Diversity and Inclusion

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A true mosaic of people who contribute daily to create a dynamic and rewarding learning environment

Cuyahoga Community College Cuyahoga Community College (Tri-C®) is Ohio’s oldest and largest public community college. Since its inception in 1963, Tri-C has provided high-quality, affordable education and rewarding employment opportunities for more than 900,000 members of the Northeast Ohio community.

VISION STATEMENT Cuyahoga Community College will be recognized as an exemplary teaching and learning community that fosters service and student success. The College will be a valued resource and leader in academic quality, cultural enrichment and economic development characterized by continuous improvement, innovation and community responsiveness.

MISSION STATEMENT To provide high-quality, accessible and affordable educational opportunities and services – including university transfer, technical and lifelong learning programs – that promote individual development and improve the overall quality of life in a multicultural community.

DIVERSITY AND INCLUSION STATEMENT Cuyahoga Community College is fortunate to have a true mosaic of people who contribute daily to create a dynamic and rewarding learning environment. Tri-C stands with the belief that diversity enriches not only the institution but society as a whole and is therefore committed to appreciating diverse perspectives and valuing the collective differences and similarities that make Tri-C a leading community organization.

Message from College President Alex Johnson The events of this past year have underscored the vital importance of Tri-C’s mission and institutional commitment to diversity and inclusion. In the following pages you will read about the important work we have done to make Tri-C a place where all people are welcome, nurtured and given equal opportunity to achieve a better life. We have much to celebrate, even as recent events illuminate how much work remains.

COVID-19 has affected every corner of the globe and every aspect of our lives. Though the virus itself is indiscriminate, it has taken a significantly larger toll on our most vulnerable populations — primarily people of color. These health disparities are driven by long-standing racial inequities that created densely populated neighborhoods with limited access to food, medical services and transportation. These same inequities plague many of our students.

The world also watched as civil unrest erupted in the United States in response to ongoing racial injustice and the continued need to demand basic human rights and equality for all people. As an institution that celebrates and values diversity, Tri-C accepts the responsibility to find a solution to this centuries-old problem. We will lead the difficult conversations that must take place for the healing to begin. Collectively, we will find solutions through education and action.

As always, the College will continue to lead by example, care for and support those who are underserved, and be agents of change. Together, we will build a better tomorrow based on our core values of integrity, respect, responsibility, fairness and diversity.

Alex Johnson, Ph.D. President, Cuyahoga Community College

Message from Magda Gómez, Director of Diversity and Inclusion This past academic year, we experienced historically life-changing events in our community, state and nation. Like many other higher education institutions, Cuyahoga Community College experienced immediate transformation as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. Not only did all courses transition online within a very short period, the College’s entire workforce had to adjust to a remote work environment just as quickly.

Our College leadership and teams work expeditiously to ensure we maintain quality and consistency in helping our students achieve outcomes for successful completion.

And as we bear witness to the social unrest, racial inequality and human indignity in our country, we remain committed to creating a space in which our students, employees and community can feel safe and which promotes civil discourse and positive change.

Inclusive excellence is a journey we take very seriously. As the largest community college in Ohio, Tri-C is home to students and employees who bring an array of perspectives, experiences and backgrounds that help us unlock new ideas and better understand their needs. Here, embracing diversity, inclusion and belonging is imperative to creating a future in which everyone brings their authentic selves to school and work each day.

Now more than ever, we are committed to exemplifying diversity, equity and inclusion.

The information provided in this Diversity Report intends to capture the spirit and impact of that commitment.

Magda Gómez Director, Diversity and Inclusion Cuyahoga Community College 3

Diversity and Inclusion Initiatives and Resources at Tri-C Diversity Speaker Series The Diversity Speaker Series is a Collegewide program open to students, employees and the community, featuring local and national speakers, workshops and activities that highlight all facets of diversity. Events take place at various campuses and community locations throughout the year.

Visit tri-c.edu/diversityseries to view the full calendar of events.

2019-2020 Highlights The Rice Experience A bold and empowering presentation by Heidi Rickard, The Rice Experience uses a dramatic analogy set to music to unlock the power in each of us to leave a legacy of change. Equating one grain of rice to one human life, Rickard poured out more than 600 pounds of rice before the audience of students, employees and community members, whose perspectives shifted as millions of grains piled up. The Rice Experience shares the story of devastating human loss within the past 100 years due to acts of genocide, including recent losses in Darfur and Congo.

