University of Oregon :: Office of Institutional Equity and Diversity : Strategic Diversity Planning ● OIED Home ● About OIED ● OIED News and Updates ● Legislation, Policies and Reports ● Diversity Strategic Action Plan ● Contact OIED ● Center on Diversity and Community (CoDaC) ● Office of Multicultural Academic Support ● Many Nations Longhouse ● Black Student Union ● Center for the Study of Women in Society ● Library Diversity Committee ● MECHA ● Non-traditional Student Union ● Multicultural Resource Guide for University of Oregon and Eugene/ Springfield Strategic Diversity Planning DIVERSITY STRATEGIC PLAN DOCUMENTS: NEW! SAP Progress Report 2007 - 2008 NEW! SAP Progress Report 2007 - 2008 Presentation to UO Senate ● Strategic Action Planning Resource Guide (.doc format) ● Strategic Diversity Plan Review Process (.doc format) ● Diversity Plan Template Example (.doc format) ● Additional Resources (.doc format) ● Diversity Plan Training Presentation (.ppt format) ● SAP Progress Reporting Guidelines (.doc) Individual Unit, Diversity Strategic Action Plans (SAP) Office of the President (.pdf) Barbara West http://vpfa-prod.uoregon.edu/oied/?page=strategic (1 of 4) [8/6/2008 3:28:14 PM] University of Oregon :: Office of Institutional Equity and Diversity : Strategic Diversity Planning ● University Standing Committee on Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Concerns Search UO 246-4788 brew@uoregon.edu Office of the Senior Vice President & Provost (.pdf) Miriam Bolton 346-2045 mbolton@uoregon.edu Office of the Vice President for Finance and Administration (.pdf) Linda Adkins 346-3004 ladkins@uoregon.edu Office of the Vice President for Research and Graduate Studies (.pdf) Susan Brown 346-2090 suebrown@uoregon.edu Office of the Vice President for Student Affairs (.pdf) Kathie Stanley 346-1100 kstanley@uoregon.edu Office of the Vice President for University Advancement (.pdf) Betsy Boyd Gregg Stripp 346-0946 346-5551 eaboyd@uoregon.edu stripp@uoregon.edu http://vpfa-prod.uoregon.edu/oied/?page=strategic (2 of 4) [8/6/2008 3:28:14 PM] University of Oregon :: Office of Institutional Equity and Diversity : Strategic Diversity Planning College of Arts & Sciences (.pdf) Rachele Raia 346-3902 raraia@uoregon.edu Lundquist College of Business (.pdf) Susan Peter 346-3300 sepeter@uoregon.edu College of Education (.pdf) Surendra Subramani 346-1782 surendra@uoregon.edu School of Architecture and Allied Arts (.pdf) Doug Blandy 346-3634 dblandy@uoregon.edu School of Journalism & Communication (.pdf) Tim Gleason 346-3739 tgleason@uoregon.edu School of Law (.pdf) Susan Gary Natalie Butto http://vpfa-prod.uoregon.edu/oied/?page=strategic (3 of 4) [8/6/2008 3:28:14 PM] University of Oregon :: Office of Institutional Equity and Diversity : Strategic Diversity Planning 346-3856 346-3896 sgary@uoregon.edu nbutto@uoregon.edu School of Music & Dance (.pdf) Carol Roth 346-5661 croth@uoregon.edu Associated Student Union (.pdf) 346-3724 asuo@uoregon.edu Athletics (.pdf) Renee’ Baumgartner 346-4481 trbm@uoregon.edu UO Libraries (.pdf) Erin O’Meara 346-1905 erino@uoregon.edu University of Oregon, Eugene, OR 97403 | (541) 346-1000 | Copyright 2008, University of Oregon | Privacy Policy http://vpfa-prod.uoregon.edu/oied/?page=strategic (4 of 4) [8/6/2008 3:28:14 PM] University of Oregon :: Office of Institutional Equity and Diversity : OIED Home ● OIED Home ● About OIED ● OIED News and Updates ● Legislation, Policies and Reports ● Diversity Strategic Action Plan ● Contact OIED ● Center on Diversity and Community (CoDaC) ● Office of Multicultural Academic Support ● Many Nations Longhouse ● Black Student Union ● Center for the Study of Women in Society ● Library Diversity Committee ● MECHA ● Non-traditional Student Union ● Multicultural Resource Guide for University of Oregon and Eugene/ Springfield http://vpfa-prod.uoregon.edu/oied/ (1 of 11) [8/6/2008 3:28:27 PM] MLK Awards 2008 Dave Frohnmayer & Rodney Bloom - 2008 MLK Award Recipient University of Oregon :: Office of Institutional Equity and Diversity : OIED Home ● University Standing Committee on Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Concerns Search UO http://vpfa-prod.uoregon.edu/oied/ (2 of 11) [8/6/2008 3:28:27 PM] MLK Awards 2008 Charles Martinez, Rodney Bloom, Armando Bravo, Dave Frohnmayer & Kimi Mojica University of Oregon :: Office of Institutional Equity and Diversity : OIED Home http://vpfa-prod.uoregon.edu/oied/ (3 of 11) [8/6/2008 3:28:27 PM] MLK Awards 2008 Dave Frohnmayer & Armando Bravo - 2008 MLK Award Recipient University of Oregon :: Office of Institutional Equity and Diversity : OIED Home http://vpfa-prod.uoregon.edu/oied/ (4 of 11) [8/6/2008 3:28:27 PM] MLK Awards 2008 Kimi Mojica - 2008 MLK Award Recipient & Pamela Hernandez University of Oregon :: Office of Institutional Equity and Diversity : OIED Home http://vpfa-prod.uoregon.edu/oied/ (5 of 11) [8/6/2008 3:28:27 PM] OIED Open house 2008 University of Oregon :: Office of Institutional Equity and Diversity : OIED Home http://vpfa-prod.uoregon.edu/oied/ (6 of 11) [8/6/2008 3:28:27 PM] OIED Open house 2008 Pamela & Christi OIED Open house 2008 University of Oregon :: Office of Institutional Equity and Diversity : OIED Home http://vpfa-prod.uoregon.edu/oied/ (7 of 11) [8/6/2008 3:28:27 PM] OIED Open house 2008 University of Oregon :: Office of Institutional Equity and Diversity : OIED Home http://vpfa-prod.uoregon.edu/oied/ (8 of 11) [8/6/2008 3:28:27 PM] OIED Open house 2008 University of Oregon :: Office of Institutional Equity and Diversity : OIED Home http://vpfa-prod.uoregon.edu/oied/ (9 of 11) [8/6/2008 3:28:27 PM] OIED Open house 2008 University of Oregon :: Office of Institutional Equity and Diversity : OIED Home ¡Bienvenidos! The University of Oregon's Office of Institutional Equity and Diversity (OIED) leads the University in its commitment to a campus environment that is enriched and informed by the personal, cultural, and intellectual differences of its students, faculty, staff, and visitors. OIED brings together an administrative management staff under the leadership of Vice Provost, Charles Martinez and includes Assistant Vice Provosts Carla Gary, Emilio Hernandez, and Tom Ball to facilitate collaboration on diversity initiatives throughout campus. OIED oversees the activities of the Office of Multicultural Academic Support (OMAS), the Many Nations Longhouse, and the Center on Diversity and Community (CoDaC). OIED prioritizes initiatives that serve the diversity goals OIED Events at UO Oregon Young Scholar's Summer Program August 03, 2008 - August 16, 2008 Bridge of the God's Summer Academy August 10, 2008 - August 16, 2008 http://vpfa-prod.uoregon.edu/oied/ (10 of 11) [8/6/2008 3:28:27 PM] University of Oregon :: Office of Institutional Equity and Diversity : OIED Home and education mission of the university by facilitating collaboration on diversity initiatives throughout campus and the external community, providing diversity professional development opportunities, programming, funding, and support, and serving as a hub for information, resources and expertise regarding equity and diversity issues with the goal of enhancing institutional fairness and equality, eradicating discrimination, and celebrating the strengths of a multicultural community. University of Oregon, Eugene, OR 97403 | (541) 346-1000 | Copyright 2008, University of Oregon | Privacy Policy http://vpfa-prod.uoregon.edu/oied/ (11 of 11) [8/6/2008 3:28:27 PM] University of Oregon :: Office of Institutional Equity and Diversity : About OIED ● OIED Home ● About OIED ● OIED News and Updates ● Legislation, Policies and Reports ● Diversity Strategic Action Plan ● Contact OIED ● Center on Diversity and Community (CoDaC) ● Office of Multicultural Academic Support ● Many Nations Longhouse ● Black Student Union ● Center for the Study of Women in Society ● Library Diversity Committee ● MECHA ● Non-traditional Student Union ● Multicultural Resource Guide for University of Oregon and Eugene/ Springfield About OIED Collaborate, Advocate, Lead "Creating Cultures of Inclusion" The University of Oregon's Office of Institutional Equity and Diversity (OIED) was established in 2002. Since 2005, the Office has been under the leadership of Vice Provost Charles Martinez, who also serves as the university's chief diversity officer. OIED's primary function is to provide central leadership for campus-wide diversity efforts and to prioritize initiatives that serve the diversity goals and education mission of the institution. OIED brings together an administrative management staff that includes Assistant Vice Provosts Carla Gary, Emilio Hernandez, and Tom Ball to facilitate collaboration on diversity initiatives throughout campus. OIED has led the development and implementation of the University of Oregon Diversity Plan, and oversees the activities of the Office of Multicultural Academic Support (OMAS), the Many Nations Longhouse, and the Center on Diversity and Community (CoDaC). OIED also represents the University and its diversity programs to external audiences. Staff http://vpfa-prod.uoregon.edu/oied/?page=about (1 of 3) [8/6/2008 3:28:33 PM] University of Oregon :: Office of Institutional Equity and Diversity : About OIED ● University Standing Committee on Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Concerns Search UO Dr. Charles Martinez, Jr. Vice Provost Charles Martinez has served as Vice Provost for Institutional Equity and Diversity since 2005, serving the first year of his appointment in an interim position. Dr. Martinez has also served as a faculty member in the College of Education since 1998, most recently in the role of Associate Professor/Senior Research Associate in Educational Leadership. READ MORE Dr. Emilio Hernandez Jr. Assistant Vice Provost Dr. Emilio Hernandez Jr. is currently the Assistant Vice Provost in the Office of Institutional Equity and Diversity he was appointed to this position on January 9, 2006. Prior to this appointment he was the Director of the University of Oregon's High School Equivalency Program, (HEP) for 13 years. HEP assists migrant/seasonal farm workers who have not completed their high school work to obtain their GED and provide guidance into higher education or the workforce. READ MORE Dr. Tom Ball Assistant Vice Provost Waq’lis’i, my name is Tom Ball, and I’m an Assistant Vice Provost in the Office of Institutional Equity and Diversity at the University of Oregon. I’m an enrolled member of the Klamath Tribes, one of nine federally recognized Tribes in Oregon. I’m married to Dr. Alison Ball, a member of the Colville Confederated Tribes, and have 6 children and 9 grandchildren. READ http://vpfa-prod.uoregon.edu/oied/?page=about (2 of 3) [8/6/2008 3:28:33 PM] University of Oregon :: Office of Institutional Equity and Diversity : About OIED MORE Carla Gary J.D.. Assistant Vice Provost Carla is a native Oregonian who grew up in Portland, and is the second of four girls. She is a UO graduate received a B.S. in Psychology, and earned her Doctor of Law degree from University of Iowa. Carla is currently an Assistant Vice Provost in the Office of Institutional Equity and Diversity at the University of Oregon, a position she began in 2004. READ MORE University of Oregon, Eugene, OR 97403 | (541) 346-1000 | Copyright 2008, University of Oregon | Privacy Policy http://vpfa-prod.uoregon.edu/oied/?page=about (3 of 3) [8/6/2008 3:28:33 PM] University of Oregon :: Office of Institutional Equity and Diversity : News and Updates ● OIED Home ● About OIED ● OIED News and Updates ● Legislation, Policies and Reports ● Diversity Strategic Action Plan ● Contact OIED ● Center on Diversity and Community (CoDaC) ● Office of Multicultural Academic Support ● Many Nations Longhouse ● Black Student Union ● Center for the Study of Women in Society ● Library Diversity Committee ● MECHA ● Non-traditional Student Union ● Multicultural Resource Guide for University of Oregon and Eugene/ Springfield News and Updates 'It's Good to be Indigenous Week' leads up to Pow Wow Office of Institutional Equity and Diversity Hosts Open House Young Students Encouraged to 'Reach for Success' University Presents Awards to Three Staff Members. Martin Luther King, Jr. Recognition Awards are presented for courage, wisdom, and humanitarian work Three Units Receive Funding for Diversity Ventures http://vpfa-prod.uoregon.edu/oied/?page=news (1 of 2) [8/6/2008 3:28:35 PM] University of Oregon :: Office of Institutional Equity and Diversity : News and Updates ● University Standing Committee on Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Concerns Search UO University of Oregon, Eugene, OR 97403 | (541) 346-1000 | Copyright 2008, University of Oregon | Privacy Policy http://vpfa-prod.uoregon.edu/oied/?page=news (2 of 2) [8/6/2008 3:28:35 PM] University of Oregon :: Office of Institutional Equity and Diversity : Legislation, Policies, and Reports ● OIED Home ● About OIED ● OIED News and Updates ● Legislation, Policies and Reports ● Diversity Strategic Action Plan ● Contact OIED ● Center on Diversity and Community (CoDaC) ● Office of Multicultural Academic Support ● Many Nations Longhouse ● Black Student Union ● Center for the Study of Women in Society ● Library Diversity Committee ● MECHA ● Non-traditional Student Union ● Multicultural Resource Guide for University of Oregon and Eugene/ Springfield Legislation, Policies, and Reports Diversity Plan (.pdf) DAC Recommendations (.pdf) AFFIRMATIVE ACTION PLAN: Affirmative Action Plan (.pdf format) INSTITUTIONAL PROFILE DATA: Institutional Profile Data (.pdf format) http://vpfa-prod.uoregon.edu/oied/?page=legislation (1 of 2) [8/6/2008 3:28:36 PM] University of Oregon :: Office of Institutional Equity and Diversity : Legislation, Policies, and Reports ● University Standing Committee on Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Concerns Search UO University of Oregon, Eugene, OR 97403 | (541) 346-1000 | Copyright 2008, University of Oregon | Privacy Policy http://vpfa-prod.uoregon.edu/oied/?page=legislation (2 of 2) [8/6/2008 3:28:36 PM] University of Oregon :: Office of Institutional Equity and Diversity : Contact Information ● OIED Home ● About OIED ● OIED News and Updates ● Legislation, Policies and Reports ● Diversity Strategic Action Plan ● Contact OIED ● Center on Diversity and Community (CoDaC) ● Office of Multicultural Academic Support ● Many Nations Longhouse ● Black Student Union ● Center for the Study of Women in Society ● Library Diversity Committee ● MECHA ● Non-traditional Student Union ● Multicultural Resource Guide for University of Oregon and Eugene/ Springfield Contact Information Leadership Dr. Charles Martinez, Jr. Vice Provost 1 Johnson Hall (541) 346-3175 vpdivers@uoregon.edu Carla D. Gary, J.D. Assistant Vice Provost 1 Johnson Hall (541) 346-2975 cgary@uoregon.edu Dr. Emilio Hernandez, Jr. Assistant Vice Provost 1 Johnson Hall (541) 346-2170 http://vpfa-prod.uoregon.edu/oied/?page=contact (1 of 3) [8/6/2008 3:28:38 PM] University of Oregon :: Office of Institutional Equity and Diversity : Contact Information ● University Standing Committee on Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Concerns Search UO ehjr@uoregon.edu Dr. Tom Ball Assistant Vice Provost 1 Johnson Hall (541) 346-3663 tball@uoregon.edu Pamela Hernandez GTF bhernan1@uoregon.edu Lorraine Wilson Executive Assistant 1 Johnson Hall (541) 346-3175 lorraine@uoregon.edu Christi Groves Administrative Assistant 1 Johnson Hall (541) 346-5265 christig@uoregon.edu Office Information Physical Location 1 Johnson Hall Phone: (541) 346-3175 Fax: (541) 346-6576 http://vpfa-prod.uoregon.edu/oied/?page=contact (2 of 3) [8/6/2008 3:28:38 PM] University of Oregon :: Office of Institutional Equity and Diversity : Contact Information Mailing Address The Office of Institutional Equity and Diversity University of Oregon 1258 East 13th Avenue Eugene, OR 97403-1258 University of Oregon, Eugene, OR 97403 | (541) 346-1000 | Copyright 2008, University of Oregon | Privacy Policy http://vpfa-prod.uoregon.edu/oied/?page=contact (3 of 3) [8/6/2008 3:28:38 PM] CoDaC Home Announcements Training Institute September 9 - 12 Engaging Students with Diverse Identities: A Summer Institute for Faculty Sponsored by the Office of Academic Affairs and the Center on Diversity and Community (CoDaC) September 9 – 12, 2008 (Posted 7/14/2008) Welcome to CoDaC! The Center on Diversity and Community CoDaC | Center for Diversity and Community at the University of Oregon Center on Diversity and Community 335 Hendricks Hall 5238 University of Oregon Eugene, OR 97403-5238 http://codac.uoregon.edu/default.aspx (1 of 2) [8/6/2008 3:28:46 PM] CoDaC is a learning organization committed to promoting research and best practices on issues of cultural diversity, equity, and access. We fulfill our mission through research and organizational consulting services, conferences and events, and information networks. Through our scientific genius we have made of the world a neighborhood; now through our moral and spiritual genius we must make of it a brotherhood. - Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. - ● Information ● Consulting and Services ● Events and Offerings ● Research and Programs ● Resources CoDaC | Center for Diversity and Community at the University of Oregon Admin | Contact Us | UO Homepage | Site designed by Darren Faulk, Philip Lorenz, and Grant Castner http://codac.uoregon.edu/default.aspx (2 of 2) [8/6/2008 3:28:46 PM] OMAS : Office of Multicultural Academic Support EMPOWERING STUDENTS TO SUCCEED IN A CULTURALLY SUPPORTIVE ENVIRONMENT OMAS staff specializes in providing a culturally supportive environment that empowers self-identified students of color to fulfill their educational and career goals. Learn More Awards, May 16, 2008 6:00pm - 8:00pm, Gerlinger OMAS sponsors the annual Awards and Graduation Ceremony in the spring. We honor students and faculty members for their outstanding contributions to the university through scholarship and leadership. This is also a student centered event where OMAS community, familes, and students come together to celebrate the accomplishments and graduation of students from the University of Oregon. Read More http://www.uoregon.edu/~omas/ (1 of 2) [8/6/2008 3:28:50 PM] OMAS : Office of Multicultural Academic Support Office of Multicultural Academic Support © 2008. All Rights Reserved OMAS Logo by James Florendo Site Design : Cause http://www.uoregon.edu/~omas/ (2 of 2) [8/6/2008 3:28:50 PM] University of Oregon Many Nations Longhouse http://www.uoregon.edu/~committees/longhouse/ (1 of 2) [8/6/2008 3:28:52 PM] University of Oregon Many Nations Longhouse Click on Icons to View Additional Webpages http://www.uoregon.edu/~committees/longhouse/ (2 of 2) [8/6/2008 3:28:52 PM] Home Page HOME NEWS MEMBERS EVENTS ABOUT US Quote of the Week: I don't even call it violence when it's in self defense; I call it intelligence. - Malcolm X BSU Phone 541-346-4379 EMU Suite #25 bsu@uoregon.edu Meetings Wednesdays at 6pm EMU Rogue River Room (Across from Panda Express) Next Event Fall introduction event for incoming students. Also recruiting at the IntroDucktion sessions throughout the summer. http://www.uoregon.edu/~bsu/ [8/6/2008 3:28:53 PM] CSWS Home Page Peru: Machu Picchu Revisited © Betty LaDuke Click on the image to enter the Center for the Study of Women in Society Web Site. CSWS 340 Hendricks Hall 1201 University of Oregon Eugene, OR 97403-1201 Phone: (541) 346-5015 Fax: (541) 346-5096 csws@uoregon.edu http://csws.uoregon.edu/ (1 of 2) [8/6/2008 3:28:54 PM] CSWS Home Page Site Map http://csws.uoregon.edu/ (2 of 2) [8/6/2008 3:28:54 PM] Library Diversity Committee Look for books, magazines, videos, music, and more. Search for: Summit WorldCat Advanced Search Options Home Find Resources Research Assistance Library Services About the Libraries :: Ask a Librarian:: My Account ● Library Diversity Committee ● Library Diversity Plan ● Library Diversity Events ● Library Diversity Committee History ● Contact Us ● Related Resources ● UO Institutional Equity & Diversity ● UO Center on Diversity & Community ● Diversity at UO ● Diversity In Research Libraries ● ALA Spectrum Scholarships Library Diversity Committee Mission The LDC is charged with two fundamental goals: 1) to encourage the recruitment and hiring of employees of color at all levels, including professional, paraprofessional, and student assistants; and 2) to enhance our understanding of gender, ethnicity, culture and social issues as a means of improving our services. Membership 2008 Library Diversity Committee (Appointment Dates) Elizabeth Peterson, Chair, Humanities Librarian/Literature (through 12/09) Rosemary Nigro, Acquisitions Librarian (through 12/10) Julia Simic, Visual Resources Librarian (through 12/10) Melissa Logan, Video Clerk (through 12/08) Xiaotong Wang, Chinese Copy Cataloger (through 12/08) Ex-officio: Laine Stambaugh, Director, Library Human Resources http://libweb.uoregon.edu/diversity/ (1 of 2) [8/6/2008 3:28:58 PM] Library Diversity Committee Ex-officio: Mark Watson, Associate University Librarian for Collections and Access History The Library Diversity Committee began as the Library Diversity Task Force, established in October 1996 by George Shipman, then University Librarian, to develop a library-wide diversity program. The initial goal of the task force, associated with Association of Research Library's diversity efforts, was to keep diversity in the forefront of library-wide activities. To this end, it sponsored several diversity-related public events and commenced the development of a multicultural resource guide. In March 1998, Shipman created a formal Library Diversity Advisory Group, and the group's name became the Library Diversity Committee in November 2000. The committee's efforts achieved special recognition in 2000 when past and present members were honored with UO's Martin Luther King, Jr. Award. The committee continues to carry out its important charge with publications, exhibits, and presentations with invited speakers. Join Us The LDC meets regularly to accomplish the goals set forth in the Library Diversity Plan. Please contact us if you are interested in attending a meeting. All Library staff and faculty are welcome. Any questions should be directed to Elizabeth Peterson, LDC Chair. Maintained by: Elizabeth Peterson, emp@uoregon.edu Last Modified: 03/19/2008 University of Oregon | 1501 Kincaid Street | Eugene, OR 97403-1299 | T: (541) 346-3053 | F: (541) 346-3485 Contact Us |Make a Gift |Site Index http://libweb.uoregon.edu/diversity/ (2 of 2) [8/6/2008 3:28:58 PM] Mecha de UofO Website Under Construction back 08/08 http://www.uoregon.edu/~mecha/ [8/6/2008 3:28:58 PM] NewNSUwebpage The Nontraditional Student Union also known as the NSU is a great resource for nontraditional students on campus. What makes a nontraditional student? You are if you answer yes to any item on the list below. Are you over the age of 24? Are you a parent or responsible for elder care? Did you skip achieving your GED or high school diploma? Do you work full or part-time? Are you financially independent? Did you transfer from a junior college or delay college? Do you identify yourself as nontraditional for some other reason? If so, come join us and become a part of the NSU community. There are no dues or fees required to join the NSU so please come in to the office and enjoy a cup http://www.uoregon.edu/~nsu/ (1 of 2) [8/6/2008 3:28:59 PM] NewNSUwebpage of coffee and some friendly people. We can help you decide what classes you might enjoy and which instructors might work well for you. You will find that if you need help or have questions in common subjects like math and english, there is usually someone hanging around that can answer some of your questions or give you that extra boost to help refresh your memory. We have computers available for you to use free and offer printing to Nontraditional Students as well. NONTRADITIONAL STUDENT RESOURCES | Where We Are | How to Get Involved | http://www.uoregon.edu/~nsu/ (2 of 2) [8/6/2008 3:28:59 PM] Multicultural Resource Guide Advocacy & Multicultural Education African-American Asian/Pacific Counseling & Health Disability International Islamic Jewish Latina/o Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender & Queer Media Men's Native American Nontraditional Student Women's Multicultural Resource Guide to the University of Oregon and the Eugene- Springfield Community Click here to take our online Multicultural Resource Guide Review Survey! Preface The Multicultural Resource Guide (MRG) is an award-winning, collaborative effort to connect members of the Eugene-Springfield and UO communities with the various resources available in our area. For guidance on navigating your way through the University of Oregon system, please refer to the Services for Students website at darkwing.uoregon.edu/~stacaf. The MRG project began in the Fall of 1998 when the Library Diversity Committee recognized the need to bring together, into one central publication, information about various cultural resources available to all members of the UO community. The MRG is not intended to be a comprehensive directory, nor is it intended as an endorsement of the businesses included. Such listings may be available through other information outlets. For example, restaurant reviews and information are available on the Eugene Weekly website, Chow!: Eugene Weekly's Restaurant Guide. We encourage you to use this MRG as a springboard for finding other resources. Additional resources or corrections can be emailed to codac@uoregon.edu or sent to: Attn: Multicultural Resource Guide Center on Diversity and Community (CoDaC) 110 Gerlinger Hall, University of Oregon Eugene, OR 97403 For new additions, please arrange the information elements for each submission in the following order (the * indicates a required element): http://www.uoregon.edu/~codac/mrg/index.shtml (1 of 2) [8/6/2008 3:29:00 PM] Multicultural Resource Guide *Name for item (business name, organization name, etc.) Contact person(s) *Street Address (or on-campus address) City, State, Zip (not needed for campus resources) *Phone Fax E-mail Web Site Also, please indicate the category (African-American, LGBTQ, etc.) and sub-category (campus or community resource) each item falls under. CoDaC wishes to thank the Library Diversity Committee members who developed the first edition of the MRG: Leslie Bennett, Charlotte Conlin, Michiyo Goble, Joni Herbst, David Landazuri, Linda Long, Diane Sotak, Laine Stambaugh, Bruce Tabb, Rose Thomas, and Carrie Yates. Maintained by Corrian Farnsworth Last revision: August 2004 http://www.uoregon.edu/~codac/mrg/index.shtml (2 of 2) [8/6/2008 3:29:00 PM] University of Oregon Diversity Strategic Action Plans Progress Report Summary 2007-2008 Academic Year May 13, 2008 Background Following the adoption of the Diversity Plan for the University of Oregon in May 2006, each college, school, and administrative unit on campus developed and adopted strategic action plans (SAPs). Implementation of those SAPs began in the fall of 2007. The timelines released by the President following adoption of the UO Diversity Plan stipulated that the first formal progress report to the university senate and the larger campus community would occur during the spring 2008. The purpose of this document is to provide a summary of trends in patterns in the activities and progress reported by units during the 2007-2008 academic year. Progress Reporting Requirement Language adopted in the UO Diversity Plan describes the general requirement for unit leaders to report progress on their SAPs: Every year, each school, college, and administrative unit, and the ASUO Executive will submit to the Vice Provost for Institutional Equity and Diversity and to the Provost an activity report describing that unit’s activities relating to diversity during that year. The Provost will set the beginning date for these reports and may set different dates for different units, depending upon the state of each unit’s Strategic Action Plan. Each May, the Provost will submit a written report to the University Senate, outlining what has been accomplished and what remains to be accomplished under the Strategic Action Plans and articulating the goals and objectives to be addressed over the next academic year. The Provost and the Vice Provost for Institutional Equity and Diversity will also present summary information about yearly progress in an open meeting of the Senate (p.9-10). Reporting Units For the purposes of developing and implementing SAPs, 16 academic and administrative units were identified: Office of the President, Office of the Senior Vice President and Provost, Office of the Vice President for Finance and Administration, Office of the Vice President for Research and Graduate Studies, Office of the Vice President for Student Affairs, Office of the Vice President for University Advancement, College of Arts and Sciences, Lundquist College of Business, College of Education, School of Architecture and Allied Arts, School of Journalism Diversity Progress Report Summary 2 and Communication, School of Law, School of Music and Dance, Associated Student Union, Athletics, and UO Libraries. SAP Development and Organizing Elements The Diversity Plan called on each college, school, and unit to develop an SAP that: (1) provided details and data (where appropriate) about the specific diversity challenges to be addressed in their plan and why these targets are most appropriate; (2) included detailed descriptions of the specific actions to be taken to address those diversity challenges; and (3) provided information about the measurable markers of progress to be assessed during implementation. The university plan also described six main points to be addressed in each strategic plan including: (1) Developing a Culturally Responsive Community, (2) Improving Campus Climate, (3) Building a Critical Mass, (4) Expanding and Filling the Pipeline, (5) Developing and Strengthening Community Linkages, and (6) Developing and reinforcing Diversity Infrastructure. Each of these units developed and adopted a unit SAP during the 2006-2007 academic year, with support and assistance from the Office of Institutional Equity and Diversity (OIED) and the University Diversity Advisory Committee (DAC). SAP Progress Reporting Guidelines OIED provided units a detailed set of guidelines for progress reporting in January 2008. In general, the purpose of progress reporting is to provide a record of activities, accomplishments, and notable challenges related to implementing specific actions contained in units’ SAPs during the year. Information contained in progress reports is designed to mark campus-wide trends in diversity activities, identify and disseminate innovative practices, identify cross-unit collaboration opportunities, identify shared challenges in implementing diversity goals, and maintain transparency and accountability for activities related to SAPs. Ultimately, progress report information is designed to facilitate feedback to campus stakeholders about successful efforts and ongoing challenges in our collective efforts to realize diversity goals. Units were asked to include the following information in their brief 5-page progress report: o Summary of Activities. Provide an overview of the main actions that were addressed during the year. If actions specified in the adopted SAPs were modified or if new actions were undertaken during the year, describe these revisions along with the reasons for modification. Also, describe any actions specified in the SAP to be taken up during the year that were not pursued and the reasons for this. o Progress and Results. Describe the activities directed toward specific actions during the year and the results obtained. Describe the results of any planned analyses (qualitative or quantitative) related to program outcomes. Background information for specific program activities, flyers, marketing materials, etc. may be included in appendices. Describe any unanticipated consequences and any challenges encountered. If technical problems were encountered in carrying out particular activities, describe any modifications. o Impact. Describe the aggregate impact of unit efforts towards the goals of SAPs. Diversity Progress Report Summary 3 o Future Plans. Summarize plans to address ongoing and/or new activities related to the SAP during the next year. Include any important modifications to the original plans. Status of Progress Reports Progress reports from all 16 units were received by OIED in April 2008 and were considered during the review for this summary. Prior to submission, and during the current academic year, each unit received individual outreach from OIED to meet and discuss progress on SAPs prior to the report submission, and regular progress updates were provided by unit leaders in Leadership Council meetings and during weekly meetings of the President’s Small Executive Staff. Summary of Progress Reports Overview Campus units have been busy and productive during this first year of implementation of unit SAPs. While most campus units had some preexisting diversity infrastructure, many units have worked to further develop and/or reinforce that infrastructure during the current year. Dissemination of information, establishment of committees, assigning responsibilities for diversity initiatives were all common activities across units during the reporting period. Beyond such basebuilding activities, units have been actively engaged in diversity professional development activities; developing diversity scholarship in terms of course offerings, conferences, symposia; facilitating efforts to enhance the diversity of the campus workforce and student body; conducting community collaborative projects; and facilitating efforts to increase pathways to college among students from underrepresented groups. Individual engagement in these activities is becoming more widespread; themes of diversity are more fully integrated into campus activities, policies, and decision making processes; and there is an increasingly broad sense of shared commitment to advancing institutional diversity goals. In addition to these many strengths, there continues to be numerous challenges related to our diversity efforts. For example, while the contextualized focus of the SAPs on activities within individual units has created a broader base of ownership for diversity efforts, this approach also may promote isolation and lack of coordination of efforts across units. As work on the SAPs continues, more mechanisms to promote cross-unit collaboration are needed. Other major challenges that require greater focus moving forward include the need to better coordinate and enhance accessibility of professional development activities across campus, the need for a stronger focus on evaluation, and the need to more effectively identify and share promising practices. Overall, there is much reason for optimism as campus efforts have begun to turn words of support for diversity into action. While critical consideration and discussion about the best methods for advancing our diversity goals will continue to be (and should be) part of the ongoing engagement process on campus, there is no questions that the campus is on a path towards lasting change. Diversity Progress Report Summary 4 Summary of Unit Activities This section summarizes major activities of units during the 2007-2008 academic year organized by each of the six major content areas that are addressed in the UO Diversity Plan. In addition to the general summary information for each content area, specific examples of unit actions are provided to illustrate the types of activities underway in each area. The examples should not be viewed as a comprehensive listing of all efforts, nor should activities excluded from the lists of examples here be viewed as less important or noteworthy. 