the general education program and are training. Elements of this initiative will be required starting the academic year 2016-2017. committed to diversity/inclusion as the basis for that University Diversity Goals as outlined in Strategic Plan restructure. Central Washington University has a training 1. Provide leadership and communicate commitment to diversity initiative that includes a multimodal approach to diversity 2. Attract and retain diverse student body training.

Elements of this initiative will be required 3. Attract and retain diverse faculty and staff 4. Encourage and sustain diverse curriculum starting the academic year 2016-2017.

5. Encourage and support welcoming environment for diversity Goal: Provide leadership and communicate commitment to diversity

2011 2012 Percent of Major units with diversity in strategic plan/mission/values

Data not available

2013

2014

Data Available at the College level.

67% of Colleges include diversity in mission statement/strategic plan/ values

Data Available at the College level

84% of Colleges include diversity in mission statement/strategic plans/values

Data Available at the College level

100% of Colleges include diversity in mission statement/strategic plans/values Admin 14% Deans 0 Departments 16% 33%

Percent of major units with diversity on their webpage

Data not available

Data not available

Data not available

Data Available at the College level

84% of Colleges include diversity in mission statement/strategic plans//values

Data not available

Percent of major units with diversity committees

Data not available

16%

16%

33%

2015

www.minorityaccess.org

29

COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES COMMITTED TO DIVERSITY There are 3 metrics to indicate leadership and commitment to diversity. Diversity built into the mission and strategic plan identifies diversity as a value to the unit, define diversity as a priority, set clear actions and assess diversity goals. A diversity statement on the main page of the website demonstrates a commitment to the public and potential students and their families, faculty, and staff members. Diversity committees demonstrate a proactive response to diversity issues.

Progress was made on all metrics except visible diversity statements on the websites, which is dismal in all areas.

Action Steps for 2015-2016 • Include these metrics in performance reviews of administrators including department chairs.

• Consult with units lacking these leadership metrics.

Attract and retain diverse student body Percentage of firsttime entering students

24%

29%

29%

31%

Percentage of transfer students

25%

28%

32%

28%

33% 30%

Retention Rate 09-10* 10-11* 11-12* 12-13* 13-14* st nd 1 /2 75.0 79.1 73.5 71.5 79.8 nd rd 2 /3 70.4 72.9 81.6 72.8 rd th 3 /4 N/A 90.3 93.9 Graduation Rates

First Year 7.2 (4) 15.7 (4) 12.4 (4)

Transfer (2015) 61.5 66.9 55.9 43.5 16.7 The measures for success are access, retention and graduation CWU”s position on increasing diversity indicates that a multicultural environment in a priority to the institution. A diverse inclusive environment improves the climate for all students (Hurtado, 2003). Central has increased their diversity by almost 10% over 5 years to 33% of our entering first year students and five percent of our transfer students at 30%. 58.6% of Washington state students attent college are students of color so it appears that we are getting a large percentage of those students. Over a five year period first year minority students are 4% less likely to be retained year to year than are their non-minority counterparts. This is being addressed through Student Success and we would expect the gap to decrease over the next 5 years. There has not been adequate time to assess the graduation trend as a result of the programs addressing the graduation gap for first year students who entered since 2010. A new metrics and targets will be identified after the final data set for Spring 2015.

Action Steps 2015-2016 • Identify metrics and targets for 5 year trends with Spring 2015 graduation data.

• Study sources of data for changing majors of students • Disaggregate data at the College and department level Attract and retain diverse faculty and staff Percent of faculty

2011

Full-Time T/TT 16%

2012

FT TT/T 16%

2013

FT TT/T 18%

2014

Full-Time: 15% Part Time: 4%

2015

Full Time: 15% Part Time: 7%

Percent of Exempt

15%

14%

15%

18%

20%

Percent of Classified

5%

7%

6%

8%

9%

Female and Underrepresented Tenure/Tenure track faculty continue to be underrepsented. A diverse faculty employes a more diverse set of pedagogical techniques that directly enrich the quality of education for all students. Role models for students who come from underrepresented backgrounds are lacking. Faculty members choose to leave the institution for a variety of reasons, research (Turner 2006; Turner & Meyers 2000) shows that underrepresented faculty will often leave an institutional due to the lack of support for diverse scholarship and service. Central has had a slight increase in non-tenure track faculty from underrepresented backgrounds but a decrease in faculty in T/TT positions.

Action Steps 1. Develop accountability measures for deans and chairs to building diverse faculty.

2. Develop recruitment and retention programs for faculty from underrepresented groups.

3. Provide support for diversity work in the T/TT evaluation processes.

Encourage and sustain diverse curriculum Number of courses catalog that indicate diversity Number of learning outcomes that indicate diversity

30

Minority Access, Inc.

80

82

84

90

91

N/A

N/A

N/A

N/A

N/A

YEAR 2016

Courses included diverse perspectives in class discussions

st

59% of 1 year students 67% of Seniors

2.4* Peers (2.6)

The number of courses related to diversity have increased over time but so have the number of courses. We don’t collect data in an effective way on addressing student learning outcomes that indicate diversity. In 2014 NSSE shows that we are significantly behind our peers in the inclusion of diversit in coursework.

Action Steps 1. Systematically collect data on SLO related to diversity issues.

2. Work to include diversity component in General Education.

Encourage and support welcoming environment for diversity Encouraged to work with people different from yourself

st

59% of 1 year students 59% of Seniors

Race/Ethnicity 2.9* Economic Bk 3.0* Religious/Political 2.9

Percentage of minority faculty feel supportive climate (COACHE)

N/A

N/A

N/A

N/A

Percentage of Administrators feel supportive climate

N/A

N/A

Faculty of Color not significantly different from other faculty on most responses in COACHE survey.

Not available

N/A

N/A

Percentage of staff feel supportive climate

N/A

N/A

Not Available

N/A

Data has not been collected on these metrices. Another way that an institutional commitment to diversity is reflected in the presence an viability of research on diverse communities, insitutes that support diversity research, grants that focus on diversity issues, and major lectures that focus on diversity issues. This results in an increased knowledge about scholarship and increased learning about diversity among the university community. There has been

progress on inviting speakers that are addressing these issues, there is a university focus on “Mass Incarceration� providing a number of public speaking opportunities. There has been no progress on the other metrices. We are significantly lower in student interaction with others different than themselves in terms of race/ethnicity/social class than our Far West peers but not significantly different than our carnegie class.

Action Steps 1. Develop research institute with faculty WLU assignment that focuses on research addressing underrepresented group issues, including race, ethnicity, culture, sexuality, gender and gender identity, age, disability, religion, and natonality.

2. Encourage department to request funds to recruit, develop and retain minority faculty in their departments.

www.minorityaccess.org

31

COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES COMMITTED TO DIVERSITY

Cuyahoga Community College Cuyahoga Community College (Tri-C), Ohio’s oldest and largest public community college, remains committed to a diverse and inclusive environment for faculty, staff, and students. These commitments are moral imperatives consistent with an intellectual community that celebrates individual differences and meaningful individual freedom to pursue professional and educational goals.

Tri-C is honored to be one of the nation’s 200 community college “Achieve the Dream” higher education institutions. Truly committed to embracing the “Achieve the Dream” mission of improving the skills, employability and economic growth of students, Tri-c has elected as one of its foci the success and completion of it’s low-income, first-generation, and underrepresented students. The following best practices are currently being employed in order to impact student success.

Access & Completion • Tri-C remains ever committed to being an open access institution with a commitment to recruiting exceptional Northeast Ohio students. We currently utilize community outreach efforts, on-site high school admission fairs in diverse communities, on-campus diversity events, community college-bridge programs, social media outreach, pre-college-programs and scholarships to recruit low-income, first-generation, underrepresented students.

• Tri-C is delighted to announce its new First Year Experience (FYE). It’s customized to help students start their Tri-C career on the right path. There are four major goals for FYE:

── Connect with College personnel, resources, and peers to build a campus community and support system; ── Engage in the College community and be responsible for learning and development;

── New Student Orientation introduces students to Tri-C policies, procedures and resources; ── New Student Convocation is a celebration of the start of students’ Tri-C journey and a formal introduction to the campus community; ── First Year Success Seminar is a one-credit course that develops lifelong learning skills and connects students to College resources; ── Fast Forward is Tri-C’s foundational learning program in math and/or English; ── Bridges are intensive courses designed to help students complete their math or English requirements FASTER and with greater SUCCESS! • The college is just as vigilant in its retention efforts as it is in its recruitment of students. To improve the retention and graduation rates of historically underrepresented students (i.e., African-American, Latino/Hispanic, and Native American) we have a strategic college-wide retention plan, as well as, scholarships, supplemental instruction, free tutoring, culturally relevant advising (e.g., advising that takes identity into account), early warning academic system, and summer bridge programs.

── Mentoring Programs match students with faculty and staff to provide personalized support and connection to campus resources. Particular focus has been on low- income and first generation African-American and Hispanic students who are more likely to enter college academically underprepared. Benefits of the mentoring program include the following; ■■ ■■

── Plan a course sequence for degree completion; and

■■

── Succeed by acquiring the necessary skills, habits and resources to achieve goals.

■■

• FYE is customized to meet each student’s needs, and

32

may include the following:

Minority Access, Inc.

■■

Increased personal and academic confidence; Guidance to maintain enrollment and academic goals; Connections with referrals to college resources; Proactive intervention to help avoid academic problems; Contacts in the local community for direct services.

YEAR 2016

── Underrepresented student clubs have also proven to be beneficial in our student retention efforts.

We currently have the following active student clubs: ■■ ■■ ■■ ■■ ■■ ■■ ■■ ■■ ■■ ■■ ■■ ■■

ASL (American Sign Language) Circle K International Focus on Christ Bible Study Club International Club Japanese Culture Club Living Water Ministry Club LAMBDA Gay-Straight Alliance Multicultural Club Philosophy and Religious Studies Forum Student Peace Alliance Sustained Dialogue Veterans Today

Diversity & Inclusion • Tri-C continues to strategically advertise in diverse publications in order to increase its workforce diversity representation college-wide. The college also continues to utilize college-wide relationships established by our faculty, staff, and ERG’s to recruit and hire a diverse workforce.

• The college recently made available to all its search committees newly created diversity • related interview questions. The questions are in an administrative, management, and frontline hierarchical format with varying degrees of expectations related to cultural competence and overall engagement.

• New Employee orientation is used to introduce all new employees to the College expectations related to diversity and inclusion.

• The College considers the invaluable work of our ERG’s to be one of the reasons it’s able to retain its student and workforce diversity. The ERG’s below are instrumental in the professional development of employees, as well as, the engagement of students.

The following ERG’s are currently active college-wide:

── Hispanic Council ── LGBTQ/Ally Council ── Veteran

Training & Dialogue • Cuyahoga Community college continues to be the only community college in the United States with a Sustained Dialogue Network (SDN) program. SDN is a student led initiative designed to allow students to weigh-in on diversity and inclusivity efforts, accomplishments, and challenges college-wide.

• Diversity & Inclusivity Professional Development— The College continues to foster professional development by offering a plethora of face-to-face and online diversity, civility, sexual harassment and Title IX training opportunities for administration, faculty, staff and students.

Awards • Post its 2014 induction into the Greater Cleveland Partnership, Commission on Economic Inclusion Hall of Fame Tri-C continues to make strides in the area of diversity and inclusion. Tri-C continues to be committed to maintaining its diverse and inclusive senior management and workforce environment. Tri-C recently was honored to be selected Greater Cleveland Partnership class of 2015.

• Tri-C has been honored to be recognized for the fourth year in a row with the Higher Education Excellence in Diversity Award (HEED). Specific attention was given to its commitment to support employees and students with following initiatives: 1) Inclusivity Advisory Council (IAC); 2) Sustained Dialogue; 3) Diversity Speaker Series; and 4) Diversity Training; 5) Diversity Recruitment & Retention.

── Black American Council

www.minorityaccess.org

33

COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES COMMITTED TO DIVERSITY

Eastern Kentucky University EKU is committed to the success of all students who choose to matriculate at our university. To increase the graduation and retention rates of underrepresented minorities we have established several initiatives which are listed below:  Created and hired five critical positions including a Diversity Recruiter, Assistant Director for Diverse Student Retention, Director of Student Success, Life Skills Coach and Director of Multi Cultural Affairs;  BRIDGE program - This initiative is designed for students who need extra preparation. It is operated in the summer and fall semester of each academic year;

 Scholarships (Diversity Office Scholarships, Rodney Gross, Call Me Mister, MERR, Trailblazer) These initiatives not only provide additional financial support for underrepresent students but also engage the students in workshops, tutoring study hours and mentoring; and  Mentoring opportunities with the BMW (Black Males Working) and Black Achievers organizations.

We are noticing an upward trend in our retention rates for fall 2016 for those students engaged in our initiatives.

Some of our more significant results are listed below:

 Mid-Term Recovery and Probation workshops – These initiatives identify students early in the semester who may need additional support and provide them the assistance needed to be successful;

Initiative

Retention Rate

Freshman Academy

83.7%

Rodney Gross

81.0%

 Freshman Academy - This initiative is designed to build a culture of achievement and promote retention of diverse students through faculty/staff – student pair mentoring;

Colonel Camp

79.1%

 GLIMPSE program – This 2-day regional student-centered conference brings students of color together for a series of workshops given from different professionals on campus;  Latino Multicultural Fair – This collaborative event brings high school juniors and seniors on campus to recruit them as future students and share with them the resources available;  EKU Diverse Student day – This event brings local high school seniors who have been admitted to EKU on campus so they can get a better idea of the support and financial resources available to them;  Student Success Center Gurus and Ambassadors – Tutors who reach out specifically to underrepresented students;

34

Minority Access, Inc.

YEAR 2016

Edward Via College of Osteopathic Medicine The Edward Via College of Osteopathic Medicine (VCOM) has a consistent history of actively recruiting and providing a positive social and academic environment for otherwise underrepresented minorities. Not only does VCOM enroll a high percentage of minority students, but it also strives to provide improved health care access to medically underserved populations, In fact, the college’s mission is to prepare globally minded, communityfocused physicians for the rural and medically underserved areas of Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina and the Appalachian Region, and to improve human health especially of those most in need.

VCOM currently has campuses in Blacksburg, Virginia; Spartanburg, South Carolina, and the most recent Auburn University that opened August 2015.

VCOM recruits and educates a diverse student body to meet the needs of an increasingly diverse society.

Over the past eleven years since the first class was recruited, underrepresented minorities (including African Americans, Blacks, Hispanics, Latinos, mixed minorities, and Native Americans) have comprised 13% of the student body, increasing to 14.5% over the past five years. In 2013 VCOM added a scholarship for qualifying students from Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU).

VCOM admissions staff frequently recruits at HBCUs and educational institutions serving Latinos and other minorities. At the 2013 Minority Access Conference, six articulation agreements with HBCUs were established.

Since that time, there have been campus visits and follow up; and we anticipate further developments as a result of our collaborative work together.

VCOM has specific programs to recruit minorities and rural Appalachian students. Each year, the SEE program brings at-risk students from rural and medically underserved areas for Anatomy Camp. An academically gifted program provides students from over 20 rural schools in Southwest Virginia with an experience on the (Virginia) medical campus for a day.

The largest and most comprehensive recruitment initiative

is a year-long Certificate Program for student who have completed a B.S. but who have not matriculated to medical school. It assists high academic ability students from rural and minority populations who needed additional preparation to improve their GPA or MCAT scores and complete upper level science courses before further pursuing higher education in health-related fields.

Most graduates of the Certificate Program have been successful in gaining admission to medical school or having the opportunity to select from a range of health careers.

VCOM is a nationally recognized medical school that provides a positive environment, support system and curriculum geared toward facilitating the success of underrepresented minorities in medical school. From recruiting and admission through graduation and beyond, VCOM has a carefully designed educational infrastructure to provide a rich service-oriented learning experience for underrepresented minorities.

VCOM’s International and Appalachian Outreach global health program has continued to grow and expand each year to provide more medical students with medical skills, exposure and cultural competencies for compassionate and altruistic care of underserved populations in the US and abroad. In collaboration with in-country hosts, VCOM operates three year-round clinics in El Salvador, Honduras, and the Dominican Republic to meet the medical needs of impoverished populations. The clinics serve as extensions of the VCOM campus. Students acquire additional medical education, participate in research and develop clinical skills in a cross-cultural environment, while orphanages, rural villages, and other underserved populations gain better access to health care. Each year, over 250 second year medical students participate in week-long medical outreach trips to these clinics, and over 100 complete month-long underserved care medical rotations. These experiences equip physicians with cultural skills and unique exposure that enhance their medical abilities and perspective regardless of where they end up practicing.

VCOM offers cultural sensitivity training on campus and

www.minorityaccess.org

35

COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES COMMITTED TO DIVERSITY

through interactive video conferencing. Courses include a Medical Spanish Language and Cultural Awareness class and a Global Seminar on Health and the Environment, which incorporates live interactive video conferencing with medical schools in the Dominican Republic, El Salvador and the Dominican Republic. Student outcome measures show significant educational gains in cultural diversity.

VCOM provides public health Appalachian Outreach programs to underserved populations. First year students participate in regional free clinics and shelters serving the uninsured, in mini-medical school educational events at over 15 rural high schools and in other community events. Third and fourth year medical students participate in clinical education in rural and medically underserved communities during rotations in hospitals throughout the Appalachian region. VCOM recruits from culturally diverse populations, trains in the rural and medically underserved areas, and provides an incentive that returns graduates to those regions.

VCOM Alumni continue their affiliation with VCOM by serving as mentors internationally during medical outreach trips and working at VCOM international clinics.

The “VCOM Global Physician� initiative, launched in 2014, recognizes VCOM alumni and friends who serve abroad to mentor underrepresented minority VCOM students and meet needs in underserved populations.

Over 60 alumni have registered for the program.

VCOM faculty and students make presentations at leading national and international professional meetings to

36

Minority Access, Inc.

report on the minority access activities. VCOM typically presents at national HBCU conferences and career fairs.

The college has received several recognitions and awards related to cultural diversity and access, including the Minority Access Inc. award for five consecutive years and recognition as one of the Top Medical Schools for Hispanic Medical Students for five consecutive years (ranking between 10th and 13th in the country) by the Hispanic Business Journal. In addition, VCOM is one of the few medical schools to receive the Presidential Honor Role for Outreach; now for 3 consecutive years.

Accomplishments include outreach to underserved and diverse populations where VCOM faculty and student doctors provide medical care access and diverse experiences in medical education.

The college has a unique curriculum and outreach program, providing such innovative approaches as live video conference-based instruction with medical schools in foreign countries and continuous care through yearround, sustainable health clinics in three countries where both students and faculty can engage in outreach as well as research.

In summary, VCOM has a comprehensive program to recruit, educate, mentor and provide opportunities for underrepresented minority populations while concurrently serving populations with high medical needs.

YEAR 2016

Excelsior College As expressed in our Diversity and Inclusion Statement, “We see Excelsior College as a place where all students, faculty, and staff are valued. We celebrate the many commonalities we share as well as the variety of cultural and other experiences and resources which sustains our competitive advantage and enhances our College Community.” To support this mission, our President’s Committee on Inclusion (PCI) works to promote diversity and inclusion through ongoing assessment, encouraging leadership buy-in, regular communication to staff, and educational programming.