Women of Faith An interfaith panel of women leaders from the Greater Cleveland area shared their experiences and insights on gender inclusion and offered a message of hope to an audience of Tri-C students, employees and community members. Held at the Metropolitan Campus in downtown Cleveland, the event, was presented by the College’s Office of Diversity and Inclusion, the Tri-C Network of Women (NOW), Women’s Studies faculty and the Office of Student Life.

Common Reading Program The 2019-2020 Common Reading Program featured An Absolutely Remarkable Thing by Hank Green. Green’s action-packed, witty story chronicles one young woman’s journey to find herself and save the world.

How do you define yourself? Are you a first-generation student? A parent?

A feminist? A musician? Book discussions, workshops and activities took place College‑wide. Additionally, in partnership with the Office of Diversity and Inclusion, the program celebrated Tri-C’s “This Is Me” campaign, which addresses the use of preferred names and pronouns — important ways in which we define ourselves.

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Hispanic Heritage Month Events Hispanic Heritage Day Tri-C celebrated Hispanic Heritage Day 2019 with honor and fanfare on Sept. 25. Students, faculty and staff enjoyed Latin music, dance, food and photo opportunities. From Sept. 15 to Oct. 15 each year, National Hispanic Heritage Month celebrates Hispanic cultures, histories and contributions from those whose families came from Mexico, Central and South America, Spain and the Caribbean.

Mexican Tissue-Paper Flower Activity Students and staff alike learned about the art of Mexican tissue‑paper flower making and had fun creating their own cultural memories.

Black in Latin America A film screening from the series Black in Latin America took place at the Metropolitan Campus. In a film featuring the countries of Mexico and Peru, Henry Louis Gates Jr. explored the almost unknown history of the significant number of Black people brought to these countries as early as the 16th and 17th centuries, along with the culture their descendants have created.

Following each screening, students and professors engaged in conversation regarding race as a social construct and how “blackness” and “whiteness” are perceived, defined and categorized differently among different cultures and societies.

International Education Week In partnership with the U.S. Department of State and the U.S. Department of Education, Tri-C celebrated International Education Week (Nov. 18-22, 2019) by promoting programs that prepare Americans for a global environment and attract future leaders from abroad to study, learn and exchange experiences. Events included a Study Abroad Fair where students received information about opportunities to study and learn overseas and a Thanksgiving Potluck, which taught participants about cultural celebrations from around the world.

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We The People: Campus Conversation — Where Is the Love?

We The People offers a safe space in which to discuss current national events and controversial topics that deeply affect our community, such as race, politics and civic engagement. This February event at the Metropolitan Campus included a dialogue on community policing featuring Tri-C Sgt. Ronald Wynne and Sgt. Vincent Montague, head of Cleveland’s Black police union, as well as a discussion of Angie Thomas’ film The Hate U Give.

Black History Month Literary Display In observance of Black History Month, the Metropolitan Campus hosted a photographic display depicting the life of Joseph Boulogne, Chevalier de Saint-Georges. An 18th-century aristocrat of mixed race, Saint-Georges was a gifted composer and prolific conductor who served as a colonel in the French Revolution. Known as the best fencer in France (and possibly all of Europe), he survived two assassination attempts.

The display also featured photos of freedom fighter Bessie Coleman — the first African American female to receive a pilot’s license — and a miniature replica of her airplane. Coleman’s stunt flying shows drew huge audiences.

Creating Partnerships for an Inclusive Workplace In October 2019, Tri-C celebrated National Disability Employment Awareness Month (NDEAM) by taking part in The Right Talent, Right Now — a social media campaign designed to shed light on disability employment issues and celebrate the many and varied contributions of America’s workers with disabilities. Throughout the month, we shared important facts on disability employment and dispelled myths about hiring individuals with disabilities. For example, 62% of individuals with disabilities have remained in the same job for three years or more, and workers with disabilities have a 48% lower turnover rate than those without.

Learn how you can support NDEAM at dol.gov/NDEAM.

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Black American Council The Cuyahoga Community College Black American Council (BAC) celebrated 50 years of dedicated service with an outstanding gala celebration on Saturday, Sept. 28, 2019, at the Cleveland Marriott East. Attendees included community members as well as past and present College employees who helped create and maintain the BAC. The theme of the event was “Remembering Our Legacy.”

College President Alex Johnson provided a warm welcome and shared reflections from BAC founders and past council presidents. Guests enjoyed an elegant evening of dining and entertainment as actress and producer Kim Coles eloquently guided the flow of the program as Mistress of Ceremonies.