1. Developing a Culturally Responsive Community The UO Diversity Plan describes a number of areas for action in this area including development and implementation of diversity professional development opportunities for faculty and staff, enhancement of teaching effectiveness, creating more inclusive classroom environments, integrating issues of diversity into coursework, and integrating diversity questions into student course evaluations. Summary. This content area received significant attention in unit SAPs and activities during the 2007-2008 academic year. Many units created and sustained diversity committees to guide work in this area, and more generally to provide stewardship of SAPs. A number of units developed, administered, and/or disseminated results of constituent surveys to better understand work and needed progress in this area. Development and implementation of diversity professional development opportunities was widespread for faculty and staff across campus. Many academic units enhanced course offerings in diversity related scholarly areas. Information has been disseminated to departments about recommendations for integration of diversity/inclusion questions into student evaluations. Some units have provided incentives to faculty developing diversity for courses and for developing new diversity-related program initiatives. While effort in this area is widespread, some units continue to be largely in the “planning stage” in this area. This may be particularly true for units without functioning and representative SAP steering committee or unit diversity committees. Examples: • OIED and the Office of Senior Vice President and Provost created the Innovations in Diversity and Academic Excellence program. The competitive award program provides financial resources directly to academic leaders and faculty to support development of new initiatives that directly address diversity goals in unit SAPs. The program made six awards of up to $12K to three academic units during the first award cycle in Winter 2008. The initial program is expected to continue for at least three academic years. • In collaboration with OIED and the Center on Diversity and Community (CoDaC), the Office of Academic Affairs conducted multiple professional development workshops for new faculty and for existing faculty across campus focused on teaching effectiveness in multicultural environments and on understanding the legal and scholarly landscape of diversity in higher education. Diversity Progress Report Summary 5 • Within the Office of Senior Vice President and Provost, Undergraduate Studies engaged in a comprehensive survey of current diversity offerings through course evaluations for Freshmen Seminars, Transfer Seminars, and FIGs. • The College of Arts and Sciences (CAS) launched an African Studies minor in Spring 2007. • CAS anticipates approval for establishing a Queer Studies minor in Fall 2008. • Expanding existing efforts, the College of Education (COE) engaged in a series of professional development workshops for classified staff in instructional programs and conducted facilitated sessions with the COE leadership group focusing on climate for diversity, and ways to improve professional development opportunities. • The COE has engaged in an extensive process to refocus the Teacher Education program with an emphasis on social justice and the English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) endorsement. • In collaboration with the Office of Senior Vice President and Provost, the COE has initiated a new open rank search for a scholar in Teacher Education with expertise in Native American education. • The School of Architecture and Allied Arts (AAA) collaborated with OIED through CoDaC to conduct a series of intensive seminars focusing on developing a strong multicultural organization. • The Graduate School now explicitly requires information on diversity-related activities as part of the Program Review Self-Study for departments. • All departments within the Division of Student Affairs provided cultural competency workshops for staff. The Diversity Action Committee for Student Affairs also offered multiple professional development opportunities for staff throughout the division with nationally respected diversity consultants. • The Lunquist College of Business (LCB) established a diversity committee that was broadly representative of unit constituencies and the committee is engaged in planning for a number of activities related to developing a culturally responsive community. • The Athletics Department is forming a Diversity Action Plan Team to monitor the needs, required actions, and confront the challenges of the unit SAP in monthly meetings. • The Associated Students of the University of Oregon (ASUO) formed a coalition to campaign for the departmentalization of Ethnic Studies. • The UO Libraries set aside funds to be used for acquiring non-English language and area studies materials across disciplines. • The School of Law asked each faculty member to include in her or his annual report to the Dean a description of how that faculty member incorporates diversity issues into courses and a list of diversity professional development activities attended. The School of Law also has created a diversity award for one or more faculty, staff, or students. • OIED, CoDaC, Human Resources, Office of Student Life, the Counseling and Testing Center, and the Office of Affirmative Action & Equal Opportunity (AA&EO) have all provided many diversity professional development opportunities throughout campus at the request of specific units. Currently, these offices have begun meeting Diversity Progress Report Summary 6 together under OIED’s guidance to: (1) catalog the types of offerings available, (2) develop more effective methods for communicating about professional development opportunities across campus, (3) assess the campus demand for professional development, and (4) develop and implement workshop evaluation tools. 2. Improving Campus Climate As described in the UO Diversity Plan, every member of the University community has the responsibility to make the University a supportive and inclusive place. Work by faculty, students, officers of administration, and staff to improve their abilities to work and learn respectfully and effectively in a diverse community should make the University a more welcoming and productive place for all of us. Summary. A number of units engaged in focused activities related to improving campus climate related to diversity. Some units engaged in formal interviewing/surveying of students to better understand the current climate for diversity on campus. Other units have established open forums or town halls to encourage discussion about the diversity climate. More efforts have been underway to involve students directly in diversity committees and in advisory capacities within units. A number of units have focused attention on enhancing communications about diversity supports and program offerings. Examples: • The Division of Student Affairs through University Housing has developed and expanded its “Count Me In” campaign designed to broadly engage students across campus to support inclusive living and learning environments and community norms of respect for diversity. • UO Libraries has created a more comprehensive website to provide information about activities of the Library Diversity Committee and campus-wide diversity information. • The School of Law has conducted multiple town halls to discuss the climate for diversity. • The School of Music and Dance developed and disseminated a Culture and Climate Survey that is now integrated into the school’s student exit interview. • The Office of University Advancement Diversity Committee has developed an advancement diversity webpage designed to provide information about unit and campus-wide diversity efforts. • University Advancement through Public and Media Relations has begun working with OIED to create a strategic diversity communications plan to aggregate and disseminate campus-wide diversity information to constituencies on- and off-campus. • The COE has initiated and is continuing a comprehensive exit survey of graduates that includes 1-, 3-, and 5-year post graduation follow-up and interviews with stakeholders specific to diversity. • The Office of the President, under the direction of the president, engaged the campus community with collaborators from around the state to present honorary degrees to students of Japanese American descent who were interned in 1942. Diversity Progress Report Summary 7 • OIED has launched conversations with the AA&EO and other campus units to pursue the feasibility of streamlining the complaint/grievance process related to concerns about discrimination and harassment. 3. Building a Critical Mass The development of a critical mass of persons from underrepresented groups is critical to cultivate and maintain a campus environment that embraces diversity and to provide our students with the tools to become global citizens. Building diversity across our faculty, students, officers of administration, and staff will benefit our University in countless ways. Increasing the diversity of our faculty is important to provide our students with role models and to secure the scholarly and intellectual benefits that a diverse faculty will bring to the University. Equally important is the recruitment and retention of undergraduate and graduate students from diverse backgrounds and experiences. Summary. Unit effort in this area has been strong during the current academic year. Units are engaged in a broad range of activities designed to enhance the diversity of the UO workforce and student population while maintaining best practices and the highest standards of academic quality. Importantly, institutional goals in these areas should not be measured against arbitrary thresholds or quotas. Rather, progress in building a critical mass is marked by demonstrating growth in the diversity of the campus. Growth in building critical mass is best viewed as a means to an end rather than an end unto itself. With this in mind, it does appear that progress is being made in some areas in terms of enhancing the diversity of faculty, staff, and students on campus1. For example, between the 06-07 and 07- 08 academic years, numbers of student admits to the UO have risen about 32%. During that time student admits grew 52% among Latino students, 37% among African American students, 23% among Asian students, 22% among American Indian/Alaskan Native students, and 31% among white students. The effect of such growth in admissions in terms of actual enrollment will not be determined until Fall 2008. In terms of faculty and staff, data from AA&EO show that between October 2006 and October 2007 the representation of people of color increased from 11.89% to 12.51% among all employees counted for affirmative action purposes. There were increases in representation, both numeric and percentage, of all protected race/ethnic groups during this period of time. Among the tenure-related faculty job groups, the percentage representation of people of color increased in 7 of 9 job groups and remained constant in two. The percentage representation of people of color did not decrease in any tenure-related faculty job groups. 1 Per the adopted UO Diversity Plan: “Efforts to build critical mass in this section are focused on race, ethnicity, and gender. It should be noted that different categories of diversity have different histories and require different strategies to build critical mass. The narrowing of focus in this section reflects the clear, immediate and legally sanctioned need for developing critical mass in these particular groups and recognizes as well the differences between building critical mass in faculty and staff and building critical mass for students. The university remains dedicated to pursuing long-term commitment to equality of opportunity, ability and disability access, and true pluralism (p. 27). Diversity Progress Report Summary 8 Examples: • In January 2008, the University of Oregon, drawing on academic and administrative leadership throughout campus, announced the creation of PathwayOregon, a program designed to enhance access and academic success for Pell-eligible students. The program provides both financial aid and academic support to students who might not have an opportunity to attend the UO in the absence of a well-defined program enabling them to do so. Approximately 400 students have qualified for Pathway Oregon for fall 2008. • Through the Office of Finance and Administration, the Office of Admissions continues to be engaged in a host of activities designed to increase the number of students for underrepresented groups including: UO Connections, Embracing the Future, On-Site Admissions Programs, and Oregon Native Education (ONE) Day. • Through the Office of Research and Graduate Studies, the Graduate School continues to provide financial support and mentorship for graduate students from underrepresented groups through the Promising Scholars Award. • The Diversity-Building Scholarship recognizes undergraduate and graduate students who enhance the educational experience of all students by sharing diverse cultural experiences. The Diversity-Building Scholarship is a tuition-remission scholarship with awards ranging from partial to full tuition and fee waivers. The amount of each award is determined by the UO Diversity-Building Scholarship Committee. Scholarships are renewable. • Within CAS, the Department of English established a graduate fellowship for an incoming graduate student intending to specialize in the intersecting issues of race/ethnicity, (post) coloniality, (post/late) modernity/globality in the twentieth century. • Within CAS, the Department of Philosophy is renewing its Minority Recruitment Initiative which invites college seniors to campus to interest them in graduate studies in philosophy. • Within CAS, numerous departments (e.g., Chemistry, Biology, Geography) are either continuing or have launched initiatives to support enhanced efforts to recruit graduate students from underrepresented groups. • The Office of International Affairs has collaborated with academic leaders in colleges and schools to enhance representation of international students in academic programs. • The Provost, Office of Academic Affairs, and OIED have collaborated with deans and academic department leaders to implement the refined Underrepresented Minority Recruitment Program (UMRP) procedures, to review proposals, and to ensure consistency with the intent and goals for the program. • Office of Finance and Administration, AA&EO has provided extensive training and support to search committees in their efforts to recruit diverse pools of applicants. • The Office of Finance and Administration has supported increased efforts to provide translations of job announcements in languages other than English. • CAS leadership collaborated with a number of academic departments and central administration to create a cluster hire of five new faculty in African and African- American Studies. To date, two positions have been filled as part of this search. Diversity Progress Report Summary 9 • UO Libraries requires search committee final reports to include information about the contribution of potential candidates to the goals of diversity (broadly defined). 4. Expanding and Filling the Pipeline We need to make the University a destination for the best and brightest students graduating from Oregon high schools. To ensure that these students reflect the diversity of our state and to encourage students with diverse backgrounds and experiences to attend the University, we need to provide support and encouragement to K-12 students. Our goals should be to prepare K-12 students to apply to and succeed in higher education, particularly at the University. Summary. Many academic units have been engaged in pipeline activities previously, and a number of such efforts have been continued or expanded during the current academic year. As suggested in the UO Diversity Plan, such pipeline efforts have focused more frequently on establishing pathways to college earlier in a young person’s life (i.e., middle school or earlier). As such programs continue to be developed across campus, more collaboration across units and within the K-12 system are likely to enhance institutional efforts in this area. Also, more effort to consider long-term evaluation of such programs would be helpful as these efforts mature. Examples: • The School of Journalism and Communication (SOJC) launched an initiative with Jefferson High School in Portland, an inner-city high school, to develop a web-based, multimedia high school journalism project that would offer a model for SOJC students to work with high school students of color. • In CAS, the Department of Physics participates actively in the UCORE program, which brings community college students, many who are first-generation college students, to campus for a summer research program. • In CAS, the Department of Economics, along with other departmental partners, has continued and expanded the Summer Academy to Inspire Learning (SAIL) program to include 20 new students from Springfield Middle School in 2007 and 11 returning students from 2006 in a week-long program in economics, psychology, and neuroscience. • Now entering its fourth year, OIED in partnership with numerous academic departments continues to run the Oregon Young Scholars Program (OYSP), which is a multi-year intervention program for underrepresented minority and low-income middle-school students. The program includes an intensive 10-12 day residential component each year and cohort-based learning in specific academic disciplines. During summer 2008, the program is expected to include 40 students. • The ASUO and student initiatives through the Multicultural Center continue to support specific programs to enhance access to higher education among underrepresented students in K-12. Diversity Progress Report Summary 10 5. Developing and Strengthening Community Linkages As a public institution the University serves the public. The University should be seen as a resource and should provide opportunities for people outside the University. The University should be both a leader and a listener. By working together, the University and external communities can find ways to address changes within the state. The University, the Eugene/Springfield community and the State of Oregon will all benefit from increased connections. Summary. As part of efforts in other areas, many units enhanced external community outreach activities. Some units continue to be largely in the planning stage for launching such community connections. More collaboration in this area is likely to be useful across campus. Genuine community relationship building will take time, and the campus is well positioned to advance the base-building work for such partnerships. Collaboration across units will allow units to draw on the established relationships and the credibility of existing relationship to forge new partnerships. Examples: • The Office of the President and OIED continue to facilitate the President’s Native American Advisory Board, which provides invaluable counsel to the University in creating new opportunities for academic collaborations with Oregon’s tribal communities, and for addressing issues of recruitment and retention of Native American students and faculty. • The COE established and continued an active Community Diversity Advisory Board. • The Office of the President and OIED continue to actively participate in the Diversity and Human Rights Consortium and Interagency Diversity and Equity Coalition along with school districts and other government and public service organizations. • Through OIED, the University is a charter member of the National Association of Diversity Officers in Higher Education, which brings national level consulting resources and best practices to campus diversity efforts. • Through the Office of University Advancement, the UO Alumni Association has engaged in a year-long planning process to develop its own vision for connecting with diverse alumni and constituencies and is working with OIED directly on this initiative. • Throughout unit SAP progress reports, descriptions of innovative academic programs, symposia, and conferences throughout the colleges, schools, and research centers under the Office of Research and Graduate Studies attest to the widespread creation and implementation of events that draw diverse constituencies to campus. 6. Developing and reinforcing Diversity Infrastructure Together with central administration, OIED, deans and academic leaders, and the Senate all members of the University community share in the responsibility of creating and maintaining a learning and working environment that recognizes the value of diversity. All members of the University will benefit from increased diversity at the University and from the efforts to build a safe, inclusive and just campus climate. Diversity Progress Report Summary 11 Summary. A number of units established new diversity committees, refocused or repopulated existing committees, assigned leadership for diversity, and/or hired diversity-related administrative positions during the review period. While these efforts are essential to sustaining campus progress on diversity goals, more collaboration across committees and between individuals charged with diversity leadership will enhance synchrony of efforts across campus. Examples: • In collaboration with the president, OIED is leading and facilitating the work of the University Diversity Advisory Committee, which received a renewed charge from the president this year that emphasizes dissemination of best practices, consulting, and building cross-unit collaboration regarding work on SAPs. • The COE hired a Diversity Coordinator to oversee diversity efforts related to the unit SAP, to set direction for new diversity initiatives, and to be a main point of contact for students, faculty, staff, and external community as it relates to these efforts. • Under the Office of Finance and Administration, Campus Operations established a part-time diversity coordinator position to advance that unit’s diversity efforts. • The Division of Student Affairs continues to empower a productive Diversity Action Committee that has been in place for three years to direct activities related to its unit SAP. • The Office of University Advancement Diversity Committee meets routinely with unit leaders and department heads to coordinate SAP efforts and to share information about the SAP with unit constituents. • The ASUO established a broad-based Student Diversity Action Coalition, open to any interested student to help shape diversity initiatives within the ASUO, and to advise OIED in conjunction with the Multicultural Center. • LCB reconstituted its diversity committee to be broadly representative and to include students, faculty, staff, and OAs. • The Athletics Department is in the process of forming a new Diversity Action Plan team to steer its SAP efforts. • AAA, UO Libraries, SOJC each has continuing and active diversity committees. Major Strengths Across Unit Activities Many strengths are noted in the SAP progress reports. Across plans, these include: • All units have been responsive to the call to put their plans into action in various ways. • There is widespread ownership of diversity efforts across units, rather than having responsibility for diversity activities sit on the shoulders of particular individuals within a unit. • Many units have engaged active diversity committees. • Units have made sincere efforts to demonstrate both progress and challenges related to implementation of SAPs. • Innovation is high across campus, and many of these innovations are contextualized to meet specific goals within a particular unit. Diversity Progress Report Summary 12 • There is increased willingness to engage in critical discussions about diversity within units (including discussion about merits and weaknesses of campus efforts). • Consistent with the definition of diversity in the UO Diversity Plan, units are directing efforts to enhance the climate for diversity beyond a narrow focus on race/ethnicity and gender. • There is widespread understanding that our efforts are dynamic and will change as progress is made. Both SAPs and the UO Diversity Plan itself are viewed as living, fluid documents. Ongoing Challenges and Future Directions In addition to the many strengths noted, a number of ongoing challenges and possible future directions are noted. These include: • While the contextualized approach that underlies the SAPs is a strength, the accompanying challenge is that units may be isolated from one another in their efforts. More cross-unit collaboration is needed. More opportunities must be created for unit leaders to share information with one another, and more initiative should be taken by units to seek consultation from OIED and other sources of diversity expertise on and off- campus. • In the context of other pressing issues faced by units (e.g., major construction, leadership searches, budget concerns, etc.), when diversity issues are not “hot” for a particular unit, momentum is lost and diversity initiatives are likely to slip in importance. This appears to be particularly true for units that may not have active and empowered diversity committees to provide stewardship of SAP efforts. • Although it is to be expected based on the conditions within units, some units continue to be in a “planning” vs. “doing” mode with diversity efforts. • More focus on evaluation of diversity efforts is needed. Evaluation should move beyond proxy variables (e.g., numbers of workshops held, number of faculty of color hires within a unit) to include the more complex outcomes that will allow units to accurately assess whether and in what ways their efforts are making a difference. • OIED staff assigned to support SAP implementation in the various units will be scheduling time with unit leaders/and or diversity committees to provide additional unit- specific information about the review process and findings from this progress reporting period. • Additional opportunities to share information from this summary report will be planned for fall 2008 in retreats and meetings with academic/administrative leaders, faculty, staff, students, and external community stakeholders. Contact Information Copies of this report may be obtained electronically through OIED’s website at http://vpdiversity.uoregon.edu. Comments and inquiries about the report may be submitted to the OIED by email at vpdivers@uoregon.edu or by phone at (541)346-3175. Questions about diversity activities within particular units SAPs should be sent to the unit leaders directly (see http://vpdiversity.uoregon.edu for listings of unit contacts). LGBT Educational and Support Services "Promoting a supportive environment at the University of Oregon for LGBT students, faculty, and staff through support services and educational efforts designed to reduce heterosexism, gender bias and homophobia." Welcome to the LGBT Educational and Support Services program at the University of Oregon. Please take a few moments to visit our website and if you want more information print out our resource guide or instant message us your questions. Welcome Back Coming Out Week 2008 Check back here in September for a copy of the Outlist Form and a schedule of Coming Out Week Events. In celebration of National Coming Out Day and in honor of every lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ) student, faculty, staff, and alumni, the 14th annual “Outlist” is underway. http://www.uoregon.edu/~program/ (1 of 2) [8/6/2008 3:30:21 PM] LGBT Educational and Support Services The “Outlist” is a list of students, faculty, staff, and alumni who wish to publicly acknowledge and celebrate that they are lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer and/or allies of the LGBTQ community. The list will appear in the form of an advertisement placed in the Oregon Daily Emerald during the week of October 11. You can also register by emailing your name, campus affiliation (student, faculty, staff etc.) and what list you want to be on (LGBTQ, Ally). Click here for the Resource Guide Do you need to get in touch with the LGBT Educational and Support Program office? Instant Message Us @ Yahoo! or AOL at UOLGBT or LGBTPA Email us at program@uoregon.edu Chicora Martin Cat McGraw We are both in 164 Oregon Hall. Please feel free to stop by and visit. Updated July 29, 2008 http://www.uoregon.edu/~program/ (2 of 2) [8/6/2008 3:30:21 PM] University of Oregon Strategic Diversity Action Plan Office of the Provost July 25, 2007 I. Mission and Guiding Principles of the Office of the Provost The provost, as chief academic officer for the university, provides leadership on matters that impact academic programs, research, and engagement involving faculty, students, and staff across the university. The provost oversees the quality of programs of instruction and research in collaboration with vice presidents, academic deans, vice provosts, and other university leaders and faculty. In addition, the provost is responsible for oversight of academic and budgetary planning and priorities. The provost helps ensure the quality of the faculty by providing leadership in matters related to faculty recruitment, retention, development, promotion, tenure, and working environments. The provost also works to ensure the quality of student learning in collaboration with deans, department heads, and faculty and with the encouragement of collaborative initiatives in undergraduate education. The provost also coordinates recruitment and admissions for undergraduate and graduate programs, investment in educational technology and related academic infrastructure, international affairs and outreach, and community engagement. Academic quality is the cornerstone of our identity as a flagship public research university and one of 62 members of the Association of American Universities. Commitment to quality is defined in the university’s mission statement, “a community of scholars dedicated to the highest standards of academic inquiry, learning and service.” We are dedicated to educating the next generation of leaders and citizens, graduates who are intellectually curious, engaged in the life of the mind, knowledgeable of themselves and the world, and committed to making a differences in their communities. In order to build and sustain academic quality and serve future generation of Oregonians we must recognize changing demographics, pay attention to issues of access and affordability, and be willing to hold ourselves accountable for setting high expectations and meeting them. II. Organizational Structure The Office of the Provost includes seven vice provosts, each responsible for providing leadership in areas essential to implementation of the academic mission. (An organizational chart for the Office of the Senior Vice President and Provost is attached.) These include: Vice Provost for Academic Affairs, Vice Provost for Academic Affairs and Community Engagement, Vice Provost for Undergraduate Studies, Vice Provost for Graduate Studies and Associate Dean of the Graduate School, Vice Provost for International Affairs and Outreach, and Vice Provost for Information Services and Chief Information Officer. Each Vice Provost has developed a Strategic Diversity Action Plan for his or her areas of responsibility. These draft plans are attached with the exception of the plan for the Vice Provost for Graduate Studies and Associate Dean of the Graduate School which is embedded within the plan developed by the Vice President for Research and Dean of the Graduate School. The Vice Provost for Institutional Equity and Diversity, as director of the Office of Institutional Equity and Diversity, developed a Strategic Diversity Action Plan through his leadership of the university-wide planning effort in 2005-06. This effort generated the Diversity Plan for the University of Oregon, the document that forms the basis of our individual and collective efforts. In addition, the Wayne Morse Center for Law & Politics and the Robert D. Clark Honors College, units reporting directly to the Senior Vice President and Provost, have prepared a statement of diversity accomplishments and plans, which are also attached. Other units reporting to this office, including the university’s schools and colleges, and vice presidents for finance and administration, research and graduate studies, and student affairs have submitted separate plans. III. History of Diversity Efforts in the Office of the Provost The Office of the Provost has played a significant role in supporting diversity efforts across the university. Many of these efforts are described in the attached plans. They include, for example, support for the identification, recruitment, and retention of a diverse community of faculty, staff, and students; support for curriculum development; support of efforts to enhance teaching effectiveness, to include professional development workshops; academic support for student learning designed to address the needs of underrepresented students and international students; efforts to expand and fill the pipeline; support for research and creative activity that address and intersect with questions of diversity; and programming designed to engage diverse community populations. The Office of Institutional Equity and Diversity (OIED), led by the Vice Provost for Institutional Equity and Diversity, plays a university-wide leadership role in advancing the University of Oregon diversity agenda during the past several years. OIED’s mission statement describes its role as “advancing the University’s efforts to realize the principles of equality of opportunity and freedom from prohibited discrimination for all members of the university community and to foster acceptance of diversity as an affirmation of individual identity within an inclusive and welcoming environment.” OIED has worked in collaboration with individuals and units across the university to support our diversity goals. IV. Resource Statement The most valuable resources human beings and institutions possess are time and creativity. Specific timeframes for the implementation of goals contained in this plan will be addressed as action items are finalized. Implementation of agreed goals will require collaboration with, and coordination of, efforts supported by schools, colleges, and other units across the university. As we pursue the diversity agenda, the Office of the Provost is committed to the investment of monetary resources consistent with our ambitions. This plan includes an initial commitment of funding over the next three fiscal years (2007-2010) to support, on a competitive grant basis, initiatives generated by Schools, Colleges, departments, and related units essential to the delivery of our academic mission. The appropriate level of annual funding will be determined pending finalization of Strategic Diversity Action Plans across the university V. Plan Development The Vice Provosts’ Council, which meets monthly and is chaired by the Senior Vice President and Provost, has served as the vehicle for discussion of the concept of diversity as it relates to our academic mission and for the development of Strategic Diversity Action Plans within each Vice Provost’s area of responsibility. Initial conversations focused on the goals of the University of Oregon Diversity Plan, approved in May 2006, and the role of units within the Office of the Provost in achieving our diversity goals. Each Vice Provost consulted with staff or constituent units in the development of a plan for his or her area of responsibility. Because of the diversity of Vice Provost portfolios, structure of their units, and scope of responsibilities, the approach to this consultation varied. A number of the Vice Provosts and/or members of their staff attended Strategic Diversity Action Plan workshops sponsored by OIED in fall 2006 and winter 2007. Subsequent meetings of the Vice Provosts’ Council provided the vehicle for presentation of initial concepts and plans by each Vice Provost and collective discussion and feedback. This group will continue to meet to discuss plans, specific action items, and progress achieved during the 2007-2008 academic year. VI. Diversity Value Statement The