In April 2014, we developed and conducted a social climate assessment survey which covered the areas of work balance, professional learning, development and advancement, management and leadership, workforce diversity, and inclusive organizational culture. These areas were identified through several targeted focus groups to elicit feedback from staff in multiple departments, levels, races/ethnicities, and sexual orientations. The social climate assessment results were analyzed by Hanover Research and recommendations were provided

by Cora Group, Inc. These recommendations were the basis for developing the Fiscal Year 2014-2015 PCI strategic plan. One of the ways PCI addressed some of the recommendations included the creation of a subcommittee to review HR policies and programs for their impact on inclusiveness and the social climate of the institution. The committee made several recommendations to the Office of Human Resources. One of the results included improved accommodations for staff who are nursing mothers.

A continuing focus for the President’s Committee on Inclusion has been to encourage leadership commitment and improve communication around the business and moral case for diversity an inclusion. PCI’s Senior Leadership Advisory Council, whose membership included the Chief of Staff, a Dean, and three of the College’s Vice Presidents, created a direct connection between the committee and college leadership. The Board of Trustees also received information on our activities, including video recorded conversations around the plan to address the climate survey recommendations. Newly

created diversity and inclusion awards also placed a spotlight on the contributions to the mission by staff at an annual college-wide event which is attended by a number of Board members.

Internal staff also received educational and informational communication, which has improved significantly over the last several years. The staff newsletter included regular segments called “Eye on Diversity” which covered news stories like the Supreme Court decision on samesex marriage, and information on local activities like the Iroquois Indian Museum and the Women’s Health and Economic Empowerment Summit. The segment honored Women’s History Month, Celebrate Diversity Month, Black History Month, National Disabilities Employment Awareness Month, National Hispanic Heritage Month, and a variety of holidays. PCI also produced a video and publication commemorating its 10 year anniversary, honoring the work that has been done, and celebrating the staff’s commitment to inclusion and the many ways in which we are diverse.

Excelsior College has been committed to providing educational programming to its staff and the College community. In July 2014, we launched our chapter of Lean In Circles, from a national program working to promote the development of women leaders and in peer mentoring to overcome unconscious bias in the workplace. With nearly sixty members, Circles gives staff safe spaces in the workplace and helps break down silos and promote collaboration. We also celebrated National Disabilities Awareness Month with an event on the use and training of service dogs. We partnered with our PBS affiliate to screen the film Limited Partnership, with a panel discussion on same-sex marriage and health issues in the LGBTQ community. Most recently, an Excelsior College staff member presented his work founding the Ethnos Project, which explores the intersection of technology and indigeneity.

www.minorityaccess.org

37

COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES COMMITTED TO DIVERSITY

Florida Atlantic University Florida Atlantic University’s (FAU) Office of Diversity and Multicultural Affairs (ODMA) promote the academic and personal growth of traditionally underserved students.

The office collaborates with the campus community to create an institutional and community climate of social justice. We promote access and equity in higher education and offer programs that foster and sustain an environment that promotes academic excellence, values difference and inclusiveness, and educates the campus about diversity. In addition, we incorporate student learning and development; enhance student overall educational experiences; provide access to academic, social, cultural, and recreational activities; and provide opportunities for intentional interaction, engagement, and integration.

We remain current on student issues, concerns, professional practices, and expectations by participating in local and national staff development programs and activities. We actively seek opportunities to cultivate relationships, develop common goals and engage in partnerships that enhance our students holistically. We also incorporate student feedback and current research to create, refine and provide distinctive programs and services that are data driven. FAU maintains institutional memberships with NASPA and HACU and is recognized as a minority serving institution. FAU has long ranked as the most racially, ethnically and culturally diverse institution in Florida’s State University System.

The Office of Diversity and Multicultural Affairs is the hub for programs and services related to diversity and multiculturalism, interfaith, LGBTQA, and multicultural student organizations. Our services include diversity and multicultural competence training such as: Campus of Difference, Safe Zone Ally Training, and a number of specialized cultural competence workshops. Most recently, FAU designated gender neutral and gender neutral/family restrooms throughout the campus. In addition, ODMA provides traditionally underserved students with valuable resources such as the Book Loan Program, which lend books to qualified students who demonstrate financial need and our Reading Circles which explore and discuss an array of diverse topics. We also provide referral services to counseling, advising, tutoring,

38

Minority Access, Inc.

life coaching, and career coaching.

The Office of Diversity and Multicultural Affairs partners with departments throughout the university in order to offer students varied experiences. One example is our partnership with AGORA; a department designed to promote appreciation and demonstration of the importance of civility and civil discourse. ODMA and AGORA sponsor University Town Hall Meetings related to topical issues that impact traditionally underserved students. University Town Hall Meetings are open to the university community at large and are intended to promote a university climate of social justice and understanding.

Lastly, the Office of Diversity and Multicultural Affairs provides students with several avenues for intentional interaction, engagement, and integration. Our LGBTQA and Kaleidoscope Resource Centers provide students a safe and welcoming place to congregate, study, and seek resources specific to their needs. The resource centers come equipped with computers, DVDs, and reading materials. ODMA serves as the advisory team of our multicultural student organizations and sponsors and co-sponsors an array of multicultural and interfaith programs. Signature events include our MLK Banquet, “Diversitas”, “Dialogues on Diversity” Speaker Series, Lavender Graduation, and Spirituality Day. ODMA also has a number of external partners that help us promote civic responsibility through unique service learning and volunteer opportunities as well as internships and student employment. We are currently working on the development of an educational enhancement program specifically for first-generation underserved students.

YEAR 2016

Hamilton University Welcome to the Office of Institute Diversity “ In the years ahead, we must continue to enhance a culture of collegiality, close collaboration, global perspective, intercultural sensitivity and respect and thoughtful interaction among a community of scholars that includes all of our students, faculty, and staff.”

—Georgia Tech Strategic Plan

The Office of Institute Diversity provides Institute leadership to establish priorities, policies, and programs that support our mission as a leading technological university in the 21st century.

Institute Diversity works with the executive leadership team of the Institute to ensure that we recruit, develop, retain, and engage a diverse cadre of students, faculty, and staff with a wide variety of backgrounds, perspectives, interests, and talents who will contribute to our mission and vision.

Institute Diversity also works with campus leaders to ensure that our core values of diversity, equity, and inclusion are embedded in equal opportunity and nondiscrimination practices. A strong partnership with the Offices of Human Resources, Legal Affairs, and the Division of Student Affairs ensures our compliance with all federal and state laws regarding Equal Opportunity, Title IX, and The Americans with Disabilities Act.

ADVANCE Professorships, which work to enhance gender diversity in the faculty, and The Center for Women, Science, and Technology (WST), co-directed by three faculty members. WST links the study of science and technology to those of gender, culture, and society, connecting faculty and students in research partnerships.

Institute Diversity is also addressing issues of student diversity and inclusion. Currently, two units, OMED Education Services and the Office of Hispanic Initiatives, address academic transitions and success (retention and graduation) for women and historically underserved and underrepresented populations.

Georgia Tech’s global and diverse community is a microcosm of the city of Atlanta, a thriving metropolis with more than five million residents. Serving as the headquarters for 10 Fortune 500 companies, Atlanta is a modern, international city full of opportunity. People from all over the world are proud to call Atlanta and Georgia Tech, home.

To learn more about Institute Diversity, please visit diversity.gatech.edu.

Institute Diversity oversees the six Georgia Tech

www.minorityaccess.org

39

COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES COMMITTED TO DIVERSITY

Howard University Since its inception, Howard University has established itself as a beacon of change, even when it was not popular to do so. Especially controversial was Howard’s posture that it was neither a white nor a Black institution, but the nation’s only integrated university. The day-to-day operation and environment of Howard University may be characterized as a rich tapestry of diversity. With over 10,000 students, from across the nation, there is not one state that has not had a resident attend Howard University. More than 88 countries are represented with large numbers of international students coming from Africa, the Caribbean, Asia, Europe, Latin America, etc. We have students representing different socioeconomic backgrounds, regions, religions, belief systems, sexual orientations and cultures and experiences.

The University’s commitment to diversity has been exhibited through its hiring practices for faculty and staff throughout its history, and its recruitment of students from the very start. Howard University students and employees have always included both people of color and Caucasians from around the globe.

Boasting more than 200 student organizations, scholars are encouraged to share their interests with each other and the rest of the campus. A select few are listed below: Religious: Adventist Student Organization; Alpha Nu Omega Sorority, Inc. (Christian); Alpha Omega Steppers for Christ; Andrew Rankin Liturgical Dance Ministry; Bethel Campus Fellowship (Christian); Muslim Students’ Association; Nation of Islam Student Association (N.O.I.S.A.); Secular Students at Howard University (SSHU); Society of Holistic Living and Meditation (SHLM).

Cultural/International: African Law Student Association (ALSA); African Students Association; Black Professionals in International Affairs (BPIA); Cimarrones (Afro-Latin); Howard University German Club (Providing Howard students with a forum to engage in discussions/ activities pertaining to Germanic cultures & the German language.); Japanese Culture Club (HUJCC); Kwame Ture Society; The Ethiopian Health Profession Students’ Assoc.

40

Minority Access, Inc.

Regional: Baltimore Club; California Student Association; Caribbean Students Association; Chicago People’s Union; Delaware Club; Georgia Club; Howard University Alabama Club; Howard University Tennessee Club (HUTN); Louisiana Club; Michigan Club; New Jersey Club; Ohio Club; Tennessee Club; Texas Club; Virginia Club.

Social/Political: Coalition of Activist Students Celebrating the Acceptance of Diversity and Equality (C.A.S.C.A.D.E); Ubiquity, Inc. (Ubiquity, Inc.) -oldest Pan-African organization.

Political: College Democrats of America; National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP); National Council of Negro Women (NCNW).

Academic: Beta Kappa Chi National Scientific Honor Society (provide a venue for minority scientist); D-Company: National Scabbard & Blade, 9th Regiment (joint service honor society that unites cadets and midshipmen from over the nation in military excellence.)

Howard is a diverse university serving a diverse community. Howard University offers over 100 programs, services and activities that are available to the public.

These include: career counseling, development and exploration programs; consumer services; cultural, recreational and athletic programs; health education, screening and clinical services; and activities with the District of Columbia Public Schools.

Howard University has and continues to enrich the lives of its student body, the community and the world.

Moreover, the University is dedicated to attracting and sustaining a cadre of faculty who are, through their teaching, research and service, committed to the development of distinguished, historically aware, and compassionate graduates and to the discovery of solutions to human problems in the United States and throughout the world. With an abiding interest in both domestic and international affairs, the University is committed to continuing to produce leaders for America and the global community.

YEAR 2016

Livingstone College Livingstone College is a private historically black institution that is secured by a strong commitment to quality instruction. Through a Christian-based environment suitable for learning, Livingstone College provides excellent liberal arts and religious education programs for students from all ethnic backgrounds designed to develop their potential for leadership and service to a global community. Its mission today remains faithful to its legacy of providing educational access and opportunities to underrepresented students. Yet, over decades sought increasingly to expand the diversity of its student population and its curriculum to address global economic and workplace demands. Research data collected by the college indicates a significant percentage of its students represent the first members of their families to be admitted to and enrolled in college. An equally significant number of students disclose household incomes at or near poverty levels.

The Holistic College Program, created and developed

by President Jimmy Jenkins to address these issues, is a first-year retention model that strives to fulfill an aspect of the institutional mission to improve the likelihood of student success from the first year to graduation. The Holistic College Program utilizes a multidisciplinary approach created to establish what is defined by the president as a total learning environment. The president introduced eight holistic learning modules to help improve student retention and persistence to degree. The learning modules require competence in the following areas: (a) health, wellness, and fitness; (b) political action and social responsibility; (c) public service and service learning; (d) cultural and social awareness; (e) debt management and philanthropy; (f) organizational leadership; (g) technology; and (h) faith-based strategies.

www.minorityaccess.org

41

COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES COMMITTED TO DIVERSITY

Metropolitan State University- Minnesota

Mission Statement Metropolitan State University is a comprehensive urban university committed to meeting the higher education needs of the Twin Cities and greater metropolitan population. The university will provide accessible, highquality liberal arts, professional and graduate education to the citizens and communities of the metropolitan area, with continued emphasis on underserved groups, including adults and communities of color. Within the context of lifelong learning, the University will build upon its national reputation for innovative studentcentered programs that enable students from diverse backgrounds to achieve their educational goals. The University is committed to academic excellence and community partnerships through the curriculum, teaching, scholarship, and services designed to support an urban mission.

Vision Statement Metropolitan State University, a member of the Minnesota State Colleges and Universities system, will be the premier urban, public, comprehensive system University

42

Minority Access, Inc.

in the Twin Cities metropolitan area and will provide high quality, affordable educational programs, and services in a student-centered environment. The faculty, staff, and students of Metropolitan state will reflect the area’s rich diversity, build a culturally competent and anti-racist learning community, and demonstrate an unwavering commitment to civic engagement.

Background Metropolitan State University was founded to meet the needs of underserved populations within the Twin Cities metropolitan area. The University’s mission, vision, and core values call for the University to meet the needs of all students, regardless of race, ethnicity, sex, gender identity, physical ability, or other characteristics that result in oppressive treatment by society more generally.

We have an explicit commitment to anti-racism and to serving students from the historically underrepresented and American Indian communities. We serve those who are not traditionally well-served by higher education in a manner that is inclusive, engaged, respectful, and equitable.

YEAR 2016

The University’s commitment, consistent with the mission and vision of the institution, to “achieve an antiracist workplace and learning environment where all members of the University community have the opportunity to thrive.”

Our commitment to community engagement is evident in our mission, programming, and curriculum. At Metropolitan State a philosophy of engagement means cultivating an environment where students have the opportunity to experience an institution as part of the urban community.

Engaged classes offer coursework that takes students beyond the classroom and into the community, for hands-on, experiential learning. Each campus location serves as a resource to the neighborhood that hosts it, both as a gathering place and center of knowledge. And through partnerships, Metropolitan State allows students to interact with a sweeping scope of organizations, from homeless shelters all the way up through Fortune 500 corporations.

Our students receive an education that extends beyond the walls of the university, gaining valuable insights and experiences that have a deep impact on their lives.

Profile

As part of our commitment to diversity, our University Diversity Committee serves to provide input and direction on policy and curricula matters. Our AntiRacism Leadership Team provides awareness training and professional development to Faculty and Staff.

Metropolitan State Univerity is proud to be a candidate for the 2016 Minority Access Institutional award and is uniquely qualified given our mission, vision, profile, and the communities we serve. We are passionate student access to educational resources and our expectations for learning, including a Race Issues Graduation Requirements (RIGR) as part of our curriculum help ensure students are better prepared for their future’s.

All new or readmitted undergraduate students admitted fall 2016 or later must complete an approved learning experience (at least 3 credits) with a significant focus on race and racism to graduate with a bachelor’s degree from the University. Additional information concerning our RIGR program may be fund at http://www.metrostate.edu/ student/course-info/course-info/racial-issues-graduationrequirement

The Metropolitan State University web page is located at http://www.metrostate.edu/

• Students served: 11,580 • Full-time students: 35.6% • Part-time students: 64.4% • Women: 54.6% • Men: 42.7% • Historically underrepresented students including students from Native American communities: 46% • Transfer students: 97%. 2/3 come from Metro Alliance colleges • Science students from communities of color: 47% • STEM students from communities of color: 38% • Faculty of Color: 26%

www.minorityaccess.org

43

COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES COMMITTED TO DIVERSITY

Michigan State University Michigan State University is one of the top research universities in the world, on one of the biggest, greenest campuses in the country.

Michigan State University Spartans work every day to advance the common good in uncommon ways. The nation’s pioneer land-grant university, MSU began as a bold experiment that helped democratize higher education. Today, the university is home to a diverse community of dedicated students and scholars, athletes and artists, scientists and leaders and offers nationally ranked and recognized academic, residential college, and service-learning programs. MSU leads the nation in study abroad participation among public universities and provides students with opportunities to work side-by-side with faculty on research and creative projects that help provide solutions to the big problems of our time, from Michigan to Malawi.

MSU’s Diversity Resources Diversity in Michigan State University’s faculty, staff, and students is a major source of the university’s vitality and innovative spirit. Always striving to be a community where people of different cultures, intellectual positions, and lifestyles can reach their full potential, many resources are available to support MSU’s students.

The Office for Inclusion and Intercultural Initiatives serves as the University’s focal point for promoting inclusion and diversity at Michigan State. In addition to providing leadership and support for university-wide initiatives on inclusive excellence, a staff of experts work diligently to facilitate and support a campus environment that provides students, faculty, and staff with opportunities for excellence.

The Office of Cultural and Academic Transitions constructs supportive social and educational communities that actively involve students in learning by bringing together individuals and groups from diverse racial, ethnic, international, and domestic backgrounds.

The Office for International Students and Scholars supports international students on campus and provides guidance to the university’s international student clubs.

44

Minority Access, Inc.

The Women’s Resource Center provides resources, programs, and advocates for women’s issues on campus.

The Alliance of Lesbian, Bisexual, Gay, Transgendered and Straight Ally Students strives to create an environment at MSU supportive of all people, regardless of sexual orientation or gender identity.

The LBGT Resource Center leads and collaborates on university-wide initiatives that enhance campus climate and academic and support services for students who identify as lesbian, bisexual, gay, transgender and/or transsexual, and their communities.

The MSU Family Resource Center helps students and families in their balance of work, educational and family responsibilities.

Unit/Departmental Initiatives The College of Agriculture and Natural Resources, Office of Organization and Professional Development for Diversity and Pluralism (ODP) “Creating and sustaining an accessible, inclusive and supportive community.”

The vision of the Office of Organization and Professional Development for Diversity and Pluralism (ODP) is that it will serve as a resource that faculty, staff and graduate students within the units of the College of Agriculture and Natural Resources (CANR) use to develop intentional efforts to recruit and retain diverse faculty, staff and graduate students to enhance teaching, research and extension.

The ODP Office sponsors The Opening Doors Diversity Workshop annually. Opening Doors is an overnight three (3) day retreat that lays the foundation for personal and organizational growth. Through this workshop, participants explore a framework that deepens their diversity awareness and enhances their ability to create inclusive organizations. The workshop addresses personal and professional change as part of an understanding differences initiative of multicultural organizational development.

Minorities in Agriculture, Natural Resources and Related

YEAR 2016

Sciences (MANRRS), and its MSU Roots: In 1985, a van load of students who were members in the student organization Minorities in Agriculture & Natural Resources Association (MANRA) at Michigan State University (MSU) traveled to The Pennsylvania State University to meet with a student Organization called Minorities in Agriculture (MIA).

Dr. Eunice Foster traveled with them as the faculty adviser of what at that time was the Department of Crop & Soil Sciences at MSU. Marquita Chamblee, a doctoral student and staff member in the College of Agriculture at Penn State was the MIA adviser. The students wanted to interact with each other regarding the various aspects of being students in colleges of agriculture and natural resources.

The College of Human Medicine The College of Human Medicine currently educates more than 600 medical students, more than half of whom are women. The diversity of the College of Human Medicine class is in the top 10 percent of medical schools in the nation.

The College of Engineering, Diversity Programs Office Since its inception in 1968, the Diversity Programs Office (DPO) has positively impacted the academic, professional, and personal growth of tens of thousands of underrepresented minority students through a range of programs. The DPO programs and services offered include EGR 160, The Guided Learning Center, Academic skills development, Supplemental Advising, Undergraduate scholarships, Affiliation with National Minority Engineering Programs, Student volunteer opportunities, Peer Mentorship Program and Student Organizations.