Founded in 1969 as the Black Caucus, BAC focuses on equity and inclusive excellence, particularly as it applies to students, faculty and staff of color. Through mentoring, expanded programming and outreach initiatives that support academic performance, BAC has increased retention and graduation rates among participants. Active on all four Tri-C campuses, BAC takes great pride in the accomplishments of its students and members.

The BAC mentoring program currently serves 400 minority students College-wide, with 201 active faculty and staff serving as mentors.

BAC mentees have an 84% fall-to-spring retention rate and a 91% graduation rate. Ninety-four BAC students graduated in academic year 2019‑2020. BAC awarded an estimated $61,600 in success and completion, merit, honors, and essay scholarships. These numbers speak to the success of the program and the dedication of its mentors.

2019-2020 Highlights Each academic year, the Black American Council strives to increase internal and external community collaborations designed to enhance and evoke the student experience.

• Members of the Black Scholars Academy collect nonperishable food items to support the less fortunate each holiday season. Close to 700 items benefited the Metropolitan Campus Food Pantry this year.

• Each year, the BAC collaborates with the National Council of Teachers of English (NCTE) and the Eastern Campus Liberal Arts and Student Engagement departments to present the African American Read-In, which celebrates the legacy of African American authors and promotes community literacy. The sixth annual read-in drew close to 200 attendees. Assistant professor and BAC mentor Michelle Rankins coordinated the event.

• The BAC and Hispanic Council collaborated with the Western Campus Transfer Center to present Transfer Center Success Days in February. Students received information about the College transfer process; learned how Tri-C courses fit into transfer plans; explored the benefits of connecting with four-year partners/HBCUs; and connected with additional support services.

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• Collaborated with the Thurgood Marshall Oratorical Debate (TMOD) Education Project Initiative to present the TMOD Student Forum on Feb. 27, 2020, at the Metropolitan Campus. Two hundred fifty students from about a dozen public, charter and parochial middle and high schools participated in the forum, which combines student leadership, teambuilding and critical thinking approaches to inspire future community leaders.

• Members served on the 2019-2020 Metro Campus Wellness Week planning committee, working with Lifebanc to educate attendees on the importance of organ, eye and tissue donation.

Minority Women’s Leadership Initiative The Minority Women’s Leadership Initiative (MWLI) uplifts and encourages minority female students by supporting their academic, career and personal success. This academic year, the group hosted several impactful events to uplift, encourage and inform female students on the importance of maintaining a healthy lifestyle while achieving academic success.

In order to increase outreach and awareness College-wide, additional subgroups and committees formed under the MWLI umbrella to present programs such as Go Red for Women 2020, where women learned healthy living tips to help reduce their risk of heart disease and stroke and improve their overall well-being.

Minority Male Leadership Academy The Minority Male Leadership Academy (MMLA) positively impacts retention and graduation rates among males of color at Tri-C. Leadership development activities take place each academic year to direct and support men of character who are educated, professional and career-ready while helping them become civic-minded 21st-century leaders.

BLACK MALE THINK TANK The MMLA Black Male Think Tank, created and initiated by Metropolitan Campus Assistant Dean of Counseling, Terry A. Webb, Ed.D., took place Oct. 3, 2019. More than 60 local college and high school students attended the event, where they learned how other African American males have overcome obstacles to achieve personal and professional success.

• The event’s theme, “Destined to Win,” refers to the commitment of Tri-C’s Black male faculty and staff to inspire and redirect the desires of African American men to achieve their dreams in an academic environment.

• Intentions of the Think Tank were to increase understanding among participants that, while it is appropriate to dream, one must set goals in order achieve those dreams.

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BOOKS, BROTHERS, ENGAGEMENT TO GRADUATION Developed by Adjunct Professor Warren Glen and Assistant Professor and Counselor Christopher Hawkins, Ph.D., in Spring 2020, the objective of this program is to engage with African American male students at Tri-C’s Eastern Campus to provide support, encourage mentoring, and increase enrollment and attendance.

Activities include: • Engaging biweekly meetings between participants and College leadership • Discussions on class progression, campus engagement concerns, issues that hinder success and how to address them • Encouraging participation in other student engagement activities on campus • Resume exploration and career discussions, including how to “dress for success” • Scholarship application assistance • Presentations on campus activities that support student engagement and retention

Black Diamonds Women’s Initiative • The Black Diamonds Women’s Conference, created by Assistant Professor and Counselor Linda Lanier to empower young women of color, took place Oct. 18-19, 2020, at the Metropolitan Campus.