world University of Oregon students will inherit is increasingly pluralistic and diverse. The University of Oregon must reflect the pluralism and diversity of our society—in our campus community, the curriculum, the nature of research and creative activity, and engagement with the communities we serve in Oregon and beyond. We must achieve this goal to ensure our students are prepared for success in their careers and professions, responsible citizens of their community and the world, and ethical stewards of our natural and social environments. VII. Definition of Diversity The mission statement of the University of Oregon includes the following fundamental value: “a dedication to the principles of opportunity for all members of the university community and an acceptance of true diversity as an affirmation of individual identity within a welcoming community.” The Diversity Plan for the University of Oregon “affirm[s] the University’s commitment to equity, to diversity, and to the development of faculty, students, officers of administration, and staff who will participate effectively in a global society.” The Office of Institutional Equity and Diversity’s Statement of Guiding Principles, Mission and Vision defines diversity in a way that “includes, but is not limited to, differences based on race, ethnicity, national origin or citizenship, gender, religious affiliation or background, sexual orientation, gender identity, economic class or status, political affiliation or belief, and ability or disability.” VIII. Goals and Action Steps The attached plans, developed by units within the Office of the Provost, propose goals and action steps that collectively address and support the areas of emphasis identified in the Diversity Plan for the University of Oregon: developing a culturally responsive community, improved campus climate, building critical mass, expanding and filling the pipeline, developing and strengthening community linkages, and developing and reinforcing diversity infrastructure. Taken together with plans developed by Schools, Colleges, and other units, these plans offer a roadmap that will enable us to achieve our collective diversity goals. The goals and actions presented below are intended to support and supplement local efforts across the university. They presume accountability at the unit level and are designed to demonstrate the Provost’s commitment to, and accountability for, implementation of the University of Oregon’s diversity agenda. Goal 1: Enhance the recruitment, retention, and academic success of a diverse student body, including students from low-income circumstances and under-represented populations, who are attracted by the unique opportunities offered by the University of Oregon. Areas of Emphasis: Culturally responsive community, campus climate, building critical mass, expanding & filling the pipeline, leverage community linkages, and enhance diversity infrastructure. Indicators of Progress: Increase in percentage of entering freshmen and transfer students from low-income and under-represented populations; improvement in retention and graduation rates consistent with performance of the UO’s AAU public sector peers. Action Step 1A: Assess UO programs designed to identify well-qualified and diverse student populations early, recruit and admit these students, and maximize yield. Optimize existing programs and consider new strategies, including the preparation of Spanish- language materials. Responsibility: Office of the Provost, in collaboration with Enrollment Services. Timeline: Assessment conducted by early fall 2007. New strategies introduced to impact recruitment of fall 2008 class. In spring 2007 the provost restructured the reporting relationship of the office of admissions, the office of scholarships and financial aid, and the office of the university registrar, shifting these units from the Office of the Vice President for Student Affairs to the Office of the Vice President for Finance and Administration, on an interim basis. The purpose of this restructuring is to facilitate review of the operations of these units, with an emphasis on assessing the effectiveness of UO recruitment programs and strategies, including our financial aid strategies, in recruiting high performing students. Action Step 1B: Assess financial aid and scholarship programs and resources to determine effectiveness in recruitment of students from low-income and under-represented populations. Optimize existing programs and develop plan to ensure all well-qualified Oregon students are able to attend the University or Oregon regardless of background or means. Responsibility: Office of the Provost, in collaboration with Enrollment Services and Financial Aid & Scholarships and University Advancement. Timeline: Assessment completed by late summer 2007. Plan developed by fall 2007. The university is committed to more effective communication regarding the availability of both need-based and merit scholarships, timely award of scholarships, and greater transparency in the packaging process. In addition, a working group appointed by the provost and vice president for finance and administration is developing a plan that will enable all well-qualified Oregon students who are admitted to the university to attend regardless of means. A decision on scope of the program and timetable for implementation is expected in late summer 2007 for possible implementation in fall 2008. Action Step 1C: Develop Strategic Housing Plan that addresses, among other issues, the needs of diverse student populations. Incorporate consideration of these needs in future decisions about renovation and new construction of residence halls and other residential options. Responsibility: Office of the Provost, through Housing Strategic Planning Group and with broad campus input. Timeline: Plan completed for presentation to State Board of Higher Education in October 2007. In the conjunction with approval of the sale of Westmoreland Village in 2006, the Oregon State Board of Higher Education charged the University of Oregon to develop a strategic housing plan that will address current and future needs of undergraduate and graduate students at the university, with an emphasis on serving the growing diversity, broadly defined, of our student population. The increasing diversity of our student population, including growth in the number of international students, students from non- traditional age groups, veterans, and other dimensions of diversity that enrich the educational experience of all students suggests the need to assess the extent to which residential options, including traditional residential halls, suites, apartments, and other options, meet the changing needs of students. National data indicate the quality, availability, and variety of student housing have a dramatic impact on decisions students make about enrolling in a college or university. In this increasingly competitive marketplace, we must ensure the housing inventory and other residential options meet the needs of current and future students. The provost established a Housing Strategic Planning Group in fall 2006 and charged the group to think broadly about the role of the residential campus environment in support of academic excellence and student learning, to assess the quality, availability and variety of existing housing stock, and to make recommendations concerning future investments in student housing. The working group is broadly representative of the diversity of the university, enabling the voices of international students, graduate students, and students from underrepresented groups, along with faculty, staff, and campus administrators, to be heard in this process. Final recommendations are expected in September 2007. Action Step 1D: Enhance academic support for students, including development of a Student Learning Neighborhood at the university’s front door. The neighborhood will integrate existing support units and programs, including ALS, OMAS, academic support for student athletes, career services, and health and counseling, as well as residence hall-based resources and programming. Responsibility: Office of the Provost, in collaboration with Student Affairs, Finance and Administration, University Advancement. Timeline: Initial planning completed by fall 2007. Implementation ongoing. Our diversity goals cannot be met simply by enhancing the recruitment of students from underrepresented groups. The university has an obligation to provide academic and other support services that enable all students to be successful. We believe the creation of a defined neighborhood dedicated to student learning, in which programs and services at the university’s “front door” and in nearby residence halls are co-located, will enhance the visibility of these services and make an important statement about our commitment to student learning and success. Possible construction of a new arena and alumni center, as well as future renovation of Oregon Hall, provide significant opportunities in this campus neighborhood. Goal 2: Enhance the recruitment, retention, and development of faculty from under-represented groups, with an emphasis on tenure- related faculty ranks. Areas of Emphasis: culturally responsive community, campus climate, building critical mass, expanding & filling the pipeline, enhancing diversity infrastructure. Indicators of Progress: Increase in percentage of faculty from under-represented groups among the tenure-related faculty ranks. Increase in percentage of faculty from under-represented groups among the senior faculty ranks. Benchmarks will include performance of the UO’s AAU public sector peers. Action Step 2A: Revise the Underrepresented Minority Recruitment Program, providing clear guidance to deans, department heads, and faculty on the availability and use of funds to enhance the quality and diversity of the faculty. Responsibility: Office of the Provost, in collaboration with deans and the Office of the General Counsel. Timeline: Revised policy implemented spring 2007. The revised Underrepresented Minority Recruitment Program, which is posted on the university’s website at http://appointments.uoregon.edu/UMRP_Info.htm, clarifies the purpose of the program, requires development of a plan for use of funds by departments, which must be approved by the Office of the Provost, and adds a reporting requirement on the use of the funds. Action Step 2B: Review dual career policies and practices in terms of their impact on the recruitment and retention of faculty from under-represented groups. Revise as necessary to enhance effectiveness of this tool. Responsibility: Office of the Provost. Timeline: Assessment completed fall 2007. Recommendations for consideration winter 2008. Action Step 2C: Identify best practices in mentoring of junior faculty. Create an information resource for information sharing, using the web and other vehicles. Responsibility: Office of the Provost. Timeline: Assessment completed fall 2007. Information resource created by spring 2008. Goal 3: Increase resources dedicated to, and ensure institutionalization of, diversity-related initiatives focused on the six areas of emphasis included in the Diversity Plan of the University of Oregon, particularly in the schools, colleges, and other units that support the academic mission of the university. Areas of Emphasis: culturally responsive community, campus climate, building critical mass, expanding & filling the pipeline, strengthening community linkages, and enhancing diversity infrastructure. Indicators of Progress: Increase in the development and institutionalization of diversity-related initiatives in the schools, colleges, and related units that address specific goals and action plans. Action 3A: Establish a Provost’s Diversity Initiative Grants Program to fund, on a competitive and matching basis, grants to schools, departments, colleges and other units that support the academic mission of the university to enable implementation of projects and action plans in support of the diversity agenda. Commit seed funds for fiscal years 2007-2010. Responsibility: Office of the Provost. Timeline: Ongoing. Action 3B: Conduct workshops for constituency-based development officers designed to inform them about diversity-related development opportunities and enhance their effectiveness in engaging diverse populations of alumni and friends of the university. Responsibility: Office of the Provost, in collaboration with Academic Deans and University Advancement. Timeline: Planning in fall 2007. Workshops introduced beginning spring 2008. Action 3C: Assess potential benefits of recruiting a development officer dedicated to the university’s diversity agenda, working in collaboration with constituency-based development officers assigned to units across the university. Responsibility: Office of the Provost, in collaboration with Academic Deans and University Advancement. Timeline: Assessment, including review of practices at AAU public sector peer universities, in fall 2007 and winter 2008. Decision expected in spring 2008. Office of Academic Affairs Academic Personnel Description of this Responsibility Area The Office of Academic Affairs falls under the immediate direction of the Senior Vice President and Provost. Its areas of responsibility are distributed between two vice provosts (Tomlin and Warpinski). This document addresses the areas of responsibility within the portfolio of the Vice Provost for Academic Affairs (Tomlin). In brief, the areas of responsibility for this section of Academic Affairs include: faculty and academic personnel issues, including academic appointments, faculty recruitment and retention, including shared responsibility for the Underrepresented Minority Recruitment Program (UMRP), faculty review (including post- tenure review), the promotion and tenure process, sabbaticals and leaves, non-tenure track faculty appointments, emeritus faculty, courtesy appointments, the Tenure Reduction Program (TRP), teaching evaluation and recognition, grievances, and all other faculty and unclassified personnel matters. It also includes special projects and academic initiatives as directed by the Provost. This area of Academic Affairs is small in its immediate staff—just the Vice Provost and a key Executive Assistant—but the interplay with other areas of the institution is pervasive, touching routinely all other academic offices on campus, including the deans of all of the schools and colleges; the vice presidents, especially the VP Research and the VP for Finance and Administration; the other vice provosts; and a wide array of other academic and administrative offices. The commitments to the UO diversity plan presented below are central to UO efforts to diversify our faculty. This is manifested in our efforts to recruit and to retain faculty from underrepresented groups, to encourage the larger campus community in its engagement with the faculty we recruit, to create and promulgate creative directions for faculty development that support all faculty, and to ensure that our commitments to diversity and our commitments to academic excellence remain strategically intertwined. The diversity action plan presented below focuses its initial energy in broadening faculty recruitment efforts, in developing greater effectiveness in faculty retention, and in looking for additional ways to support faculty development. It also commits to the development of institutional information that permits the transparent empirical examination of the extent of our successes and failures in the development of a diverse faculty, something that is presently difficult to achieve. The impact of our efforts addresses most directly and pervasively the following key points of the UO diversity plan (in order of impact): Point 3-Building Critical Mass; Point 1-Developing a Culturally Responsive Community; and Point 6-Developing and Reinforcing Diversity Infrastructure. They also contribute, though less directly or immediately, to the remaining three key points: Point 2-Improving Campus Climate; Point 4-Expanding and Filling the Pipeline; and Point 5-Developing and Strengthening Community Linkages. For the sake of transparency and completeness, this report is organized by responsibility areas, with a description of component activities in each, the current environmental scan for each, the opportunities and challenges in each, proposed action items and their associated resource implications (effort and finances), and their impact on pertinent Diversity Plan points (Points 1-6). Strategic Diversity Action Plan Faculty Recruitment Faculty recruitment includes a complex array of processes largely carried out at the department and program level under the immediate direction of the academic deans with support and oversight from the Office of the Provost and the Office of Academic Affairs. These processes include academic planning, resource allocation and financial planning, definition and articulation of prospective appointments, specific advertising and recruitment activities, applicant reviews and interviews, formulation and negotiation of competitive offers, and completion of appointment agreements with new faculty. The Office of Academic Affairs sustains a critical role in oversight of the faculty recruitment process including formal approvals to proceed at critical junctures in the overall process. Environmental Scan. Historically, the UO has been competitive in its faculty recruitment efforts overall, with strong success in recruiting our first choices across all fields and schools and colleges, despite resource limitations. At the same time, there is a strong sense that the UO has not been successful in the recruitment and appointment of faculty of color, this reflected in the current make-up of the tenure-related ranks. There are associated opportunities and challenges in this critical area of UO development. Since we have been successful academically, there will be some who will question whether any changes or additional directions in our faculty recruitment efforts are not needed or might be counterproductive to the quality we have been able to achieve. There are others who see the current make-up of the faculty as representative of systemic failure to recruit effectively. There are opportunities across all the areas of faculty recruitment described above. In particular, Academic Affairs can play a significantly more active and positive role in the identification and solicitation of applicants from prospects, and it can play a positive role in working with academic programs, through their deans, to formulate faculty opportunities and to shape faculty offers to improve long-term the diversity of the tenure-related ranks of UO faculty. GOALS AND ACTION ITEMS: FACULTY RECRUITMENT GOAL 1. Increase the number of faculty from under-represented groups appointed in tenure-related positions as well as in NTTF positions. The UO will have succeeded in this vital area if it can enhance the diversity of the UO faculty while sustaining or improving the quality of all faculty appointments. These broad goals cannot be met without valid and reliable data on faculty appointments at the UO, at comparable AAU public institutions, and more general data on local, regional, and national trends in the diversification of the U.S. population. Consequently, these goals will require additional effort and resources from Institutional Research, the Office of Affirmative Action and Equal Opportunity, and the Office of Academic Affairs. To this end,: ACTION ITEM 1. The Office of Academic Affairs, in collaboration with OAAEO and Institutional Research, will carry out an empirically rigorous bi-annual analysis of the diversity of the UO faculty. GOAL 2. The Office of Academic Affairs will improve the numbers of faculty from under-represented groups who apply for UO tenure-related positions. ACTION ITEM 2. The Office of Academic Affairs will provide central support for collaborative advertising in publications and web outlets aimed at under-represented candidates [e.g. Diverse]. Academic Affairs has begun work with OAAEO to identify prospective outlets and to formulate a strategy for their use in recruitment. This effort will have been successful if it results in a pattern of applications from candidates of color that exceeds recent patterns of application seen without this effort. ACTION ITEM 3. The Office of Academic Affairs will fund centrally an initiative for searches whose demographics meet or exceed predictions for the numbers of possible candidates in a given area. Academic Affairs will provide resources for one additional visit per such search. There will be no restriction on the use of these funds for candidates from underrepresented groups. This effort will have been successful if the pattern of applications improves in fields that have not been successful in meeting demographic projections for a particular field. ACTION ITEM 4. In collaboration with OAAEO, the Office of Academic Affairs will create a web-based information source with current contact details for departments to use in recruitment. Such a site will be augmented with additional information as our experience expands. ACTION ITEM 5. The Office of Academic Affairs will create opportunity for engagement with the search process beyond an initial interaction with OAAEO. Academic Affairs will develop information and ideas in support of faculty efforts to identify, review, and interview outstanding candidates from underrepresented groups. ACTION ITEM 6. The Office of Academic Affairs will send faculty and faculty leadership to events in which recruitment of faculty from under-represented groups is a goal. One purpose of this action item is to enhance networking between UO faculty leadership and professional networks of faculty of color. ACTION ITEM 7. The Office of Academic Affairs will host a visit by two national experts on building a diverse faculty during the upcoming academic year [$15,000]. We will target as participants department heads of departments planning searches for next year. GOAL 3. The Office of Academic Affairs will increase the number of opportunities that might be attractive to faculty from under- represented groups. ACTION ITEM 8. The UO will update and improve the UMRP. This has been completed. The revised policy and associated procedures are posted on the web. ACTION ITEM 9. The UO will create additional endowment supported appointments for senior scholars, tying these to programmatic efforts that can attract senior scholars from underrepresented groups. GOAL 4. The Office of Academic Affairs will improve the numbers of faculty from under-represented groups who apply for and are hired into appointments as NTTF. This goal recognizes that the faculty of the UO is composed not just of tenure-related appointments but includes a substantial proportion of non-tenure track instructors and research associates (NTTF). Current efforts to improve the structure of NTTF appointments—in particular the creation of a more deliberate career track requiring national searches—should result in a higher quality NTTF faculty. As a search moves from local or regional scale to national the demographics of the candidate pool changes significantly, increasing its diversity as well as the quality of the pool for any academic appointment. ACTION ITEM 10. The Office of Academic Affairs will increase the number of national searches for career-related instructors and research appointments. Faculty Development Faculty development involves a large number of opportunities and activities directed at enhancing the academic and professional success of UO faculty. This includes opportunities that target or include untenured faculty in the midst of early career development, tenured faculty looking further to improve their contributions to the university, and non-tenure track faculty serving in either instructional or research roles. Responsibility for faculty development opportunities is widely dispersed across the university. There are faculty development opportunities in support of research sponsored by the Office of the Vice President for Research and Graduate Studies. There are faculty development activities for instruction and teaching sponsored by the Teaching Effectiveness Program (TEP) within the office of the Vice Provost for Undergraduate Studies. Opportunities for cultivation of expertise in instructional technology are sponsored and supported by the UO Libraries and by the Vice Provost for Academic Affairs and Community Engagement. The Vice Provost for International Affairs and Outreach also sponsors international opportunities for faculty development. Efforts to incorporate these into diversity plans will be reflected in the associated diversity plans. Within the Office of Academic Affairs there are two complementary areas of faculty development: (1) faculty development activities associated with general readiness for Promotion and Tenure or promotion to professor, and (2) faculty development activities aimed at supporting UO diversity efforts. The first area includes an array of workshops on promotion and/or tenure for several audiences – untenured faculty, associate professors, department heads, and NTTF. Also included in this area are activities and workshops tied into New Faculty Orientation (NFO). All of these activities represent good moments to cultivate engagement with issues in diversity, in particular in providing improved support to faculty of color. The second area is a new one for Academic Affairs. During the next year, Academic Affairs will sponsor and host, in collaboration with OIED, OAAEO, and CoDAC, at least one major faculty development opportunity focused on engaging faculty on issues of diversity at the UO and nationally. Environmental Scan. Diversity efforts in faculty development in Academic Affairs have been missing, although strong efforts in new faculty orientation and in promotion and tenure contribute to the development of all faculty, including faculty of color. The efforts to enhance faculty development in general, stimulated in part by the intention to enhance the retention of faculty of color, does serve the interests of the UO by improving support for all faculty. GOALS AND ACTION ITEMS: FACULTY DEVELOPMENT GOAL 5. The Office of Academic Affairs will increase the set of faculty development opportunities that prepare faculty to work in a diverse academic setting. ACTION ITEM 11. The Office of Academic Affairs, in collaboration with CoDAC and OIED, will sponsor an ongoing Summer Diversity Workshop aimed at examining with tenure-related faculty critical issues and ideas surrounding diversity issues in the U.S. and at the UO in particular. Academic Affairs will provide central support for such a workshop modeled on the structure and format of our successful IT workshops. Participants will be recruited from tenure-related faculty and career NTTF. Participants will complete a one-week workshop for which Academic Affairs will provide a $1,500 summer stipend. A budget for this has been pre-approved at $30,000, sufficient to support 15-18 participants along with some support to CoDAC for workshop costs. The workshop will have proven successful if it succeeds in getting faculty engaged with issues of diversity and in encouraging robust intellectual discussion of diversity issues at the UO and more broadly. It is hoped that participating faculty will take the content of the workshop to other colleagues and to their departments for further dissemination. ACTION ITEM 12. Academic Affairs is responsible for New Faculty Orientation (NFO), which includes both a two-day event in the fall and a number of focused workshops throughout the academic year. In collaboration with OIED and CoDAC, the Office of Academic Affairs will sponsor a special NFO event on diversity during the first year of appointment. [No special funds needed]. ACTION ITEM 13. Last year, the Vice Provost attended a diversity conference put on by AAC&U Conference and found its workshops on faculty recruitment and retention of great value in thinking about diversity matters at the UO. The Office of Academic Affairs is prepared to fund some faculty participation in the next AAC&U diversity conference or similar academic conference. GOAL 6. The Office of Academic Affairs will create mentoring opportunities for faculty aimed at supporting research and teaching efforts on the way to promotion and tenure and developing leadership opportunities for faculty post-tenure. ACTION ITEM 14. The Office of Academic Affairs will initiate this year an ongoing faculty leadership development seminar or brown bag series. The series will help recently tenured faculty understand more about “how the university works”; for example, how faculty appointments are made, how budgets and funding works, how ideas are generated and decisions are made administratively, and so on. ACTION ITEM 15. The Office of Academic Affairs will create a critical writing support retreat twice a year [Fall and Spring]. The retreat will bring a group of 10-12 tenure-related faculty together for an intensive research writing experience— completion of a draft article or chapter. Such retreats at other universities have resulted in sustained collaborative writing groups after the retreat, leading to stronger research profiles for the participating faculty. Faculty Retention Faculty retention is complicated and critical to the success of the UO and to our success in diversifying our faculty. Our efforts to keep the fine faculty we have already recruited is essential to the overall mission of the university and to our agenda for academic excellence. Faculty retention efforts must be directed in two complementary directions: (1) creation of conditions for professional success that minimize the perceived need or desire to pursue external opportunities; and (2) development of effective retention actions when a colleague is pursuing external opportunities. At the UO, there has been an emphasis, not at all unreasonable, on comparative faculty salaries as the principal source of dissatisfaction among faculty considering of the prospects. It is important to understand that the issue of faculty salary is just one component, albeit one essential and critical component, of the overall professional profile and set of opportunities that university faculty consider in decisions about which institutions to join. The decision to join the UO faculty represents a significant life commitment to those who come here—faculty do not ordinarily think about moving from place to place. Leaving is a big deal and usually costs the faculty member a full year of productivity and multiple thousands of dollars, even when they move on to an apparently better opportunity. Therefore, the basis for a decision to come to Oregon as well as a decision to leave is always larger than any single factor. And, it is always a comparative problem—how UO and Eugene stack up against competing institutions and communities. Overall, the factors that contribute to these decisions include: PERSONAL CONCERNS: Will my family flourish if we go to Oregon? PROFESSIONAL CONCERNS: Will I be able to see my academic aspirations—my best work—unfold at Oregon? SALARY: what is my salary today and what are the prospects for its predictable improvement based on my abilities and performance? RESOURCES: are there sufficient resources in place and sufficient prospects for their cultivation that I can accomplish my professional goals in research and teaching? BENEFITS: does the benefits package provide adequate protection for me and my family and will these benefits be there later when I most may need them? INFRASTRUCTURE: is the academic and physical infrastructure sufficient to support my work and what are the prospects for sustaining and improving that infrastructure? Computing, library, support staff, office space, lab space. RETIREMENT: does the retirement package provide a long-term income that permits me and my partner or spouse to live well? RESEARCH OPPORTUNITIES: does this institution support and encourage scholarly research? Includes: professional travel, summer and ad hoc research support for junior faculty, development opportunities, etc. HOUSING: what can I afford to buy in this community? TEACHING OPPORTUNITIES: does this institution provide the support needed to sustain my best teaching? Load, GTFs, support staff, paper, photocopy… EDUCATION: how well will my kids be educated in the local public schools? WORK EFFORT: how much of my effort is devoted to my primary work v. how much of my effort is devoted to creating/chasing resources? COMMUNITY: will I and my family enjoy citizenship in a vibrant, safe, and embracing community? COLLEAGUES: will I have colleagues who inspire and support what I’m doing? EXCELLENCE: what is the level of commitment to excellence and quality in research and teaching? At what level do I get to compete? Historically—meaning the past twenty years at least, the UO has been able to compete well with those institutions that our faculty can and do get recruited by: Stanford, Colorado, UCSB, Wisconsin-Madison, Minnesota, Illinois, UT, UNC, Duke, Brown, Berkeley. We have also successfully drawn faculty away from such schools: UCLA, USC, Duke, Michigan, others. Historically, we have a good track record of fending off external offers, a reasonable estimate is .750, but this has declined to about .500 in recent years. Historically, the constellation of factors that worked for us at the UO included: Colleagues, Excellence, Research Opportunities, and Benefits, Retirement, Housing, Education, and Community. Historically, those that worked against us included: Salary, Resources, and Infrastructure. Teaching Opportunities and Work Effort were probably pretty much neutral. At the current moment, almost all of the positive factors now work against us. Housing costs, which used to be entirely affordable with lower Oregon salaries, now look more like those of Boulder or Houston and have climbed considerably over those in the mid- West. Retirement benefits, which used to guarantee a solid post-professional life, are no longer significantly better than those offered by our competitors and for more senior faculty are perceived to have been unfairly reduced—that the State reneged on its business deal. Public education for our children is perceived to have declined in quality. Faculty worry about our commitment to academic excellence, reflected in continued decline in State support for higher education. Faculty who have been here also worry about work effort. In the past faculty entrepreneurial efforts—essentially discretionary efforts to pursue external resources, including Summer Session teaching and programs that we exported, generated resources that could be invested in new ideas and initiatives. These kinds of efforts are increasingly essential to backfill budgets the State does not support. Overall, the worry we must share together as we address sustaining and building excellence in our faculty is not only about salary, about salaries today, it is really about the prospects faculty see for the long-term achievement of their personal and professional aspirations. If we are to operate more like a business, and we already do, then we must keep those best practices in mind: this includes that you take the best care you can of key professionals in the organization by paying attention to their needs and interests in their families and their profession. So, the decision to move elsewhere is not triggered exclusively by salary but by a constellation of factors that increasingly conspire to make competing offers more attractive than they had been earlier. Environmental Scan. There is an enduring impression that the UO suffers greater retention losses of faculty of color than we do for the faculty as a whole. It is certainly the case that we have lost important colleagues after a period of successful service at the UO, and that it is certainly the case that we can improve our retention efforts to sustain appointments of faculty of color. During AY 2003-04, at least five of 20 resignations that occurred were faculty from underrepresented groups. Given