College of Law At MSU Law, one of the founding principles of the

Diversity Services Office is that there is something about each individual in the law college family that contributes to the diversity of our institution. Our goal is to have each member of the MSU Law family celebrate the triple “A� mission of the Diversity Services Office: accepting, appreciating, and achieving diversity through The Diversity Consortium, The Diversity Assistance Fund and Student organization diversity national/regional conference and officer sponsorships.

The College of Business The college has multicultural business programs that help improve the recruitment, retention, and graduation rate of multicultural students. The programs are funded by corporate gifts and supports and employs about 650 students. There is also an early intervention, week-long residential program.

College of Osteopathic Medicine OsteoCHAMPS introduces high school students to healthrelated careers College of Veterinary Medicine The College offers programs such as VetWard Bound and Office of Diversity Programs. The Vetward Bound Program is designed to assist disadvantaged students seeking a career in the veterinary medical profession.

The program’s mission is to increase the representation of educationally, economically, culturally disadvantaged persons ready for entrance into the professional program in the College of Veterinary Medicine. The program fosters recruitment, retention services and collaborative relationships with other MSU institutional programs to strengthen mentoring and academic assistance.

Participating students receive academic advising, career/ general counseling, and assistance in preparing for standardized tests, supplemental instructional support, and opportunities to gain exposure to the veterinary profession. In addition, special seminars and summer enrichment programs are offered.

Peer and Mentor Programs Native American Institute The mission of the Native American Institute (NAI) is to:

www.minorityaccess.org

45

COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES COMMITTED TO DIVERSITY

• provide training, technical assistance, research, and educational assistance to Native American Tribes and organizations in Michigan.

• serve Michigan officials and lawmakers by offering periodic information on policy alternatives regarding Indian issues.

• promote and enhance the public’s knowledge and awareness of Michigan Indian communities, initiatives, history, and culture.

African Student’s Union ASU is an innovative student organization at Michigan State University with the grand mission of preparing future leaders who will serve the African continent and help relieve it from the socio-political and economic crises that ravaged its member states for a period of more than 300 years.

Realizing that African problems surpassed the political liberation from colonial occupation, we, the students of African descent, studying at Michigan State University, believe that the real liberation of the continent is vested in the mindset of the youth and prospective leaders. To this end, our vision of a peaceful, prosperous and healthy Africa can be nurtured by actively engaging in the war of the mind seeking to change attitudes of self-hatred and encouraging pan-African unity within the spirit of African Renaissance and self-sustainable development.

The objectives of the ASU are to foster pan-African unity, promote Afro-centric intellectual orientation and to direct out energies in shaping intellectuals who will in future work toward socio-economic, politico-cultural and spiritual rebirth of the peoples of Africa.

Chicano/Latino Studies Program The Chicano/Latino Studies Program at Michigan State University serves both scholarly and community needs. Its academics include an undergraduate specialization and a PhD program.

46

Minority Access, Inc.

Black Student Alliance The Black Student Alliance seeks to assist students in gaining a better awareness of issues that affect them and the community around them. In turn, BSA also seeks to make faculty, staff, and administrators aware of the conditions, issues, and needs of Black students at MSU in order to assure their success as students.

Migrant Student Services The Michigan State University College Assistance Migrant Scholars Program (MSU CAMP) is an educational program that offers individuals with migrant or seasonal farm work backgrounds, a unique opportunity to begin an undergraduate program in MSU. This program offers the best conditions in order to help our students. Funded by the U.S. Department of Education, Michigan State University’s College Assistance Migrant Program was initiated in 2000 and is a unique program designed to service incoming migrant and seasonal farm worker students at Michigan State University.

This initiative was established to identify, recruit, admit, and enroll migrant and seasonal farm worker students and provide them academic, social, and financial support to enable them to complete their first year of college.

YEAR 2016

Mississippi State University Mississippi State University (MSU) is home to more than 20,000 students and more than 4,400 employees. The main campus is located in the eastern part of north-central Mississippi, but the university maintains a presence throughout the state through its Meridian Campus, four strategically located research and extension centers, and branches of the Mississippi Agricultural and Forestry Experiment Station and offices of the MSU Extension Service throughout Mississippi. A comprehensive, doctoral degree-granting university, MSU is designated RU/VH: Research University (very high research activity) by the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching, and is among the first one hundred universities in the nation in research and development in the sciences and engineering. MSU is a land-grant institution and is accredited by the Commission on Colleges of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools to award baccalaureate, master’s, specialist, and doctoral degrees.

As a land-grant institution, MSU is dedicated to three broad purposes—learning, research, and service.

The University is a place where people from different cultures and experiences learn together, given that its employees and students represent about 70 different countries. Understanding and respecting these differences is critical in order for the University to be a place of open-minded inquiry. In challenging the boundaries of knowledge, we include and value all members of our community. MSU strives to be a leader in higher education regarding diversity and the creation of a campus culture of inclusion.

Initiatives and Management Tools MSU’s commitment to diversity means a commitment to inclusion, encompassing the various characteristics of the people in our community. The University currently has in place initiatives and management tools that address diversity and inclusiveness and encourage all students and employees to participate in programs and initiatives that will continue to increase their cultural awareness.

Initiatives In the fall of 2014, minority students composed of approximately 25 percent of MSU’s student population.

The minority population includes Black/African,

American Indian/Alaskan Native, Asia, Hispanic, native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander, Multiracial.

The African American enrollment was approximately 20 percent. The Admissions and Scholarships office has developed a program that puts special emphasis on recruitment and enrollment of minority students.

Recruiters are present in predominantly minority high schools across the state and in adjacent states. They are also present at college fairs around Mississippi and in adjacent states, delivering the message about Mississippi State University. In addition to these efforts, the university leaders have established the “MSU Promise Program.”

The Mississippi State Promise Award is designed to help fulfill MSU’s traditional role as The People’s University through tuition assistance and other opportunities to entering freshmen and community college transfers from low-income families. The Promise award “bridges the gap” between the cost of tuition minus all other gift aid for the fall and spring semesters. The award is also based on family income of less than $30,000 and entering grade-point average. The efforts the university has invested in recruiting minorities have allowed MSU to have the highest percentage of minority enrollment in the Southeastern Conference. We believe that our success in recruiting minority students is due to the attention given to high schools with large minority student populations.

After students are enrolled at Mississippi State, the University provides services to retain them through graduation. Mississippi State’s freshman-to-sophomore retention rate of 80 percent and six-year graduation rate of 60 percent are among the highest among the state’s public universities. Our Student Support Services department provides supportive services for low income and first- generation students to enhance their academic skills, increase their retention and graduation rates, and, as appropriate, facilitate their entry into graduate and professional programs. Student Support Services also works with students who have disabilities (as defined by the Americans with Disabilities Act and the Rehabilitation Act of 1973).

Holmes Cultural Diversity Center (HCDC)—Named in honor of Dr. Richard E. Holmes, the first African

www.minorityaccess.org

47

COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES COMMITTED TO DIVERSITY

American to attend Mississippi State University, the Holmes Cultural Diversity Center serves as a liaison between minority students, international students, the faculty and administration. The Center encourages, through sensitivity training and programming, the development of a climate in which all cultures, especially minority and international students, are appreciated as valued members of the campus community. It provides support and encouragement for all minority and international students to assist them in achieving academic efficiency, making a smooth transition to college life, and to growing in their awareness and appreciation of different cultures. The HCDC Peers Assisting With Students (PAWS) Program each year mentors approximately 850 freshman and transfer students who are African American, Native American, Hispanic/Latino American, Asian American, and international. Each year the Center also brings to campus keynote speakers who are national and international leaders of various races and cultures to address and motivate students. Past keynote speakers have included Martin Luther King, III, Bapsi Sidhwa, Tonya Lee Lewis, Morris Dees, Gloria Steinem, Vanita Gupta, Anita Hill, Coach Ken Cater, Simon Estes, and John McClendon, to name a few. During the 2014-2015 academic year, the Center coordinated and/or sponsored over 50 culturally diverse programs that were educational, informational, and/or social in nature.

African American Studies Program—Created in 2007, the program offers students the opportunity to expand their knowledge, worldview, and perspectives about African Americans particularly, as well as African peoples in the Diaspora. The program offers courses leading to a minor in African American Studies. Students from all disciplines are invited to take full advantage of the courses, colloquia, film series, and other programs offered throughout the year. Through its Lecture Series in African American Studies, the program also provides students and employees opportunities to interact with nationally and internationally recognized leaders of various cultures and backgrounds. Students and employees will be able to listen to and interact with Dr. Charles M. Payne (Frank P. Hixon Professor in the School of Social Service Administration at the University of Chicago) as he talks about “The Mississippi Freedom Schools and Their

48

Minority Access, Inc.

Long Legacy.” Dr. Molefi Kete Asante, of Sudanese and Nigerian heritage, will provide University listeners a lecture on “African Americans and the Challenge of American Education.” Dr. Asante is Professor of African American Studies at Temple University and a renowned writer and scholar. Later in the academic year, Dr. David Roediger will address University personnel and students on “Whites and the Management of Labor in U.S. History.” Dr. Roediger is the Kendrick C. Babcock Professor of History at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and is also a writer and scholar. The African American Studies Program provides everyone associated with the University an opportunity to learn about and appreciate another culture.

The Office of Institutional Diversity and Inclusion—The office promotes a working and learning environment free of discrimination on the basis of race, color, national origin, religion, gender, sexual orientation or group affiliation, age, disability or veteran status. It is a major vehicle through which the President communicates to students and employees his commitment to diversity and expectations of members of the University community.

The office also provides the University with a proactive, comprehensive training program that includes a series of workshops each semester that are conducted by internal and external facilitators, and works to recruit and retain women and people of color to the faculty and professional ranks. The training keeps all employees and students informed of management’s expectations concerning diversity and inclusion.

President’s Commission on the Status of Minorities—The Commission established by the President is a diverse group composed of faculty members, staff, and students from across the campus that provides University leaders with information about the campus climate. This group serves as an advisory body to the President on all existing and proposed policies, procedures, practices and programs relating to or affecting diversity, equal opportunity, or affirmative action at MSU. The group meets once each month to discuss and execute a variety of activities. At the end of each academic year, the group presents an annual report to the President.

President’s Commission on the Status of Women—The

YEAR 2016

Commission is appointed by the President to advise the University President and leadership on issues affecting the status and role of women on campus. It also conducts, sponsors, and encourages studies regarding the status and role of women; sponsors informational education programs; works to improve the campus climate and conditions for women; and publicizes information of interest to women.

Sonny Montgomery Center for America’s Veterans— Named after MSU graduate and former U.S. Representative Sonny G. Montgomery, who sponsored the Montgomery G. I. Bill, and established in 2007, this Center provides American veterans with education and leadership growth opportunities; addresses veterans’ employment opportunities, and provides a welcome-home environment for America’s veterans and their families.

Annual Martin Luther King, Jr. Unity Breakfast—Started 1995 and held annually on the morning of Martin Luther King Jr. Day to reiterate King’s message of unity, this event has grown exponentially and impacts everyone in surrounding communities. Free and open to all people from throughout the surrounding communities, the campus event is well attended and has changed locations several times to accommodate the large number of participants. Attendees are treated to a full Southern style breakfast of eggs, sausage, bacon, grits, cheese grits, toast, pastries, juice, and coffee. A keynote speaker, often someone who had a key role in the Civil Rights Movement, delivers a message. The breakfast is the first function during a day of activities in observance of Martin Luther King Jr. Day in the community.

Annual Diversity Awards Program and Reception—Held annually during the month of February and sponsored by the President’s Commission on the Status of Minorities, the awards program recognizes individuals who have demonstrated a significant commitment to enhancing diversity at MSU. Diversity Awards are given to a faculty member, staff member, and/or student of MSU who has actively and positively promoted the concept of diversity and improved cross-cultural understanding through his or her positive interactions with others.

Annual Women’s Awards Program—Held annually and sponsored by the President’s Commission on the Status of Women, the event recognizes the achievements of women who have contributed significantly to women’s causes on campus.

Minority Recruitment and Retention Program—Housed in the Office of Institutional Diversity and Inclusion, the Recruitment, Retention, and Program Specialist works with search committees, department heads, deans, and vice presidents to recruit minorities and women for employment at MSU. Vice President for Academic Affairs Minority Enhancement Funds—The Office of Academic Affairs has a pool of funds which is used to provide incentives and assistance to departments hiring African American faculty members. This fund supports 100 percent of the salary for the first year, 75 percent for the second year, and 50 percent for the third year. After the third year, the hiring department is responsible for the total salary.

Management Tools MSU Affirmative Action Plan—Updated annually by the Office of Human Resources, this plan provides management with information needed to establish placement goals for recruitment of minority and women employees. Management is sent quarterly and semiannual reports to help track goal attainment.

State of Excellence: 2012-2017—Reviewed annually by the President and University leadership, this strategic plan sets out the goals for the University. Many of the goals address diversity. Read the plan at http://www.msstate.edu/web/excellence/.

Listed above are some of the programs and initiatives that are ongoing at Mississippi State University to enhance diversity and create a welcoming and hospitable work and learning environment for everyone.

www.minorityaccess.org

49

COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES COMMITTED TO DIVERSITY

Morgan State University By action of the Maryland Legislature, Morgan State University has been designated as Maryland’s Public Urban University, with the responsibility of addressing the needs of residents, schools, and organizations within the Baltimore Metropolitan Area. The University is located in a residential area of northeast Baltimore, a city with a population estimated at 622,104. Demographics for Baltimore City include the following: 63.3% of the residents are African American; 28.3% are White; 4.6% are Hispanic, 2.6% are Asian, and 2.0% are two or more races. For more than 140 years, Morgan State University has been an important part of the higher education system in Baltimore City, the State of Maryland, and the nation.

Throughout its history, Morgan has served the community with distinction while meeting the educational needs of an increasingly diverse society.

Morgan’s mission is to serve a multi-ethnic and multiracial student body and to help ensure that the benefits of higher education are enjoyed by a broad segment of the population. The core value in Morgan’s diversity mission is the pursuit of knowledge informed by a free marketplace of ideas. The knowledge acquired in that marketplace comes closest to truth when a diverse assembly of faculty, students, and staff are able to compare their personal as well as professional information, data, and beliefs against a community comprised of people of all races, ethnicities, colors, genders, religions, and socio-economic statuses. Towards that end, Morgan has a compelling interest in pursuing its diversity mission.

Morgan’s motto, “Growing the Future, Leading the World,” underlies the development of the University’s 2011-2021 Strategic Plan. The strategic plan focuses on a core set of goals that will build a transformative educational environment enriched by diverse perspectives.

Such an environment will ensure a supportive atmosphere that promotes student success, enhances Morgan’s status as a doctoral research university, and facilitates the University’s contribution to community development.

Morgan State University serves as an intellectual and creative resource to the community, state, nation, and

50

Minority Access, Inc.

world, by supporting, empowering and preparing highquality, diverse graduates to lead the world. A broad diversity of people and ideas are welcomed and supported at Morgan as essential to quality education in a global interdependent society.

Morgan State University embraces cultural diversity in its broadest sense. Morgan’s diversity efforts focus attention to underrepresented racial and ethnic groups who have been marginalized. Additionally, diversity at Morgan also encompasses a commitment to enhancing the equity and inclusion of women, those who are economically disadvantaged, and those of different sexual orientations, religions, and abilities. In summary, Morgan’s mission is to serve a multi-ethnic and multi-racial student body and to help ensure that the benefits of higher education are enjoyed by a broad segment of the population Morgan’s Strategic Plan for Enhancing Cultural Diversity at Morgan State University (Diversity Plan) was developed by the University community and approved by the Board of Regents at its May 3, 2011 meeting.

As Maryland’s public urban university, Morgan is one of the nation’s premiere historically black colleges and universities (HBCUs). As such, achieving and maintaining a diverse student body, faculty, and staff, is a compelling interest and important goal for Morgan. To that end, the Diversity Plan sets forth 33 goals in six core areas: 1) Students (undergraduate, graduate, and nontraditional); 2) Faculty and Staff; 3) Curricular; 4) Socioeconomic; 5) Disability; and 5) Community Engagement.

An assessment plan with goals, objectives, anticipated outcomes, measures and benchmarks, assessment methods, and responsibility was developed for each core area and goal. Successful implementation of the goals in the Diversity Plan requires the coordinated and sustained efforts of all members of the University community and the systematic assessment of progress toward the goals. While all members of the Morgan community are expected to contribute to the enhancement of cultural diversity on campus, some members are more responsible than others in monitoring the initiatives and outcomes related to the diversity goals. The Office of Diversity &

YEAR 2016

Equal Employment Opportunity, the Office of Assessment in Academic Affairs, and the Office of Institutional Research will use the timelines in the assessment plan to collect, analyze, and report data on the goals and six core areas of the Diversity Plan.

At the national level Morgan is 4th in architecture; 5th in the number of engineering degrees awarded to African Americans; 5th in communication and journalism, and 9th in hospitality administration/management (Diverse Top 100 Producers).

Morgan continues to make great strides in meeting its diversity goals. The University is demonstrating success in a number of areas as listed below:

The University continues to meet its goal of preparing diverse and competitive graduates for success in a global, interdependent society. Morgan State University has established over 20 international relationships in Brazil, Tanzania, China, Finland, France, Honduras, Botswana, India, Mexico, Grenada, West Indies, Senegal, Peru, Saudi Arabia, Dubai and Trinidad and Tobago. Morgan currently enrolls approximately 450 international students.

• The total number of Asian students enrolled at the undergraduate level increased 87% from 46 in AY 2010 to 86 in AY 2014.

• The total number of undergraduate international students is on the rise from 219 in AY 2010 to 277 in AY 2014.

• The total number of Hispanic students enrolled at the undergraduate level increased more than 200% from 59 in AY 2011 to 182 in AY 2014.

• The total number of Hispanic students enrolled at the graduate level increased 178% from 9 in AY 2010 to 25 in AY 2014.

• The total number of White or Caucasian students enrolled at the graduate level increased 31% from 99 in AY 2010 to 130 in 2014.

• The total number of undergraduate students over age 25 increased by 21% from 1,012 in AY 2010 to 1,222 in AY 2014.

• The university awarded 81 STEM degrees to women at the undergraduate level in AY 2013-2014, up from 66 in AY 2010-2011. The university awarded 180 STEM degrees to underrepresented minority students in AY 2014. At the state level for AY 2013, the most recent year data are available, Morgan is 1st in the number of engineering bachelor’s degrees awarded to African Americans; 1st among all campuses in the number of doctorates awarded to African Americans; and 2nd among campuses in the number of bachelor’s degrees awarded to African Americans (IPEDS Completions Data).

Morgan has a well-credentialed faculty that is racially and ethnically diverse. This represents a continuation of a long tradition at the University. Diversity is particularly valued by today’s college-age population and Morgan’s degree of diversity among members of its faculty differentiates it from most other Maryland campuses. For example, of the approximately 444 full time instructional faculty at Morgan, 58% (258) are males and 42% (186) are females.

African-American males comprise twenty-five percent (110) of full-time instructional faculty at Morgan. The 82 African American female faculty represent 18.5% of the full-time instructional faculty. White faculty (79) comprise 18% of the full-time instructional faculty at Morgan.