The third annual event brought together 829 young women, 48 speakers and 23 resource fair vendors and offered 70 workshops to choose from. Additional activities included an Executive Suite Mini‑Conference, Zumba classes and mental health workshops.

• The mission of the Black Diamonds Initiative is to put a systemic support structure in place for African American women and girls that provides access to information and resources. A core focus of Black Diamonds is to expand access and participation among women of color in careers that offer sustainable pay, security, personal satisfaction and upward economic mobility.

• Participating colleges and universities include Cleveland State University, Cuyahoga Community College, Kent State University, Mott Community College, Owens Community College and the University of Akron.

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Hispanic Council The Hispanic Council has been an integral part of Tri-C’s equity agenda and inclusive excellence goals for more than 25 years. Founded in 1992, the Hispanic Council facilitates the implementation of initiatives to benefit Tri-C students and the Hispanic community, advises the College on Hispanic issues and serves as a liaison between the College and the Greater Cleveland Hispanic community.

The Hispanic Council offers bilingual assistance with admissions, registration, financial aid and career advising and connects students with Tri-C programs, services, and faculty and staff who can address specific academic and student support needs. Hispanic Council staff interact with students in person, by phone and through one-on-one coaching. Students receive a monthly e-newsletter from the council to keep them updated on College deadlines, internship opportunities, scholarships and community events.

The Annual Hispanic Scholarship Luncheon recognizes scholarship recipients, promotes academic success and completion and allows students to share their stories. For this academic year 2019‑2020, 109 Hispanic students received a total of $81,000 in scholarships.

The council’s unique case management approach provides students with a caring advocate at the College, a sense of belonging and wraparound support services. In addition to student services and events, the council maintains an affinity group of Hispanic employees who serve as volunteers for community events and help plan cultural events for the College.

2019-2020 Highlights • The Hispanic Council welcomed 200 high school students to the annual Hispanic Education Conference on March 6, 2020.

• Students explored careers in hospitality management, STEM disciplines and medical assisting; interacted with Tri-C faculty and staff; and toured the newly renovated Metropolitan Campus.

• Workshops included a food demonstration by Chef Tom Capretta and a group of Tri-C hospitality management students, as well as an info session on careers in hospitality from program recruiter Sarah Baldwin.

• Council members moderated a career panel featuring Medical Assisting program manager Mary Elizabeth Browder, graduate Nathany Santos and student Kimberly Lopez. Students also enjoyed presentations by Engineering professor Trent Gages and STEM coordinator Debra Dorow.

• As keynote speaker, Tri-C graduate Jose Colón shared his personal story of the power of choices, perseverance and education.

• The Hispanic Council became active members of Tri-C’s Multicultural Center Task Force.

• Members participated in an adjunct faculty onboarding session in February, serving as panelists representing inclusive excellence on campus.

• Participated in several Tri-C Access Center events at Esperanza, assisting Spanish-speaking community members with ESL registration and programming questions.

• Participated in several Say Yes to Education welcome events, assisting ESL students with enrollment issues, staffing resource tables and informing student scholars of available programs and services.

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Veterans Initiative For more than 55 years, Tri-C has demonstrated its commitment to the men and women of the U.S. Armed Forces by providing access to affordable education and workforce training programs that enable them to successfully transition from military to civilian life. Tri-C has been designated as a Military Friendly School by GI Jobs Magazine for 11 consecutive years. The College has consistently earned Top 10 ranking in service to veterans and military families among 700 community colleges surveyed throughout the nation.

The Veteran Services Initiative (VSI) provides services to approximately 7,000 veterans annually and serves a diverse veteran student and community base (65% male, 35% female, 35% minority).

In addition, VSI offers academic assessments and guidance for developing academic and career plans and connects veterans with fast-track certificate and degree programs at Tri-C.

2019-2020 Highlights • Provided 2,145 services to 608 unique student veterans in the seven months prior to the COVID-19 crisis. This includes academic refresher courses and tutoring offered through the Veterans Education Access Program (VEAP), which supports military service members and their families as they transition into higher education.

• Veterans and their dependents received more than $150,000 in scholarships this past year, with more than $93,000 originating from the Cuyahoga Community College Foundation. Scholarships are critically important for veterans whose benefits have expired.