the difficulty we experience in their recruitment, it is important to observe that their departure in the end is tied to their perception that they will do better professionally and personally at other places. Looking at retention cases involving faculty of color at the UO, there are cases that involve matters we can contribute directly to improving at the UO – matters of salary, research opportunities, campus climate, and partner opportunities. And, there are cases that involve matters to which our contributions may be more indirect – the demographics of the Eugene community, for example. In at least two cases, one a failed recruitment and one a failed retention case, the individuals involved expressed that their decisions were tied entirely to the absence of a vibrant community of professional men or women with whom they could build enduring friendships outside of the UO. Efforts in this area must target both matters that arise when external offers are pending (acute retention) and in anticipation of such offers (pre-emptive retention). They must address primarily local conditions we can control directly, and they should engage larger issues of community that affect the sense of community and well-being all faculty should readily be able to cultivate and enjoy. GOALS AND ACTION ITEMS: FACULTY RETENTION GOAL 7. The Office of Academic Affairs will include in its analysis and reporting on diversity in UO faculty (see Action Item 1) information on faculty retention. The information will address the question of the extent to which UO retention losses and successes for faculty of color differ from retention losses and successes for faculty in general. GOAL 8. The UO will increase the likelihood that faculty we have recruited will remain at the UO. ACTION ITEM 16. The Office of Academic Affairs will work with the academic deans to create a more rapid response for faculty exploring external opportunities. The principal responsibility for the formulation of counteroffers must continue to reside with the academic deans. Academic Affairs nonetheless plays a role in supporting counteroffer efforts and will work to ensure that faculty find their concerns addressed in a timely manner. ACTION ITEM 17. The Office of Academic Affairs will conduct a review of the effectiveness of UO response to the need for spousal and partner support. We will move away from actions that temporize on spousal and partner issues with short term fixes to the formulation of concrete plans we can communicate plainly, one way or the other to recruited faculty or to faculty with external offers. ACTION ITEM 18. The Office of Academic Affairs will include in the re-design of its faculty information site more dynamic information regarding support for the diversity of cultural needs and expectations of our faculty. ACTION ITEM 19. The Office of Academic Affairs will work with OIED to cultivate a more robust and responsive Academic Affairs connection with external communities and allies. Academic Affairs and Community Engagement Diversity Action Plan Academic Affairs and Community Engagement at the University of Oregon during 2006-2007 covered five formal reporting units, as well as the broad oversight of UO academic endeavors in the Portland area, plus the administration over some aspects of the university’s instructional support environment. The Vice Provost for Academic Affairs and Community Engagement is charged with the identification and administration of the UO’s goals related to the dynamic interaction of our academic mission within our larger community. Community Engagement at the University of Oregon, broadly defined, describes teaching, learning, scholarship, outreach and partnerships, which engage our faculty, students and community in mutually beneficial and respectful collaboration. The interactions sought and fostered through these efforts may address community-identified needs, deepen students' civic and academic learning experience, and enhance the quality of life within the community while strengthening the institution through mutually beneficial application of knowledge. o Continuing Education (CE): UO Continuing Education serves both working adults and lifelong learners through a variety of education opportunities including graduate courses, professional development certificate programs in Portland and Eugene, and lifelong learning institutes in Central Oregon and the greater Eugene/Springfield area. o Jordan Schnitzer Museum of Art (JSMA):The University of Oregon Museum of Art is a premier Pacific Northwest visual arts center for exhibitions and collections of historic and contemporary art. The museum continues a long tradition of bridging international cultures and offers a welcoming destination for discovery and education centered on artistic expression that will deepen the appreciation and understanding of the human experience. We engage diverse communities through innovative, interpretive programs in a newly expanded museum within a major university setting. o Labor Education Research Center (LERC): The Labor Education and Research Center (LERC) at the University of Oregon was established in 1977 by an act of the Oregon Legislature. LERC’s founding was promoted by an alliance of unions, legislators, university faculty, labor relations professionals, and community leaders who believed that workers and unions in Oregon needed a specific program granting them access to the resources and expertise of the state’s higher education system. LERC’s mission is to provide direct, hands-on education, training, and consultation to workers and unions at the grassroots level; to encourage creative and critical thinking that empowers working adults to participate meaningfully in workplace and community affairs; to conduct applied research on vital social issues related to work, employment, and labor relations; to make Oregon’s workplaces safer by providing educational programs and conducting research on occupational safety and health issues; to connect the university to the broader community by making its resources more readily available to working Oregonians and labor organizations; and to expand public awareness of Oregon’s rich labor, working-class, and labor relations history. o Museum of Natural and Cultural History (MNCH): The University of Oregon Museum of Natural and Cultural History was established to further the general mission of the University by enhancing public knowledge of the history and anthropology of Oregon and the broader world. This is accomplished through the preservation of objects illustrative of and significant to natural history contributing to knowledge by promoting and facilitating research in appropriate fields and providing access to this knowledge for the Oregon public, through furtherance both of formal instruction in the campus setting and of public education outside the boundaries of the University's curriculum. o Oregon Bach Festival (OBF): The Oregon Bach Festival exists to inspire audiences through the art of music by providing the highest-level performances and innovative educational opportunities, involving a broad-based community of audiences, donors, and musicians in a manner that assures the long-term sustainability of this internationally renowned program. o University of Oregon Portland (UO PDX) The partnership between the University of Oregon and the City of Portland dates back to the founding of the university. Although the UO main campus has always been in Eugene, the state's flagship university has been improving the lives of Portland-area residents throughout its history. The UO School of Law opened in Portland in 1884 and the medical school followed in 1887. In 1914, the UO's school of commerce and industrial survey was established in the Rose City to research markets for Oregon products. In 1987, the University of Oregon Portland Center opened at 722 Southwest Second Avenue (at Yamhill) in the Yamhill Historic District's Willamette Block Building. By 1996, the university was leasing about one-third of the building, and in 1997, the university purchased the Willamette Block property. Today, the UO's service to the state through programs in Oregon's largest city is continuing to grow. The university is increasing its presence in Portland by expanding academic programs, investing in redevelopment of a new UO facility in Old Town, and furthering an agenda to increase collaboration with other universities in serving Portland-area residents COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT DIVERSITY WORKING GROUP Curt Lind, Director, Continuing Education Sandra Gladney, Associate Director, Continuing Education Lawrence Fong, Associate Director, Jordan Schnitzer Museum of Art Bob Bussell, Director, Labor Education Research Center Jon Erlandson, Director, Museum of Cultural and Natural History Royce Saltzmann, Director, Oregon Bach Festival Pam Palanuk, Executive Assistant, Academic Affairs and Community Engagement POINT 1: DEVELOPING A CULTURALLY RESPONSIVE COMMUNITY Define what this focal area means to your areas. This point provided the means to reflect upon the ways in which our units contribute to the whole through the acquisition of relevant skills, and thoughtful evaluation of the impact units have on the larger community through our programs. Among our units we are uneven in the consciousness with which we focus attention to this area. Intrinsically certain units, such as the museums, make a significant contribution through the nature of their core collection and the manner in which their programming reflects that collection. Other units do not necessarily have such a structure and therefore need to make a concerted effort to assure that choices they make reflect institutional goals in this area. Identify some of your units’ strengths and challenges in this area. Sample Strength: With a variety of public programs that focus on the cultural and natural history of Oregon and the Pacific Northwest, the Museum of Natural and Cultural History (MNCH) is one of the region’s foremost centers for research, education, and public interpretation related to the diverse cultural history of our state. We offer extensive programming (exhibits, lecture and film series, publications, etc.) related to the Native American history of the Pacific Northwest, for instance, as well as the creation of multiethnic/multicultural communities in the region after European Contact. We also curate, display, and research anthropological collections that highlight the cultural, artistic, and technological contributions of societies around the world. Through such programming, including the Margaret Mead Film Festival, we expose students, staff, and community members to a broad range of topics related to cultural diversity and sensitivity. In planning, developing, and offering such diverse cultural programming, MNCH personnel also consult and collaborate with a diverse array of community members, including members of the Native American, Asian American, African American, Latino American, and international communities. We strive to offer a variety of perspectives in our lecture series, public events, and exhibitions, stressing that there are a variety of ways to view both historical and modern issues. Sample Challenge: JSMA - Exhibition Interpreters (EI) provide frontline services to the audience. After extensive training the EI’s offer a variety of tours of the art museum galleries and art studio activities to both public school groups and special tours. They often are in the collections galleries during public events such as openings and receptions related to the large changing exhibitions. JSMA sees great potential to begin targeted recruiting to what is now a predominantly female, Caucasian pool of EI’s specifically to increase membership from Latino and Asian populations. The museum will work to create a more welcoming and supportive environment by partnering such recruits with current EI’s to assist in dealing with transportation limitations and facilitating an appropriate training program. GOALS/ACTION ITEMS MEASURES RESPONSIBILITY TIMELINE GOAL #1: To expand the capacity of the associated units (CE, JSMA, LERC, MNCH, OBF) to contribute to the promotion of knowledge and cultural understanding. ACTION: Increase understanding of the impact of our current programs on our community as it pertains to cultural responsiveness. Survey of participants in all areas. Each unit Director Ongoing. ACTION: Develop coherent plan to address findings in survey to address deficiencies in scope of programming. Work with volunteers, boards, internal committees as initial focus groups to sample responses to outcomes of this Each unit Director. 2007-2008 planning for 2008-2009 program commitments planning process. GOAL #2: Recognize the synergies that exist among and between the various reporting units in furthering the University’s Diversity agenda and build upon them. ACTION: Meet quarterly as a council of directors to review unit based program plans. Call meeting Vice Provost AACE Quarterly beginning Fall 07 ACTION: Identify opportunities for collaboration with special attention towards increasing the breadth and depth of our offerings. Distribute priorities to unit based committees, staff, boards, volunteers. Unit Directors. Fall 07 and ongoing. ACTION: Commit human and monetary resources to execute plans. Create budget. Set staffing priorities. Unit Directors with Vice Provost for AACE FY 09 GOALS/ACTION ITEMS MEASURES RESPONSIBILITY TIMELINE GOAL #3: To increase representation of African American, Latino and Asian communities within the pool of Exhibit Interpreters at the Jordan Schnitzer Museum of Art and in Audience Services of the Oregon Bach Festival. ACTION: Target recruitment activity toward desired audience. Working with internal resources (CoDaC, OIED, etc) develop plan to disseminate information to target communities. Unit Director and Volunteer/Audience Services Coordinator. Academic year 07-08 ACTION: Identify mentor E.I.’s and Usher/guides. Seek volunteers from existing ranks. Education director and volunteer/Audience coordinator Academic year 07-08 ACTION: Assess and manage special needs, such as transportation, education tools, etc. that will support recruits. Assemble policies & procedures. Volunteer coordinator Academic year 07-08. POINT 2: IMPROVING CAMPUS CLIMATE Define what this focal area means to your specific area. We adhere to University’s commitment toward improving our ability to work, learn and engage respectfully and effectively in a diverse community. Identify some of your units’ strengths and challenges in this area. Challenge: To the extent that some units involve presenters at professional development workshops who are practitioners in their area of expertise and not trained specifically to address how to work with adult learners or diverse audiences we have work to do. Program coordinators from UO work with these practitioners to assist the instructors in defining learning objectives and planning appropriate learning activities, as well as to prepare them for the teaching environment of the adult learners within the specific program area. An opportunity for improvement is to capture the verbal practice of orienting presenters and turn it into a written document. An outcome could be two pages of orientation: one addressing program specifics, the second addressing values and principles of the UO teaching and learning environment. Strengths: Part of Oregon Bach Festival’s mission is programming repertoire from diverse cultures. This stems from the philosophy that music builds bridges across differences in language, politics, race and religion. In 2000 the Festival’s theme was ‘Music Beyond Boundaries’ with performances by resident choirs from Cuba, Israel, Sweden and Uganda. The following events occurred during one festival: the visiting choirs combined with the Festival choir in a performance of Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony conducted by Miguel Harth-Bedoya; each choir performed music native to their own country; and each choir offered a free public workshop that focused on their unique style of music which included teaching songs to the audience. In the 37-year history of the Festival, choirs have also been featured from Japan, Korea, Latvia, New Zealand, Taiwan, Germany and Venezuela. Study guides are provided to all audience members. Challenge: OBF study guides should be available in multiple languages and for the visually impaired. GOALS/ACTION ITEMS MEASURES RESPONSIBILITY TIMELINE GOAL #1: To assure that all staff and volunteers are trained to handle occasions when culturally based conflict occurs. ACTION: Assess current baseline Work with OIED to develop a tool to survey staff and volunteers in all associated units. Each unit Director (CE, JSMA, LERC, MNCH, OBF) Start in Fall 2007. ACTION: Based on assessment outcomes, develop plan to incorporate necessary training. Driven by data collection, work with all appropriate units (HR, OIED, CoDac, etc.) Each unit Director Ongoing ACTION: Incorporate accountability for ongoing staff development in this area as part of annual evaluation of director Include in annual goals report and self evaluation. Vice Provost for AACE Annually GOAL #2: Be more accessible to diverse populations within our larger community through multi-lingual informational materials. ACTION: Assess the visitorship and audiences for our various programs to identify populations that would most benefit from immediate action. Develop survey that assesses language needs. Interview volunteer staff to identify their experience with encounters that inhibited by language barriers. Directors of all units, Education directors where present, Audience services providers when present. Fall 2007 and ongoing. ACTION: Identify specific materials that would initially best serve the populations previously identified as first priority. Work through priorities. Assemble existing materials in English. Education directors, marketing directors, unit directors Fall 2007 and ongoing. ACTION: Locate resources to accomplish translation. Consider offering all websites with multi-language options. Create budget, allocate staff time, seek volunteers. Education directors, marketing directors, unit directors. Fall 2007 and ongoing. POINT 3: BUILDING CRITICAL MASS Note: Our areas incorporated any responses that might have been directed into this area into in Points #1, #2 and #4 Define what this focal area means to your specific unit. Our units interpreted this Point as specific to student and faculty recruitment. As such, no reporting units see this as an area of potential significant impact. Identify some of your unit’s strengths and challenges in this area. See A (above). The Vice Provost needs to work with the units to re-shape their understanding of their role in this regard. GOALS/ACTION ITEMS MEASURES RESPONSIBILITY TIMELINE GOAL #1: To re-orient the areas within Academic Affairs and Community Engagement so as to accept responsibility for making a contribution towards building critical mass. ACTION: Consider the role of the audience (whether live performance, viewers of an exhibit, tour participants, workshop attendees) as participants/members of the larger university community Conduct a census of the ‘audience’ Marketing directors, Directors. FY 08 ACTION: Assess the demographics of the above. Analyze census data Marketing directors, Directors FY 08 ACTION: Create realistic goals to expand the audience demographic based on findings. Set target numbers and measure progress Directors FY 09 POINT 4: EXPANDING AND FILLING THE PIPELINE Define what this focal area means to your specific unit. Multiple areas within Academic Affairs and Community Engagement actively work in the community to enhance the experiences of students in K-12 broadening their exposure to ideas and issues that expand their awareness of and appreciation for higher education. Identify some of your unit’s strengths and challenges in this area. Strength: On-line courses at the undergraduate level allow students more flexibility, especially those with limited financial needs who must structure education around their need, or the pressure upon them, to earn an income. Challenge: Through expansion of the UO’s on-line learning offerings, and specifically through targeted growth in degrees offered on-line, significant gains could be made increasing access and expanding the pipeline. Increased opportunity to advance the completion of degrees in populations that are least likely to be able to attend a resident program of 4 or more years will add significantly to empowerment of such populations and further change the demographic of our degreed population. Currently the UO is behind most other OUS institutions with limited opportunity (offering two distance ed masters degrees, and no formalized process or program at the undergraduate level although there are a hand full of courses that offered both in their traditional form as well as on line). Strength: MNCH has hired and provided training for a number of students and employees from under-represented groups over the years. Challenge: Conscious continuation of these efforts can help expand the pipeline of suitable candidates for future openings on the museum staff. Strength: JSMA conducted over 4000 tours for school children in Lane County, Linn County and Benton County over the past academic year. GOALS/ACTION ITEMS MEASURES RESPONSIBILITY TIMELINE GOAL #1: Expand offering of on-line courses to offer opportunity for coherency and proficiency in areas aligned with general education requirements. ACTION: Identify faculty to function as advisory committee to guide work. Set schedule. Convene meeting. Provost, Vice Provost for Academic Affairs in consultation with Vice Provost for Undergraduate Studies Begin work in fall of 2007. ACTION: Identify funding to support conversion of 3 courses per year to on-line delivery. Creation of a budget Director of Continuing Education, VP AACE Summer 2007. ACTION: Seek out best practices among peer institutions. Assemble case studies VP for AACE, Director of Fall 2007 GOAL #2: Create formal mentorship plan for MNCH to support future professional development of under- represented groups within the discipline. ACTION: Identify senior staff to support program as mentors Develop roster. Director FY 08 ACTION: Develop guidelines and benchmarks for mentor program Director and Senior Staff FY08 ACTION: Assess field for future needs Director POINT 5: DEVELOPING AND STRENGTHENING COMMUNITY LINKAGES Define what this focal area means to your specific unit. By mission, most of the units reporting via this document exist to not only contribute directly to academic mission of the university but to direct attention to the ways in which the academy and the community are strengthened by interactions that bring them in direct contact. If we are attending to the commitment of the university to adhere to “core values structured around equality, opportunity and pluralism,” then we are in a unique/special position to channel these values into the community through our programs. Identify some of your unit’s strengths and challenges in this area. Strength: JSMA continues to target school considered underserved, or Title-1 schools that receive federal support. The museum meets needs in this area through tour and post tour programs, ArtsBridge outreach programming and awarding scholarships to students for after school classes and summer camps. Ten-percent of the students enrolled in these studio classes receive scholarships, and thirty-five percent of the participating schools receive discounts on fees. JSMA donors are strong underwriters of such efforts. Strength: Twice monthly JSMA conducts tours to groups with visual, emotional and developmental disabilities. The tours create environments for participants to learn and engage in life skill activities. Special Exhibit Interpreters are trained to facilitate these special audiences drawn from Lane Community College, and Life Skills Classes in Cottage Grove. Challenge: Funding for any programs that increase access for those in our community with special needs (whether financial or physical or otherwise) is not sufficient, so funds are being sought from the National Endowment for the Arts to support programs which target Title 1 schools, and rural communities while a separate grant is sought from the NEA to serve general visitors with disabilities. Strengths: Efforts underway are beginning to develop capacity in the area of immigration. LERC is spearheading a UO report on the immigrant experience in Oregon in collaboration with other disciplines and centers. When complete this report will offer a comprehensive view of immigration in Oregon and will be disseminated to a wide group of stakeholders. LERC’s advisory board is made up of community leaders with strong roots in the immigrant community. After assisting in shaping the research, this body will aid in its dissemination and implementation. Challenge: Closer relations between unions and community-based organizations that work with immigrants could be fostered, especially in areas such as Eugene and in the greater Portland metro region. Currently LERC has developed a curriculum on immigration that was presented to City of Eugene employees which will become the basis for growing outreach to immigrant workers and their communities outside of the local area. Strengths: JSMA , MNCH and OBF– There are almost 300 volunteers that annually contributed tens of thousands of hours of service, largely as our public interface. The volunteer corps of all three units offers one specific target for immediate attention (See Point #1, Goal #3). In the past and to the present day, no efforts have been made to seek out volunteers with any plan for representing diverse populations. Each unit experiences enthusiastic response to their volunteer needs, they are natural attractors – but of a fairly homogenous group. Even small gains in this area will reap significant results and do so more rapidly than we can accomplish through the limited means we have for changes in staffing. GOALS/ACTION ITEMS MEASURES RESPONSIBILITY TIMELINE GOAL #1: Secure external funding to support programs that serve to increase service to our larger communities, with particular attention to underprivileged populations. ACTION: Complete current cycle of grant submittals Submit grant applications Unit Directors Within stated deadlines. ACTION: Seek additional funding sources through foundations, private sponsorships, etc. Create list of sources. Unit Directors, program directors and development officers. Ongoing ACTION: Set target goals for funds to dedicate. Develop budget Directors. Annually POINT 6: DEVELOPING AND REINFORCING DIVERSITY INFRASTRUCTURE Define what this focal area means to your specific unit. Units reporting saw this function as largely external to their focus with the exception of physical accommodations. Identify your unit’s strengths and challenges in this area. Strength: Continuing Education -The Baker Downtown Center is home to the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute (OLLI) with over 430 members aged 55 and over. All aspects of the facilities have been addressed to make the space safe and supportive of the needs of an aging population including building entrances and classrooms that are well equipped to accommodate a variety of needs for physically challenged participants. June 2007 Clark Honors College: Diversity Action Plan I. Description of Unit’s Mission A committee of distinguished faculty members, under the chairmanship of Earl Pomeroy, proposed the formation of an Honors College to the faculty of the College of Liberal Arts in 1958. In its written recommendation, the committee stated that the purpose of the College should be to “provide the best possible liberal education, both general and specialized” for a community of high achieving students. The committee envisioned a “four-year program leading to the degree of B.A. (Honors College).” The Clark Honors College (CHC) pursues this purpose in the context of a larger research and teaching mission of the University. Courses in the CHC are designed to fulfill the University’s goal, detailed in its mission statement, “of helping the individual learn to question critically, think logically, communicate clearly, act creatively, and live ethically.” The Clark Honors College opened September 1960, making it the oldest Honors College with a four-year curriculum at a public institution. In its 47-year history, the HC has served as a magnet for high achieving students. The initial student body numbered 260. As a result of the expansion plan two expansion plans, the size of incoming classes was raised to 100 students per year, then in 1993, to 150 students per year. And as a result of more admitted students choosing to come to the CHC, the student body now hovers between 600-700. II. Organizational Structure The Robert D. Clark Honors College operates under the authority of the Provost. This structure is designed to increase the visibility of the Honors College and provide greater coordination with the Office of Undergraduate Studies in admissions, recruiting, and scholarship support, while at the same time retaining close academic affiliation with the College of Arts and Sciences. The Director of the Honors College reports to the Provost, and works closely with the Vice-Provost for Academic Affairs. Supervisory authority for curricular, personnel, and related budgetary issues, is delegated to the Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences, with the usual administrative and faculty review processes internal to CAS. An Honors College Alumni Advisory Council actively supports diversity issues. The Director of the Clark Honors College is responsible for implementing the Diversity Plan. III. History of Diversity Efforts in the Clark Honors College The CHC has had a longstanding commitment to diversity. Diversity issues for the college can be divided into three areas: curriculum, faculty composition, and student body composition. These three areas are obviously closely interrelated, and years of effort have culminated in reasonable success in two of the three areas. At least since the late 1980s there has been a diversity committee consisting of a faculty member and usually a handful of interested students. Nevertheless, because of the very small number of resident faculty (two literature professors, one historian, and one professor of rhetoric), which is also responsible for running the entire College, diversity efforts until the year 2000 were, unfortunately, inconsistent, and often interrupted when the faculty member organizing the committee was on research or sabbatical leave. The main areas of concern for the committee from the late 1980s through the 1990s were recruitment and curriculum. In order to recruit students who would add to the diversity of the CHC, the committee attended a variety of recruitment fairs and programs sponsored particularly by the UO Office of Multicultural Affairs and work with admissions to find and contact students who would contribute to the diversity of the CHC. Some success was achieved, but it was, for reasons mentioned above, difficult to sustain. In terms of curriculum, the CHC sought to recruit UO faculty members from outside the CHC to teach courses in the college that would satisfy the multi-cultural requirement. Otherwise, the core CHC curriculum, as established at its founding, focused on the “Western” World: year-long, lower division courses on Western Literature were required for CHC students. All CHC faculty were committed to including voices that had not traditionally been heard in the lower-division classes. And Professor Henry Alley developed a series of upper-division colloquia on Literature by and about Gay Men, and both he and Professor Francis Cogan taught courses on women writers. But with the constraints of the inherited curriculum and too few faculty, there were obvious limits to the range of possible experimentation. In the year 2000, however, the Honors College was finally given permission to fill the first of three faculty positions (promised since 1993 when the CHC student body was expanded by fifty percent), and things began to improve. The addition of these three new faculty members over the next three years opened many new possibilities. The first step was taken in 2000, immediately following the hire of a second historian. The history faculty applied for and won a Tom and Carol Williams Fellowship for the expansion of the History curriculum. The challenging conversion process took a good two years, but the result was a transformation of the History sequence from a History of the Western World to Historical Thinking in a Global Framework. The new History curriculum required faculty with expertise outside of Western History. The second hire of a History faculty member, accordingly, was of a professor of Modern Chinese History; and when the Director managed to cobble together the funds for a fourth historian, we were able to hire a historian of the Caribbean and Atlantic World. The expansion of the History curriculum was followed by a similar expansion of the Literature curriculum in the direction of Thinking about Literature in a Global Framework, and had similar consequences for the new faculty hires. Two new literature professors were added. One of these is a professor of Jewish literatures in North Africa and Latin American; the other was a professor of modern Indian literature (who has since taken another job, but whose position has been filled with a Professor whose specialty is on Russian cultural relations with Asia and Korean literature). There are now nine tenure-related resident faculty members in the CHC. Of these, a majority is female, one is African- American, and one gay. Faculty from Brazil and Korea strengthen our international perspectives. The Clark Honors College is committed to support programming that enhances our students’ understanding of the multicultural world of globalization that they inhabit. In support of this goal, and with funding from the Underrepresented Minority Recruitment Plan, two of our junior professors created a Thinker-In-Residence Program, the idea of which is to house in the Honors College for a week someone who has thought and written about matters pertaining to diversity. In April, 2006, they brought Vijay Prashad of Trinity College in Connecticut as the Thinker-in-Residence. Dr. Prashad is very much a public intellectual, the author of several books on contemporary political economy and race in America. Dr. Prashad presented several events: 1) a public lecture entitled “Ethnic Studies Inside Out: an analysis of the limitations of ethnic studies in neo-liberal times”; 2) a workshop for student activists on the corporatization and racialization of the university; 3) a faculty discussion on immigration and politics in the contemporary United States; and 4) a student seminar on the connections between people of African and Asian descent in the United States. All were well attended. We have, in short, been successful in our diversity efforts in the areas of curriculum and faculty composition. But despite some sporadic successes, it has proven much more difficult to achieve diversity in the student body, which is our main area of concern at present (this is a problem typical of Honors Colleges and programs). Our figures are incomplete, but the big picture is clear. We have some 600 students, many of whom decline to report ethnicity. Of those who do, 50 are Asian or Asian-American. 2 are African- American. 