In addition, Morgan State University utilizes ongoing cultural training programs, curricular initiatives, and community partnerships to create positive interactions and cultural competence and awareness within the University community

www.minorityaccess.org

51

COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES COMMITTED TO DIVERSITY

Northwest Missouri State University Northwest Missouri State University is not only committed to diversity, equity, and inclusion, it is a fabric woven throughout our campus experience. Serving as a pillar within our strategic plan, diversity to us encompasses our three strategic goals: access and success for both marginalized students and employees; a focus on learning and teaching that incorporates social justice and cultural competence to prepare all students for our global society; and the creation of an inclusive campus and community climate that allows the opportunity for success and growth. Each facet of the university experience is either tied into our strategic diversity, equity, and inclusion actions or are in the process of being reconstructed to meet these goals.

Employees and students, working side-by-side over the past few years, have worked to develop these goals strategically. The Board of Regents, Administration, and the campus as a whole have accepted fostering inclusion as a critical aspect of the future of both higher education and our institution specifically. It is our responsibility as an institution of higher learning to deconstruct and reconstruct our policies and practice to ensure that we are breaking down interpersonal, institutional, and structural inequities. This is the work we have been doing, and the work we will continue to do moving forward.

Our entire student body, faculty, staff, President, and Board of Regents are participated in a year-long effort to design a campus and city-wide campaign around a comprehensive strategic plan for implementation and operationalizing the diversity, equity, and inclusion model.

These objectives are embedded in our daily operations.

August 30, 2016

Andrea D. Mickle, Pr Minority Access Inc. 5214 Baltimore Aven Hyattsville, MD 2078 Dear President:

You received the inst Missouri State Unive diversity efforts. Plea Coordinators are cur registration. We sub University Chief of Po

We look forward to o being recognized for activity sponsorship.

Sincerely,

Juanita M. Simmons, Vice President Diversity, Equity, and

660-563-1557 jsimm

52

Minority Access, Inc.

Graduates

increase in new graduate students of color from fall 2009 to fall 2015 YEAR 2016

increase in new graduate students of color from fall 2009 to fall 2015

Oklahoma State University

Rankings and Awards • #1 in the nation among public land-grant colleges and universities for graduating Native American students five years in a row • Four-year recipient of Higher Education Excellence in Diversity Award from Insight Into Diversity (2012, 2013, 2014, and 2015) • Earned U.S. Department of Education Minority Serving Institution (MSI) designation in 2014 • 2016 National Association of Diversity Officers in Higher Education (NADOHE) Institutional Excellence Award • Diverse Issues in Higher Education Top 100 Degree Producers for African American, American Indian, Asian American, Latino, and biracial/multiracial graduates (2014 and 2015) • 2015 Mosaic Top Inclusive Workplace awarded by the Tulsa Regional Chamber

» Diversity course requirement for all ENROLLM undergraduates • Institutional Diversity Capital Campaign raised $2.6M

February 2014; Fourteen new endowed scholarships » since » SGA and Faculty Council supported diversity increase for students, faculty, and2015 staff • training Center for Sovereign Nations opened in August for students

Undergraduates

Oklahoma State University is a land-grant institution committed to excellence in diversity and inclusion. We strive to maintain a welcoming and inclusive environment that appreciates and values all members of the University community. We define diversity as engagement in meaningful actions, behaviors, and conversations that reflect a commitment to recognizing, understanding, and respecting the differences among students, faculty, staff, and visitors throughout the OSU system. We do not condone acts, behavior, language, or symbols that represent or reflect intolerance or discrimination. OSU is dedicated to cultivating and enriching the competitive advantages that diversity and inclusion provides all members of the University community. We identify diversity as a quality of life issue, as well as an important economic driver for the prosperity and well-being of the state, nation, and world.

CURRICULUM AND CAMPU

» Structural Support

focused service to sovereign tribal nations in Oklahoma

Program & Activities OVER

70

increas

PROGRAMS & AC color fr

diversity-related student, faculty, and staff campus organizations

»

of fall 2 underg

» Retention Initiative for Studentfor Excellence » • Retention Initiative Student Excellence increas Inclusion Leadership Program (ILP) » • Inclusion Leadership Program (ILP)

Graduates

OSU Diversity Statement

DIVER

color fr • U.S. Department of Education TRiO Programs (Student » U.S. Department of Education TRiO Programs Support ServicesSupport & Upward Bound) (Student Services & Upward Bound) increas » color fr Louis Stokes Alliance for Minority » • Oklahoma Oklahoma Louis Stokes Alliance for Minority » Participation (OK-LSAMP) Participation (OK-LSAMP)

CURR of Multicultural Affairs Mentoring and Mentoring Retention » • Office Office of Multicultural Affairs and Program Retention Program » Diversity course re undergraduates 2 Go student program) » • First First 2 (first-generation Go (first-generation student program) » SGA and Faculty Co Diversity Initiative Initiative » • Provost Provost Diversity training for student • OSU hosted the 38th Annual Big 12 Conference of Black Student Leadership and Government in 2015

STRUCTURAL S

• Critical Conversations diversity program series » (e.g., Institutional Diversity Campaign Ferguson and Race in America,Capital Voting Rights, OVER raised $2.6M since February Confederate Flag, Islamaphobia, The N-Word,2014; etc.)

70

Fourteen new endowed scholarships

• Difficult Dialogues Program

»

diversit and sta

• Recent campus and graduation speakers: Common, Dr. » Retention Initiative Tererei Trent, Dr. Kevin Cokley, T.W. Shannon, Jemele » Inclusion Leadersh Hill, Shaquille O’Neal, Stedman Graham, Dr. Bennet » U.S. Omalu, Clifton Taulbert, Cornell William Brooks and Department o Daymond John.

(Student Support

» Oklahoma Louis S Participation (OK» Office of Multicult Retention Program

» First 2 Go (first-ge

» Provost Diversity I www.minorityaccess.org

53

RANKINGS AND AWARDS » #1 in the nation among public land-grant COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES COMMITTED TO DIVERSITY colleges and universities for graduating Native American students five years in a row

» 2016 National Association of Diversity Officers in Higher Education (NADOHE) Institutional Excellence Award

» Four-year recipient of Higher Education Excellence in Diversity Award from Insight IntoCurriculum Diversity (2012, 2013,Enviroment 2014, and 2015) ENROLLMENT TRENDS ENROLLMENT TRENDS and Campus

100 Degree Producers for African American, American Indian, Asian American, Latino, and biracial/multiracial GRADUATION RATES GRADUATION RATES Graduation Rates graduates (2014 and 2015) increase in the number of students of

DIVERSITY HIGHLIGHTS - 2016 » Diverse Issues 2009 in Higher Education Top

Undergraduates Graduates Graduates Undergraduates Undergraduates

» Earned U.S.course Department of all Education • Diversity requirement for undergraduates increase increase in in new new first-year first-year undergraduate undergraduate of color fall Minority Servingstudents Institution (MSI) color from from fall 2009 2009 to to fall fall 2015 2015 • SGA and Faculty students Council of supported diversity training designation in 2014 for students, faculty, and staff

increase in the number of students of

earning a degree color a Bachelor’s Bachelor’s degree from from » 2015 Mosaic color Topearning Inclusive Workplace May May 2010 2010 to to May May 2015 2015 awarded by the Tulsa Regional Chamber

increase increase in in undergraduate undergraduate students students of of color fall 2009 • International dimension course requirement for2015 all color from from fall 2009 to to fall fall 2015

increase increase in in the the number number of of students students of of color color earning earning a a graduate graduate degree degree from from May May 2010 2010 to to May May 2015 2015

DIVERSITY HIGHLIGHTS 2009 -number 2016 increase of increase in in the the number of students students of of

undergraduates

OSU DIVERSITY STATEMENT color color earning earning a a doctorate doctorate degree degree

of of fall fall 2015 2015 incoming incoming first-year first-year

• Formal Universityundergraduate Diversity Statement students undergraduate students were were of of color color

Graduates

from to 2015 from May May 2010 2010to to May May 2015 Oklahoma State University is a land-grant institution committed excellence in ENROLLMENT TRENDS GRADUATION RATES Enrollment Trends diversity and inclusion. We strive to Faculty maintain a welcoming and inclusive Recruitment FACULTY RECRUITMENT increase in the number of students of increase in new students FACULTY RECRUITMENT increase infirst-year new graduate graduate students of of increase in new undergraduate color earning a Bachelor’s degree from environment that appreciates and values all members of the University community. color from fall 2009 to fall 2015 coloroffrom 2009 to fall 2015 students colorfall from fall 2009 to fall 2015 increase in American, increase in African African American, American American May 2010 to May 2015 Latino, biracial/multiracial We define diversity as engagement in meaningful Indian, actions, and Indian, Latino, & &behaviors, biracial/multiracial faculty in OSU classrooms increase in the number of students of increase in new graduate students of faculty in OSU classrooms increase in new graduate students of inreflect undergraduate students of conversations increase that ato commitment to recognizing, and color earning a understanding, graduate degree from color from 2009 color from fall 2009 to fall fall 2015 color from fall fall 2009 to fall 20152015 May 2010 to May 2015 respecting the differences among students, faculty, staff, and visitors throughout increase in the number of students of of fall 2015 first-year the OSU system.

We incoming do not condone acts, behavior, language, or symbols that color earning a doctorate degree CURRICULUM AND CAMPUS ENVIRONMENT CURRICULUM AND CAMPUS ENVIRONMENT undergraduate students were of color fromis May 2010 to May 2015 represent or course reflect intolerance or discrimination.

OSU dedicated to cultivating » » Diversity requirement for all all » Diversity » International International dimension dimension course course requirement requirement course requirement for for all undergraduates undergraduates and enriching the competitive advantages thatfor diversity and inclusion provides all all undergraduates undergraduates FACULTY RECRUITMENT increase in new graduate students of » » Faculty Council supported University Diversity » SGA members of the University community.

We identify diversity as a qualityStatement of life issue, » Formal SGA and and Faculty Council supported diversity Formal University Diversity Statement color from fall 2009 to fall 2015 diversity increase in African American, American training for students, faculty, and staff training for students, faculty, and staff Indian, Latino, & biracial/multiracial as well as an important economic driver for the prosperity and well-being of the faculty in OSU classrooms increase in new graduate students of state, nation, and world. color from fall 2009 to fall 2015

PROGRAMS PROGRAMS & & ACTIVITIES ACTIVITIES hosted » OSU hosted the the 38th 38th Annual Annual Big Big 12 12 » OSU CURRICULUM AND CAMPUS ENVIRONMENT diversity-related diversity-related student, student, faculty, faculty,

OVER OVER Conference of Student Leadership Conference of Black Black Student Leadership and and and staff organizations » Diversity course » International dimension course requirement requirement all and staff campus campusfor organizations Government in 2015 Government in 2015 for all undergraduates undergraduates » Conversations diversity »» » Formal » Critical SGA and Faculty Council diversity University Diversity Statement Critical Conversations diversity program program Retention Initiative forsupported Student Excellence Excellence » Retention Initiative for Student series (e.g., Ferguson and Race in training for students, faculty, and staff series (e.g., Ferguson and Race in » » Inclusion Inclusion Leadership Leadership Program Program (ILP) (ILP) America, America, Voting Voting Rights, Rights, Confederate Confederate Flag, Flag, » U.S. Department of Education TRiO Programs Islamaphobia, The N-Word, » U.S. Department of Education TRiO Programs Islamaphobia, The N-Word, etc.) etc.)

(Student & PROGRAMS & ACTIVITIES (Student Support Support Services Services & Upward Upward Bound) Bound) » » Difficult Difficult Dialogues Dialogues Program Program » Oklahoma Louis Alliance for » OSU hosted the 38th Annual Big 12 » OVER Oklahomadiversity-related Louis Stokes Stokes student, Alliancefaculty, for Minority Minority » and graduation speakers: » Recent Recent campus campus graduation speakers: Conference of Black and Student Leadership and Participation (OK-LSAMP) Participation (OK-LSAMP) and staff campus organizations Common, Dr. Tererei Trent, Dr. Kevin Common,inDr. Tererei Trent, Dr. Kevin Cokley, Cokley, Government 2015 » Office of Multicultural Affairs Mentoring and » Office of Multicultural Affairs Mentoring and T.W. T.W. Shannon, Shannon, Jemele Jemele Hill, Hill, Shaquille Shaquille O'Neal, O'Neal, » Critical Retention Program Conversations diversity program Clifton Retention Program » Retention Stedman Initiative for Student Excellence Stedman Graham, Graham, Dr. Dr. Bennet Bennet Omalu, Omalu, Clifton series (e.g., Ferguson and Race in Taulbert, Cornell William Brooks First (first-generation student »» Taulbert, Cornell William Brooks and and Leadership Program (ILP) »Inclusion First 2 2 Go Go (first-generation student program) program) America, Voting Rights, Confederate Flag, Daymond John.

Daymond John.

Provost Diversity Initiative »» Department of Education Islamaphobia, The N-Word, etc.) »U.S. Provost Diversity Initiative TRiO Programs (Student Support Services & Upward Bound) » Difficult Dialogues Program » Oklahoma Louis Stokes Alliance for Minority » Recent campus and graduation speakers: SUPPORT STRUCTURAL SUPPORT Participation (OK-LSAMP) STRUCTURAL Common, Dr. Tererei Trent, Dr. Kevin Cokley, » Institutional Diversity Capital Campaign for Sovereign opened »» of Multicultural Affairs Mentoring and »Office » Center Institutional Diversity Capital Campaign Center for Jemele Sovereign Nations opened in T.W. Shannon, Hill,Nations Shaquille O'Neal,in Retention Program raised $2.6M since February 2014; August 2015 for focused service to raised $2.6M since February 2014; August 2015 for service Clifton to Stedman Graham, Dr.focused Bennet Omalu, Fourteen new sovereign tribal nations in Taulbert, Cornell William Brooks and Fourteen new endowed endowed scholarships scholarships sovereign tribal nations in Oklahoma Oklahoma » First 2 Go (first-generation student program) Daymond John. » Provost Diversity Initiative

70

70

54

Minority Access, Inc.

STRUCTURAL SUPPORT

YEAR 2016

Prince George’s Community College Prince George’s Community College is one of only two community colleges in the state of Maryland that services a credit student body made up primarily of minority students. However, the College continues to focus on those areas that require attention to insure that our diversity mirrors that of the county, to the extent possible, and continues to educate students to be fully engaged in a diverse nation and world. PGCC has long recognized the importance of equal opportunity and diversity in education and includes diversity as one of the College’s core values.

The Committee on Cultural Diversity continues to oversee the four-year institutional cultural diversity plan that coincides with the College’s strategic plan and provides a framework for achieving diversity goals with specific strategies to create a climate that embraces diversity beyond culture. The plan has mission-driven goals for improving diversity with specific areas of emphasis that include diversity training and education, infusing diversity into the curriculum, recruitment and retention of underrepresented groups in the workforce and the student population, and programmatic efforts focused on creating an inclusive environment. Enhancing knowledge and understanding of students from diverse faith and non-faith backgrounds is also a focus of the plan.

The committee uses a variety of methods to make sure that the following definition of diversity is shared with the college community: Prince George’s Community College supports and embraces cultural diversity, understood as the creation and promotion of an inclusive, nondiscriminatory environment for everyone. We accept and value differences, including differences in age, race, national origin, ethnicity, religious affiliation, political beliefs, sexual orientation, gender identity, socioeconomic background, and ability/ disability. We strive for growth and success for all of our students, employees, business partners, and the community.

This includes the new employee onboarding/orientation program, the orientation sessions for new students, the PAS 1000 course, during the employment process, and via diversity take away cards. The current four-year diversity plan objectives fall under the strategic plan goal “Prince George’s Community College will Envision Success by cultivating a welcoming and responsive learning environment” as well as the priority focus area identified as “Expand positive interactions and cultural awareness amongst students, faculty and staff.” The cultural diversity plan includes six objectives which are a part of the strategic plan: 1. Create and support a welcoming and inclusive environment.

2. Train and educate faculty, staff and students to create a culturally competent college community.

3. Recruit and retain a diverse student body, faculty and staff.

4. Create an inclusive culture that provides a sense of belonging in a welcoming environment that recognizes, respects and appreciates individual differences.

5. Provide opportunities for students to value cultural diversity and to succeed in an intercultural environment.

6. Enhance knowledge and understanding of students from diverse faith and non-faith backgrounds.

Prince George’s Community College understands that fulfillment of its mission to facilitate access to higher education entails, in part, working towards a culturally diverse student body in proportions approximating service area ethnic and racial characteristics. The College also understands the importance of a diverse workforce.

Therefore, demographic information is regularly tracked on students and employees.

The PGCC student population generally reflects the demographics of its primary service area, Prince George’s County. Three-fourths (72%) of the credit students attending in fall 2015 identified as “Black/ African American only” and an additional 10% identified

www.minorityaccess.org

55

COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES COMMITTED TO DIVERSITY

as “Hispanic/Latino.” While the percentage of Black/ African American students has been relatively steady over the last five years, the percentage of Hispanic/ Latino students grew from 5.1% in 2009 to 9.8% in 2014.

The changes from FY2015 to FY2016 have remained steady with negligible changes in the American Indian or Alaskan Native, reporting two or more races, and race and ethnicity unknown categories.

The overall diversity of the workforce hired increased from FY2014 to FY2015 by an overall 8.21%. The Human Resources Recruitment Office continues to focus on the hiring process to enhance the awareness of the College’s commitment to diversity and to evaluate the tracking of underrepresented applicants in the candidate pool. The staff also continues to target advertising media and other sources to strengthen the diversity of the applicant pool.

The Center for Professional Development created and began implementing a multi-phase diversity training continuum in 2013. To date, Phase 1 has been completed.

The goal of Phase 1 was to introduce the concept of an inclusive environment to the college community. The goal of phase 2 of the continuum is to build upon the introductory sessions by offering trainings that further the skills required to collaborate and work with a diverse population both internally and externally. The goal of phase 3 is to expand on trainings, which will include sessions tailored to individual departments and/or activities such as campus-wide round table discussions.

Phase 3 activities are currently in development and are scheduled to be implemented in fall 2016.

One of the major program initiatives is the Diversity Roundtables which will be implemented during the fall 2016 semester. The roundtables will provide an opportunity for the college community to come together every six weeks to discuss issues related to diversity, equity, and inclusion.

Diversity assignments continue to be incorporated into the PAS 1000 course for first year credit students.

56

Minority Access, Inc.

This year, there will be a new learning outcome: To examine the different dimensions of diversity, with careful consideration for others from culturally diverse backgrounds. There is also a focus on diversity in Speech Class 1010 and Speech Class 1090. The exercise in Speech 1010 was designed to provide a skill-building opportunity for our students to succeed in intercultural situations. SPH 1090 also addresses skill-building opportunities for cultural communication success.

A new curriculum initiative will begin in September 2016. A faculty learning community on Diversity will explore and discuss how faculty develop and sustain an inclusive learning environment for students with multiple identities (including, but not limited to, age, race, national origin, ethnicity, religious affiliation, political beliefs, sexual orientation, gender identity, socioeconomic background, and ability/disability). In this year-long experience, participants will engage in regular meetings within a diverse group of 8-10 faculty members to discuss literature on diversity, share best practices, listen to guest presenters, attend workshops and conferences, and dialogue around challenges and opportunities. Topics will include elements of diverse learning environments and strategies for course design and planning. This experience will end with the creation of a project that can be integrated across the curriculum.