• Participated in the Louis Stokes Medical Center’s VA Disabilities Expo, providing information on free refresher courses available through VEAP as well as certificate and associate degree program options. More than 300 individuals attended the event.

• Commemorated the 75th Anniversary of the Battle of the Bulge in a special ceremony held on Dec. 15, 2019, at Tri-C’s Western Campus.

Lt. Col. Chris Carter of the U.S. Army’s 101st Airborne Division in Fort Campbell, Kentucky, was the featured speaker. More than 500 individuals attended the event, including seven World War II veterans who served in Europe in 1944.

• Tri-C’s annual Memorial Day Commemoration, including the traditional “Planting of the Poppies” took place at the Western Campus. A virtual commemoration took place via the College’s Facebook and Instagram accounts.

• The Westshore Veteran Resource Center officially opened, thanks to generous funding from Home Depot. The grant helped create a comfortable space for Westshore’s veterans by filling the center with $7,000 worth of furniture.

• Student veteran Andrew Mahall was recognized as Tri-C’s 2019 Student Veteran of the Year at the annual Veterans Day Ceremony at Cleveland City Hall. Following the ceremony, several College vehicles took part in Veterans Day parade. Approximately 200 veteran community leaders attended.

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Sexual Orientation and Gender Equality Council (SOGE) Established in 2015, the Sexual Orientation and Gender Equality (SOGE) Council is an employee resource group that strives to educate, advocate, support and create a safe space for all forms of sexual orientation, gender identity and gender expression. During the 2019-2020 academic year, SOGE continued to build on its long-term strategic plan to expand its role at the College. As part of this plan, SOGE expanded outreach and established official membership criteria and an online registration process for all employees.

To create a more unified process to carry out its mission, SOGE continued working directly with the Safe Zone program, Lambda GSA groups and the Office of Diversity and Inclusion to centralize the College’s goals of creating a more inclusive and supportive environment for LGBTQ+ employees and students. This new infrastructure will allow for a more streamlined communication of SOGE‑supported events across campuses and in the community.

2019-2020 Highlights • Collaborated with the Tri-C Foundation and Office of Diversity and Inclusion to provide scholarships for students with a demonstrated commitment to equality for members of the LGBTQ+ community at Tri-C. • Collaborated with Care Alliance Health Center to provide free HIV testing at all Tri-C campuses.

• Worked with College administration to continue to improve policy language and employee training, including Safe Zone training for all career counselors and police and security officers. These initiatives helped increase Tri-C’s Campus Pride Index score at every campus.

• Members participated in the “Inclusive Excellence in the Classroom” panel discussion held at Western Campus to promote awareness of the needs of minority students across all spectrums.

• Members attended Collegewide Cabinet to discuss the ways in which all student groups can be included and represented through thoughtful programming at each of the College’s new Multicultural Centers.

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Lambda Gender-Sexuality Alliance (GSA) Established in 2004, the Lambda Gender-Sexuality Alliance (GSA) is a student group that works to educate on gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender and straight ally issues. The mission of this student‑led group is to create an accepting environment — on campus and in the broader community — in which everyone feels comfortable and supported. Chapters exist on each Tri-C campus.

2019-2020 Highlights • Western Campus GSA hosted the National Coming Out Day Monologues in October 2019, at which students, alumni and community members shared their personal coming‑out stories. This year’s event was livestreamed to all campus locations for the first time.

• Western Campus GSA commemorated the Transgender Day of Remembrance in November 2019 with photo displays of transgender people who were victims of hate crime murders.

• Western Campus GSA hosted its second annual “Love Is Love” event on Valentine’s Day. Members handed out free information, cookies and stickers to promote acceptance for all forms of love.

• Western Campus GSA officers attended the Midwest Bisexual Lesbian Gay Transgender Asexual College Conference in Michigan to learn about new ways to support the LGBTQIA+ community on campus.

• Representatives from the Western Campus GSA and SOGE attended a Breakthrough Schools Reunion Celebration to inform new high school graduates about opportunities to get involved in student groups on campus.

• Westshore Campus GSA continued to grow their membership and secured all officer positions.

Safe Zone Ally Training An estimated 1,111 employees and students have attended Safe Zone training since its inception in 2004.

2019-2020 Highlights • Trained 180 employees and students through Safe Zone and 33 through LGBTQ+ 1010 sessions during Fall 2019 and Spring 2020.

• Trained all Tri-C police and security officers and Career Services staff.