8 are Hispanic or Hispanic-American. IV. Resource Statement We have approximately $40,000 available (from under-represented minority recruitment funds) to spend in the next several years for diversity programming and recruitment. Many of our faculty apply other Clark Honors College research and travel funds to diversity purposes, but this amount varies with the professor. I estimate that we will spend an additional $10,000 each year in this way. Other resources include a commitment to diversity from our faculty, staff, and existing student body. V. Diversity Committee and Plan Development The Chair of the Diversity Committee was appointed by the Director. Because the CHC is monumentally understaffed, because the faculty is small, and because all faculty members are committed to such an important matter, the committee itself is essentially a committee of the whole. The Faculty Diversity Committee will also be working with the Honors College Student Association whose governing board will organize meetings in which students can express and exchange their opinions on relevant matters. In 2007-08, we will reconstitute our Diversity Committee to include three professors, two students, and one staff member. They will be appointed by the Director after consultation with Members of the Honors College community. As noted above, the most pressing issue at this time is adding diversity to the student body. Proposals that we are considering are: • An Admissions Officer/Recruiter or to have even stronger representation in the Admissions Office. • Identifying prospective students who would expand our diversity early enough to invite some to visit the Honors College. • Establishing ties to various efforts by the Office of Institutional Equity and Diversity to “fill the pipeline.” • Working with UO admissions to identify students who would bring diversity to the CHC. • Establishing partnerships with high schools (e.g. in Springfield, Bethel district, Woodburn area) with diverse student bodies and encouraging applications to the CHC. This might include CHC faculty and student visits to the schools, perhaps giving talks as well as meeting more informally with students; or organizing a visiting day for students to come to the CHC. • Developing exchanges with other honors colleges in the United States and abroad. We have one Honors College exchange at present, with the Scholars Program of the National University of Singapore. There are other possibilities to explore. For instance, the University of Oregon already has an exchange program with Hunter College, part of the City University of New York. Using that initial connection to develop a relationship with Hunter's Macauley Honors College would bring the diversity of New York City to the Clark Honors College and to Eugene. Other exchanges with honors colleges at state universities in major metropolitan areas across the country, including Los Angeles, Toronto, Chicago, and Miami, would further enhance diversity. • Secure ongoing support for diversity programming, such as the Thinker-In-Residence. We propose to use some of our budget to use as matching funds with other programs to jointly sponsor diversity-related speakers and other events. This would engage the Honors College more deeply in diversity activities across campus, as well as use resources more efficiently. • Involving the CHC Alumni Board, which has often expressed its concern about diversity issues, in a variety of ways (most notably through the Internship and Mentorship program that alumni have established for Honors College students—this might be expanded to include internships for high school students interested in attending the CHC; but also in institutionalizing the Thinker-in-Residence Program. VII. Diversity Value Statement To paraphrase Lawrence Levine in his book The Opening of the American Mind: to seek diversity in our curriculum, faculty, and student body is not political correctness, it is a social necessity. The better the community we create within the honors college can mimic the world, the better our students are prepared to be citizens of the world after they graduate. To this end, as the next section shows, we understand diversity as a broad and inclusive concept, incorporating all individuals who might help balance our largely white, middle-class, Oregonian student body. VIII. Diversity Defined We accept the UO Diversity Plan Definition as “differences based on race and ethnicity, national origin or citizenship, gender, religious affiliation or background, sexual orientation, gender identity, economic class or status, ability or disability. We have no systematic set of measures for diversity within the Honors College. We are a small unit, and it is obvious enough if we have gained or lost faculty and staff diversity. This is a greater problem when it comes to student diversity. We have identified student recruitment as our major goal, although we only have a poor measure even of ethnic diversity, and no usable figures at hand for economic or even regional diversity. Thus we are reluctant to promise in an arbitrary manner that we will achieve 15% increased diversity in the next two year period, until we are able to say 15% more of what. A first step must be to develop a more comprehensive set of measures of current performance. We have assigned staff member Carol Giantonio the task of pulling together data in a more systematic manner. This will permit us to formulate realistic markers and timelines in conversation with Admissions and OIED. The University of Oregon Information Services Strategic Diversity Action Plan Information Services Information Services (IS) is the central information technology (IT) organization for the university. Units that are part of this organization include Academic Services, Administrative Services and Operations, Network Services, and Telecommunications. In addition to these units the division is the home to the Advanced Network Technology Center (ANTC) and the Network Startup Resource Center (NSRC). All of these units report to the Vice Provost for Information Services and Chief Information Officer, who reports to the Senior Vice President and Provost. An organization chart and other relevant information about the division are available off of the university IT homepage at http://it.uoregon.edu. Information Services does not have a history of diversity initiatives. Prior to the arrival of the current Vice Provost the division had not attempted to create a diversity action plan. To begin this process an internal standing committee was formed with representatives from each of the units identified above. That standing committee has been meeting now for the past year to discuss diversity issues relevant to our division and the campus. It is our intent to have this committee not only guide the creation of a division action plan, but serve as an advisory committee to the Vice Provost on matters which may need immediate attention within the division. We realize that this initial draft of an action plan is very rough and will need to be developed throughout the coming year. While we are committed to diversity principals within our division, we are also committed to exploring ways we can partner with other campus units to fulfill the diversity goal of the institution. Looking for ways that information technology could be used to increase communication or help break down barriers is something that is of great interest to many in our division. We look forward to exploring these opportunities and hope that the emphasis on campus in the days to come will be on seeking ways to help units work together toward the common goals that we all desire. Point 1: Developing a Culturally Responsive Community A. What this focal area means to our unit Information Services is a small but diverse unit with regard to the backgrounds and experiences brought by our staff. Within our unit we have a somewhat international presence which brings with it diversity of ethnicity, national origin and citizenship, and religious affiliation. Our desire is to create a work environment where all individuals that are part of our unit, or with whom we interact, are treated fairly and with respect. B. What we have learned from our environmental scan We believe that in many respects Information Services is a place where cultural differences are celebrated. This may be the result of the longstanding tradition of hiring employees from different international backgrounds, or the practice of traveling internationally by many of our staff to be involved in initiatives such as the NSRC noted above. Yet we recognize that there are areas were work is needed, such as in being sensitive to gender and other differences. C. Our unit’s strengths and weaknesses Our strength is the exposure many have had to multi-cultural environments, as well as having several staff from different cultural backgrounds. Our weakness is that like many IT organizations, our division has a long history of being very male oriented. This is especially true in units like Network Services, where the lack of females in graduating classes that traditionally supply this field (i.e., computer science, engineering) limit diverse pools from which to draw new employees. Goal 1: Continue to empower an IS Diversity Working Group that can review current and future diversity initiatives for the division, as well as advise the Vice Provost on current diversity issues. Action & Review: This committee will continue to develop the diversity action plan and report regularly to the Vice Provost / CIO. Responsibility: Assistant to the Vice Provost / CIO Timeline: Ongoing Point 2: Improving Campus Climate A. What this focal area means to our unit Because of the international aspects of our staff, IS has an appreciation of cultural dynamics that affect the campus as a whole. We recognize the need to create a campus climate where everyone is welcomed and treated with respect. While we know that this must start within our own division, we understand that it is our responsibility to seek to improve the larger university community as well. B. What we have learned from our environmental scan In the past IS has participated in several activities that sought to improve the campus climate. These have included events sponsored by the Cultural Forum, the Admissions Office, Student Affairs, and Office of Institutional Equity and Diversity. It is our desire to continue to seek ways to be involved in these campus wide initiatives, and engage our staff in efforts to improve the campus climate with respect to diversity issues. C. Our unit’s strengths and weaknesses Our strength in this area is a willingness to be part of the campus community and participate in activities and programs. If there is a weakness it might be that because of the nature of our work we are sometimes seen as only being interested in technical issues. The intended outcome of this perception is that we may not be included in non- technical conversations. Unfortunately this not only hinders IS staff, but also the campus which is not able to benefit from IS staff involvement. Goal 2: Seek ways to involve the IS division in the larger efforts toward improving campus climate at the university. Action & Review: The IS Diversity Working Group will explore what opportunities are present for IS staff to be engaged in improving campus climate and advertise and encourage IS staff to become involved in these activities. Responsibility: IS Diversity Working Group Timeline: Ongoing Point 3: Building Critical Mass A. What this focal area means to our unit Building critical mass implies that that the university will be successful in diversity efforts in the coming years such that formerly underrepresented groups will be part of the basic fabric of our student body, faculty, and staff. We see this as a goal that we can participate in not only in seeking diversity within our own division, but also in using IT resources to assist the entire campus in seeking this outcome. B. What we have learned from our environmental scan Within our own division we realize that we have several diversity challenges within our workforce. While we have a diverse workforce with regard to international representation, our racial diversity is not necessarily characteristic of diversity within the United States. We also are challenged with regard to gender diversity in some units such as Network Services and senior management positions. C. Our unit’s strengths and weaknesses The profile of the IS division at the University of Oregon is similar to what one would find at other research universities within our peer group. This observation is made after a review of data gathered for several national studies on IT organizations in higher education. Building critical mass for us will be difficult given the limited diversity in race and gender from university majors that prepare students for careers in IT related areas. Yet we are committed to enhancing the diversity of our workforce in the future. Goal 3: Take pro-active steps to create a more diverse candidate pool for positions within the Information Services division. Action & Review: Seek new advertising opportunities to attract interest from prospective candidates from underrepresented groups. This may be done though published materials or Internet websites. We may also seek the assistance of search firms who can help us identify candidates from underrepresented groups in national search opportunities. Responsibility: Information Services Directors & the Assistant to the Vice Provost / CIO Timeline: Ongoing Point 4: Expanding and Filling the Pipeline A. What this focal area means to our unit Besides the goal of seeking underrepresented staff for our own positions, Information Services believes it can help other university units expand and fill the pipeline for students, faculty, and staff. We seek ways to be engaged in this activity using information technology resources. B. What we have learned from our environmental scan Preliminary scans have shown that other universities are taking steps to use the Internet, internal web sites, and other information technology rich resources to attract and retain diverse populations. We believe that a study of “best practices” might prove useful for our own universities efforts in this area. C. Our unit’s strengths and weaknesses The decentralized nature of the University of Oregon discourages joint projects such as the creation of a special website for underrepresented populations. Budget restrictions as well as the lack of qualified staff in some areas (e.g., web development) are also a hindrance to these efforts. Yet there is strong desire to make use of these tools. Goal 4: To explore how other universities use information technology resources in their diversity efforts. Action & Review: Review resources at the EDUCAUSE Center for Applied Research, the Chronicle of Higher Education, and other venues to identify “best practices” in this area. Work with other divisions within the university (e.g., Admissions, International Affairs) to see funding for projects to improve our use of IT resources in recruitment and other efforts. Responsibility: IS Diversity Working Group Timeline: Report to the Vice Provost / CIO by June 30, 2008 Point 5: Developing and Strengthening Community Linkages A. What this focal area means to our unit One of the primary goals of a public university is to serve the public good. While we don’t participate directly in many of the university’s efforts in this area, we believe we can play a supportive role in several respects. B. What we have learned from our environmental scan Much of the communication with the public happens as a result of IT infrastructure provided by the IS division. This communication includes Internet web services, the campus radio station, and a variety of resources that make use of the data network backbone. C. Our unit’s strengths and weaknesses Our strength in this area is a very solid IT infrastructure that is capable of supporting a number of technologies. If there is weakness it is a lack of knowledge of the ways we could partner with other campus units to make use of this IT infrastructure in specific projects. Goal 5: Explore ways we could partner with other campus units in developing and strengthening community linkages. Action & Review: Review other campus diversity plans to look for opportunities where IT resources might be useful in addressing unit projects. Seek discussions with these units and look for partnership opportunities for the coming year. Responsibility: IS Diversity Working Group Timeline: Report to the Vice Provost / CIO by June 30, 2008 Point 6: Developing and Reinforcing Diversity Infrastructure A. What this focal area means to our unit It is important that all employees associated with our division understand the diversity commitment of the university, and the policies and processes related to this commitment. It is also critical that we continue to explore how we might develop and build on this initial action plan for the years to come. B. What we have learned from our environmental scan We have strived to have proper policies and processes in place for hiring as well as orienting new employees. Yet it is clear that we could improve our human resource infrastructure with attention to diversity issues. Likewise the formation of the IS Diversity Working Group has begun a dialogue that needs to continue in the days to come, and to also include many others from our division. C. Our unit’s strengths and weaknesses Our strength has been a willingness to make use of whatever resources are available in other university offices to improve our human resource processes. We will seek to continue to make use of campus resources as we implement our action plan in the coming year. Yet we are hindered by having such a small staff that it is difficult to keep our processes up to date and adequately engage in dialogue with other campus units on these important issues. Goal 6: Become familiar with the variety of materials available at the University of Oregon regarding diversity initiatives, and seek to participate in contributing toward the diversity infrastructure for the university. Action & Review: Take action to increase resources to our new employees at the time of their new hire orientation, as well as to our existing employees on an ongoing basis. Responsibility: IS Diversity Working Group Timeline: Report to the Vice Provost / CIO by June 30, 2008 International Affairs Strategic Diversity Action Plan International Affairs Composition International Affairs at the University of Oregon consists of five units; International Student and Scholar Services, Study Abroad Programs, International Advancement and Alumni Relations, the Mills International Center, and AHA International. • International Student and Scholar Services: Each year, the staff in International Student and Scholar Services administers programs and services for about 1500 international students from nearly 90 countries and for around 200 international faculty members and scholars. These services include oversight of visa programs, planning and coordinating orientations, advising, administering scholarships, coordinating Friendship Family programs, and managing the International Cultural Service Program, a scholarship program in which international students provide presentations to local schools and community organizations in return for scholarship assistance. • Study Abroad Programs: More than 25% of undergraduate students study abroad sometime during their time at the UO. In 2005-06, 941 UO students participated in study or internships abroad. Staff responsibilities include program and budget development, student advising, orientations, and program evaluations for more than 140 programs in around 80 countries. This unit also manages Fulbright and other scholarships for study and research abroad. • International Advancement and Alumni Relations: The UO has a long tradition of strong alumni relations, and has had an international alumni program for the last 30 years. Currently there are over 13,000 international alumni. The International Affairs and the Alumni Association jointly publish International Alumni News, an annual UO publication sent to all international alumni. President Dave Frohnmayer and other university officials periodically visit alumni in their home countries. The UO also has more than 6,000 alumni from its study abroad programs. The International Affairs sends the newsletter FlashBack Beyond Your Borders to these alumni each year. • The Mills International Center: Located in the Erb Memorial Union, the Mills International Center serves more than 11,000 students, faculty members, and community guests who visit the center annually to attend international events, watch international news and other programming, read international newspapers, and use the extensive travel library. The center is also an informal gathering place for students, faculty and staff members, community members, and is known on campus as “a meeting place for the world.” • AHA International: A study abroad program provider that merged with the UO in 2003. AHA collaborates with over 35 U.S. universities to offer students, faculty members, and institutions international opportunities in fourteen countries and 20 cities throughout Europe, Latin America, Oceania and Africa. AHA sends roughly 1200 students and 25 U.S. visiting faculty members abroad each year. o AHA Mission Statement: AHA International offers students, faculty members, and institutions opportunities to develop intercultural competence through international experience and education. We support the development of a global perspective for • students by providing supportive, academically challenging international experiences • faculty members by maintaining infrastructure abroad that offers them the opportunity to teach and network internationally in ongoing academic programs • institutions of higher education by engaging them in collaborative initiatives worldwide International Affairs Diversity Working Group Joy Killgore, Program Coordinator for Study Abroad (Co-Chair) Shun Yanagishita, Study Abroad Assistant Coordinator (Co-Chair) Terri Gureno, Assistant Vice Provost for International Affairs and Outreach Arista Hickman, Study/Intern abroad returnee, (Fall term 2006) Jamie Hoag Barnett, Program Coordinator for Study Abroad Amy Hunter, Assistant Director of Communications, AHA Wayne Kingsbury, Community Member, Friendship Foundation for International Students (FFIS) Magid Shirzadegan, Director of International Student and Scholar Services Cari Vanderkar Moore, Associate Director of Study Abroad Programs Point 1: Developing a Culturally Responsive Community A. Define what this focal area means to your specific unit. The staff of International Affairs understands that developing a culturally responsive community means ensuring that our staff is striving toward an active and ongoing process of self-reflection, learning, skill development and adaptation that enables us to engage effectively in a culturally diverse community and world. International Affairs provides services to help promote diversity on and off campus. On campus refers to faculty/staff/students and off campus refers to the Friendship Foundation for International Students (an independent 501(c)(3) that works collaboratively with International Affairs on programming for international students), alumni, AHA- affiliated partners, AHA study abroad participants, study centers abroad and other community groups. B. What have you learned about this focal area from your environmental scan? We have several programs related to developing a culturally responsive community, though we have not measured how effective these programs are. We need to survey staff, community members and students to find out the effectiveness of our current programming and services. C. Identify your unit’s strengths and challenges in this area. Nearly all of our unit’s programs intrinsically promote international diversity, particularly in terms of national origin and citizenship, and exist to help develop a culturally responsive community. Goals/Action Items Measures of progress Responsible entity/ Accountability Timeline for implementation GOAL #1: Find out how successful our current programs related to developing a culturally responsive community are. ACTION: Write and administer annual survey to beneficiaries of programs. Start with specific programs such as *CIEE or **OUS for Study Abroad and ISO for ISSS. Provide an incentive for students to complete the survey (raffle for gift certificate, etc.) Analyze the data on the surveys. How successful are our current programs? Compare data annually. (Survey & data analysis) Diversity Committee responsible for collecting data from directors of programs being surveyed ISO survey in progress, continue current survey. Write SA survey in summer 2007. Administer survey in fall 2007. *Council on International Education & Exchange **Oregon University System ACTION: Analysis of AHA student evaluations to study the trends, student response rate, etc. and a modification of the evaluations to include assessments of students’ development toward cultural sensitivity Collection of data, research analysis AHA executive director In progress (findings to be published) and ongoing. ACTION: Write and administer survey for FFIS – both for community volunteers & students who participate in programs Collection of data, research analysis FFIS Coordinator Design survey in summer 2007 Administer survey in fall 2007. GOAL #2: Assess diversity/cultural competency baseline for staff. ACTION: Diversity Committee to work with OIED to design an assessment tool for International Affairs staff. (Institute an annual diversity training for our staff) Ask for OIED staff to help interpret assessment. Diversity Committee with guidance from OIED Start in 2007-08 and ongoing. GOAL #3: Help staff to engage effectively in a culturally diverse community and world. ACTION: Encourage staff to attend relevant training through other departments and organizations: such as HR, CoDAC, OIED, NCORE, SIETAR, MIUSA, Have staff reflect on training in either self-evaluation, discussion with supervisor or short Supervisors in each unit Start in 2007-08 and ongoing. NAFSA, etc. Require staff to attend at least one training session each year. presentation. ACTION: Advocate for more funding and information regarding off-campus professional development opportunities Create list of opportunities and increase participation Professional Development Committee Start Fall 2007. Point 2: Improving Campus Climate A. Define what this focal area means to your specific unit. International Affairs is dedicated to making campus (i.e., Eugene, Portland and international locations) a safe and accessible place for international and internationally minded students, staff, faculty, alumni, donors, etc. As such, all members of International Affairs can and should strive to “improve their abilities to work and learn respectfully and effectively in a diverse community” (UO Diversity Plan, 26). Not only must we, in our own interpersonal interactions, be respectful and sensitive, but we must also strive in our outreach to incorporate recognition of and sensitivity to the experiences of all groups. B. What have you learned about this focal area from your environmental scan? Both international students and study/intern abroad returnees bring various cultural perspectives to campus that provide learning opportunities for students, scholars, faculty members, staff and community members. Their international experiences contribute to an on-campus atmosphere that is conducive to preparing students to be effective participants in a global society (per the UO Mission Statement). The philosophy of International Affairs is that the more intercultural opportunities we can provide to students, the more global perspectives will be represented on campus. This may lead to a more respectful and culturally sensitive campus community. We are working closely with our students to advise and inform them about the campus community, but we need to work more strategically with facets of the campus community to address some of the existing challenges mentioned below. C. Identify your unit’s strengths and challenges in this area. Strengths – We are a dedicated staff with a wide range of cross-cultural training and experiences (both personal and professional). Additionally, • We are a staff composed of 36 women and 10 men. Within the UO definition of diversity, as a group, we self-identify ourselves as: white/Caucasian, black, Gay, Asian, Hispanic, Middle Eastern, queer, Chinese, straight, Japanese, and bicultural. • Together, our staff have studied, lived or worked abroad in approximately 31 different countries on six different continents. • Although English is our common language, our staff collectively speaks 26 languages in various degrees of fluency. Challenges – • Time for training (both ourselves and to train others) • Administrative and financial obstacles • Barriers to international opportunities (e.g. study abroad) o Financial o Academic: credits, programmatic requirements, lack of widespread support for study abroad, etc. o Infrastructure: AHA facilities abroad are not always equipped to accommodate the needs of all diverse student groups. • International students are often perceived and considered separate from “regular” study body o Exchange students receive separate advising from some academic departments; o Unable to pre-register like domestic incoming students, o Unable Challenging for international students to participate in IntroDUCKtion due to timing of programming (July), visa challenges, and expense of traveling early; o Separated from domestic students during Week of Welcome, etc. Goals/Action Items Measures of progress Responsible entity/ Accountability Timeline for implementation GOAL #1: Improve awareness and acceptance of international community (international students, scholars, and internationally-minded populations) across campus to address and alleviate some of the barriers that our international students face on campus. ACTION: Meet with departments to address perceptions of international students and scholars to academic departments, senior administration and service units Barriers are reduced Director of ISSS Academic year 2007-08 and ongoing. ACTION: Post international and study abroad returnee statistics for public access. Distribute annual report summary to campus community. Campus community informed Communication officers Ongoing. ACTION: Build on and create more opportunities to integrate international students and scholars on campus (Freshman Seminar, Increased participation Director of ISSS Academic year 2007-08 and ongoing. International Scholars Reception, etc.) ACTION: Work with Admissions to introduce a simpler way to admit international exchange students. Survey incoming students to gauge the difficulty of entering the university. Collaborative effort with many departments on campus, Graduate school and Admissions. Academic year 2007-08 and ongoing. GOAL #2: Enhance AHA infrastructure abroad to support students with diverse needs ACTION: Assess current facilities and plan for improved services and develop a list of resources for students with diverse needs (e.g., ASL interpreters, disability organizations for each AHA site) More students with diverse needs served AHA Area Directors Ongoing. Point 3: Building Critical Mass A. Define what this focal area means to your specific unit. International Affairs recognizes the need as outlined in the UO diversity plan to “develop a critical mass of persons from underrepresented groups… to cultivate and maintain a campus environment that embraces diversity.” In the case of International Affairs, this includes staff and students, based on nationality and citizenship, and also those underrepresented as defined in our field (e.g., more men studying abroad, students from the sciences studying abroad, and in general, more people with diverse economic backgrounds). B. What have you learned about this focal area from your environmental scan? Our unit resembles the national trend of international education in which there are far more women than men in the field, with over three-quarters of our staff being women. People of color represent approximately 1/5 of the International Affairs staff. Additionally we do not send many students abroad from underrepresented groups. The countries represented by international students and scholars could be expanded. C. Identify your unit’s strengths and challenges in this area. One of our major challenges in “building a critical mass” is the fact that the field of international education and exchange consists predominantly of “white” / Euro-Americans. Also a large number of our staff is recruited from within the university and the larger Northwest region that is not ethnically diverse. Furthermore, since there is a rather narrow pool of diverse faculty and student body at the UO, very few of our study abroad participants come from underrepresented populations. \ Since there are fewer students of color studying abroad, there are fewer people of color pursuing careers in international education. While the profession attracts many interested and experienced candidates, retaining quality candidates presents a challenge due to lower level salaries. Lower level salaries also present a barrier to members of underrepresented groups who wish to enter the profession. Another challenge is attracting more staff from different places of origin and citizenship. Since 2001 and the implementation of Patriot Act, the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) requires that all International Student Advisers (Designated School Officials) be either U.S. citizens or permanent residents of the U.S. This ruling poses a major barrier to pursuing a career in international education for international people living in the U.S. Because of these issues, it has been challenging for International Affairs to attract a diverse applicant pool. Goals/Action Items Measures of progress Responsible entity/ Accountability Timeline for implementation GOAL #1: Increase the diversity of the pools of candidates for positions within International Affairs. ACTION: Advertise in bigger and more diverse markets. This will require a greater commitment of resources. Ask applicants where they found the advertisement. Vice Provost Next job announcement in 2007. ACTION: Critically examine if all of the qualifications are necessary (i.e., master’s degrees, Ph.D.). For example, look at relevant experiences, both professional and personal, and not just educational level. Help create larger pools by not mandating restrictive qualifications. Applies to GTF positions as well. Increase in the number of applicants from underrepresented populations Directors of the units and search committees Next job announcement in 2007. ACTION: Modifying job descriptions to allow noncitizens to be able to work as an international student advisor. Increase the number of applicants and staff from non- immigrant populations. Directors of each unit. Next job announcement in 2007. GOAL #2: Educating staff on search committees about the value and benefits of creating a more diverse workplace. ACTION: Work with Affirmative Action, OIED and/or Human Resources to develop a “best Increased awareness among staff of “best Office Manager Next search in 2007. practices in hiring” fact sheet guide practices in hiring” Point 4: Expanding and Filling the Pipeline A. Define what this focal area means to your specific unit. International Affairs, like the University as a whole, is dedicated “to the principles of equality of opportunity and freedom from unfair discrimination for all members of the university community and an acceptance of true diversity as an affirmation of individual identity within a welcoming community” (UO Mission Statement). Thus, expanding and filling the pipeline means ensuring that members of underrepresented groups have access to international education. Access comes in the form of affordability, preparedness, knowledge and motivation. Another of the UO’s goals is to develop “a faculty and student body that is capable of participating effectively in a global society” (UO Mission Statement). International Affairs is committed to this goal and is working to increase international education opportunities for and access to students, staff and faculty through study, internship, teaching and research opportunities abroad. A crucial component of this is increasing international student and scholar enrollment