The interfaith initiative at the college is coordinated by the President’s (Obama) Interfaith and Community Service Campus Challenge Committee – a group made up of staff, faculty and students. With this initiative, the College works to cultivate an appreciative knowledge and understanding of the diversity of our community through interfaith understanding and community service. This initiative supports the 9/11 National Day of Service and Remembrance and the Martin Luther King, Jr. National Day of Service. Interfaith capacity building programs and interfaith service projects are offered regularly throughout the year.

Prince George’s Community College has a plan that not only provides a framework for achieving the College’s diversity goals but also focuses on specific strategies to create a climate that embraces all aspects of diversity.

YEAR 2016

Santa Clara University

Santa Clara University’s commitment to diversity and efforts to implement diversity - in our opinion - qualify us to be cited by Minority Access as an exemplary College or University Committed to Diversity for Year 2016 and to serve as an example for other institutions. I nominate Santa Clara University to be cited and honored at the National Role Models Conference.

The following describes our diversity initiatives, efforts and results as an institution, focusing primarily on the 2015-16 academic year.

Located in Santa Clara, California in Silicon Valley, Santa Clara University (SCU), the oldest institution of higher education in California, has been educating students since 1851. SCU was founded as a Jesuit institution and its Ignatian ideals are a part of its identity and mission. Santa Clara University has had a long-time commitment to diversity and inclusion, which is visible in its statement of Fundamental Values and its Integrated Strategic Plan.

The Fundamental Values statement includes the following: “We cherish our diverse and inclusive community of students, faculty, staff, administrators, and alumni, a community that is enriched by people of different backgrounds, respectful of the dignity of all its members, enlivened by open communication, and caring and just toward others.” A valuable goal of our Santa Clara 2020 Integrated Strategic Plan is to increase the enrollment, retention, and graduation rates of students from underrepresented or underserved populations.

Coupled with this, the university is committed to providing sufficient financial assistance to ensure that low-income students and students from middle-class families can afford the costs of a holistic Santa Clara University education.

Over the last ten years, SCU has seen growth in the number of underrepresented students. Today, 47% of SCU’s undergraduate students are students of color, with the largest being Hispanic/Latinx and Asian, and others

www.minorityaccess.org

57

COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES COMMITTED TO DIVERSITY

including Black/African American, Pacific Islander, Native American and two of more races. In terms of gender, the male and female-identified gender make-up for undergraduate students is 50/50. The collective and diverse cohort of undergraduates who graduated in 2015 reflect the highest 4-year graduation rates at Santa Clara, ever. Specifically, SCU has effectively closed the gaps for four-year graduation rates for groups that have historically been at greatest risk for non-completion.

We continue to work towards ways to improve affordability and access to ensure a community that is reflective of the surrounding area, the state of California and the United States. As the student body is changing, we continue to work to ensure that our faculty and staff are reflective of the changing demographics, and needs of our students.

Building on this strong foundation, SCU has made significant strides in its commitment to diversity, inclusion and social justice during the course of the 2015 -2016 academic year.

Central among the efforts of 2016 was a student initiative called “Unity 4.” At the same time that students across the national landscape were developing nonnegotiable demands for changes at their colleges and universities, SCU students in the Unity 4 group identified a set of concerns, developed a series of constructive recommendations for improving diversity and inclusion at SCU, and engaged the campus community in respectful dialogue. The administration worked closely with the Unity 4 students to understand the concerns and recommendations, putting steps into place to address and solve the concerns. As part of this engagement, quarterly campus-wide fora provided opportunities for broad engagement on the topic of diversity.

Several student recommendations related to diversity proposed in spring 2015 were enacted by the end of the 2016 academic year. Students recommended that the Ethnic Studies Program and the Women’s and Gender Studies Program receive full departmental status, and that the “companion major” offered by each Program become a full stand-alone major. In collaborative efforts

58

Minority Access, Inc.

that included students, faculty and administrators, these recommendations were developed into full proposals that were approved by the dean, the University’s Academic Affairs Committee, the Provost and President, and the Board of Trustees. Other student recommendations enacted in 2016 included a new online diversity training module for incoming students, formal assessment (with student involvement) of the University’s Core Curriculum requirement in diversity, and a pilot orientation program highlighting respectful engagement and interaction, for students who live off-campus.

In a year marked by national tensions around race and diversity on college campuses, Santa Clara University’s processes stand out as a model of deep commitment to diversity and inclusion on the part of students, faculty, staff, and administration; willingness on the part of all to engage in difficult dialogues; and constructive collaboration producing institutional change. As a result of their leadership experience, the Unity 4 students had the opportunity to showcase their efforts at the National Conference on Race and Ethnicity (NCORE) that took place in June 2016.

During 2015-16 the University’s President, Fr. Michael Engh, S.J., created a formal Blue Ribbon Commission on Diversity and Inclusion. The Blue Ribbon commission membership includes alumni, community members, and faculty and staff representatives. Their task is to examine what SCU has been doing to support diversity and inclusion, to consider what are best practices nationally, and to recommend strategies for transformational change that will make Santa Clara a more diverse, compassionate, and just university. The Commission started formal meetings in April 2016 and expects to submit recommendations in fall 2016.

The respectful and collaborative process initiated by the Unity 4 group and the creation of the Blue Ribbon Commission demonstrate Santa Clara University’s long-time commitment to diversity and inclusion. The implementation of new programs, departments, and majors resulting from campus wide discussions highlight the effectiveness of the process.

YEAR 2016

While Unity 4 and Blue Ribbon have been on the forefront in 2016, these initiatives build on ongoing structures and programs within the University. One of the offices central to these efforts is the Office for Diversity and Inclusion (ODI). Established in 2013 as part of the Provost’s Office, ODI works primarily on faculty-related diversity issues, providing support to search committees and supporting faculty retention (in partnership with the faculty development program). ODI also works collaboratively with campus-wide partners on diversity issues impacting staff, students and the university community.

Through the Office for Diversity and Inclusion (ODI), in partnership with the Deans of the Colleges/Schools, a formal training program on inclusive searches and implicit bias has grown throughout the 2016 academic year. The ongoing success of this effort has now been extended to the development and launch of a related pilot project, a collaboration with Human Resources, on inclusive searches in staff hiring.

This partnership is an example of the relationship that the key offices that work with diversity and inclusion efforts have with each other. The Office for Diversity and Inclusion works closely with Student Life and the Office for Multicultural Learning (OML). OML is responsible for coordinating the student cultural heritage months, the cultural graduation ceremonies, their weekly Difficult Dialogue series, Perspectives workshops and oversee the Rainbow Resource Center. OML and Student Life also work closely with the student-run Multicultural Center (MCC). The MCC oversees ten MCC groups which consist of the major cultural/ethnic organizations and they put on annual Global Showcase and other events.

Other partners include EEO/Title IX, and those academic disciplines who work centers on diversity, inclusion and social justice.

While SCU has been focusing on efforts within the broader SCU community, it has also been taking a leadership role in helping to advance diversity and inclusion on a regional and national level. SCU was one of the founding members of the Northern California Chapter of the National Association of Diversity Officers in Higher Education (NADOHE) in Fall 2015 and hosted the quarterly meeting in May 2016.

In June 2016, SCU also served as the host for the Annual meeting of the Conference on Diversity and Equity (CDE). CDE is an official group under the Association of Jesuit Colleges and Universities (AJCU) in the United States. This meeting brought together colleagues from throughout the Jesuit network whose work focuses on aspects of diversity and inclusion.

In addition, SCU is taking the initiative in the development of the new Jesuit Post Doctoral Diversity Program Consortium. This consortium will provide opportunities for the development of Post Doc opportunities of member Jesuit institutions in order to help diversify the professoriate on our respective campuses. The first cohort of the Consortium is being planned for the 2017-2018 academic year.

Santa Clara University has had a busy, productive and positive year in advancing and moving forward in the dialogue and discussion of diversity, inclusion and social justice on the campus. We are honored to have this opportunity to submit this nomination as an Exemplary University committed to diversity for the 2016 year.

www.minorityaccess.org

59

COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES COMMITTED TO DIVERSITY

Union College

Nomination for Union College, NY We began an active effort towards focusing the campus on diversity, equity and inclusion about 10 years ago with the arrival of our 18th President, Stephen C. Ainlay. One of the primary issues facing higher education institutions was to enhance our educational vision as it pertains to campus diversity. This undertaking engages us all in providing opportunities for our students to learn about and appreciate others cultures, languages, world views and faiths traditions in an academic setting. Union College prides itself on fostering an inclusive culture that is conducive to the academic, social and professional pursuits of its entire community.

Key to Union’s success is its ability to create an environment that celebrates a rich spectrum of identities, perspectives and values. As one of the premier liberal arts colleges in the nation, Union offers students a broad range of opportunities to engage in cross-cultural dialogue, interfaith cooperation and experiential

60

Minority Access, Inc.

learning opportunities. Equipped with these lifechanging experiences, our goal is to produce culturally competent students who are engaged, innovative and ethical contributors to an increasingly diverse, global and technologically complex society.

Examples of how the leadership of Union College supports an inclusive and diverse environment In the past 10 years, Union College placed diversity at the forefront of our strategic plan, have developed positions and funding for new offices focused on diversity, and have developed assessment tools to better understand our challenges and to evaluate our success. The work we are doing at Union is, by no means, a one person task and we still have work to do. But the initial work implemented by our new president at the time, moved us forward rather quickly. We have had the privilege of initially designing two positions a Senior Director of Campus Diversity, as a senior member of the President’s cabinet reporting

YEAR 2016

to the President and Board of Directors and a Director of Multicultural Affairs who reports directly to the president’s office. Since the onset of our focus on diversity and inclusion we have expanded the department to include an ample budget and support staff to enhance our diversity efforts.We have re-emphasized and empowered our diversity efforts with the promotion to Dean of Diversity and Inclusion and Chief Diversity Officer and an expansion of the Office of Diversity and Inclusion to include the following offices: Multicultural Affairs, Religious and Spiritual Life with dotted lines to our International Students Office, LGBTQ+ committee, Office of Community Outreach and our Student Support services which focuses on students with disabilities.

These departments work with our president and our campus community every day to help accomplish our diversity and equity goals.

additional course session for faculty for 2016-2017.

Policies and systems which have been implemented to sustain diversity and inclusion

The eight focus points of our Strategic Plan clearly emphasizes the importance of diversity on our college campus. In addition to the Strategic Plan, we are finalizing a five year Diversity and Inclusion Implementation Plan through our Liaison Committee on Diversity (Faculty, Administrators and Students are on this committee).

• Students: Annual assessment and campus climate surveys addressing student life issues and programming.

Revised and updated policies procedures for responding to on bias, harassment and Title IX sexual misconduct issues.

• Faculty: Collaborating with another small liberal arts college, we are moving forward with more inclusive hiring practices during our job searches. Increase the offerings of workshops for faculty on building an inclusive classroom, handling difficult conversations and understanding racial and gender bias and microaggressions. Mandatory workshops on harassment, discrimination and sexual misconduct procedures.

• Staff and Administrators: Mandatory workshops on racial and gender bias, Title IX sexual misconduct compliance, and inclusive hiring practices. In addition we have designed a new certification course (1 year course) on Diversity and Inclusion for administrators. Topics of the course includes: Microaggression, Racial and Gender Bias, Disability, Mental Health, Religion and WorldViews, LGBTQIA+. This course will be expanded to include an

Evaluations and assessments utilized to inform the needs, strategies and goals of Union College We have annual campus climate surveys for students and focus on 1-2 surveys per year. These surveys include: Consortium for High Achievement and Success (CHAS) campus climate survey - longitudinal study; LGBTQIA+ campus climate; Religious and Spiritual Life assessment.

In addition, we survey all programs and workshops that are offered throughout the year, making adjustments based on student evaluations. After every program we debrief on the success and challenges of our programs due to the sometimes sensitive topics we present to our campus community. We use these assessments to improve programming for the next presentation.

Annual or weekly programs that are aimed at increasing cultural practical competencies Presidential Forum on Diversity – An annual forum focusing on a specific topic that the campus embrace during the academic year. Examples include: Marlee Matlin - Disability Success; Maya Angelou Inclusive views; Eboo Pattel - Diverse and Interfaith values; Anthony Rapp - LGBTQIA+ Empowerment Diversity and Inclusion Certification Course for Administrators and Faculty Identity Dialogues - Student led conversations around identity issues - weekly dialogue programming DDD - Dinner and Discussion on Diversity - Weekly student led dialogue on challening diversity issues.

www.minorityaccess.org

61

COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES COMMITTED TO DIVERSITY

Coordinated by our Director of Religion and Spiritual Life, Campus Protestant Ministries.

Social Justice Retreat - three day retreat to educate the campus community on social justice issues. Faculty, Staff and Students lead discussions and are trained to organize the retreat.

Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Week of Observance - emphasis on community outreach and social justice programs throughout the week Women Empowerment Conference - Series of workshops focusing on women and gender issues

62

Minority Access, Inc.

CHAS Women of Color Network - Student organized to provide programming on topicssuch as racial bias, gender bias, micro-aggressions, macro-aggressions, professionalism.

Men of Color mentorship program - Students are mentored by men from the community and off campus.

Our students in-turn mentor youngsters from the community.

YEAR 2016

The University of Alabama at Birmingham

President Ray L. Watts

Louis Dale (Retired) Vice President, Equity and Diversity

The University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB) is a public university in Birmingham, Alabama and is today one of three institutions in the University of Alabama System. UAB offers over 140 programs of study through 12 academic divisions leading to various bachelor’s, master’s, doctoral and professional degrees. Since 1969, UAB has undergone extensive growth and construction projects are common across campus. UAB is a large, four-year primarily residential research university and has been accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools since 1970, according to the U.S. Department of Education. The undergraduate instructional program provides a balance between professional programs of study and the liberal arts and there is a high level of co-existence between the graduate and undergraduate programs. The university has a “very high level” of research activity and a graduate instructional program heavily emphasizing doctorates in science, technology engineering and mathematics (STEM) fields. UAB ranks among the Top-20 nationally in federal research and development funding and 1st in the state of Alabama, receiving more funding than all other Alabama universities combined. The U.S. News & World Report Top United States Universities and Colleges lists UAB as a Tier I National University, placing the university in the top quartile of national universities and colleges in the country.

UAB is located in the Southside neighborhood of downtown Birmingham. Spanning around 83 blocks, the UAB campus blends seamlessly with the urban character of the Southside. The campus is roughly rectangular in shape with University Boulevard serving as the main axis of the rectangle and Campus Green serving as the

center of the campus. UAB is the state’s largest employer, with more than 18,000 faculty and staff and over 53,000 jobs at the university and in the health system. An estimated ten (10) percent of the jobs in the BirminghamHoover metropolitan area and one in 33 jobs in the state of Alabama are directly or indirectly related to UAB. The university’s overall annual economic impact was estimated to be $4.6 billion annual impact in 2010.

Diversity Runs Deeper than the Data UAB has a longstanding commitment to diversity and inclusiveness. Increasing diversity has accompanied the rapid ascent of UAB over four decades and is a key element of the university’s growth and success. In 2003, The Office for Equity and Diversity was established to recruit and retain more minorities to UAB’s campus.

This office conducts a host of programs, including the Comprehensive Minority Faculty and Student Development Program, which last year awarded more than $636,000 in minority undergraduate and graduate scholarships. UAB is among only 15 universities nationwide with a five-year, $2 million Research and Academic Career Development Award from NIH to increase the number of minority students entering careers in biomedical research and to expand partnerships with historically black universities. UAB’s strong commitment to diversity is reflected in its enrollment numbers: • One in four freshmen are African-American • In the past five years, Hispanic enrollment has increased by 72% • 1,100 international students and scholars on campus represent 103 countries • Since 2003, the number of undergraduate degrees awarded to African-Americans increased by 31% and the number of doctoral degrees awarded more than tripled.

But it is about much more than stats and demographics.

At UAB, diversity runs deeper than the data; there is a sense of genuine community among students and faculty from a range of backgrounds, ethnicities and cultures.

Such an environment mirrors today’s world and prepares

www.minorityaccess.org

63

COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES COMMITTED TO DIVERSITY

students for successful and meaningful careers in the global, knowledge economy. This diverse campus culture has not gone unnoticed nationally. In The Princeton Review, UAB has been heralded as a “truly a great American melting pot” and a “mecca of multiculturalism” and is ranked among the top five universities nationally for diversity.

For three consecutive years, UAB has seen record overall enrollment, climb to 17,575 in fall 2011. This burgeoning enrollment reflects not only the increasing quantity, but also the caliber, of students drawn to UAB’s unrivaled research and scholarship opportunities and distinctive student experience. This young dynamic university attracts students who themselves, fit that same description.

They are talented, diverse - hailing from every region of the nation and some 100 countries around the globe - and driven to pursue their dreams, to breakthrough and excel academically, socially and culturally.

Performing on the State, National Stage and World Stage UAB students continue to distinguish themselves with numerous awards and honors at the state and national level. Accounting graduates have earned the highest CPA exam score in the state ten of the past 14 years.

Engineering students have been named by the Alabama Society of Professional Engineers as Outstanding Undergraduate Student of the Year for the past five years, and 7 of the past 14 years (more often than any other university in the state).

UAB students continue garnering prestigious national honors, as well. They earned an impressive roster of national awards in 2011 alone, and over the past three years, they have won: • 8 Goldwater Scholarships (making eight in the past three years) • 6 slots in the highly-competitive “Teach for America” Program • 4 NSF Graduate Fellowships (5 in the past 3 years) • 3 Phi Kappa Phi Fellowships • 2 Truman Scholarships • A Jack Kent Cooke Graduate Arts Fellowship, one

64

Minority Access, Inc.

of 10 nationally • UAB’s Ethics Bowl Team won the national championship in only its second year of competition in spring 2010.

In spring 2011, UAB’s Bioethics Bowl Team won the national title in its first year of competition.

UAB students extend their learning and experience well beyond the borders of our state and nation. They have a global reach and sensibility. They become true “citizens of the world” as they study and do service learning abroad, and win competitive international scholarships and internships, such as: • 6 Fulbright Scholarships in the past three years (for study in Ireland, Chile, Taiwan, Jordan, Australia, India and Germany) • 2 Rotary International Ambassadorial Scholarships in the past three years (to Northern Ireland and Egypt) • 3 DAAD - RISE research internships in Germany and a DAAD Ambassadorship, one of only 30 in the nation

YEAR 2016

University of Mississippi The University of Mississippi is committed to being a leader and paving the way for diversity and inclusion for our university, our state, and the nation. The university’s history regarding race provides not only a larger responsibility for providing leadership on race issues, but also a larger opportunity; we have a unique responsibility to learn from the past to lead into the future. The following document provides information on both Historical Context and Current Recommendations and Progress.

Historical Context The University of Mississippi (UM) has a comprehensive program to address the needs of women and minority students on our campus. Moreover, UM has a lengthy history of providing such programs. Because of its unique regional and historical position, the University has faced special challenges in recruiting minority students and in addressing preconceptions about the State. Those challenges have been met through a concentrated effort to dedicate the Institution’s resources to addressing the need for minority representation in all facets of graduate (and undergraduate) education. Many of the University’s efforts to diversify its faculty, staff and student were borne in some of the programs listed below.