• Hosted the first Safe Zone Facilitator Retreat, which resulted in numerous work groups and a revamped Safe Zone presentation, updated ally manual, interactive “What would you do” scenarios, a “Top 10 Takeaways” handout for Safe Zone participants and more.

• Worked with TV, multimedia and TLC services to produce video testimonials from staff, faculty, students and alumni to include in Safe Zone training.

• Released the 10th edition of the Rainbow Connection newsletter, updating employees and Lambda GSA student leaders on Safe Zone, SOGE Council and GSA activities as well as local and national news relevant to the LGBTQ+ community.

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Women in Transition Program The Women in Transition (WIT) program works to equip women experiencing a period of transformation by empowering them through their pursuit of education, training and a career. WIT is the premier college and community program focused on the growth and development of women throughout Northeast Ohio.

2019-2020 Highlights • Served 255 participants in 19 classes College‑wide and celebrated 173 graduates (68% graduation rate).

• Nine academic scholarships awarded to WIT alumnae.

• Thirteen WIT alumnae earned a total of 17 degrees and certificates, with a combined average GPA of 3.5.

• WIT was the sole recipient of the College’s Giving Tuesday Campaign. This is the first year that the College elected to donate the proceeds to a single program. More than $5,400 was raised for emergency funding purposes.

WIT Partnerships • Tri-C’s Hospitality Management Center of Excellence: Offers group sessions focused on personal development and soft skills for inmates at the Cuyahoga County jail.

• East Cleveland Community Development Department: Provides education and workforce preparation for low to moderate income-eligible single mothers, including skill-building, self‑confidence and self-esteem.

• Northeast Reintegration Center: Offers programming for women preparing to return home.

• Westfield Insurance Foundation: Helps families with fragile economic futures overcome multiple barriers and achieve greater stability by introducing more women to the current and future job opportunities within the insurance industry.

• University Hospitals Community Baby Showers: Serves women and babies in high infant mortality zip codes to ensure they are given a fair chance at survival and well-being.

WIT Success Story: Maria Carrion Traci Dickerson works with developmentally delayed and mentally ill youth and adults at the Cuyahoga County Board of Developmental Disabilities. Interested in exploring new academic and career options, she enrolled in the WIT program at Tri-C’s Eastern Campus. After completing the program in 2019, Traci enrolled in college courses at Tri-C — earning A’s and B’s in her first semester. Bright, articulate and eager to learn, she has an affinity for helping others. We are confident that Traci will fulfill her dream of transitioning from social worker to chef.

“WIT program leaders were masterful in providing me with what I needed so that I could let go of what no longer served me. Through the weekly lessons, I felt myself moving to a higher plane.

My self-confidence — formerly a glimmer — started to become a flame.”

— Traci Dickerson 14

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Reach Scholars Program The Reach Scholars program connects students who have experienced foster care with mentors who provide encouragement, connection to College resources and emotional support to ensure progress toward degree and certificate completion. Staff and faculty mentors represent various areas of the College including Financial Aid, Enrollment, Counseling, Student Life and TRIO. In addition to one-on-one and group mentoring opportunities, Reach Scholars works closely with College and community partners to provide an array of services including triage around financial aid; emergency support for books; transportation; and food and housing insecurity.

Reach Scholars events provide opportunities for scholars and mentors to connect outside of the academic environment. Examples include Early Thanksgiving at St. Ignatius High School, the Lip Sync and Talent Contest held jointly with Black American Council, Connect to Campus events, Registration-a-thons and other Collegewide events.

Tri-C also partners with Cuyahoga County Children and Family Services to host Future Advocates and Youth Leaders (FAYL) meetings on the first and third Mondays of each month. Participants include young people preparing to age out of foster care as well as scholars currently enrolled at the College.

2019-2020 Highlights • Two Reach Scholars successfully transferred to Cleveland State University to continue their educational journeys upon completing their associate degrees at Tri-C. • Received funding from the Ohio Department of Education to provide scholarships for students who have experienced foster care to participate in short-term workforce training programs that result in industry-recognized credentials.

• Presented at Tri-C’s Institute for Poverty and Urban Education Conference at Western Campus.

• Increased collaboration with the Black American Council, Student Life and Counseling offices, TRIO programs, Financial Aid offices and Enrollment Centers on each campus.

