IIDEA Committee Impact Beyond the School of Social Work

Goals for Academic Year 2021-2022

The Rutgers School of Social Work Strategic Plan identified several areas for the IIDEA Committee to focus on, which are outlined in the IIDEA Progress Report where you can see the status of each goal. For Academic Year 2021 2022, the IIDEA Committee worked on the following goals as outlined in the IIDEA Progress Report:

IIDEA Progress Report

11

Goals for Academic Year 2022-2023

• Coordinating with the Senior Associate Dean for Academic Affairs to add IIDEA specific questions to existing student and alumni surveys;

• In partnership with the multiple RU SSW entities, leading the development and implementation oversight of a comprehensive evolving, multi-year plan that advances IIDEA within the School and its community partners; and

• Implement the goals and action steps outlined in the School’s Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Strategic Plan.

School of Social Work Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Strategic Plan

In addition to the School of Social Work’s IIDEA efforts, the School has developed its Diversity Equity, and Inclusion Strategic Plan. The goals and action steps in the plan have been developed to achieve the University’s five priorities in its Diversity Strategic Plan: 

Recruit, retain, and develop a diverse community

Promote inclusive scholarship and teaching

Define sustainable and substantive community engagement

Build the capacity of leaders to create inclusive climates

Develop an infrastructure to drive change You are encouraged to read the School’s DEI Strategic Plan, and the University Diversity Strategic Plan | Diversity Equity and Inclusion (rutgers.edu).

12









IIDEA Committee Impact Beyond the School of Social Work

Resolution in Support of Students Identifying as Transgender, Nonbinary, and Other Gender Identities

Professor Emily Greenfield and Assistant Professor of Teaching Christine Morales led the New Brunswick Faculty Council (NBFC) to develop and pass the Resolution in Support of Students Identifying as Transgender, Nonbinary, and Other Gender Identities in April of 2021. This development resulted from Rutgers School of Social Work’s IIDEA initiative. Months before the resolution’s adoption, the School had several students speak at a faculty meeting about their experiences and concerns regarding gender identities in the classroom and within the broader University. As a follow up action to this meeting, Professor Emily Greenfield, who was then the School’s Representative to the NBFC, raised the concerns discussed at the faculty meeting to the Council’s Student Affairs Committee. The Committee then invited several of the students to share their perspectives with them, leading to the development of a Council resolution. Dr. Greenfield consulted with several scholarly experts on gender identity within the School’s faculty, as well as the students, in drafting the resolution. The resolution emphasizes the University’s responsibility to uphold human rights and dignity through mechanisms and procedures that enhance student experiences. Since its passage, Assistant Professor of Teaching Christine Morales, a current School representative to the Council, has led efforts to help the Council continue to learn in this area. As an example, speakers from the Rutgers University Equity and Inclusion Office recently presented to the full Council, highlighting resources such as faculty training on gender identities and student support services. School Representatives will continue to voice to the Council opportunities for more equitable and inclusive University programs, practices, and policies to benefit the greater University and society.

13