As the flagship institution in the state, The University of Mississippi holds a pivotal place in the history of higher education, and was recognized in both 1990 and 1991 with the NEAGAP Peterson’s Award for Excellence in Graduate Admissions for Minority Students for its national leadership in developing a vigorous and successful program to provide opportunities to fully engage the academic potential of African American students. These efforts were also highlighted by editorial comment in the Chronicle of Higher Education and Black Issues in Higher Education, and an Institutions of Higher Learning (IHL) Proclamation of recognition and commendation in 1992 Few institutions of higher education have visibility in the area of race relations that compares to that of The University of Mississippi, and fewer still have made such dramatic changes in their ability to attract, support,

and place highly qualified professionals and academics from underrepresented groups. Since the mid-sixties, this institution has revolutionized its approach to its mission and has fully embraced its goal of providing quality education to all students, with a special effort to meet the needs of African Americans. The University has established an ambitious recruitment program to attract talented minority, especially African American, students to the campus for graduate and undergraduate study. It operates an extensive network of administrative, social, and program initiatives to ensure that the campus environment is reflective of the wide variety of cultural, ethnic and religious groups that comprise the student body, faculty, and staff, and that the needs of African American students are fully and sensitively addressed.

Over the most recent ten-year period of time, AfricanAmerican full-time graduate enrollment rose from 22 in the Fall of 1987 to over 3200 today. Notable gains in minority graduate enrollment and education have been achieved through the UM Minority Opportunity Program, implemented through the Graduate School administration, a comprehensive program of outreach, recruitment, nurturing, financial support and networking. Highlights of the Opportunity Program follow: • Identification. The networks established with historically black colleges and universities in the eightstate area surrounding the University advise UM of graduating seniors interested in graduate study. The University has a proven record of success in graduate student recruitment and has established a network with area minority institutions.

• Outreach Activities. The University supports an array of recruiters and councilors for a comprehensive outreach effort at undergraduate and graduate levels which in¬cludes maintaining contacts and making Career Day visits at over 30 minority institutions in an eight-state region. Faculty representatives from The University of Mississip¬pi are supported to attend area Career Days. These efforts culmi¬nate in an annual Minority Outreach Conference held on the campus of The University of Mississippi. Invited to this twoday conference are the top three to five juniors at the

www.minorityaccess.org

65

COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES COMMITTED TO DIVERSITY

regional historically black institutions, along with one faculty member from each institution. Sessions on graduate orientation, career planning, and consultation with faculty members are provided in an environment which encourages academic and social interchange.

All expenses for participants to attend the conference, including meals, travel, and lodging, are covered by the Graduate School.

• Internal Financial Support. The Minority Opportunity Program consists of finan¬cial packages of fellowships and tuition waivers. Every minority student enrolled in a graduate degree program receives a partial remission of tuition; those who commit themselves to full-time enrollment receive a stipend each semester. In addition to this support, minority students are eligible to compete for teaching and research assistantships within departments and for the Honors Fellowships provid¬ed to incoming students of exceptional academic accom¬plishment. Honors Fellowships provide an annual supple¬mentary stipend of $2,000. All graduate students presenting papers at conferences are also eligible for modest Graduate School travel awards from the Graduate School.

• External Financial Support. The University actively pursues funding opportunities which will increase the access of minority members to the opportuni¬ties of higher education. Programs currently being conducted at the University reach minority students at all levels.

A strikingly successful but short-lived program was the Mississippi Consortium for Faculty Development Program (FDP), a cooperation between UM, Alcorn State University, Jackson State University, Mississippi Valley State University, Rust College, Tougaloo College, and Coahoma Community College. The FDP provided an opportunity for faculty members at HBCUs and community colleges to complete their doctoral degrees during the summer (or calendar year) in one of our graduate programs at UM. Though funds for this FDP were only available for 1 year, the demand for this program was high; of the eight faculty who immediately took advantage of this program, all eight were given help by UM in locating alternate

66

Minority Access, Inc.

financial support to enable them to finish and all eight completed their degrees.

In collaboration with the State Department of Education and the Southern Regional Education Board (SREB), the University offered for the first time in 1995-96 a fellowship program to prepare minority students for the professorate. Fellows receive up to $22,000 in stipends and tuition while earning a doctorate. The University has participated in the National Consortium for Graduate Degrees for Minorities in Engineering and Science, Inc. (GEM) as well as the National Physical Science Consortium.

In Fall 1992, the University enrolled twelve new Patricia Roberts Harris Doctoral Fellows, three each in the Schools of Accountancy and Engineering, and in the Departments of Psychology and Chemistry. Also effective Fall, 1992, the University received 10 Graduate Assistance in Areas of National Need (GAANN) Fellowships in the School of Engineering. The GAANN Fellowships are awarded to increase the number of undergraduate and graduate students, especially women and minorities, who complete degrees in mathematics, science and engineering. The program continues today.

Effective July, 1992, The University of Mississippi’s School of Education commenced a four-year program, Equity and Excellence in Special Education, funded by the U.S. Department of Education, to recruit and train African American graduate students for careers in special education in rural Mississippi.

The addition of these Fellows has bolstered the foundation of minority leadership that has been cultivated in these departments and contributed to increased representation of women and minorities in fields vital to the national and international vitality of the United States. Other activities are discussed below.

In 1991, The University of Mississippi joined its sister institutions in Mississippi and the National Science Foundation (NSF) in creating the Mississippi Alliance to Increase Minority Participation (MAMP) program. This program focuses on the undergraduate level with bridging activities to pre-college and graduate education as well as business and industry.

YEAR 2016

Current Recommendations and Progress Office of the Assistant to the Chancellor for Multicultural Affairs Dr. Donald Cole serves as the Assistant to the Chancellor for Multicultural Affairs and Associate Professor of Mathematics. In this role, Dr. Cole provides creative leadership in developing and maintaining a campus environment that reflects the University’s commitment to multicultural diversity and serves as the central University administrator coordinating and promoting related issues and programs. Through the Office of the Assistant to the Chancellor for Multicultural Affairs, the University of Mississippi commits to: • Infuse diversity into the cannon of the University curriculum, its programming, and all aspects its operations.

• Promote its commitment to diversity through all of its administrative personnel.

• Maintain a Diversity office/personnel that reports directly to the Chancellor.

• Obtain a student body, faculty and staff that mirror the population of the state.

• Produce graduates appreciative and tolerate of diversity.

• Create a campus environment for respective dialogue of diversity and a formal “Institute” to transition this dialogue to the state and nation.

• Become a national leader in the realm of reconciliation.

• Support continued research on methodologies to enhance campus diversity.

The Diversity Leadership Council (DLC) was formed by the Office of the Assistant to the Chancellor for Multicultural Affairs to bring together independent (and dependent) units around campus to provide a centralized forum for campus discussion (and possibly actions) centering around diversity matters. The DLC is composed of independent units that have their own budgets devoted towards diversity concerns and some of the dependent

units might not in possession of state funded budgets. The charter of the Council is action oriented as it explores the entire institution to determine the nature of University resources needed to promote diversification of the institution. Chaired by the Assistant to the Chancellor for Multicultural Affairs and with representation from Center for Inclusion and Cross Cultural Engagement, William Winter Institute for Racial Reconciliation, Equal Opportunity and Regulatory Compliance, Sarah Isom Center for Women Studies, The Registrar’s Office, the Commission for the Status of Women, International Programs and individuals representing academic units and other underrepresented groups.

2014 Action Plan In 2014, under the leadership of then-chancellor Dan Jones, guided by recommendations from a 2013 expanded Sensitivity and Respect Committee, the university began a renewed look at how to address race and related issues, as well as how to make our campuses more welcoming and inclusive. The result was the 2014 Action Plan. Three of the six items contained in the original 2014 Action Plan are addressed below, and a full update on the Action Plan can be found at diversity.olemiss.edu.

2014 Recommendation: The University of Mississippi must deal squarely with the issue of race while also addressing the other dimensions of diversity.

2016 Update: UM’s commitment to diversity including guiding statements, campus resources, and the UM Diversity Plan are featured at diversity.olemiss.edu. The University has created institutional programs to enhance diversity and diversity training among faculty, staff and students, to support all dimensions of diversity, and to assess and respond to campus climate concerns.

UM established the Center for Inclusion & Cross Cultural Engagement and hired a director after a national search.

The center teaches skills to combat racism, homophobia, sexism and other forms of discrimination, and it has

www.minorityaccess.org

67

COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES COMMITTED TO DIVERSITY

developed cultural competency training for faculty, staff and students to create a diverse learning and living environment on campus (fall 2014).

To incorporate an emphasis on racial climate and diversity into all aspects of university planning and assessment, the Strategic Planning Council and Office of the Provost include diversity and inclusion as a planning principle across all “Priorities of Excellence” in the UM 2020 Strategic Plan.

Recent efforts focused on minority student recruitment and retention include: • The Mississippi Outreach to Scholastic Talent Mentoring Program hosts the MOST Conference for rising African-American high school seniors in Mississippi (and their parents).

• The Center for Inclusion and Cross Cultural Engagement implemented the African American Males: Enrolling, Retaining & Graduating (AAMERG) initiative to unite University of Mississippi faculty, staff and students through community outreach, mentoring, personal and professional development, and servant leadership.

The goal of AAMERG is to strengthen recruiting, educating, retaining and graduating AfricanAmerican males at the university.

• Each UM recruitment plan since 2013-14 includes goals to increase diversity among incoming freshmen and transfer students.

• UM admissions counselors have increased visits to high schools with high minority populations, providing financial aid materials that address concerns about the cost of higher education.

• The Health Careers Opportunity Program provides outreach and academic preparation through its pipeline programs offered for students in K-12, high school, college, and first-year medical and dental students.

• The Medical Center’s Office of Academic Counseling works with students on an individual (or group) basis to help them maximize their academic potential

68

Minority Access, Inc.

through programs designed to meet the student’s special learning needs.

• The Medical Center School of Nursing mentorship program provides students from different racial and ethnic backgrounds the opportunity to interact with and be mentored by practicing nurses with similar backgrounds.

The university has significantly improved diversity within the faculty and UM is now among the top three flagship universities in the nation in percentage of African American faculty members. UM supports faculty development efforts by offering workshops related to diversity and inclusion: • The William Winter Institute for Racial Reconciliation provided a “lunch and learn” discussion for faculty members on teaching race and civility (fall 2014).

• Title IX and Violence Prevention Office staff led a Title IX workshop for faculty members (fall 2014).

• The Center for Inclusion and Cross Cultural Engagement led a workshop for faculty titled “Resources and Best Practices for Inclusion” (summer 2015).

The university has also focused on staff development and diversity training: • UM Police Department (UPD) has employed additional diversity training within the department (100 percent compliance). UPD requires a “Hate vs.

Bias Training” for all new officers and is developing new training with the Department of Justice related to transgender students.

• The Division of Student Affairs professional development committee hosted a workshop for staff members and graduate students titled “History of University Creeds in Higher Education and Incorporating the University of Mississippi Creed into Daily Practice.”

YEAR 2016

• The Division of Student Affairs partnered with the William Winter Institute for Racial Reconciliation and the Center for Inclusion and Cross Cultural Engagement to expand diversity training. Staff development training on cultural competency began with a focus on equity, diversity and inclusion based on professional competency subject matter established by the American College Personnel Association and the National Association of Student Personnel Administrators

• The University established a new tradition by holding Lavender Graduation, a cultural celebration that recognizes LGBTQ students and acknowledges their achievements and contributions to the university as students who successfully navigated the college experience (spring 2016).

• The Department of Human Resources partnered with the Office of the Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs, William Winter Institute for Racial Reconciliation, and University Communications to develop a new employee onboarding program titled “Welcome Home.” The Welcome Home program includes a one-hour presentation on the history of the university, including its commitment to racial reconciliation (summer 2013).

• The University of Mississippi Alumni Association Executive Committee formed the Lesbian Gay Bisexual Transgender and Questioning Alumni and Friends Council in 2014. At the time of its formation, there were only three of its kind in the Southeastern Conference. The purpose is to welcome LGBTQ alumni and their allies, to provide opportunities for fellowship, and to create a safe space at the university for those who stay or return.

The University also continues to make great strides supporting other dimensions of diversity:

• The Chancellor’s Commission on the Status of Women consists of approximately 20 faculty, staff, and student members appointed by the Chancellor and charged with the duty of studying the status of women faculty, staff, and students.

• The Sensitivity and Respect Committee serves as an immediate point of contact for any member of our University community who is subjected to actions or words that are in conflict with EEO antidiscrimination policy.

• The University established the LGBTQ Affairs Committee that provides counsel and makes recommendations to the Chancellor and Provost on University policies, programs, practices, and facilities as they impact or pertain to students, faculty, and staff who identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender or queer/questioning.

• The inaugural Pride Camp was held to provide networking opportunities and exposure to campus resources for students who are members of the LGBTQ community. The Sarah Isom Center for Women & Gender Studies, Department of Student Housing and Center for Inclusion and Cross Cultural Engagement partnered to host the event (summer 2015).

• UM student groups including UM Pride Network, in conjunction with the Sarah Isom Center for Women and Gender Studies organized the inaugural LOU Pride Weekend.

UM has increased efforts to assess and respond to campus climate including: • The Bias Incident Response Team was created in summer 2013 to record and track all notifications of bias and determine whether an area needs additional attention because of observable patterns or repeated student or staff issues.

• The University of Mississippi invited all sophomores and juniors to participate in the Diverse Learning Environment Survey (DLES) and all freshmen and seniors to participate in the National Survey of Student Engagement (NSSE) in spring 2014.

• The Division of Student Affairs solicits frequent data reports and monitors for trends that may indicate bias, drawing on monthly and semester reports from the University Police Department, Office of Conflict Resolution and Student Conduct and Office of the

www.minorityaccess.org

69

COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES COMMITTED TO DIVERSITY

Dean of Students (Fraternity and Sorority Life).

• An in-depth analysis of all university publications and electronic content was completed to determine the degree to which communication demonstrated diversity and a welcoming environment. Of the 72 printed publications studied, 66 percent met criteria, 31 percent were identified as needing minor improvement and 2 percent showed a need for major improvement, reflecting little or no diversity in selected photography.

2014 Recommendation: The University of Mississippi should consider a symbolic and formal dedication of all new students to the ideals of inclusion and fairness to which the university is devoted.

2016 Update: The UM Creed, established in 2003 as a compass and core values for the campus community, has been elevated further through a series of events and activities such as Respect the M, MPower, Creed Week, and Creed Justice. Arne Duncan, former U.S. Secretary of Education, highlighted the UM Creed for helping “elevate and strengthen the university’s community and as a guide in addressing complaints” in an opinion article in the St. Louis Post Dispatch.

In addition to elevating the UM Creed as a foundational element, UM has enhanced curriculum and related training for all students.

Curriculum and related training: • The Division of Student Affairs enhanced the EDHE 105 curriculum and related training to educate students on matters related to diversity. The William Winter Institute for Racial Reconciliation and Center for Inclusion and Cross Cultural Engagement trained EDHE 105 faculty on LBGTQ issues; these efforts were aimed at developing a common curriculum that discusses race and sexuality in a uniform way throughout all sections (fall 2014).

70

Minority Access, Inc.

• UM offers EDHE 305 for transfer students to learn more about UM’s history and commitment to inclusion (fall 2014).

• UM added a chapter to The Ole Miss Experience, the EDHE 105/305 textbook, titled “Living the Creed at the University of Mississippi.” Each student enrolled in EDHE 105/305 is given a copy of the Creed as a bookmark at the beginning of the semester (2014).

2014 Recommendation: The University of Mississippi should consider a symbolic and formal dedication of all new students to the ideals of inclusion and fairness to which the university is devoted.

2016 Update: Chancellor Vitter announced the formal establishment of the Chancellor’s Advisory Committee on History and Context, which has been charged with undertaking campus contextualization projects in a process that is transparent, inclusive, and aligned with the UM Creed (spring 2016). (Donald Cole, Assistant to the Chancellor for Multicultural Affairs, serves as cochair.) The Advisory Committee will recommend which sites should be contextualized, so as to better explain the environment in which they were created and how those environments compare to our core institutional values.

Recent changes to provide context and recognize diversity: • The university named the pond at the Sorority Row entrance to campus Silver Pond, after former University of Mississippi history professor, James “Jim” Silver. Silver taught history at Ole Miss from 1946-1957 and also wrote a number of books. In his most famous book “Mississippi: The Closed Society,” he discussed the racial customs in the South and mentioned James Meredith, the first African-American student who enrolled at Ole Miss.

• The entrance of the newly named Manning Center was designated the Williams-Reed Foyer, recognizing Ben Williams and James Reed, the first two AfricanAmerican football players at the university.

YEAR 2016

• Coliseum Drive was renamed “Chucky Mullins Drive,” honoring the heroic spirit of an AfricanAmerican football player who battled against lifeending injuries sustained during a football game.

• The university honored Will Campbell, civil rights activist and former director of religious life, by naming the plaza adjacent to the Paris-Yates Chapel in his honor.

• The university recognized Coolidge Ball, the first African-American student-athlete at the university, with a plaque at the front entrance of The Pavilion, the new basketball arena.

• The National Pan-Hellenic Council Greek Garden will provide a visible presence and serve as a symbolic space for the nine African-American Greek organizations, as none of those organizations have properties on campus. This student-centered area will be a visible monument that represents important history and critical campus engagement opportunities.

• A four-person context committee developed a plaque to contextualize the Confederate statue at Lyceum Circle. The plaque contextualizes the environment in which the monument was created.

• Confederate Drive was renamed “Chapel Lane.”

www.minorityaccess.org

71

COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES COMMITTED TO DIVERSITY

University of North Alabama

The University of North Alabama (UNA) is very dedicated to the continued pursuit of inclusive excellence and has demonstrated its commitment to diversity and inclusion. The UNA Board of Trustees cemented their commitment to diversity and inclusion in 2009 by the establishment of the Office of Diversity and Institutional Equity and the approval a Strategic Diversity Plan.

That plan continues to guide the active efforts of the campus. Diversity and Inclusion are also included in the University’s Strategic Plan as one of the five areas of its Foundations of Excellence.

To increase the diversity of the faculty and staff, UNA developed, and the Board of Trustees approved, a more inclusive search process for all full-time positions.

This effort involves search committee members being required to receive diversity training before serving on a committee; requiring search committees composition to include members reflecting cultural diversity; requiring committees to meet with the Director of Diversity and Equity before engaging in a search and the Director of Diversity and Equity to approve all job postings, interviews and hires. Committees are briefed before every search by the Director of Diversity regarding strategies to engage in an inclusive search. This process has yielded more inclusive searches that focus on the various strategies needed to build a diverse pipeline of applicants and strategies to enhance the objectivity and transparency of the search and additionally gives equal

72

Minority Access, Inc.

voices to search members.

To increase the diversity of the student body, the University established a scholarship mentoring program for culturally diverse students, called the Presidential Mentors Academy (PMA). This program assists in the recruitment and retention of diverse students. Selected students are given an annual scholarship for up to five years and receive monthly one to one mentoring and advising throughout their college tenure. PMA’s start their college career with a paid four week summer residential program to review academic success strategies, strategies of cultural competence and to become acclimated to campus life. Currently there are 60 students in the PMA program. Students have been highly successful and have an excellent retention and graduation rate. The funding for this program comes from the University’s President’s Office.

Since establishment of the Office of Diversity and Institutional Equity (ODIE), a holistic approach to creating a welcoming and inclusive campus has been implemented that allows the office to work with administrators, faculty, staff and students. The office reports to the President’s office and works with administrators regarding policies and inclusive excellence strategies.