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Student Accessibility Services Tri-C serves more than 1,800 students and visitors with disabilities annually. Students who choose Tri-C do so because of its continued commitment to serving their needs. Founded in 1979, Tri-C’s Student Accessibility Services (SAS) program supports students with disabilities at any campus, site or location, including online students. Common disability types include learning disabilities, sensory limitations, psychiatric conditions, physical mobility conditions and chronic health issues. All matters related to a person’s disability remain confidential.

Opportunities for Ohioans with Disabilities (OOD) Partnership College2Careers (C2C) is a new program at Tri-C that offers additional resources to students with disabilities. Opportunities for Ohioans with Disabilities is the state agency that helps individuals with disabilities get careers and keep careers, serving individuals with physical, intellectual and sensory disabilities as well as mental health disorders. OOD Vocational Rehabilitation Counselor Mary Hennessey has worked with more than 50 Tri-C students since the program’s inception.

She visits every campus and collaborates with SAS advisors to provide participants with access to job training, resume development and other job-related needs.

Student Success Story: Alex Claus Alex Claus, a 2019 graduate of Medina High School, participates in the College2Careers program at Tri-C. He traveled to Columbus last summer to participate in OOD’s Youth Leadership Forum, where he learned about self-advocacy and made a lot of new friends.

Student Success Story: Jasmine Anderson Jasmine Anderson graduated from Tri-C in 1998. After losing the majority of her eyesight in 2007, she went on to obtain a master’s degree in public administration.

Jasmine provides reiki services and classes, yoga instruction, stress management, fitness and mind-body life coaching on a part-time basis.

After being laid off from her job at a nonprofit agency, she decided to return to Tri-C to study massage therapy.

The support received from SAS, her instructors and Massage Therapy program staff has contributed to her success as a student. They’ve worked together to adapt specific tools and teaching methods to help Jasmine thrive in her learning environment. She feels accepted and included in the learning process, and she has developed many diverse friendships at Tri-C.

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Tri-C Network of Women Tri-C’s Network of Women is an employee resource group for women employees. It provides a space for professional development, advancement, work-life balance and networking at all levels. The group also works to align the College with similar-sized institutions in order to remain an employer of choice with strong recruitment and retention practices.

Mission Create a forum for women to grow personally and professionally through the power of networking, collaboration, discussion and professional development.

Vision To foster a culture of inclusive excellence in which women feel welcomed, supported, celebrated and empowered to reach their personal and professional potential. We aim to attract and retain a talented workforce that supports and contributes to student success and completion.

2019-2020 Highlights • Kathleen Buse, Ph.D., presented the second of a two-part series: Inspiration From Within: The Power of a Personal Vision. She discussed the importance of dreams, how they can lead to a personal vision, and the many reasons why women are more likely to set their own dreams and needs aside.

• Co-sponsored the Women of Faith event with the Office of Diversity and Inclusion and the Office of Student Engagement. A panel of interfaith women shared their experience and insight regarding gender roles, overcoming challenges, and success as faith leaders in the community.

• Hosted several Collegewide wellness workshops facilitated by Impact Solutions. Topics included: • Dispelling Myths About Work-Life Balance • It’s Not Selfish — It’s Self-Care • Balancing Your Personal and Professional Lives

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Office of Institutional Equity and Compliance: Title IX Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972 states that “No person in the United States shall, on the basis of sex, be excluded from participation in, be denied the benefits of or be subjected to discrimination under any education program or activity receiving federal financial assistance. This includes protection from sexual harassment.�

Tri-C has an effective reporting and response protocol, as well as appropriate policies and procedures, for the entire College community. Inquiries about the application of Title IX may be referred to the College’s Title IX coordinator, who also serves as director of Institutional Equity.

Visit tri-c.edu/titleix for more information.

To ensure compliance with federal and state civil rights laws and regulations, and to affirm its commitment to promoting the goals of fairness and equity in all aspects of the College community, Tri-C has developed internal policies and procedures that provide a prompt, fair and impartial process for those involved in allegations of discrimination or harassment on the basis of protected class status.

The College prohibits discrimination against students, employees and others based on race, color, religion, sex (including sexual harassment, sexual violence, sexual assault, sexual exploitation, relationship violence, domestic abuse and stalking), pregnancy, national origin, ancestry, physical or mental disability, age, marital status, sexual orientation, gender identity and/or expression, veteran status, military status, genetic information, participation in protected activity (retaliation) and/or any other statutes protected by state or federal law, including Title II, Title VI, Title VII, Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972 and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973.

The full Discrimination, Harassment, Sexual Misconduct and Retaliation policy and procedure is available at tri-c.edu/policies-and-procedures.