as well as study abroad participation. Another key element for expanding and filling the pipeline is to reach out to K-12 students to help teach them the importance of international education and diversity. B. What have you learned about this focal area from your environmental scan? Through the environmental scan, International Affairs assessed strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and challenges within the area of expanding and filling the pipeline. Programs such as the International Cultural Service Program (ICSP), Foreign Language and International Studies Day (FLIS) presentations by International Affairs staff members and orientation events represent opportunities to connect with area K-12 students. C. Identify your unit’s strengths and challenges in this area. Strengths: • We continue to foster relationships with international alumni that help with our recruiting efforts. • Our study abroad returnees and ICSP students help get the word out to the community (through tabling, presentations, Overseas Study Peer Assistants and other events/activities) to increase the number of students coming through our office. Challenges: • Funding is a continuous challenge. We need more funding in the form of scholarships to help recruit diverse study abroad participants and international students. • Besides funding, there are structural barriers (such as time and staffing) to becoming more involved or leading such recruitment efforts. • Initiating new outreach efforts will take away from staff time needed for current students. To alleviate this potential challenge, we will enlist the help of student workers and volunteers as much as possible. Goals/Action Items Measures of progress Responsible entity/ Accountability Timeline for implementation GOAL #1: Increase and retain applicants from underrepresented groups for study abroad programs ACTION: Increase marketing efforts toward underrepresented groups of students. Work more closely with and have targeted outreach with relevant offices. For example, OMAS, Disability Services, Student interest groups, etc. Track diversity of applicants and those who make inquiries. AHA Director of Communication, Study Abroad Publicity team During the academic year 2007-08 (focus on students with disabilities). In subsequent years we will focus on additional underrepresented groups. ACTION: Make efforts to follow up with students who inquire or apply for programs. Increase underrepresented students and follow-up with those who chose not to participate. AHA communications team, SA management team Immediately. ACTION: Work to improve program offerings that focus on diverse learner needs More student diversity in study abroad AHA ED and Director of SA Ongoing. GOAL #2: Improve outreach to elementary and secondary educational institutions to increase awareness of international diversity and encourage participation in international programs ACTION: Advocate for increased university support and funding for the International Cultural Service Program (ICSP). More students receive scholarships, more students at the UO and presenting at schools/community orgs. ICSP Director Ongoing. ACTION: AHA staff to visit local high schools when attending study abroad fairs. (Targeting more diverse populations.) AHA application can include a questionnaire specifically asking if this is the way they found out about AHA programs. Director of Communications AHA Start in Fall 2008. ACTION: Introduce idea to enhance presence of international programs at UO Admissions booths during domestic recruitment fairs. Increase incoming student inquiries Director of SA & Office of Admissions Start small in 2007-08 and increase every year. ACTION: Work with local high schools/immersion schools about getting their students interested in going abroad as well as the ICSP program Find out when they apply if they found out about study abroad through our high school presentations. OPAs and ICSP students. Start Fall 2007 and continue each term. Point 5: Developing and Strengthening Community Linkages A. Define what this focal area means to your specific unit. The staff of International Affairs understands this goal to include developing both on- and off- campus community relationships to help promote diversity. To us, community means all of the constituents we serve and represent. B. What have you learned about this focal area from your environmental scan? For the most part, we are visible on campus to many other departments and groups. We provide information to students and faculty that want to study and teach abroad. We have programs like the International Cultural Service Program (ICSP) that talk to the community about international topics, culture, identity and much more; they are cultural ambassadors for the UO. We have a community organization linked to our office, Friendship Foundation for International Students (FFIS), which helps our international students when they first arrive at the UO. Our office also supports international student groups and study abroad returnees as well. Since AHA International merged with International Affairs we now maintain UO infrastructures overseas that interact with communities abroad, through UO staff overseas, UO faculty teaching abroad, and UO students living and studying abroad. There are some campus groups and departments that are unaware of International Affairs. A closer linkage should be developed with these departments and offices. International Affairs should facilitate more connections with different units, campuses and departments (faculty, staff, students). C. Identify your unit’s strengths and challenges in this area. Strengths: • International Affairs has a strong partnership with FFIS, a community-based nonprofit organization that offers programming for international students. This partnership helps promote international cultural diversity and awareness to the 500+ member organization. • ICSP is an innovative program that builds awareness of international cultures to the community and connects the UO with K-12 schools in the community. • International Affairs has access to new and more diverse communities through the AHA International merger and the acquisition of its facilities abroad. • Through our other study abroad partnerships, CIEE, SIT, ACTR, IUSI, we are able to offer more diverse learning opportunities to students. • The IRC provides over 200 events each year that are free and open to the public. Its international subscriptions and guidebooks are also available. These resources help build knowledge of international diversity to the broader community. Challenges: • A large number of faculty and staff are unaware of our programs and services, such as ICSP or FFIS. • We have limited resources, particularly in terms of time and space, to work on all these efforts. • We have not yet fully integrated and utilized the AHA facilities abroad to support culture-learning/diversity initiatives in communities overseas, primarily due to the newness of the relationship and our limited institutional capacity. Goals/Action Items Measures of progress Responsible entity/ Accountability Timeline for implementation GOAL #1: Reach out to campus community to promote and utilize our programs and resources. (i.e., ICSP, Study Abroad Returnees) ACTION: Attend departmental faculty and dean’s meetings and present our programs and services. Perform an annual evaluation with them after they utilize our programs. Talk to the faculty VP for International Affairs and directors. Within two years. By Fall 2009. ACTION: Develop an internationalization strategic plan Campus community support of the plan. Vice Provost for International Affairs Within two years, by Fall 2009. ACTION: Expand FFIS programs and provide opportunities for excursions. Also increase the diversity of families that participate in FFIS. Decrease the strict rules so that more can be done. Increase the percentage of students who utilize the FFIS. Survey FFIS members (host families, conversation partners, students who utilize program). FFIS Coordinator and FFIS steering committee. Summer 2007 and ongoing. GOAL #2: Strengthen relationship with Eugene and Springfield Mayors and City Councilors ACTION: Give presentation at City council meeting regarding International Affairs services and programs. Meet or survey members of the city council. VP of Int’l Affairs and directors. Start planning summer 2007. Implement Fall 2008. ACTION: Meet once a year with Eugene and Springfield Mayors to keep them informed of our office. Survey members the next time you meet with them. VP of Int’l Affairs and directors. Start planning summer 2007. Implement Fall 2008. GOAL #3: Increase community awareness of international issues. ACTION: Research ways to improve AHA program access for continuing education students New programs that attract continuing education students from the community at large (e.g. Education programs for Teachers) AHA Area Directors and Director of Communications In progress, ongoing. ACTION: Have an International Affairs booth at community events (e.g., Fiesta Latino and Asian Celebration) Increased FFIS membership, donors and inquiry. VP and directors. Immediately. Point 6: Developing and Reinforcing Diversity Infrastructure A. Define what this focal area means to your specific unit. To International Affairs this means ensuring that our constituencies are informed about the diversity infrastructure at the University of Oregon and that our internal infrastructure meets the needs of diverse audiences. To help with this, International Affairs should include diversity information into our protocols, policies, training packets, and all marketing collateral that the office produces. We also consider ourselves a resource for other units’ diversity implementation needs, particularly in relation to aspects of international diversity. We are dedicated to completing our unit’s Strategic Diversity Action Plan in line with the UO Diversity Plan mandate and hope that our plan can be a resource for other units. B. What have you learned about this focal area from your environmental scan? International Affairs has not yet fully incorporated diversity information and language into our protocols, policies and marketing collateral. We have started the process to include diversity language in our materials, yet we need to carefully review all materials to ensure that the process is completed. International Affairs has not adopted official mission and vision statements. These statements should also include language about our commitment to diversity. International Affairs realizes that some entities on campus are unfamiliar with the services and programs we offer. We need an International Affairs Communications Plan to formulate a strategy on improving information dissemination to the campus community. C. Identify your unit’s strengths and challenges in this area. Strengths: • International Affairs is committed to diversity and to ensuring that staff, students and faculty are aware of the diversity infrastructure in place. • International Affairs works with diverse communities, which is useful in learning about additional resources for our target audiences nationally and internationally. • Our collaborations with international institutions can be helpful in identifying new ways of developing and reinforcing diversity infrastructure (e.g., replicating successful models) Challenges: • Institutional capacity is limited. There are limited resources (in terms of time, staff and financial resources) available for building on existing infrastructure. • There may be an assumption that our staff is already training about the university’s diversity infrastructure. • Ensuring that all staff understands the need for developing and reinforcing infrastructure. • It is difficult to represent all diverse voices in infrastructure. • Cultural norms overseas sometimes limit the ability of AHA sites abroad to build a more diverse infrastructure to support student needs. Goals/Action Items Measures of progress Responsible entity/ Accountability Timeline for implementation GOAL #1: Ensure that all new students, staff, and faculty are aware of internal non-discrimination policies, procedures and protocols relating to diversity issues, etc. ACTION: Include diversity language in International Affairs promotional materials. Invite staff from OIED to review our materials and provide feedback. Publicity staff in all units for promotional materials. By the end of the 2007- 08 academic year, all materials should contain appropriate language. ACTION: Develop orientation packet for new employees that includes Strategic Diversity Action Plan. Increased awareness of Diversity Plan among staff. Office manager By summer 2007. GOAL #2: Develop a core vision/mission that includes diversity language. ACTION: Ask an outside consultant to help facilitate this process. (ie. Cris Cullinan from HR or Robin Holmes) Ask all staff to review the vision/mission to see if it fits their needs. Ask for feedback from students and other offices on campus. VP for International Affairs and Leadership Council. Work on it during summer 2007. Adopt new mission/vision by end of 2007-08 academic year. ACTION: Schedule internal retreats/meeting designated for strategic planning. Include internal and external constituencies (AHA, IA, current students- both international and domestic, FFIS and alumni). Qualitative methods, informal interviews. Vice Provost and Leadership Council. During the academic year, 2007-08. GOAL #3: Increase campus community knowledge regarding International Affairs services and programming related to diversity. ACTION: Develop a communications plan that includes campus outreach, both at home and abroad. Ask OIED staff to review document to ensure that diversity- related messages/planning is appropriate. Vice Provost and Leadership Council. During the academic year 2007-08. ACTION: Incorporate OIED- identified best practices into ongoing communication efforts. Work with OIED staff to ensure that best practice is appropriate for our office. Communication Officers at IA and AHA. Ongoing. University of Oregon Strategic Diversity Action Plan For the Office of Institutional Equity and Diversity (OIED) The University of Oregon’s Office of Institutional Equity and Diversity (OIED) was established in 2002. Since 2005, the Office has been under the leadership of Vice Provost Charles Martinez, who also serves as the university’s chief diversity officer. OIED’s primary function is to provide central leadership for campus-wide diversity efforts and to prioritize initiatives that serve the diversity goals and education mission of the institution. OIED brings together an administrative management staff that includes Assistant Vice Provosts Carla Gary, Emilio Hernandez, and Tom Ball to facilitate collaboration on diversity initiatives throughout campus. OIED has lead the development and implementation of the University of Oregon Diversity Plan, and represents the University and its diversity programs to external audiences. This office is housed in the office of the Senior Vice President and Provost. OIED oversees the activities of the Office of Multicultural Academic Support (OMAS), the Many Nations Longhouse, and the Center on Diversity and Community (CoDaC). The Office of Multicultural Academic Support (OMAS) is dedicated to offering a holistic approach to achieving academic success at the University of Oregon. Staff members strive to meet this challenge by providing a caring atmosphere in which students find encouragement, community, and motivation to excel at the University of Oregon. OMAS support services include academic advising; a student resource library of information on scholarships, fellowships, internships, and employment opportunities; graduate school information; and tutorial assistance including selected courses in math and writing. Facilities include a computer laboratory with word processing software, Internet connections, and a typewriter to complete applications. The Many Nations Longhouse is part of a larger initiative that makes the University of Oregon a regional and national center for Native American education and research. The initiative encompasses and coordinates many programs and ideas forged at the UO over the past decade to learn from and serve the Native American communities and individuals of the Northwest. The longhouse is a community center traditional to many Native American peoples in the Pacific Northwest and around the country. aC is a learning organization committed to promoting research and best practices on issues of ral diversity, equity, and access. CoDaC fulfills its mission through research, professional consulting services, outreach programs and public events, and information networks. Point 1: Developing a Culturally Responsive Community Goals/Action Items Measures of progress short / long term Responsible entity / Accountability Timeline for implementation Goal 1: Develop and support efforts to enhance professional development activities for faculty that map onto to unit goals, enhance cross-cultural effectiveness, and contribute to an overall campus climate that invites open conversation and a positive learning environment for all. Action #1 Work with CoDaC to create and deliver varied models for faculty professional development that address issues such as increasing student engagement, handling difficult conversations, incorporating diversity content into curriculum, etc. Program utilization; curriculum and descriptions of professional development components; baseline and post-assessment of content knowledge and satisfaction OIED / CoDaC Ongoing Action #2 Collaborate with necessary units to pursue feasibility of creating a certificate program that will provide incentive for instructional faculty to participate in professional development Certificate program or other incentive program is developed OIED / Academic Affairs June 08 Action #3 Work with Academic Affairs to create initial professional development and orientation programs for new faculty Programs developed and implemented in collaboration with Academic Affairs OIED / CoDaC /Academic Affairs Fall 07 – Spring 08 Goal 2: Develop and support efforts to provide educational experiences that enhance UO students’ knowledge and skills in cross-cultural communica diversity leadership, and contribute to an overall campus climate that invites open conversation and a positive learning environment for all. . Action #1 Continue and enhance participation of OIED and OMAS in IntroDUCKtion! and other orientation activities for students. Activities tracked; program feedback OIED / OMAS Ongoing Action #2 Continue OIED participation in UO courses, RA training, student advising, FIG programs and other core academic activities. Activities tracked; program feedback OIED / OMAS /CoDaC Ongoing Action #3 Implement OIED Social Justice and Diversity Leadership Institute that has been under development in collaboration with UO partners during the 06-07 year. Program description; attendance; program feedback OIED / OMAS Spring 08 Action #4 Work with Undergraduate Council and other appropriate committees to review the UO multicultural requirement per UO Diversity Plan. Activities tracked; process developed; course offering refined OIED / Undergrad Council / Senate / Others Ongoing; reassess time Spring 08 Action #5 Collaborate and consult with UO Senate and appropriate committees in reviewing student evaluations with an emphasis on evaluating the teaching environment for student Activities tracked; process developed; items developed and implemented OIED / Senate Senate activity occurred AY 06-07 Ongoing; reassess time Spring 08 engagement and diversity per UO Diversity Plan. Action #6 Support programmatic efforts by departments, colleges, and schools to strengthen the scholarly rigor of diversity content of course offering (e.g., development of a queer studies minor, strengthening the ethnic studies program, etc.). Activities tracked; programs developed and described OIED Ongoing Goal 3: Develop and support efforts to enhance professional development activities for officers of administration that map onto to unit goals, enhanc cultural effectiveness, and contribute to an overall campus climate that invites open conversation and a positive learning environment for all. Action #1 Increase involvement of OIED in OA orientation to inform OAs about OIED, program resources, and professional development opportunities. Activities tracked OIED Ongoing Action #2 Work with HR and other units to support and enhance current training efforts that support the diversity goals of the university. Activities tracked OIED Ongoing Action #3 Continue to provide direct workshop/training support to administrative units that address institutional diversity issues. Activities tracked; program evaluation OIED Ongoing Point 2: Improving Campus Climate Goals/Action Items Measures of progress short / long term Responsible entity / Accountability Timeline for implementation Goal 1: Improve campus communications about OIED and other diversity resources to improve access and visibility of campus-wide services Action #1 Conduct a review and upgrade of OIED’s website New content OIED / Communications Ongoing; Initial design to be completed Fall 07 Action #2 Work with campus communications to create a recurring newsletter to describe OIED and OIED affiliate programs and ongoing activities. Newsletter developed and disseminated; content feedback OIED / Communications Spring 08 Action #3 Work with UO Advancement to improve internal and external communications about campus diversity efforts, programs, and progress. Activities tracked OIED / Advancement Ongoing Goal 2: Connect OIED more directly to students to improve assessment of campus climate for diversity, to improve communication, to identify new initiatives, and to better direct resource to student needs. Action #1 Work with student unions and the ASUO to create and sustain an OIED student advisory group that includes wide representation of students from diverse backgrounds. Activities tracked; attendance; meeting action items OIED Fall 07 Action #2 Continue and enhance participation in student union activities via MCC office hours, attending student union meetings, and hosting events that welcome students. Use such events to Activities tracked OIED / OMAS Ongoing better connect students to the central administration. Action #3 Collaborate with campus constituencies to create and implement a multi-method campus climate assessment model to be conducted every two years per UO Diversity Plan. Activities tracked; method developed; data collected, summarized, and disseminated OIED / CoDaC / Others Spring 08 – Spring 09 Action #4 Collaborate with AA&EO, Office of Student Judicial Affairs, the Student Conduct Committee, and the University Senate to pursue the feasibility of streamlining the complaint/grievance process related to concerns about discrimination and harassment per the UO Diversity Plan. Activities tracked; process developed; new policies procedures developed and implemented OIED / AA&EO / Others Spring 09 Point 3: Building Critical Mass Goals/Action Items Measures of progress short / long term Responsible entity / Accountability Timeline for implementation Goal 1: Improve capacity of campus units to recruit and hire a diverse staff and faculty. Action #1 Continue to collaborate with AA&EO, HR, and other units to provide consultation to units and departments in their efforts to widen the reach of search pools to better recruit candidates from diverse backgrounds. Activities tracked; evidence of enhanced diversity in pools OIED / AA&EO / HR Ongoing Action #2 Continue to collaborate with AA&EO, HR, and other units to provide consultation to units and departments in their efforts to construct diverse search committees. Activities tracked; evidence of enhanced diversity in search committees OIED / AA&EO / HR Ongoing Action #3 Continue to collaborate with Academic Affairs and the provost to maintain and strengthen the Underrepresented Minority Recruitment Program (UMRP) and ensure consistency with the intent and goals for the program. Activities tracked; feedback from candidates and department chairs; evidence of program effects on increasing diversity OIED / Academic Affairs Ongoing Action #4 Support innovative efforts by colleges and schools to recruit diverse faculty. Activities tracked OIED Ongoing Goal 2: Improve efforts to recruit and retain a diverse undergraduate and graduate student body. Action #1 Collaborate with the Graduate School to help identify strategies to recruit potential students from diverse backgrounds (e.g., participate in McNair Graduate Conference, New Horizons events, etc.). Activities tracked; greater diversity of graduate school applications OIED / Graduate School Ongoing Action #2 Support and enhance OMAS efforts to enhance information and pathways to graduate school among UO students from underrepresented groups (e.g., advising, scholarship information, admissions process support, supporting GRE and other admission test prep., etc.). Activities tracked; increased student applications to graduate school OMAS / OIED Ongoing Action #3 Activities tracked; new OMAS / OIED Ongoing; consider new Support and enhance OMAS efforts to retain and graduate undergraduate and graduate students. Consider initiating summer bridge and mentoring programs to further these efforts. programs developed; improved retention rates program initiatives to b Fall 08 Action #4 Continue to collaborate with Office of Admissions to enhance institutional efforts to recruit undergraduate students from tribal and other diverse communities. Activities tracked OIED /Office of Admissions Ongoing Action #5 Support efforts by the Office of Advancement to secure resources that enhance scholarship funding to increases access and promote campus diversity. Activities tracked; scholarship funds enhanced OIED / Office of Advancement Ongoing; reassess Sprin Point 4: Expanding and Filling the Pipeline Goals/Action Items Measures of progress short / long term Responsible entity / Accountability Timeline for implementation Goal 1: Develop and implement best practices and innovative strategies to support pathways to college among K-12 students. Action #1 Continue to support, grow, and ensure sustainability of OIED’s Oregon Young Scholars Program (i.e., residential longitudinal intervention program for middle-school students). Activities tracked; program evaluation; funding stream enhanced; future student enrollment OIED Ongoing Action #2 Activities tracked OIED Ongoing Support and increase involvement of OIED with LCC’s Rights of Passage program. Action #3 Support OMAS’s Reach for Success program in a manner that better aligns the program with offices that have primary responsibility for recruitment and outreach (e.g., Office of Admissions). Activities tracked; attendance; participation of other units; program evaluation; future student enrollment OIED Ongoing; new collabora administrative model developed by Spring 08 Action #4 Continue to offer consultation and support for efforts by student unions, academic departments, and the Office of Admissions to create pathways to college for K-12 students. Emphasize support for programs that intervene early in the pipeline. Activities tracked OIED / OMAS Ongoing Point 5: Developing and Strengthening Community Linkages Goals/Action Items Measures of progress short / long term Responsible entity / Accountability Timeline for implementation Goal 1: Enhance the ability of the UO to become a more effective bridge to the interest of diverse external communities throughout Oregon and beyo Action #1 Assess possibility for continuing to support the important role that the Diversity Advisory Committee has played in advancing the UO Diversity Plan and communicating efforts to Activities tracked Office of President Ongoing; reassess Sprin the larger community. Action #2 Continue to support the UO’s involvement in the local Diversity and Human Rights Consortium and Interagency Diversity and Equity Coalition along with school districts and other government and public service bodies. Activities tracked Office of President / OIED Ongoing Action #3 Collaborate with the Office of Advancement and the Alumni Association to explore methods for creating stronger community advisory linkages and a more involved alum of color base. Activities tracked Office of Advancement / OIED Ongoing Action #4 Continue to maintain strong visibility of the UO in the emerging National Association of Diversity Officers in Higher Education. National efforts should also include scholarly publications and presentations that describe UO’s promising practices and models. Activities tracked; presentations; publications OIED Ongoing Action #5 Maintain strong communication ties with external community stakeholder groups through OIED events (e.g., Annual Community Open House) and participation in external events hosted by community groups (e.g., NAACP, Human Rights Commission, Urban League, Hispanic Metropolitan Chamber, etc.). Activities tracked OIED Ongoing Action #6 Continue to work with the President’s Native American Activities tracked OIED Ongoing Advisory Board to communicate about UO activities and to more fully address the needs and concerns of Oregon’s tribes. Action #7 Provide consultation and support efforts by colleges, schools, and units to establish stronger linkages with external constituencies. Activities tracked OIED Ongoing Point 6: Developing and Reinforcing Diversity Infrastructure Goals/Action Items Measures of progress short / long term Responsible entity / Accountability Timeline for implementation Goal 1: Strengthen diversity leadership by ensuring that all members of the University community share in the responsibility of creating and maintain learning and working environment that recognizes the value of diversity Action #1 Disseminate sustainable mission statements for OIED and OIED units that better integrate OIED efforts with efforts initiated and directed by colleges, schools, and units. Activities tracked OIED Ongoing Action #2 Provide an ongoing consultative role for other units as unit Strategic Action Plans become implemented. Activities tracked OIED Ongoing Action #3 Provide mechanisms for units to collaborate and share best Activities tracked OIED Ongoing practices about diversity efforts. Action #4 Establish a process for progress reporting for the Strategic Action Plans in collaboration with the provost and campus leadership. Activities tracked; process developed and disseminated OIED / Provost Ongoing; first formal re to occur Spring 08 University of Oregon Strategic Diversity Action Plan For: Undergraduate Studies - Overall I. Description of the Undergraduate Studies mission and guiding principles The job of Undergraduate Studies is to introduce students to the University -- that is, to the world of ideas. We work to attract strong prospective students – those who are curious and intellectually vigorous, regardless of their cultural background or socio-economic circumstances. In encouraging prospective students to study at the University of Oregon, we make it clear that we take students seriously – expecting that each of them has interesting questions and perspectives to contribute to our community of inquirers. We try to convey the idea that membership in this community is very special, but that it depends only on interest and the willingness to make a conscientious effort, not on intellectual sophistication or social privilege. Once here, we encourage all students to take on academic challenge, and we contribute key elements of a campus culture that fosters intellectual engagement and long-term success by students with diverse interests, personalities and backgrounds. Specifically, we provide orientation for new students, special opportunities for first-year students to work in close association with faculty, and academic advising and aids to learning for all students. Each of these programs fosters an appreciation for human diversity, recognizing that the variety and richness of human experience is an essential part of the education of undergraduates. II. Organization structure / Unit org. chart . III. History of diversity efforts in unit Diversity efforts within Undergraduate Studies as a whole began in AY2000/01, when the office was created. These focused initially on the diversification of the First-year Programs student staff, which was found to be unusually homogeneous with respect both to cultural and ethnic background and to academic interest. Other diversity efforts have been embedded in the individual units within Undergraduate Studies –and in most cases, pre-dated the re-organization that brought them together. Linda Brady Provost Karen Sprague Vice Provost Div of Undergraduate Studies Hilary Gerdes, Dir Academic Advising & Disability Services 9 Advisors 2 Off Mgrs 2 Supp Staff 3 GTFs 6 Disab Svces 3 Prgrm Dir 1 Asst Dir 1 Off Mgr 2 Supp Staff 1 IT 4 Advisors 3 Consultants 5 Instructors 1 FIG Prg Coord 1 FYP Coord 1 GTF FIG Students Staff 1 Support Staff Student Ambassador Staff 1 Support Staff 1 Fiscal Coordinator Susan Lesyk, Dir Academic Learning Services Marilyn Linton, Assoc Provost & Dir First Year Programs Cora Bennett, Dir Student Orientation Program . IV. Resource Statement The funds that support diversity efforts within Undergraduate Studies are part of the regular budgets that support the units within it. At present, these funds are inadequate to fully support programs for first-year students and the expanded outreach efforts that are described in several of the unit plans (e.g. Orientation, First-year Programs, and Academic Advising). It seems likely that creative fund-raising could generate support for FIGs, Freshman Seminars and other specialized enterprises that appeal to donors. These additional funds would maximize the effectiveness of those programs and also free up support for the ambitious outreach proposals that are high on our priority (and enthusiasm) list, but presently beyond our financial capacity. V. Detail process for plan development and describe committee Each of the units within Undergraduate Studies developed its own Action Plan, based on internal conversations and/or formal meetings. In several cases, the creation of the Action Plan was the most recent step in a long history of diversity efforts. The detailed plans and their genesis are attached. In addition, the unit Directors, and staff within units are sharing ideas to identify action items on which we can collaborate. VI. Diversity value statement Please see the description of Undergraduate Studies’ Mission in Part I above. VII. For the purpose of this strategic plan, define diversity We describe diversity much as the UO Diversity Plan does, namely, 'Differences based on race and ethnicity, national origin or citizenship, gender, religious affiliation or background, sexual orientation, gender identity, economic class or status, political affiliation or belief, and ability or disability.' To this statement, we would add differences based on academic interest and experience. Note: This section focuses on a few key initiatives that emerge from the plans of individual Undergraduate Studies units and involve collaborations among them. Point 1: Developing a Culturally Responsive Community Unit Relevance: A. Define what this focal area means to your specific unit. As is clear from what the individual units have written, this area is central to our work for and with undergraduate students. A culturally responsive community must exist if education is to be more than training, and the students and staff in our unit are catalysts in its formation. B. What have you learned about this focal area from your environmental scan? Please see what the individual units have learned. On balance, we have been effective in this area, but the initiatives below should make us more so. C. Identify your unit’s strengths and challenges in this area. Please see statements by individual units. Goal #1 Improve the education we offer staff and students. Measures of progress short / long term (Describe the methods you will