YEAR 2016

One goal of the Office of Diversity and Institutional Equity is to increase cultural competence. This has been done through various efforts such as creating Diversity Education Week in March 2016. This is a week dedicated to collaboration across disciplines and departments to dedicate an entire week to the presenting educational opportunities for the campus and community to engage in learning more about various areas of diversity, equity and challenges to those efforts. Five days were dedicated to learning more about diversity and inclusion.

UNA is working very hard to achieve increased diversity and inclusion. The above effort represents only a few initiatives that reflect the university’s commitment to inclusive excellence. UNA has listed diversity as an imperative to its pursuit of academic excellence in its strategic plan, created curricular and co-curricular strategies that make us a role model for others to follow.

We have an approach that is holistic, which makes us stand out from others and worthy to be recognized.

Other efforts have included embedding diversity into the First Year Experience Program, where all freshmen are required to enroll. In spring 2016, scholarships were given to four minority students to attend a study-abroad in Peru.

This is an example of strategic partnerships created with other departments, like International Affairs, to increase minority student participation in Study Abroad programs.

A major campus diversity kick-off for the academic year, involves targeting incoming students to gather for a campus appreciation of diversity and inclusion during our annual CultureFest. Students are immersed in a cultural experience to garner their attention around the importance and value the institution puts on diversity, inclusion and understanding.

www.minorityaccess.org

73

COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES COMMITTED TO DIVERSITY

University of Phoenix Our Commitment to Diversity University of Phoenix not on l y recognizes and embraces the diversity of its students, staff and faculty we strive to maintain it. Throughout our history, we have worked to provide underserved populations with access to higher education and we are devoted to continuing that commitment.

Our Diverse Student Population University of Phoenix makes higher education available to underrepresented ethnic minorities at rates far above the national average. Our student body is comprised of: 27% African-American, approximately

for faculty, candidates, advisors, and academic staff on the design and implementation of programs, as well as candidate and program evaluation. Initial and advanced preparation programs emphasize the following themes for professional practice.

• Advocating for Learning • Collaborating with Educational Communities • Engaging in Reflective Practice • Integrating Technology • Leading through Innovative Practices • Practicing Professional Ethics • Valuing Diversity

14% Latino, 0.7% Native American, 3.1% Asian/Pacific Islander, and 42.1% Caucasian. In its Annual Top I 00 Graduate Degree Producers report, University of Phoenix has been recognized by Diverse Issues in Higher Education,a CMA publication, for having graduated more underrepresented students with master’s degrees in business, health care, and education than any other university in the nation.

We also have courses that have been designed to address and embrace diversity which include, but are not limited to:

Our Curriculum

• SOC/335: The Peoples and Culture of Asia

The curriculum is developed by subject matter experts and designed to be relevant and practical in each discipline; curriculum content is reviewed a minimum of every two years. Class structure is a collaborative learning environment fostered by an average class size of 15 students. Students work in small learning teams of 3-5 students with regular, on-going communication with faculty and peers.

In the College of Education, the Conceptual Framework provides a common structure for all initial and advanced preparation education programs at University of Phoenix.

The Conceptual Framework is centered on seven themes that support professional practice: an emphasis on knowledge, skills, dispositions, and lifelong learning as essential elements for professional practice. These themes are reflected in and emphasized throughout coursework, candidate assessments, field experience, and professional practice as appropriate. I t is the guiding document

74

Minority Access, Inc.

• ET!-V120: Cultural Diversity in the United States • ETH/125: Cultural Diversity • ETH/316: Ethics and Social Responsibility • SOC/262: Contemporary American Society • SOC/315: Cultural Diversity • SOC/333: Genders in Society • SOC/337: Contemporary Latin American Society • SOC/338: The African American Experience • SPAN/l!O: Conversational Spanish l • SPAN/114: Conversational Spanish II • COM/234: Foundations of Interpersonal Communication • COM/390: Intercultural Communication • •ENG/301: American Ethnic Literature • ENG/437: Literary Genres Across Cultures • ENG/496: African American Literature • LlT/450: Women Writers

Our Accomplishments University of Phoenix is committed to social responsibility and creating opportunities and pathways that engage and give back to the local communities in which we live, work and play. The institution hosts Diversity Fairs and Diversity Employment Career Fairs which connect staff, faculty, and

YEAR 2016

students to the community. The fairs include active panel discussions and workshops around ctl11”ent events, as well as resume writing and interviewing. An upcoming Diversity Employment Day Career Fair will showcase important diversity thought leaders who will share best practices and key learnings in an interactive panel discussion regarding the state of diversity and inclusion within the community. University of Phoenix is engaged in Inclusion Initiatives with the United Way and have had campus staff present at migrant worker conferences and directly engage in migrant worker programs with the communities that we serve.

Our commitments within our diverse communities have also afforded the University the opportunity to service over 550 Native American Tribes. As a result, we have been able to connect our Native American students to educational funding from their respective tribes, as well as develop strategic plans for success that address the individual needs and foster success and a rising retention for these students.

University of Phoenix collaborates with the Hispanic Foundation of the Silicon Valley to offer Latino Board Academy Scholarships as an investment in the educational achievement, leadership development, research and engagement of the Hispanic community to improve the quality of life for Latinos and the Silicon Valley.

These full-tuition scholarships enable perspective students to pursue undergraduate or graduate degrees at the institution. Additional opportunities include Joint Venture-Silicon in which our faculty in the School of Business/College of lnformation Systems & Technology engage and collaborate with incumbent and emerging businesses, academia and labor leaders to quantify economic challenges and develop innovative solutions.

Lastly, our efforts extend to active participation on State Task Teams and Committees such as the

improvement of minority awareness and access throughout all sectors of the education pipeline.

Our Diverse Partnerships University of Phoenix continues to partner with nonprofit organizations within the Native American, Hispanic and African-American communities to provide additional resources and support. The institution also maintains relationships with leading minority professional organizations to ensure that industries across America have access to a diverse talent pool. These partnerships are numerous and range from the National Indian Education Association (NIEA) to the National Black Nurses Association (NBNA).

In November 2014, the Thurgood Marshall College Fund (TMCF) and University of Phoenix announced an impot1ant new alliance enabling students at Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) to supplement their course-loads with access to specific on line University of Phoenix courses using its learning management system (LMS). The goal of this partnership is to introduce HBCUs and their existing faculty to University of Phoenix’s online learning modality, as well as instructional best practices, and share insights into how technology can be utilized to expand access to learning.

Students taking courses through th is partnership will have access to University of Phoenix’s vast array of educational tools and resources, including, but not limited to, its online library, academic labs and workshops, and 24/7 live math tutoring. The partnership also offers a capacity-building opportunity for HBCU faculty who are interested in understanding online instructional design pedagogy, thus preserving the cultural framing interwoven in many HBCU course offerings. In addition to the online learning partnership, University of Phoenix will also provide scholarships for HBCU students through the Thurgood Marshall College Fund.

Arizona Minority Education Policy Analysis Center (AMEPAC). The Center is tasked with stimulating statewide discussions and debate while constructing

www.minorityaccess.org

75

COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES COMMITTED TO DIVERSITY

University of Central Arkansas The University of Central Arkansas (UCA) dedicates itself to academic vitality, integrity, and diversity. UCA values the opportunity to work, learn, and develop in a community that embraces the diversity of individuals and ideas, including race, ethnicity, religion, spiritual beliefs, national origin, age, gender, marital status, socioeconomic background, sexual orientation, physical ability, political affiliation, and intellectual perspective.

Moreover, UCA is an affirmative action/equal opportunity institution. Students, faculty, and staff collaborate to create strong engagements with local, national, and global communities.

UCA publishes this statement throughout UCA’s website (mission, vision, and core values statement; various board policy statements; division, academic college, and department pages) as well as in faculty, staff, and student handbooks, and in other key documents. http://uca.edu/ about/mission/. The following are the various was that UCA evidences its commitment to diversity.

Diversity Advisory Committee Sanctioned by UCA’s Board of Trustees, this committee is comprised of faculty from each academic college, staff from each division, and representatives from the Student Government Association. The charge of the committee is to make recommendations and to promote and maintain inclusive excellence that aligns with the university’s core value of diversity. The highlight of the committee’s work during academic year 2014/2015 during academic year 2014/2015 were the identification and labeling of genderneutral restrooms and the composition of a comprehensive campus-wide diversity strategic plan.

The diversity strategic plan puts forth a wide range of dimensions that speak to core areas of the university, social identity characteristics, and focal/constituent groups. It further adopts vision-aligned objectives with corresponding principles and practices. Each division and academic college will annually report its customized initiatives based on the aforementioned. The communications campaign to inform and collaborate with the campus for the first year of implementation begins Fall 2015. http://uca.edu/board/files/2010/11/525.pdf http://uca.edu/diversity/diversity-advisory-committee/ meeting-minutes/

76

Minority Access, Inc.

Diversity Courses The UCA Core is a cohesive course of study carried through all four years that builds core competencies around the four general education knowledge and skill areas. Diversity is one its pillars and speaks to UCA’s commitment to help students develop their cultural competence and their appreciation for the diversity of ideas and peoples, both inside and outside the classroom.

The curriculum also serves to help students analyze the major ideas, techniques, and processes that inform creative works within different cultural and historical contexts. https://uca.edu/core/ Departments and academic colleges offer courses and/or programs that help students understand and interact with individuals from various cultures and religions. Sample courses include African and American Studies, American Indian Literature and Cultures, Asian Studies, Gender Studies, History of Groups in America, International Studies, Latin American Studies, and Religious Studies.

UCA also offers a residential college – EDGE – Educating for Diversity and Global Engagement which is a living/ learning community for students and faculty with a shared interest in liberal arts, global education, and civic engagement. In addition, the University College has a freshman course that primarily enrolls African American men and another with a prevailing matriculation of African American women. http://uca.edu/diversity/ initiatives-support/

Diversity Professional Development and Training It is the policy of UCA that all employees (faculty and staff) plus graduate assistants, and student workers attend diversity enrichment/training each year. Since 2009, topics have included ethnicity, spirituality, racial understanding, classism, sexual orientation, ageism, disabilities, gender, and understanding the military in an educational setting. Other routine training includes unlawful harassment prevention, LGBT awareness, and Title IX/SaVE Act Awareness.

This office facilitated 74 different types of seminars during academic year 2014/2015 involving UCA faculty, staff, and students. The following link represents a sampling of the number of individuals that attended

YEAR 2016

diversity-related enrichment. http://uca.edu/training/ seminar-resources/

Diversity Website The university’s diversity website offers further information on the Office of Institutional Diversity, the Office of Diversity and Community, Diversity Enrichment/Training, a wide variety of diversity-related Initiatives and Support, UCA’s Diversity Ledger, and associated policies and procedures. http://uca.edu/ diversity/

Faculty and Staff Employment Practices/ Department of Human Resources UCA is dedicated to attracting and supporting a diverse faculty and staff population. It is the intent and commitment of UCA to create and foster an institutional environment that corresponds to the ratio of minorities in the general population, the total work force, and the high school graduation rate of Arkansas. This commitment is not only a function of moral rightness but is also an investment in human resources and human potential.

The Minority Retention and Recruitment Plan 2012–2017 includes the maintenance and increase of minority fulltime faculty at all ranks as well as minority executive administration and professional non-faculty. The aspiration for academic human resources is that UCA’s percentage of each race approximates the percentage of degrees conferred by race nationally and master’s degrees statewide. The proportion of administrative and professional, non-faculty staff will equal the proportion of minority individuals with the credentials required for such positions in the relevant labor market.

Since 2013, UCA has expanded its efforts to recruit, retain, and develop ethnically diverse faculty. This effort includes annual recruitment of diverse faculty at the Compact for Faculty Diversity, which is an initiative of the Southern Regional Education Board (SREB). UCA seeks Ph.D. candidates from their diverse doctoral scholars’ directory and posts all open faculty positions in SREB’s job posting service. Academic deans and department chairs collaborate with the Office of Institutional

Diversity to construct a pipeline for faculty diversity.

UCA also works with the Academic Network to advertise our administrative/professional positions. http://uca.edu/ about/files/2012/03/mrr_plan_20122017.pdf http://uca.edu/ir/diversity-ledger/

Gender Neutral Restrooms UCA offers 17 single stall restroom locations as follows: in academic buildings; in the Student Center; in the Student Health Center; in the library; in the recreation facility; in the main administration building; in residence halls; in the Police Department; and in a multipurpose building. http://uca.edu/diversity/gender-neutral-restrooms/

Institutional Diversity/Community The Office of Institutional Diversity (ID) serves as the umbrella department for the University’s diversity efforts while ID collaborates with divisions, academic colleges, and programs on diversity planning, initiatives, documentation, and implementation. The office plans programming to increase the recruitment, retention, and development of diverse faculty. It also cultivates partnerships with external communities, agencies, businesses, and institutions. In addition, the office seeks to increase minority business partnerships with UCA. ID supports the growth of the newly formed Black Alumni Chapter and future chapters for diverse graduates. This office also coordinates the activities of the university-wide Diversity Advisory Committee. Targeted initiatives of this office includes the Diversity and Inclusive Excellence Award; the Diversity Strategic Plan; the Institutional Diversity Grant Program; the Conversations about Diversity Series; and the Leadership Lens Series.

The Office of Diversity and Community (ODC) serves historically underrepresented students. It works in partnership with the campus community to help diverse student populations efficaciously transition into college, fully engage in the college experience, and experience transformation for success after graduation. Key services include inclusion and retention-focused programming;

www.minorityaccess.org

77

COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES COMMITTED TO DIVERSITY

academic achievement recognition; the Black Male Achievement Challenge; the Latino/Hispanic Outreach Initiative; Leadership 101; the LGBT+ Mentoring Program; LGBT+ Outreach Initiative; the Minority Mentoring Program; the Miss Essence Scholarship Pageant; Project X, an early arrival program for men of color; and Woman2Woman.

abroad. Another representation of UCA’s international engagement manifests through the College Student Personnel Administration program, which oversees an annual educational travel opportunity to China so that its graduate students may experience, first hand, the relationship between theory and practice. http://uca.edu/ international/

What is more, the 2014 League of United Latin American Citizens Council (LULAC) 750 Little Rock Scholarship Gala awarded UCA with the Latino Education Outreach of the Year Award. At the 2015 League of United Latin American Citizens Council (LULAC) 750 Little Rock Scholarship Gala, UCA President Tom Courtway received the LULAC President’s Award for UCA’s efforts in recruiting and retaining Latino students. http://uca.edu/ diversity

http://honors.uca.edu/hcol/content.php?67-travelopportunities_1

International Engagement UCA assembles approximately 600 international students from approximately 70 nations. The office has a well-structured system of intake (International Student and Scholar Services) to ensure that students become acclimated to their new resident nation and UCA. The Intensive English Program enhances the English proficiency of respective international students.

The office hosts educational and social programming throughout the academic year to connect students to the office as well as to other international students. UCA’s international students are also the recipients of academic scholarships, participate in local volunteerism, are engaged in recognized student organizations, and are among Presidential Leadership Fellows.

One of the 350 Confucius Institutes around the world and the 24th Confucius Institute established in United States resides on UCA’s campus. The institute also offers cultural and educational programming for the campus community. All undergraduate students may seize opportunities to participate in faculty led summer study abroad programs in countries such as India, France, Italy, Costa Rica, and New Zealand. Moreover, the Schedler Honors College offers Travel Abroad Grants to support dozens of students each year in their pursuit of studying

78

Minority Access, Inc.

http://uca.edu/leadershipstudies/cspa/

Lactation Suites UCA has made available five Lactation Suites. The purpose of the Lactation Suites is to provide nursing mothers with multiple, convenient, private, sanitary, beautifully appointed, and comfortable rooms to express, collect, and/or store breast milk. There is no fee for the use of any UCA Lactation Suite. They are located in academic buildings, the Student Health Center, the library, and the conference center.

Minority Vendor/Business Partnerships UCA honors Arkansas Act 1222 of 2009, entitled Minority Business Economic Development Act, to include participation of organizations owned and controlled by minority persons, in the purchase of goods and services.

We have extended the olive branch, hosted sessions for community leaders and vendors, modified some internal processes, and offered a workshop designed to build their capacity to compete. UCA has continued to increase business partnerships with minority vendors.

For instance, in fiscal year 2010/2011 UCA was at 2.56% and 2.91% in fiscal year 2011-2012. Our all-time high was 29.9% in fiscal year 2013/2014 while building a multiple building complex, Greek Village. In 2014/2015, 12.08% of our business was conducted with minorities while in 2015/2016, it was 17.46%. UCA continues to communicate with minority vendors regularly and update its Minority Vendor Strategic Plan to foster positive relations and business development. http://uca.edu/diversity/minoritybusinessvendor-partnership-program/

YEAR 2016

Student Life

Student Minority Recruitment

UCA provides a host of opportunities for students to interact and understand diverse groups as well as occasions for students to cultivate enriched learning opportunities in a global community. The university offers approximately 200 Registered Student Organizations (RSOs). The RSOs vary from academics/honors and religious to service and special interest. Quite a few are cultural and/or multicultural. A sampling of diverse student groups includes Students for the Propagation of Black Culture, Minority Mentoring Program (Level 1), and Griot. Seven traditional African American fraternities and sororities make up UCA’s robust Greek community.

The Student Government Association, which represents each student classification, also provides social, cultural, and educational activities for students, advocates on behalf of all students, and allocates student activity funds to meet the diverse needs of the student organizations. httP://uca.edu/rso/directory/ http://uca.orgsync.com/org/ sga/About_Constitution

UCA is centrally located in the state of Arkansas. To ensure that enrollment mirrors the diversity of the state, the Office of Admissions reaches out to students throughout Faulkner County and in the various sections of the state including northeast, northwest, southeast, and southwest. UCA also targets two-year transfer students (through 2+2 agreements), homeschooled students, and students in Texas, a contiguous state. Each college, as part of its diversity plan, seeks to enhance the diversity of its student body. The Admissions Office and the Graduate School join forces with the Office of Institutional Diversity to increase the recruitment, enrollment, and graduation of diverse undergraduate and graduate students. Current programming includes Slice of UCA, Diversity Day, HBCU Outreach, and McNair Scholars Fair.

www.minorityaccess.org

79

COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES COMMITTED TO DIVERSITY

University of Virginia Goals • Promote an inclusive, welcoming, and respectful environment, by embracing diversity as a core value tied inextricably to the University’s priorities as addressed in the Commission on the Future of the University Reports.

• Encourage commitment to diversity and equity in all aspects of academics, extracurricular activities, the workplace, and within the surrounding communities.

• Enhance the student experience academically and culturally.

Overview The Office of the Vice President and Chief Officer for Diversity and Equity assists and monitors all units of the University in their efforts to recruit and retain faculty, staff, and students from historically underrepresented groups and to provide affirmative and supportive environments for work and life at the University of Virginia./

Mission The Office of the Vice President and Chief Officer for Diversity and Equity provides leadership, information, consultation, coordination, and assistance to the various units and constituencies within the University of Virginia in an effort to embrace diversity and equity as pillars of excellence, synergize actions at all levels of the institution, and cultivate inclusiveness and mutual respect throughout the community. We also reach beyond the University to establish beneficial relationships with individual and institutional partners who share mutual goals and interests./

Vision We commit ourselves to a vision of leadership in diversity and equity, not out of a reluctant sense of obligation but because only by enriching ourselves and embracing diversity can we become the leading institution we aspire to be.

80

Minority Access, Inc.

• Enhance staff relations in collaboration with the VP for Human Resources.