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Equity and Inclusive Excellence Task Force The Equity and Inclusive Excellence Task Force is a Collegewide team dedicated to reviewing internal policies and practices; identifying potential barriers to success for students of color, students over 25 and Pell-eligible students; and recommending programs and activities that focus on achieving student equity goals. Working with units across the College, the task force completed a comprehensive tactical plan that establishes benchmarks for inclusive excellence in student success; hiring, recruitment and purchasing; professional development; and College and campus climate.

Diversity and Inclusion Award The Tri-C Diversity and Inclusion Award recognizes the achievements of College employees who advance equity, diversity and inclusion — above and beyond their scope of work — through outstanding dedication and excellence in providing services for diverse populations, fostering an inclusive work environment (both in and out of the classroom) and/or addressing equity.

2020 Diversity and Inclusion Award Recipients

Johnie Reed, Assistant Professor, Business Administration, Westshore Campus

Monica A. Starks, Lecturer, Sociology, Westshore Campus

Past Recipients Lisa Belcher-Nelson Phyllis Dukes Michael Flatt Susan Lohwater Cory Molner Mick Muñoz Michelle Nicopolis Jacques Smith

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Diversity Recruitment and Retention The College remains diligent in its efforts to recruit and retain ethnically, racially and gender-diverse staff and instructional faculty, utilizing more than 45 diversity-related sources to post administrative, faculty and staff positions. Collegewide relationships established by faculty, staff and employee resource groups also help recruit a talented and inclusive team of employees. Concepts of diversity and inclusion are also discussed with faculty and staff members at New Employee Orientation.

Diversity and Inclusion Training The College fosters professional development by offering a wealth of face-to-face and online training opportunities for administrators, faculty, staff and students. These include: • Unconscious Bias and You • Employee Essentials • Civility in the Workplace • Disability Awareness Training • Safe Zone • Microaggressions • Title IX • Sustained Dialogue • Conflict Resolution and Peace Studies

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DIVERSIT Y REPORT 2020

Supplier Diversity Tri-C is committed to supporting the Greater Cleveland economy by giving suppliers equitable opportunities to provide goods and services. This includes ensuring supplier diversity. As such, all suppliers — including small business enterprises, women, minority, LGBTQ+ and veteran owned businesses — are invited and encouraged to do business with us. We recognize our suppliers as a key source of knowledge and rely on them to help us improve the quality and value of services provided to our students.

The College created a five-year Inclusive Excellence Development Plan that outlines strategies and tactics to aid the College in increasing its diverse professional relationships and integrating those relationships into its day-to-day operations.

• The number of diverse vendors with purchase orders has increased 75% from FY16 through FY19.

• Since December 2016, the College has made 125 new connections with minority companies and business groups.

• In 2019, the College hosted and/or attended a dozen different vendor outreach events.

• As follow-up to these events, SMS has conducted face-to-face meetings with 20 individual vendors.

• $14M in direct annual spend with tier I diverse vendors in FY20 (YTD through May).

• FY17 spend for all tier I direct diverse dollars was $15M; FY18 was $18M; FY19 was $25M; and FY20 was $14M. • Of the $14M FY20 tier I diverse spend, $8M (57%) was with MBE suppliers.

• With construction projects across campuses winding down, construction spend overall is down $20M ($59M in FY20 versus $79M in FY19).

• Construction projects are tracking an average collective spend of 13% across MBE, FBE, VBE and SBE/CSB/SDBE categories.

Diversity Categories MBE – Minority Business Enterprise FBE – Female Business Enterprise VBE – Veteran-Owned Business SBE/CSB/SDBE – Small Business Enterprise/ Cleveland Small Business/Small Disadvantaged Business Enterprise

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Demographics Employee Demographics

by Gender

Employee Demographics

by Ethnicity

3%

42% 58%

Female Male

Student Demographics

by Gender

2% 4%

24% 67%

White/Caucasian African American/ Black Asian American Hispanic/Latino Multiracial Native Hawaiian/ Pacific Islander Unknown

Student Demographics

by Ethnicity

9%

6% 4% 5%

46% Female Male

54%

White/Caucasian African American/ Black Asian Hispanic/Latino Multiracial Native Hawaiian/ Pacific Islander Unknown

Note: Student demographics are based on full-time enrollment.

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53% 23%

DIVERSIT Y REPORT 2020

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tri-c.edu/diversity