use to measure the success of the action items and note the time frames involved.) Responsible entity / Accountability (Clearly specify who will be responsible for the implementation of this action item.) Timeline for implemen (outline the expected time f beginning and / or completi action item.) Action #1 Share the innovations of Orientation, Academic Learning Services and First-year Programs to improve the diversity education for all Undergraduate Studies staff and student assistants. Course materials or written descriptions of successful activities are available to everyone; instructors have collaborated to introduce new material or approaches in their training courses. Unit Directors and Vice Provost for Undergraduate Studies Summer 2007 during tr for residential FAs. Fall 2007 for staff throu UGS Spring 2008 during trai all FAs Action #2 Additional lines of Unit Directors of FYP, Fall 2007 and Winter 2 Collaborate with OMAS to enhance recruitment of FIG FAs, Multicultural Recruiter Ambassadors (MCRs) and Tutors for ALS. For example, DBS students might be interested in serving as tutors. communication with potential recruits developed. Orientation and ALS Point 4: Expanding and Filling the Pipeline Unit Relevance: A. Define what this focal area means to your specific unit. Through our work to attract, encourage and retain a diverse student body, we are filling the pipeline that will shape society through its supply of future leaders and creators. We thus have a direct role in ensuring that the full range of human perspectives, experiences and talents will be available to meet the challenges of the future. B. What have you learned about this focal area from your environmental scan? This area is one where we think we can make a significant new contribution. We have begun to reach out to community college students and to high school students in Eugene and beyond, and the reception we’ve had inspires us to do more. Goal #1 (Each goal should be precisely stated. Use clear, operationally defined language and include the desired outcome…Each action item should reflect a specific cal to action for the department and should express its relevance to achieving the stated goal.) Increase number of under-represented students interested in the UO. Measures short / long term (Describe the methods you will use to measure the success of the action items and note the time frames involved.) Responsible entity / Accountability (Clearly specify who will be responsible for the implementation of this action item.) Timeline for implemen (outline the expected time f beginning and / or completi action item.) Action #1 Extend current high school visits by FYP to Portland and Salem-area high schools. Include Orientation and Advising Determine number of students from visited HS who apply to UO. FYP, Advising, and Orientation Directors Begin in Winter and Sp 2008. staff when possible. Action #2 Expand current visits by UO Academic Advisors to community colleges. Visits over the past year to Lane Community College have been very successful – as judged by the number of students who sign up for appointments and by the feedback from both faculty and students at LCC. We will use these same measures to determine the success of similar initiatives at other colleges. Director of Academic Advising Begin in Fall 2007. Point 5: Developing and Strengthening Community Linkages Unit Relevance: A. Define what this focal area means to your specific unit. Undergraduate Studies plays a role in presenting the university to the public. It is our particular responsibility to show entering students and their parents that the university is not remote and mysterious and that they will feel welcome and comfortable as members of our community. B. What have you learned about this focal area from your environmental scan? We are successful in welcoming many people into our community, but could do a better job with some groups – Spanish-speaking parents, for example. Goal #1 (Each goal should be precisely stated. Use clear, operationally define d language and include the desired outcome…Each action item should reflect a specific cal to action for the department and should express its Measures short / long term (Describe the methods you will use to measure the success of Responsible entity / Accountability (Clearly specify who will be responsible for the Timeline for implementation (outline the expected time for beginning and / or co relevance to achieving the stated goal.) Communicate more effectively with the Spanish-speaking families of new students. the action items and note the time frames involved.) implementation of this action item.) your action item.) Action #1 Create orientation materials (hard copies and Power Points) in Spanish. Key orientation material for parents translated into Spanish. Orientation Programs, with help from the Office of Admissions. Planning will begin th summer (2007), with goal of completing th translations by Spring Action #2 Offer parent orientation programs in Spanish in the Salem- Woodburn area. # of Spanish-speaking family-members who attend orientation. Orientation Programs, with help from OIED to make appropriate contacts in the Salem-Woodburn area. Planning will begin th summer (2007), with goal of offering the p next summer (2009). University of Oregon Strategic Diversity Action Plan For: Student Orientation Programs College / School / or Unit I. Description of the unit’s mission / guiding principals It is the mission of Student Orientation Programs to introduce new and prospective students and their families to the university’s intellectual environment. In addition, we seek to improve the quality of the new student experience by providing assistance with academic, personal, cultural and social adjustments to the university, demonstrating the University of Oregon’s commitment to teaching, learning, and scholarship in a diverse environment. II. Organization structure / Unit org. chart Student Orientation Programs is a unit of the Division of Undergraduate Studies and reports to the Vice Provost for Undergraduate Studies. Student Orientation Program has two full-time staff, the director and the administrative coordinator, four part-time paraprofessional student directors, and 25-45 student staff members (dependent on time of year). III. History of diversity efforts in unit 1. In 2001, we formed the Multicultural Recruiter-Ambassador (MCR) staff to support the institution’s efforts to recruit diverse populations, particularly self-identified students of color and students who traditionally have had little to no access to higher education. MCRs are a group of students with special interest and training in recruiting underrepresented prospective students. MCRs fulfill the regular duties of each Student Ambassador while focusing their energies on multicultural students. In addition to their regular duties, MCRs also support the recruitment efforts of the Assistant Director for Multicultural Recruitment in the Office of Admissions by coordinating nine Connections events annually. 2. We provide information to all new students about the services, such as OMAS, the BRT, LGBTESSP, Disability Services, etc., that are available on campus. We have historically done this in the following ways: we provide the Student Handbook to every new undergraduate student, which contains information about services for students, including locations, office hours, phone numbers, and websites; we offer informational sessions and special meetings during orientation that highlight several programs; we highlight resources during our annual production of A Quack Line and provide opportunities for representatives of these programs and services to be available for new students during receptions, tabling events, and information meal times. 3. We provide extensive training in diversity and cultural awareness to all staff (student and full-time) employed by Student Orientation Programs. Training includes various methods, including: discussion of current events, news articles, and statistics; small group activities such an accessibility activity, case studies, etc; written assignments on intercultural competence; large group activities that allow staff members to examine their own cultural heritages, share with others, and discuss issues. 4. We purposefully recruit, hire and train very diverse student orientation staffs because we want all students to have a knowledgeable current student at IntroDUCKtion or Week of Welcome to identify with. We believe this will help in the retention of all new students. 5. In 2003 - 2005 we made a more deliberate effort to get more underrepresented and first-generation students to IntroDUCKtion. We focused our efforts specifically on Oregon self-identified students of color who weren’t registered for IntroDUCKtion. We made phone calls and sent emails to these students and discussed the benefits of attending IntroDUCKtion. In cases where transportation or affordability of housing restricted students’ ability to attend, we either provided transportation and/or waived housing fees. IV. Resource Statement V. Detail process for plan development and describe committee VI. Diversity value statement Diversity is important to our department because we serve nearly every new undergraduate student to the university. We play a key role in the acclimation and development of new students. Additionally, we serve as the student voice in recruitment efforts for the University of Oregon. Diversity is important amongst our staff; awareness and respect of diversity and knowledge of campus resources related to diversity are important to our work in serving our constituents and meeting their individual needs. VII. For the purpose of this strategic plan, define diversity Diversity encompasses individual differences with regard to one’s race and ethnicity, heritage or nationality, sex, gender identity, religious affiliation and views, sexual orientation, socio-economic status, ability or disability, age, and political ideology. Areas of Emphasis... Point 1: Developing a Culturally Responsive Community Point 2: Improving Campus Climate Point 3: Building Critical Mass Point 4: Expanding & Filling the pipeline Point 5: Developing and Strengthening Community Linkages Point 6: Developing and Reinforcing Diversity Infrastructure Point 1: Developing a Culturally Responsive Community Unit Relevance: A. Define what this focal area means to your specific unit. Staff members in Student Orientation Programs understands that developing a culturally responsive community requires all staff members to regularly develop and assess their cultural awareness and sensitivity in order to better serve our constituents. Our constituents are defined as prospective students and their family members, admitted students and their family members, and the university’s population of new students and their family members. Creating a culturally responsive community requires student staffs where all members are actively and aggressively trained to identify and respond appropriately to the needs of each constituent they serve in a manner consistent with serving a culturally diverse audience while providing useful and appropriate information about the university’s programs and services. This means that we must recruit, hire, and train diverse students who are capable of working in diverse settings and allowing constituents to learn about the university from students with whom they can identify. Creating a culturally responsive community also requires clear policies and processes for grievances. B. What have you learned about this focal area from your environmental scan? Our review of this point reveals that staff members, while initially reluctant to engage in dialogue and self-assessment with respect to cultural awareness, responded quite positively once engaged on a regular basis. They understand the importance of cultural awareness in the execution of their work. They also readily acknowledge our training’s relevance in their lives both in the classroom and in their work/studies post graduation. Staff members have also cited that the SOP staff is amongst the most diverse groups they encounter at the university. In addition to training, we inform both our student staff members and our constituents about options for grievances, such as the Bias Response Team. In cases where grievances have been formally registered, we have responded in accordance with the recommendations of the Bias Response Team. This has led to responses that were appropriate to each incident. C. Identify your unit’s strengths and challenges in this area. One challenge is creating sufficiently diverse student staffs that effectively reach culturally diverse students. Additionally, because our work is cyclical in nature, our staff turnover rate is significant, meaning that training methods begin anew each year and require aggressiveness on our part to prepare staff quickly and well. As a strength, however, this high turnover rate allows us to provide excellent training to more students. Other strengths include having staff members who are adept at serving each of our constituents in a positive and effective manner, no matter the person’s background, and providing positive and open learning environments for staff members and constituents alike. Our training and service methods are themselves diverse in that we strive to be able to serve constituents who are not only culturally diverse but also are diverse in sexual orientation, age, ability, and socio-economic status. Measures of progress short / long term Responsible entity / Accountability Timeline for implementation Goal #1 We will continue, refine and expand current training methods for all staff members. Training methods will include discussion, activities, written assignments, and self-assessment. Action #1 Continue to provide staff training manual to Ambassador Staff and begin to provide similar manual to Student Orientation Staff members as part of training. Manuals include information about policies and procedures for airing grievances and requires each staff member to acknowledge receipt and understanding of manual. We will also begin to include the Statement of Community Standards. Debrief the manual with the Ambassador Staff and the Student Orientation staff during regular staff meetings; identify questions or issues and actively seek input from appropriate university entities. The director of Student Orientation Programs and respective student director staff members will be responsible for reviewing and updating manual. They will also disseminate manuals in a timely manner so all staff are aware of policies and procedures during training period and before formal execution of duties is expected to begin. Review of 2007-8 Ambassador Training Manual is currently underway. Creation of the 2008 Student Orientation Staff manual will begin in September 2007 with completion and dissemination in April 2008. Action #2 Update methods for all training components including the campus accessibility activity, discussion activities, and self-assessment tools. We will survey staff members on learning outcomes and usefulness of training. Surveys will be anonymous and confidential. Staff will be asked to comment on all aspects of training each cycle. The director of Student Orientation Programs and respective student director staff members will be responsible for surveying staff and adjusting training methods accordingly. The first assessment will take place in August after IntroDUCKtion. Improvements to training will be made from September to March and implemented in April. The first assessment for the Ambassador staff will take place in January. Improvements will be made to Ambassador training from June to August and be implemented in September 2008. Goal #2 We will expand and improve the breadth and depth of our dialogue with new and prospective students concerning the UO’s Statement of Community Standards. We will consider the university’s expectations of student behavior, as well as the resources available to all students to air grievances. Action #1 Beyond inclusion of the UO’s Community Standards in the annual publication of the Student Handbook, each student orientation staff member will discuss community behavior and grievance outlets, such as the Bias Response Team, with new students in a small group setting during IntroDUCKtion. Orientation staff members will be debriefed to ascertain the understanding of students in the small groups; questions and issues will be identified; appropriate resources and input will be sought to resolve these questions and issues Director staff will be responsible for providing opportunity and training for such discussion to occur and staff members will be responsible for executing those discussions. This is already in place for IntroDUCKtion 2007, which takes place in July. Action #2 We will work with the Office of Multicultural Academic Support, the Office of Student Life, and the ASUO Multicultural Center to provide more opportunities for new students and families to learn about programs and services available to underrepresented students during IntroDUCKtion. Assessment of specific program will be done each session by participants beginning this July. Each year such programming is offered, we will survey participants to gauge effectiveness of the programming. Director of student orientation programs will be responsible for logistical support of such programs, including publicizing programs to IntroDUCKtion participants. Members of the staffs in OMAS, OSL and the MCC will This is already in place for IntroDUCKtion 2007. The logistics of future programming will depend on assessment outcomes. be responsible for executing programming itself. Point 2: Improving Campus Climate Unit Relevance: A. Define what this focal area means to your specific unit. Through both its recruitment and orientation programming and events, Student Orientation Programs serves nearly 24,000 constituents each year, most of whom are not full members of the university community. Additionally, we collaborate with nearly every academic and student service department on campus. It is in our best interest to recruit, hire, and train student staff who are either already skilled at, or are receptive to training and development in working effectively in diverse settings. It is essential that our staff and programs introduce all new and prospective students to the university in a respectful manner. As with goal #2 in Point 1, improving campus climate also means expanding orientation programming that introduces new students to the resources available to them and the importance of community standards of behavior. B. What have you learned about this focal area from your environmental scan? Our environmental scan shows too little programming that makes students aware of the cultural, ethnic, academic, and social resources, programs, and services the university has for them. On the other hand, we have a robust tradition of showing our expectation that students challenge themselves on a daily basis to work in a more diverse environment. This theme permeates everything -- from our initial welcome presentation and video, to our entertainment and our information fair. C. Identify your unit’s strengths and challenges in this area. While our programming and staff training have been culturally sensitive for a long time, we can do more to showcase important resources by opening up the ASUO MCC during IntroDUCKtion and thus allowing new students to be introduced directly and authentically to this staff. Measures short / long term Responsible entity / Accountability Timeline for implementation Goal #1 Please see Goal # 2 in Point 1. Goal #2 It is our goal to increase involvement of cultural and ethnic student unions and associations in orientation programming. Action #1 We will make a more active effort to recruit student organizations to be involved in orientation programs such as the student activities fair which occurs during each orientation event. In September 2007 with Week of Welcome and Duck Preview, continuing to IntroDUCKtion in July 2008, progress can be measured by increased attendance by student groups at events, which are designed to showcase ways students can get involved and be aware of resources and programs available. The director of Student Orientation Programs and respective student director staff members will be responsible for creating timelines. Student director staff will actively attend club/organization meetings to discuss and confirm participation from groups. Our first efforts are beginning now for Week of Welcome, specifically InterMingle. Efforts for Duck Preview will begin concurrently with the start of fall classes and each program will include more active recruitment of student groups’ participation. Point 3: Building Critical Mass Unit Relevance: A. Define what this focal area means to your specific unit. For Student Orientation Programs, developing a critical mass means recruiting and maintaining a group of underrepresented student staff members. This critical mass of staff will also offer to new and prospective students who come from traditionally underrepresented groups the chance to meet students with whom they can identify and relate as they acclimate to the University of Oregon. B. What have you learned about this focal area from your environmental scan? Our environmental scan reveals that our student staffs are more diverse than the general student population at the UO. In each staff, 20% - 40% of the members self-identify as students of color. Our efforts here are intentional so as to serve the widest audience possible. We have found this to be very effective in recent years as more and more underrepresented students and families are coming to orientation programming. C. Identify your unit’s strengths and challenges in this area. While we have seen remarkable interest in SOP staff positions from underrepresented students over the last five years, this year has been different. More and more of our recruits have cited the financial burden of attending the university ais too great for them to take on a low-paying summer job that provides only a month’s work. Also, our passive recruiting methods, like email and print ads, are not adequate. Measures short / long term Responsible entity / Accountability Timeline for implementation Goal #1 It is our goal to expand the number of MCR-Ambassadors we have on staff and their efforts in recruitment of underrepresented students. . Action #1 We will work with the Office of Admissions This will be measured by The director of Student Orientation Discussions will begin in August with the to formulate a plan to provide MCRs more direct access to prospective students through high school visits and college fairs. numbers of events MCRs attend and the number of students they have access to. Programs will work with the assistant director of Admissions for Multicultural recruitment and the associate director of Admission for recruitment. Office of Admissions as they finalize their recruitment calendar for the year. Action #2 We will work to more actively recruit and hire a larger number of MCRs who will increase the scope of our opportunities for outreach to prospective students who self- identify as underrepresented students. This will be measured by the number of MCR applicants and hires. Under the direction of the director of Student Orientation Programs, student directors will create a recruitment plan and execute it actively in student organizations more effectively. Beginning in January 2008, we will begin active campaign to recruit MCR applicants for 2008-9. Hiring decisions will be made in May 2008. Point 4: Expanding and Filling the Pipeline Unit Relevance: A. Define what this focal area means to your specific unit. For Student Orientation Programs, expanding and filling the pipeline means ensuring that members of underrepresented groups have access to our programs. Access is promoted by affordability, preparedness, and marketing of our programs. We are committed to this goal and we’re working to increase opportunities and access to our programs for underrepresented students. B. What have you learned about this focal area from your environmental scan? With our aforementioned campaign to increase the attendance of resident students of color at IntroDUCKtion and our off-site program to Hawaii, we have already made great strides in providing increased access to our programs, though our scan shows more can be done both in expanding our offerings and modifying our current programs. Our resource limits with staffing and funding will be our greatest challenge in this area. C. Identify your unit’s strengths and challenges in this area. Our IntroDUCKtion Hawaii program has increased the number of students and parents we serve. Our efforts to register more students of color for orientation programs have yielded increased numbers, but those numbers are not adequate and underrepresented students (and their families) still do not have full access to these programs due to financial inability to attend, failure to appreciate of the importance of these programs, and competing work and family responsibilities. Measures short / long term Responsible entity / Accountability Timeline for implementation Goal #1 It is our goal to build strong relationships with Oregon High School guidance counselors in districts and schools with high numbers of prospective first-generation college students. Our mission will be to work with these counselors in identifying first-generation students who are UO-bound. We will make visits to the schools whenever possible to discuss important dates, deadlines, and programs for students. We will work with the students to get them registered for IntroDUCKtion and eliminate transportation and housing problems much sooner. Action #1 Start working with Office of Admissions to identify school districts with potentially high numbers of students with little to no access to traditional methods of learning about orientation programs. This will be measured by having a list of schools to target in the short term. Director of Student Orientation Programs will coordinate with Office of Admissions to build a list of schools and guidance counselors to be in touch with. Meetings will begin in August 2007 with Admissions to identify schools. and in September we will begin to address visit topics with Financial Aid, Housing, First- Year Programs, and Advising. Action #2 Conduct visits to areas previously identified as a result of Action #1. Visits will be topical and may include Financial Aid and Scholarships, Academic Advising and the Office of Multicultural Academic Support, University Housing, and First-Year Programs. Short term progress will be measured by the number of visits that are made throughout the year. Over the long term, progress will be measured by the numbers of students who register for programs. Director of Student Orientation Programs will coordinate with the directors and staff of the various departments mentioned. This will be initiated at the commencement of the 2007-8 academic year and take place throughout the course of the year. Goal #2 It is our goal to increase and diversify programming for non-traditional students. These might include evening and/or weekend orientation programming for new students who are non-traditional aged students, those with families, or transfer students taking full course loads at area community colleges. Action #1 Identify a good model for programming Director and staff of Student Orientation Programs We are currently looking at other institutions’ models with the hope of having one program in place for July 2008. Action #2 Implement program into orientation schedule for 2008. Successful implementation Orientation Programs staff and supporting departments. The IntroDUCKtion Steering Committee will take up the issue at its first meeting for 2008, which will occur in November 2207. Goal #3 It is our goal to provide year long program to prospective and new resident students whose family’s first language is Spanish. Action #1 Identify a good model for programming Director and staff of Student Orientation Programs Beginning in September 2007 we will discuss options, logistics and implementation with colleagues at Oregon State University who have implemented some programs. Where collaboration is an option, we will do so. Action #2 Implement programming Successful implementation of education programming for prospective students is our short term measure. Successful implementation of recurring Spanish/bilingual orientation programming is our long term goal. Orientation Programs staff and supporting departments. Programming for prospective students will begin in January of 2008 and discuss financial aid, housing, first-year programs and orientation through to May 2008. Pending outcome, we would like to offer parent programming in Spanish at some point during the summer of 2008, potentially off-site. Point 5: Developing and Strengthening Community Linkages Unit Relevance: A. Define what this focal area means to your specific unit. As mentioned in the discussion and goals of Point #4, it is in our best interest to have strong communication with parents, who may or may not have had their own college experience. Additionally, a fundamental partnership we must seek and maintain is one with high school counselors who work with prospective, admitted, and new students who come from traditionally underrepresented backgrounds. B. What have you learned about this focal area from your environmental scan? We have found that while we have been able to get increased numbers of underrepresented students to attend orientation programming, their parents often do not accompany them. Hence, a vital link that students rely on for support during college goes uneducated about the resources these programs could suggest. C. Identify your unit’s strengths and challenges in this area. At this point, we have only challenges, though some are not so great. Our biggest challenge will be finding opportunities to make sure parents of underrepresented students have access to the information and resources that other parents who are attending IntroDUCKtion are getting. A major issue here will be staff and funding resources for our department and expected financial challenges for many of the parents we hope to serve. Measures short / long term Responsible entity / Accountability Timeline for implementation Goal #1 It is our goal to build strong relationships with Oregon High School guidance counselors in districts and schools with high numbers of prospective first-generation college students. Our mission will be to work with these counselors in identifying first-generation students who are UO-bound. We will make visits to the schools whenever possible to discuss important dates, deadlines, and programs for students. We will work with the students to get them registered for IntroDUCKtion and eliminate transportation and housing problems much sooner. Action #1 See action items in Point #4:Goal #1 Goal #2 It is our goal to provide year long program to prospective and new resident students whose family’s first language is Spanish. Action #1 See action items in Point 4:Goal #3 Goal #3 It is our goal to provide year long program to prospective and new resident students and their family members who may be having their first college experience. Action #1 Actions in this case are similar to those listed in Goal#3 in Point#4. Point 6: Developing and Reinforcing Diversity Infrastructure Unit Relevance: A. Define what this focal area means to your specific unit. Our mission statement includes diversity and we have policies and procedures in place both in training methods and in staff manuals. Our programming, publications, and websites have continually and purposefully been sensitive and respectfully of diversity. B. What have you learned about this focal area from your environmental scan? This focal area is addressed through our development of diverse student staffs, orientation programming, etc. as outlined in Points 1 through 5, above. Limited resources and the small size of the permanent staff in Student Orientation Programs (see Undergraduate Studies organizational chart) precludes development of a more elaborate diversity infrastructure at this time. C. Identify your unit’s strengths and challenges in this area. Measures short / long term Responsible entity / Accountability Timeline for implementation Goal #1 Goal #2 etc. Goal #3 etc. University of Oregon Strategic Diversity Action Plan for First-Year Programs Point 1: Developing a Culturally Responsive Community Unit Relevance: A. Define what this focal area means to your specific unit. First-Year Programs are designed to create welcoming communities for all entering students and to be responsive to the needs of individuals. The staff understands that the earliest experiences of first-year students are important in determining their engagement in the academic community and their success as students, and we therefore actively promote an inclusive community that is welcoming for all new students and responsive to their diverse needs and expectations. In the Freshman Interest Group (FIG) Program, we bring new students together with faculty and upper-class student mentors (FIG Academic Assistants) in small classes of no more than 25 students. In Freshman Seminars, first-year students take classes of 18-23 students on topics that reflect the different research interests of faculty, among them President Frohnmayer and Provost Brady. B. What have you learned about this focal area from your environmental scan? National research on retention and academic success of students in higher education has shown that programs designed to bring first- year students in contact with faculty in small classes promote academic success (measured in GPA), persistence rates, and progress towards graduation. We were concerned that perhaps our FIG program was not effectively promoting the participation of students of color in this success. Research conducted by the UO Office of Institutional Research with our own students in FIGs shows that the linkage between the FIG program and academic success is very strong on our campus among the students of color as well as the broader participating student population. C. Identify your unit’s strengths and challenges in this area. The excellent students who serve as FIG Assistants (FAs) are a major strength of the FIG Program. Because they are expected to mentor all students in the FIG in their social and academic transitions to the UO, an awareness of and sensitivity to diversity is essential. FAs take a three-credit course during the spring term preceding the fall FIG and they are closely monitored by FYP staff in weekly meetings during fall term. At least three weeks of the spring training are spent discussing diversity issues. An example of one of the activities that comprise this training was the visit this term (Spring 2007) by the Vice Provost for Institutional Equity and Diversity to the class to discuss a play about an alleged racial incident on a college campus. Residential FAs take part in extensive additional training during the three weeks prior to the opening of fall term. Presentations on diversity issues are a regular part of that training. In addition, all FAs, residential and non-residential, participate in additional training from First-Year Programs staff during Week of Welcome. In fall term, all residential FAs are required to put on a complex-wide program on diversity. We continue to make efforts to determine how successful these programs are in engaging new students in the academic community. Transfer Seminars are a particular focus, as they are still evolving. We are working with faculty and students in these courses to create a program that will welcome non-traditional students and other transfer students to the university community. Since the training period for the student assistants in the transfer seminars takes place in a short period of time, we have not included as much training on diversity issues as we have with the FIG