• Enhance faculty relations in collaboration with the Vice Provost for Faculty Recruitment and Retention.

The University of Virginia’s Commitment to Diversity Diversity stands with ethics, integrity, and academic excellence, as a cornerstone of University culture.

The University promotes an inclusive and welcoming environment that embraces the full spectrum of human attributes, perspectives, and disciplines. When people of different backgrounds come together, they exchange ideas, question assumptions (including their own), and broaden the horizons for us all. A University of Virginia community rich in diversity affords every member equal respect – and provides a forum for understanding our differences as well as our commonalities.

YEAR 2016

Utah Valley University OBJECTIVE #1

OBJECTIVE #2

Access, Equity, & Opportunity

OBJECTIVE #3

OBJECTIVE #4

Curriculum & Learning for Intercultural Competence

Supportive Campus Environment

Academic Inclusivity & Regional Stewardship

UVU provides opportunities to improve intercultural competence in an increasingly complex, diverse, and globalized society.

UVU provides an inviting, safe, and supportive environment for people from diverse backgrounds and perspectives.

UVU offers an array of courses, programs, and delivery methods designed to reflect students’ goals and the region’s educational needs.

GOAL #1

GOAL #1

GOAL #1

GOAL #1

Increase and improve access to UVU for underrepresented students and students with varying levels of academic preparation

Increase student intercultural competencies through curricular and co-curricular learning opportunities with diverse courses, individuals, and communities.

Improve students’ and employees’ sense of validation, belonging, and personal safety.

Maintain and continue development of a robust set of academic courses, programs, and offerings that reflect students’ interests and the region’s educational needs.

GOAL #2

GOAL #2

GOAL #2

GOAL #2

Increase academic success of and support for underrepresented UVU students and UVU students with varying levels of academic preparation.

Increase the intercultural competencies of faculty and staff through intercultural engagement opportunities.

Increase recruitment, retention, and advancement of underrepresented faculty and staff at all levels of the university to enrich university life and provide role models.

Maintain and strategically build out a robust set of course delivery times, sites, and methods responsive to students’ needs.

UVU provides accessible and equitable educational opportunities and resources for all students.

ADMINISTRATIVE IMPERATIVES Assessment & Accountability

Budget and Fundraising

Improve assessments and accountability for inclusivity at every level of the university.

Create and sustain an institutional financial infrastructure that effectively supports inclusivity.

Making progress on 31 of 36 Action Steps 6 Action Steps

25 Action Steps

5 Action Steps

Checkpoint completed or significant progress made

Initiated or early stages of progress

Not started or no significant progress

www.minorityaccess.org

81

COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES COMMITTED TO DIVERSITY

UVU Inclusion & Diversity Highlights Major Awards/Accomplishments • Nationally Award winning Latino Initiative (increased Latino enrollment from 980 students in 2007 to 3,120 students in 2014. UVU offers 14 programs, services and events for the Latino community. http://www. uvu.edu/multicultural/initiatives/latino/ • State’s most robust Native American Student Success Initiative. Host the Governor’s Native American Summit each year and launched American Indian Studies bachelor’s degree this past year. http://www. uvu.edu/multicultural/initiatives/native-american/ • House the Utah Women in Education Association http://www.uvu.edu/wsc/ • In the Fall of 2014, UVU cut the ribbon on a new ecumenical Reflection Center for students of all faith or no particular faith to meditate, reflect, or worship. http://www.uvu.edu/religiousstudies/interreligious/ reflectioncenter.html • Fundraised $2.5 million for new on campus daycare facility for students from low-income backgrounds. http://www.uvu.edu/weecare/ • Launched robust first-generation scholarship campaign.

• Implemented Spanish translation services for departments across campus.

• Host annual Global Spotlight program focused on one country or region of the world every year. http://www. uvu.edu/cgie/international/events/global_spotlight/ • Launching new LGBT Student Services center this Fall.

• Host largest Deaf Studies program in the state. http://www.uvu.edu/asl/ • Launched student led Diversity Dialogues program with two dialogues per month. http://www.uvu.edu/ multicultural/events/ • New Pacific Islander student success initiative launched through statewide grant program. http://www.uvu.edu/multicultural/initiatives/ pacific-islander/ • In 3rd Year of UVU STEM Prep program focused on getting more students of color and low-income students into the STEM fields. http://www.uvu.edu/partnership/ prep/ • Refined assessments to measure progress on Inclusive Core Theme. http://www.uvu.edu/iri/indicators/corethemes/ inclusive/ • Created Diverse Hiring Strategies and Resources sheet for faculty and staff in hiring processes. http://www.uvu.edu/inclusion/docs/ hiringstrategiesandresourcesfordiversitandinclusion. pdf

Moving Forward Inclusion Strategic Goals 2015—2016 A-List Priorities • Map and establish annual inclusion assessments including attention to Inclusive indicators.

• Develop comprehensive First Generation Student Success Initiative.

• Complete fundraising portfolio work on four inclusion fundraising priorities

• Expanded Safe Zone training and inclusive pedagogy training.

── Women in Education (with emphasis on women in STEM)

• Made Title IX training mandatory for all employees and students. http://www.uvu.edu/equalopportunity/ title_9.html

── Interfaith Understanding and Cooperation Initiatives

• Established Global/Intercultural requirement for all students (offer over 60 G/I courses across campus). http://www.uvu.edu/cgie/gi/ • Expanded use of closed captioning in class videos and major events.

82

Minority Access, Inc.

── Multicultural Initiatives (Latino, Native American, and People of the Pacific) ── First Generation scholarships and programming support • Develop three focused trainings/workshops offered with and through Human Resources.

── Safe Zone Training

YEAR 2016

── Inclusive Classrooms/Pedagogy ── Onboarding of new employees • Expand College Access Program (piloted through STEP UP grant) as part of K-16 Alliance and Ambassador program.

── Trainings, dialogues, and workshops (INTERCULTURAL COMPETENCE) ── Marketing, recruitment, & outreach (ACCESS) ── Student Leadership Inclusion module (STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT)

• Solidify internal and external marketing of new online and physical spaces and services.

── Veteran’s Center ── LGBTQ Services B-List Priorities

• Launch student leadership inclusion modules for all student ambassadors, leaders, and high-level interns.

• Establish inclusion recognition process (faculty member, staff member, and department/division).

• Develop or purchase a set of “intercultural competence” assessments as a resource for faculty to use across disciplines.

• Support newly launched departmental inclusion initiatives.

• Finalize cultural onboarding resource guide for new and prospective employees.

C-List Priorities

• Submit application on behalf of UVU to minorityaccess.org to seek national recognition for Inclusion work.

• Solidify involvement in and networking through NADOHE (National Association of Diversity Officers in Higher Education).

• Have Presidential Intern work on Inclusive monthly report/newsletter.

Committee Work

• Some action steps will benefit from targeted working groups. We dissolved Inclusion Planning Committee and reorganized around five working groups

── Diverse hiring strategies and resources (COMPOSITIONAL DIVERSITY) ── Inclusion data and assessment (ASSESSMENT)

www.minorityaccess.org

83

COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES COMMITTED TO DIVERSITY

Western Illinois University Founded in 1899, in Macomb, Illinois, Western Illinois University celebrates, recognizes, and values the diversity of its campus community. As a public institution, our students, faculty and staff should re ect the broad diversity of a global society. Through Expanding Cultural Diversity Programming and other academic diversity initiatives in the Of ce of the Provost and Academic Vice President, and inclusive activities in the Of ce of the President and other University of ces, Western Illinois University promotes and supports a climate of community, understanding, mutual respect, and appreciation for multicultural issues.

WIU’s mission is to provide a community of individuals dedicated to learning that will have a profound and positive impact on our changing world through the unique interaction of instruction, research, and public service as we educate and prepare a diverse student population to thrive in and make positive contributions to our global society.

Diversity is an integral part of WIU’s strategic plan: Higher Values in Higher Education. Providing equal access and opportunity to all students and other members of our campus community is a priority. In order to demonstrate and support our core values of: Academic Excellence, Educational Opportunity, Personal Growth, and Social Responsibility, we believe that we must celebrate the richness of our diverse community and provide an environment that is inclusive and welcoming to all.

WIU is proud to provide academic and extracurricular opportunities that support a culture of inclusion for all individuals. The University fosters an environment where all students are encouraged to participate in academic coursework, cultural activities, organizations, and social events, where they can learn to appreciate and understand other cultures, all which provide opportunities for diversity enhancement.

In recent years, due to concerted collaborative institutional recruitment efforts, the student population at WIU has become increasingly ethnically diverse, and the University continues

84

Minority Access, Inc.

to graduate a larger percentage of students from underrepresented, rst-generation, and low-income backgrounds.

Since 2008, the University has actively engaged in recruiting underrepresented minority faculty and administrative staff through the dissertation fellowship and visiting professor programs for traditionally underrepresented groups.

The Underrepresented Dissertation Fellowship Program is designed for doctoral students who have successfully completed qualifying and/or comprehensive exams, and are at the dissertation stage of a doctoral degree program.

Fellows teach one course each semester in an area related to their academic preparation and are expected to devote signi cant time to the completion of their dissertation. Specialized components of this program require fellows to work with a faculty mentor and become involved with co-curricular activities including the University’s cultural diversity initiatives.

The Underrepresented Visiting Professorship Program is designed for persons who possess terminal degrees and have experience teaching at the postsecondary level and who have worked in or are committed to teaching in diverse educational programs and environments.

YEAR 2016

Western Michigan University Diversity at WMU encompasses inclusion, acceptance, respect, and empowerment. This means understanding that each individual is unique and that our commonalities and differences make the contributions we have to offer all the more valuable. Diversity includes the dimensions of race, ethnicity, and national and regional origins; sex, gender identity, and sexual orientation; socioeconomic status, age, physical attributes, and abilities; as well as religious, political, cultural, and intellectual ideologies and practices.

Our institution has an anti-discrimination policy that goes beyond the traditional aspects of diversity that are protected by law within our state. WMU has also defined both diversity and multiculturalism in our Diversity and Multicultural Action Plan which was developed in 2004.

Western Michigan University prohibits discrimination or harassment which violates the law or which constitutes inappropriate or unprofessional limitation of employment opportunity, University facility access, or participation in University activities, on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, protected disability, veteran status, height, weight or marital status (Revised April 2006).

Our Board of Trustees adopted the Diversity and Multicultural Action Plan in 2006 which was then charged to the Office of Diversity and Inclusion in 2008. The plan details the six goals.

• To develop and maintain a shared and inclusive understanding of diversity, multiculturalism, institutional bias, and affirmative action through training and education at every level of the institution.

• To recommend an institutional infrastructure that dismantles institutional bias and recognizes, supports, and sustains the efforts of this diversity and multiculturalism initiative at all levels of the institution.

• To create a welcoming and inclusive university environment (climate) that includes ongoing training, curriculum reform, and research incentives.

• To recruit, retain, and graduate a diverse student body and promote a diverse workforce at all levels.

• To enhance curricular, co-curricular, research, service, artistic, and study abroad activities as a means to fully engage the university community in an affirming diverse and multicultural learning environment.

• To develop and maintain consistent accountability measures in order to accurately assess progress toward institutionalizing diversity and multiculturalism at all levels.

WMU conducted a university-wide campus climate survey with a focus on diversity and inclusion in the fall of 2012 and has worked on implementing recommendations based upon those results by using a Campus Climate for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Tactical Action Community and seven project action teams: 1) Campuswide Equity and Civility Initiative Project Action Team, 2) Center for Faith, Beliefs and Ethics Project Action Team, 3) Diversity and Multiculturalism Action Plan 2.0 Project Action Team, 4) Improving Campus Access Project Action Team, 5) Multicultural Mindedness Undergraduate Education Project Action Team, 6) Recruitment and Retention for Graduate Students Project Action Team, and the 7) Universal Information Technology Access Project Action Team. This tactical action community and project action teams have a mission of implementing the recommendations of the campus climate study, assuring integration and alignment with the Diversity and Multiculturalism Action Plan, the University Strategic Plan, and to promote University-wide transformational change in regard to diversity, equity, and inclusion.

In addition to using project action teams to address findings in the campus climate study, the campus climate for diversity, equity, and inclusion tactical action community received funding from the W.K. Kellogg Racial Healing Planning grant. Two Requests for Proposals were issued to the campus community regarding assessment and systemic, transformational change. In November 2014, the campus climate study consultant returned to WMU to assess the progress toward implementation of the recommendations.

In addition to the units listed below, there is a multitude of work that occurs on campus from various departments

www.minorityaccess.org

85

COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES COMMITTED TO DIVERSITY

to implement the Diversity and Multiculturalism Action Plan’s six goals.

Office of Diversity and Inclusion Vice Presidential Area (Main Office Programming) The Office of Diversity and Inclusion is a Vice Presidential area that includes main office programming; Disability Services for Students; Division of Multicultural Affairs; and Lesbian, Bisexual, Gay, and Transgender Student Services. The Vice President for the Office of Diversity and Inclusion is a member of the senior leadership team and reports directly to President Dunn.

The main office offers scholarships from donor endowments with preference given to students from historically underrepresented backgrounds.

Examples of programming includes Everyone Counts Diversity Learning Communities, which meet bi-weekly over the academic year on a particular diversity area.

Participants acquire tools to facilitate dialogue between divers groups, learn and practice ways of responding to intercultural conflict, and learn to work and lead more effectively to create a campus climate which is affirming and validating of diverse experiences and perspectives.

The Real Talk Diversity Series events are generally single events that allow participants an opportunity to interact and learn about the experiences and diverse perspectives of individuals and groups from many cultural backgrounds. Goals of the program include raising awareness, stimulating dialogue, and eliminating false ideologies. The MLK Celebration Committee works all year to further social justice by engaging in meaningful education, research and service initiatives, and coordinating events throughout the campus and Kalamazoo communities.

Disability Services for Students (DSS) The mission of the Office of Disability Services for

86

Minority Access, Inc.

Students is to support and advocate for students with disabilities while supporting the mission and vision of Western Michigan University. We are committed to ensuring that every student has access to and equal opportunity to excel in every aspect of the university experience.

Student support: DSS works with each individual student with disabilities to reduce the environments’ impact on the student’s life at the university. The student is provided accommodation and academic adjustments to equalize the opportunity to meet the demands of college classes. Some examples of student support: • Peer Mentor Program, Utility vehicle for temporary mobility concerns, Delta Alpha Pi International Honors Society.

• University Support: DSS collaborates with university departments, staff and faculty on behalf of the students with disabilities population including providing disability awareness training to student orientation leaders, presents at new faculty orientation, works with facilities management ensure the safety of students with disabilities on campus grounds and participates in meetings concerning new buildings and construction, collaborates with Residence Life to assure residence halls and rooms are safe and secure by installing strobe lights for fire and emergency notifications, providing barrier free rooms, and allowing installation of window air conditioners when documentation warrants.

── Community Support: promotes the awareness of disabilities and participates in in high school transition meetings for students with disabilities who plan to attend college, and serves on intermediate school district advisory committees, parent-night panel discussions and showcases.

Hosts disability awareness “What Do You Know?” film and discussion series. ── Western Michigan University has endeavored to create a campus of diversity and inclusion.

Through the Office of Disability Services for Students, the under-represented population of

YEAR 2016

students with disabilities is admitted, made to feel welcomed, included and supported.

Division of Multicultural Affairs (DMA) The Division of Multicultural Affairs (DMA) strives to ensure that all students are given the full opportunity to discover and develop their talents, interests, and unique potential. This is achieved by providing a learning centered environment that presents the context for intellectual, cultural, professional, and personal growth. Programs and services are centered on networking opportunities, mentoring, academic guidance, employment and internships opportunities and preparing precollege students for successful admission and matriculation to college or university of their choice.

DMA also fosters community engagement through service learning, leadership development and a campus climate that respects and appreciates the history, culture, and traditions of all students.

There are two primary units within DMA, the Center for Student Learning and Development (CSLD) and the Center for Precollege Initiatives (CPI). CSLD is designed to offer academic, social, and professional development services that assist program participants from their first year at WMU through graduation. Each program is designed to address particular developmental milestones associated with each phase of a student’s matriculation.

Programs in this unit include the Martin Luther King Jr. Academy (MLK), Mentoring for Success Program, the College Assistance Migrant Program (CAMP), and Alpha Kappa Mu Honor Society. The goal of the second unit within DMA, CPI is to provide an opportunity for middle and high school students to discover first hand, the potential of a college education and to expose students and parents to the information, knowledge and skills they need to complete high school and prepare them adequately for college entry and success. Programs in CPI include: MI GEAR UP, Upward Bound (UB), and Michigan Campus Compact (MICC).

All the programs and services offered through DMA assist in carrying out its mission of engaging students

in discovery and learning experiences in an effort to facilitate academic success and participation in a multicultural world.

The Office of Lesbian, Bisexual, Gay & Transgender (LBGT) Student Services The Office of Lesbian, Bisexual, Gay & Transgender (LBGT) Student Services provides support, education, and advocacy to the WMU community to create an environment in which all people are supported and welcome, inclusive of their gender identity/expression and sexual orientation.

Programs support student success and education including: • Fall Fab Fest: A welcome event offered at the beginning of the fall semester to support LBGT and ally students in the greater Kalamazoo area, featuring LBGTA-friendly resources in the local area.

• First Year Pride Alliance: The alliance prepares first year students to succeed by addressing many of the unique challenges facing LBGT and ally individuals while providing the tools to thrive in a University environment. First Year Pride Alliance builds relationships and knowledge among first year students to support their entire college experience.

• Lavender Graduation: Lavender Graduation is a celebration that recognizes graduating LBGTA students’ contributions to the university and acknowledges their achievements throughout their college experience.

• LBGT Resource Room and Library: As a safe, nonjudgment space the Resource Room and Library are open to students, faculty and staff.

• LBGT Student Advisory Council: The council meets with university leaders to identify areas of opportunity throughout the university with a focus on creating a safe and welcoming campus for the LBGT community.

• Ready to Work Series: The series features panels, workshops, interview practice sessions and an LBGTA

www.minorityaccess.org

87

COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES COMMITTED TO DIVERSITY

Career Mentorship Program to help prepare students for success in the workplace.

• Safe on Campus Training: This educational program provides the foundation and tools to being an ally to lesbian, bisexual, gay, and transgender (LBGT) people.

• SpeakOUT! Speakers Bureau Panel: Panelists share their personal stories of coming out as LBGT or ally people and provide space for audiences to ask questions and gain a deeper understanding of LBGTA experience.

• The LBGTA Career Mentorship Program is the recipient of the 2014 Equity in Education Award from the Michigan Association of Collegiate Registrars and Admission Officers (MACRAO).

• In 2013, Western Michigan University was granted the recognition of Gold Status by the Out for Work Career Center Certification Program for its availability of career resource materials for LGBTQ students.

The Office of Military and Veterans Affairs The Office of Military and Veterans Affairs was established in 2009 and assists in creating a smooth transition from service to student serving more than 600 veteran students on the WMU campus. We provide

88

Minority Access, Inc.

veterans, service members and family members of veterans with guidance and mentorship in a variety of areas, including academic support, benefit support, and answers to questions about WMU, Veterans Affairs and the campus community. In addition, there are two registered student organizations for veterans: Broncos for Heroes and Student Veterans of America.

YEAR 2016

Published by Minority Access, Inc. www.minorityaccess.org

89

COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES COMMITTED TO DIVERSITY

90

Minority Access, Inc.