Assistants. We plan to add a session in our training of Transfer Student Assistants (TAs) on building an inclusive community. Goal #1 (Each goal should be precisely stated. Use clear, operationally defined language and include the desired outcome…Each action item should reflect a specific call to action for the department and should express its relevance to achieving the stated goal.) Insure that all students in FYP courses experience a welcoming and inclusive campus community Measures of progress short / long term (Describe the methods you will use to measure the success of the action items and note the time frames involved.) Responsible entity / Accountability (Clearly specify who will be responsible for the implementation of this action item.) Timeline for implementation (outline the expected time frame for beginning and / or completing your action item.) Action #1 Include questions on campus community (cultural Read and analyze the responses to determine areas of FYP staff, including the Director, the End of Fall term 2007 (FIGs and Freshman Seminars), Winter responsiveness) on FIG, Freshman Seminar, and Transfer Seminar course evaluations. success and those that need attention. Program Coordinator, the FIG Advisor, and the Freshman Seminar Coordinator. and Spring terms, 2008 (Freshman Seminars). Action #2 Share the above information with FYP course instructors in the yearly FIG and Transfer Seminar meetings and in the spring Freshman Seminar workshops. Share the information with FAs in their training and in fall term meetings. Discuss problem areas with individual instructors, suggest ways to improve classroom atmosphere. Continue to monitor student responses each term. First-Year Programs Director, with the assistance of the Program Coordinator and Freshman Seminar Coordinator. Spring term preceding AY 2008- 2009. Action #3 Include diversity training in the Week of Welcome workshop for Transfer Seminar Academic Assistants (TAs) who assist in the Transfer Seminars. Include ALS or OMAS in the training and ask for feed back. First-Year Programs Director, with the assistance of the Program Coordinator and the FIG Advisor. Week of Welcome, Fall 2007 Action #4 FYP instructors will be asked to address with their students their commitment to creating a culturally responsive environment. Discuss in the yearly de-brief meeting with each FYP instructor First-Year Programs Director Fall 2007 Action #5 FYP professional staff will participate each year in one diversity training session organized by UO Housing for residential FAs Discuss the effectiveness of the training during the regularly scheduled annual de-brief meeting FYP Program Coordinator Fall 2007 Action #6 FAs will inform their FIG students about lectures on campus sponsored by units such as OMAS, CODAC, the ethnic student unions, etc. Solicit feedback from FAs at individual weekly meetings during Fall term, and from returning FAs during preparation for Spring training course FIG Advisor Fall 2007 Action #7 Request that Residential FAs participate in the Diversity Outreach Team organized by Residence Life Same as for Action #6 First-Year Programs Director Fall 2007 Point 2: Improving Campus Climate Unit Relevance: A. Define what this focal area means to your specific unit. FYP efforts to improve campus climate involve outreach to prospective and new students as well as collaborations with campus colleagues. Each year, First-Year Programs enrolls approximately 1400 entering freshmen in 59-60 FIGs, approximately 600 students in Freshman Seminars, and approximately 150 students in Transfer Seminars. To organize and offer our courses, we work collaboratively with faculty and staff in the schools, departments, and units across campus. B. What have you learned about this focal area from your environmental scan? After consulting with the director of OMAS, FYP made the decision to add courses to FIGs that would increase their attractiveness to a diverse student body. Examples of these courses are Ethnic Studies 101, INTL 250 (Value Systems in Cross-Cultural Perspectives), SOC 204 (Introduction to Sociology), SOC 207 (Social Inequality), and ANTH 161 (World Cultures). They expand the ways students can structure their general education and represent our effort to broaden the appeal of FIGs. In addition, we create a Transfer Seminar in Sociology and we offer two Freshman Seminars in International Studies. C. Identify your unit’s strengths and challenges in this area. Over the past several years FYP has made an effort to offer a variety of FIGs with general-education courses that satisfy the UO’s Multicultural requirement. Below is a list of FIGs for fall 2007 that include courses that count toward this requirement: Antiquite-Modernite Bella Italia! Geography of Power and Prosperity Freedom of Thought Camels and Cowboys Carved from Conflict Breaking the Wall Unmasking Reality Visual Tales On location: Asia Overseas Report Cultural Encounters Women Around the World FYP has also expanded the number of Freshman Seminars that encourage diverse ways of thinking about social constructions. Below is list of Freshman Seminars for AY 2007-2008 that encourage a different way of understanding the human experience: Buddhism Through Art International Negotiation Soccer and Society in Modern Latin America Women’s Fiction: Chick Lit Then and Now Globalization: Connecting Here and There Landscapes of Hollywood A Dramatic View of Life Perspectives in Chinese Language and Culture Uncovering the Past of the Real “Wild West” Australia Through Autobiography History, Spirituality and Dance in Africa The French Mind Study Abroad in the U.S. Consuming Agendas – Food and Social Action Women Travelers: Their Life and Times By and large, departments have been supportive of allowing FYP to use 100 and 200- level courses in FIGs. One of the major stumbling blocks to meeting the interest of students in Ethnic Studies courses is uncertainty with respect to departmental scheduling. Because teaching assignments for ES 101are often made well past our deadline for program organization, it has been problematic to use this course in the FIG program. Goal #1 (Each goal should be precisely stated. Use clear, operationally defined language and include the desired outcome…Each action item should reflect a specific cal to action for the department and should express its relevance to achieving the stated goal.) Raise awareness of FYP staff members (professional and student staff) of diversity issues in order to be sure that we are treating all students who are enrolled in our programs sensitively and respectfully. Measures short / long term (Describe the methods you will use to measure the success of the action items and note the time frames involved.) Responsible entity / Accountability (Clearly specify who will be responsible for the implementation of this action item.) Timeline for implemen (outline the expected time f beginning and / or completi action item.) Action #1 Involve student staff from OMAS in meetings with FAs and professional staff members. Debrief staff and FAs at weekly meeting sessions. Identify issues raised and effective ways to address them FIG Advisor WOW 2007 or fall term Action #2 Inform student staff about the Diversity Building Scholarship and encourage them to apply and to spread the word. Check with DBS Administrators to learn whether the poll of FIG Advisor Spring training course f FAs, WOW training for Transfer TAs applicants has enlarged Point 3: Building Critical Mass Unit Relevance: A. Define what this focal area means to your specific unit. The First-Year Program staff is composed of three female professional staff members, two of whom are first-generation college graduates. First-Year Programs makes an effort to build critical mass in its staffing by the FIG Academic Assistants it employs. As a result of concerted effort over the last 6 years, in Fall 2006, 17% of all FIG TAs and 30% of residential FAs were students of color. B. What have you learned about this focal area from your environmental scan? We make every effort to ensure we have a wide recruitment search when filling professional staff positions. However, because our professional staff is so small, our best success in attracting a diverse pool of applicants is in the area of student hires. C. Identify your unit’s strengths and challenges in this area. Please see above. Goal #1 (Each goal should be precisely stated. Use clear, operationally defined language and include the desired outcome…Each action item should reflect a specific cal to action for the department and should express its relevance to achieving the stated goal.) Measures short / long term (Describe the methods you will use to measure the success of the action items and note the time frames involved.) Responsible entity / Accountability (Clearly specify who will be responsible for the implementation of this action Timeline for implemen (outline the expected time f beginning and / or completi action item.) Maintain a vigilant approach to being inclusive in efforts to hire and retain professional and student staff. item.) Action #1 Use list serves, community groups, newspapers, and other targeted resources to advertise open professional positions. Track the number of underrepresented applications; identify the most effective means of advertising Program Coordinator When we have an open professional position th be filled. Action #2 Communicate closely with student groups on campus to make sure the word about available student positions gets out to all students. Ask them to help FYP recruit student workers. Track the number of responses from underrepresented groups; identify the most effective means of communicating with them Program Coordinator Fall term for FAs; when needed to fill student st positions in the office. Action #3 Use FAs and TAs extensively in the recruitment process, since many are already members of diverse student organizations. Check to see if applicant pool of underrepresented groups grows; de-brief FAs and TAs on their efforts Program Coordinator When we have an open professional position th be filled. Point 4: Expanding and Filling the Pipeline Unit Relevance: A. Define what this focal area means to your specific unit. First-Year Programs seeks diversity in first-year and transfer courses by making sure that all students, including underrepresented students and international students, have equal access to FIGs, Freshman Seminars, and Transfer Seminars. All students who have been admitted to the UO receive a booklet in early April telling them about our programs and inviting them to request a FIG on line. We follow up in person, by meeting students at recruiting events both on and off campus and being an information source for prospective students and their families. We are also deeply engaged in recruiting a diverse professional and student staff. B. What have you learned about this focal area from your environmental scan? Enrollment in FIGs is approximately equivalent to the presence of underrepresented students in the entering freshman class. We have not yet monitored the enrollment in Freshman Seminars or Transfer Seminars, but we are aware that we must be vigilant in our outreach efforts in all three programs in order to continue to attract a diverse student population. Our scan indicates that international students tend to be underrepresented in FIGs, and this appears to be for a variety of reasons, including schedule conflicts and communication difficulties before these students come to campus. We are taking steps to correct this situation. For the past two years, we have put a statement in our brochure that goes out to all admitted students, Chart Your Course, that specifically targets international students. C. Identify your unit’s strengths and challenges in this area. FYP offers excellent leadership opportunities to students who become FIG and Transfer Academic Assistants. Many of the students in these positions, as well as those we hire as student coordinators, got their start as FIG, Freshman Seminar and Transfer Seminar students. In this way, we are filling our own pipeline through creating opportunities for a diverse group of students. First-Year Programs can be particularly beneficial to underrepresented students, and we are aware that the most effective way to recruit is early contact with these students. We are concerned that some Oregon students and their families may not be participating in on-campus visits so that FYP staff can meet them. Ideally, we would travel to high schools attended by large numbers of underrepresented students. However, the FYP staff is already severely stretched by the 11 local high school visits we conduct each spring term. Transfer Seminars are an excellent way to assist and engage transfer students, who are often non-traditional students, in the campus community. We need to continue to explore ways to expand communication with these students. Goal #1 (Each goal should be precisely stated. Use clear, operationally defined language and include the desired outcome…Each action item Measures short / long term (Describe the methods you will use to measure the success of the action items and note the Responsible entity / Accountability (Clearly specify who will be responsible for the Timeline for implement (outline the expected tim for beginning and / or completing your action it should reflect a specific cal to action for the department and should express its relevance to achieving the stated goal.) Improve FYP efforts to communicate with underrepresented students, to inform them about courses and engage them as student staff members (FAs and TAs) time frames involved.) implementation of this action item.) Action #1 Assess recruitment strategies and enrollment of under-represented students in FIGs and Freshman Seminars. Analyze the data to determine whether we are successful in our recruiting efforts and pinpoint possible trouble areas. First-Year Programs Director, with the assistance of the Program Coordinator. Week 4 of fall term, 2007 and Freshman Semimars) of winter term 2008, week spring term, 2008 (Freshm Seminars) Action #2 Assess recruitment strategies and enrollment of under-represented students in Transfer Seminars. Analyze the data to determine whether we are successful in our recruiting efforts and pinpoint possible trouble areas. First-Year Programs Director, with the assistance of the Program Coordinator. Week 4 Fall term. Action #3 Increase communication and recruitment efforts with Oregon Community Colleges, and also UO Offices of Admissions, Academic Advising, and Academic Learning Services to see if FYP can join with these units in their outreach efforts. Inventory joint-departmental recruiting programs; assess effectiveness of outreach to underrepresented groups; identify initiatives that can engage other departments in outreach efforts First-Year Programs Director, with the assistance of the FIG Advisor Fall 2007 Action #4 Develop lines of communication with high school counselors at rural or underserved schools to identify students who may not have access to computers to request FIGs online. Obtain updated list of high school counselors from Admissions; identify students and contact them individually Track number of students contacted and follow-up on their enrollment in FIG program FIG Advisor Spring term 2008 Action #5 Send PDF of “Get Connected” (Transfer Student Brochure) to academic advisors at Oregon Community Colleges Obtain updated list of CC advisors from Admissions Program Coordinator Spring term 2008 Action #6 Work with the Ford Family Foundation to identify Ford Opportunity Scholars, who are often non-traditional students Track number of students who are identified Action #7 Work with international recruiter in Admissions to be sure that international students understand the advantages of enrolling in a FIG and how to request a FIG on line. Track number of international students enrolling in FIG program First-Year Programs Director, with the assistance of the Program Coordinator. Winter term 2008 Action #8 To allow international students adequate time in their schedules to take required ESL courses, they will be permitted to take just one of the lecture classes, along with the FIG seminar, instead of both lecture classes and the seminar. Check with ESL department enrollment roster and verify single lecture attendance with FIG instructors FIG Advisor, Program Coordinator. Winter term 2008 Point 5: Developing and Strengthening Community Linkages Unit Relevance: A. Define what this focal area means to your specific unit. Our programmatic outreach includes meeting prospective students and their parents during recruiting events on and off campus and visits to local high schools to introduce FYP courses. A major outreach effort takes place during the month of July when the entire FYP staff and selected FAs participate in IntroDUCKtion. All of these outreach efforts throughout the year, in the form of both organized and informal meetings, help to establish a respectful and welcoming relationship with all incoming students and their families. B. What have you learned about this focal area from your environmental scan? This is an area that has been quite successful, although limited in scope. For many high school students, the FIG Advisor is the welcoming face of the UO. She’s the person they meet in several events before they come to campus (Duck Preview, Duck Days, high school visits), and one of the first people they see again during IntroDUCKtion and Week of Welcome. C. Identify your unit’s strengths and challenges in this area. High school visits to area schools by the FIG Advisor and FAs have been successful in making an early connection with individual students, including underrepresented students. A challenge has been the limited amount of off-campus travel FYP is able to do because the staff is so small. Nonetheless, the FIG Advisor has expanded her spring term visits to high schools in rural Lane County and in Corvallis. The response from counselors and students at these schools has been positive. Goal #1 (Each goal should be precisely stated. Use clear, operationally define d language and include the desired outcome…Each action item should reflect a specific cal to action for the department and should express its relevance to achieving the stated goal.) Raise awareness within FYP (professional and student staff) of diversity issues in order to be sure that we are treating all students and their families sensitively and respectfully during our outreach efforts. Measures short / long term (Describe the methods you will use to measure the success of the action items and note the time frames involved.) Responsible entity / Accountability (Clearly specify who will be responsible for the implementation of this action item.) Timeline for implementation (outline the expected time for beginning and / or co your action item.) Action #1 Invite OMAS and OIP to suggest ways to help us improve our outreach to and interaction with prospective students and their families. Identify students and families contacted through suggested ways Director of FYP and professional and student staff We will meet with the units during fall term Action #2 Work with OMAS and OIP to attract underrepresented students to apply as FAs. Track growth in number of underrepresented student applications FIG Advisor Fall term 2007 for implementation in wi term, 2008. Goal #2 Increase outreach to high schools and community colleges with large enrollments of underrepresented students. Action #1 Attend Oregon Nights in Portland Identify underrepresented students from area high schools and invite them to FIG Advisor and Program Coordinator Spring 2008 attend event; track who actually attends Action #2 Visit LCC and speak to transfer students and advisors Track prospective transfer students who attend meetings; monitor if number of transfers grows FIG Advisor and Program Coordinator Fall 2007 Point 6: Developing and Reinforcing Diversity Infrastructure Unit Relevance: A. Define what this focal area means to your specific unit. First-Year Programs is committed to developing and maintaining a campus community that is welcoming to all students. This involves close communication with our campus partners in order to determine what other units are doing to contribute to a positive and culturally sensitive environment. FYP makes every effort to learn from others and to coordinate work in order to be sure that we are responsive to the needs of the changing campus community. B. What have you learned about this focal area from your environmental scan? We are aware of the efforts of some units on campus to create an inclusive community, but we could expand our list of campus partners. For example, we are familiar with Housing’s programs on diversity, but are less aware of the efforts of the BRT. This is one campus partner we could use more. C. Identify your unit’s strengths and challenges in this area. We lack protocols to assess our own strength in these areas. Goal #1 (Each goal should be precisely stated. Use clear, operationally defined language and include the desired outcome…Each action item should reflect a specific call to action for the department and should express its relevance to achieving the stated goal.) Make all FYP staff members aware of the importance of cultural responsiveness to our unit. Measures short / long term (Describe the methods you will use to measure the success of the action items and note the time frames involved.) Responsible entity / Accountability (Clearly specify who will be responsible for the implementation of this action item.) Timeline for implementation (outline the expected ti for beginning and / or completing your action Action #1 Make a statement of this priority an explicit part of the hiring process for staff members. Debrief interview team for assessment of applicant’s understanding of the statement Director and Program Coordinator Used in next staff h Action #2 Include the University of Oregon Affirmation of Community Standards in information packet of all faculty and staff. See above Program Coordinator Next staff hiring Action #3 As part of the annual performance appraisal, FYP staff will be asked to reflect on their personal and professional growth in regard to cultural sensitivity. Debrief statement with employee during annual performance review; identify areas for growth Program Director Next annual review Office of Academic Advising/Disability Services Diversity Action Plan History of Diversity Efforts The Office of Academic Advising has been engaged in diversity planning discussions and activities for more than a year. Beginning in 2001 OAA/DS began to discuss ways to create a more welcoming and inclusive environment for students, faculty and staff. The portrayal of diversity, or lack there of in artwork, office décor, holiday messages, etc. was addressed. Concerted efforts were made to build a stronger relationship with OMAS advising staff, and OMAS advisers were invited to collaborate on outreach efforts, such as residence hall advising and spring advising events in the EMU. In 2005 the office began to look at how to assess and track the diversity of students who utilize the office. The professional advising staff participated in a two term pilot project on cultural competency conducted by the Counseling Center during winter and spring term 2006. Readings and films were discussed, and engaged in-depth discussions took place with Counseling Center facilitators on the personal and professional aspects of diversity. Because space limitations did not allow for the full staff to participate, a half day session on cultural competency was later made available for those who were unable to attend the winter/spring pilot program. Readings on cultural competency were assigned to the group to read ahead of time to be discussed in this session. Annette Leonard from the Conflict Resolution Team facilitated this session. Process for Diversity Plan Development The OAA/DS Diversity Planning Team was created in Fall 2006. This group met regularly at least twice a month. The team examined the present services of the office, reviewed the UO Diversity Plan, and began to incorporate ideas from the Cultural Competency pilot project and the staff retreat, into an Office of Academic Advising Diversity Plan. This team consists of Lori Manson, Karen Kennedy and Terrie Minner. Additional feedback was sought in meetings with Graduate Teaching Fellows, an office co-manager, Disability Services staff, and student (undergraduate) front desk staff. Academic Advising/Disability Services dedicated its one day Fall 2006 retreat to discussing the UO’s Diversity Plan, and brainstorming ideas on how to develop a plan of action for our office. Robin Holmes facilitated this session and it was extremely helpful in setting the stage for further discussion and focus. In March 2007 a full staff meeting was devoted to further discussion of the office mission, definition of diversity, and the development of a more concrete office vision statement. The Diversity Planning team will continue to meet 1-2 times a month, in consultation with the director, to coordinate the implementation of the diversity plan action items. They will regularly review and update the action plan as needed, at least annually, to address current issues. OAA DS Plan SP 07 Point 1: Building a Culturally Responsive Community A. Define what this focal area means to your specific unit. The Office of Academic Advising/Disability Services comes in contact with every new student and thousands of continuing students each year. We are engaged in an ongoing growing and learning process to strengthen our sensitivity to diversity issues. We strive to be accessible and welcoming to all students and to be sensitive to a wide range of individual needs and challenges. Our mission is to help students make responsible and informed decisions about their educational plans and their professional/life goals that are consistent with their values, interests, and abilities. This is most effectively accomplished within an inclusive environment and culturally responsive community. B. What have you learned about this focal area from your environmental scan? Building a culturally responsive community involves many different facets and areas. OAA/DS has a high volume of student traffic. How welcome students or colleagues feel when they enter the office may relate to subtle messages found in artwork, holiday décor, or lobby magazines before they have any experience with an adviser. Efforts to be culturally responsive can be perceived through the initial office environment, including how diverse our front desk receptionist staff looks, how we work together as a team, as well as through individual experiences in advising and outreach programs. C. Identify your unit’s strengths and challenges in this area. We have an outstanding staff of professional academic advisers from various backgrounds and experiences, and are fortunate to have excellent student workers and Graduate Teaching Fellows. Many of our staff members have strong mental health backgrounds and have been engaged in diversity efforts through graduate programs and/or ongoing professional development experiences. Some of our challenges lie in the fact that there is much variation among the staff regarding level of awareness, openness, and investment in diversity issues. GOAL: To assess current OAA/DS environment and to increase awareness of and sensitivity to diversity issues. Action Progress Measurement Responsible Entity/ Accountability Timeline for Implementation 1. Assess student experience in the office. In addition to satisfaction items asked in 2003, add questions to look at office climate and sense of feeling welcomed and comfortable in the office. Utilize AdvisorTrac to survey students after meeting with an adviser to request their feedback on their advising experience. From this information develop areas to target for future improvement and attention. OAA Director Diversity Planning Team Currently investigating AdvisorTrac survey capability. Implement survey by Fall 2008. 2. Foster and encourage individual commitment to professional development in areas that increase sensitivity and awareness around diversity issues. Participation in diversity events, workshops, and trainings, tailored to individual interests and areas of needed growth will be included in annual performance reviews. The annual report will summarize the range and type of individual and collective staff participation in a variety of diversity related professional development activities. Annually each staff member will be asked to provide a self-assessment of perceived growth resulting from these experiences and to formulate new goals for the following year. Each OAA and DS staff member will reflect on participation in diversity related activities in annual evaluation discussion with OAA Director Annually. 3. Incorporate universal design principles in the physical environments and informational systems of OAA/DS to ensure that they are usable, sustainable and equitable for individuals The accessibility and usability of lobbies, offices, and other university areas for orientations, advising, etc. will be evaluated. Specific recommendations will be made for actively integrating universal design. DS staff Adaptive Tech Adviser OAA Director Ongoing. with disabilities and variations in abilities to minimize the need for specialized accommodations. Informational materials created and distributed by OAA/DS and websites (in consultation with the adaptive technology adviser) will be reviewed to confirm that they are accessible or available in an accessible format. 4. An office professional development team will more fully integrate diversity issues as a critical component of planned professional development opportunities. Each term time will be set aside for a diversity related topic retreat or workshop. Diversity training for front desk staff will be strengthened and the student staff will be included into full office opportunities when appropriate. The professional development team will prepare a 2 year professional development calendar and will request regular feedback and input from staff. Professional Development Team Two-year plan will be presented to staff in Fall 2007. 5. Identify a specific mentor or welcome team for all newly hired staff, including GTFs. After the first academic term in the position, request feedback from new employee (s) regarding transition to OAA/DS. OAA/DS Directors Ongoing as new staff are hired. Point 2: Improving Campus Climate A. Define what this focal area means to your specific unit. OAA/DS is very involved with facilitating connections with students, faculty, staff, and parents. We play an important role in modeling accessibility and inclusivity in many different areas. We recognize that this is an ongoing learning process and strive to foster an inclusive and open environment to improve campus climate. Each year OAA/DS provides academic advising to over 14,000 students, works with hundreds of teaching faculty, and provides accommodations to many students with disabilities. All of these activities engage us with the larger university community and offer opportunities for our contributions and challenges, as well as our growth. B. What have you learned about this focal area from your environmental scan? The traditional work schedule is sometimes problematic for students who need academic advising support. We have found much receptivity to our pilot program of expanding our availability into the evening and providing alternate locations for advising to better meet the needs of students. There is much work to be done in the area of universal design as a concept that is understood and embraced throughout campus. We also have an important role to play in facilitating movement from the traditional disability medical model to a social model of disability. C. Identify your unit’s strengths and challenges in this area. We have strong relationships and ongoing collaborations with many offices, including Housing, Office of International Programs, First Year Programs, Orientation, academic departments, Student Life, Career Center, OMAS, and the Counseling and Testing Center. Significant efforts have been made over the past several years to strengthen partnerships and advising collaborations with OMAS, and to participate in programs like Reach for Success and the OMAS student retreat. Time, staffing, and resource constraints are challenges that limit the extent of our involvement. GOAL: Improve outreach efforts and strengthen relationships with other offices and departments who provide support to students. Action Progress Measurement Responsible Entity/ Accountability Timeline for Implementation 1. Printed and electronic materials should be cognizant and inclusive of all student groups and promote visibility of outreach efforts. A marketing and PR plan to facilitate regular updates and wide dissemination of printed and electronic materials. OAA Office Specialist OAA Director DS Office Specialist DS Director OAA plan developed prior to Fall 2008. DS plan by Winter 2009 2. Offer academic advising at Survey students who utilize Adviser coordinating LLC and Knight Surveys to be conducted Fall alternate sites and with expanded hours. The pilot phase of this in the Living Learning Center and the Knight Library has been very successful. This will improve accessibility, especially for students who have competing time demands, such as work and family responsibilities. alternate advising locations or extended hours to assess their experience. Library advising 2007 through Spring 2008 and summary included in annual report. 3. Utilize the Disability Project for increasing educational awareness and individual support related to disability issues. Continue annual budget request through ASUO and review program usage. DS Director Annually. Point 3: Building Critical Mass A. Define what this focal area means to your specific unit. It is an ongoing challenge for us to attract qualified professionals who come from diverse backgrounds. We have been fairly successful in the diversity of staff in terms of disability, sexual orientation, and first generation college identification. We have a majority of women and recognize the need to have more men represented on our staff. We have been fortunate in recent years to have hired outstanding GTFs who significantly add to our racial/ethnic diversity. In addition, it is not unusual for us to have one or more GTFs who have specific research, teaching or practical experience centered on multicultural issues. B and C. What have you learned about this focal area from your environmental scan? Identify your unit’s strengths and challenges in this area. How to represent commitment to diversity as a value in job announcements and throughout the interview process is an important issue that we continue to be challenged by. Current salaries contribute to the challenges of attracting qualified diverse candidates to apply for positions or to relocate to Eugene. GOAL: Increase diversity of the candidate pool for student, staff, and GTF positions. Action Progress Measurement Responsible Entity/ Accountability Timeline for Implementation 1. Strengthen outreach efforts to recruit more diverse undergraduate students who are interested in our student employment opportunities. Develop a consistent hiring committee to standardize procedure for posting job description, evaluation of applicant pool and hiring of undergraduate student staff. The student staff hiring committee will write a summary report to track where the position was posted, the applicant pool evaluated, and the students hired. Chair of Student Staff Hiring Committee will submit a report to the OAA Director Ongoing. 2. When posting a position OAA/DS will stress the importance of multicultural competencies and the value of experiences with diversity in the desired qualifications. Search committees will discuss how to expand the value of and appreciation for diversity, and how to recognize this in potential candidates through the evaluation and revision of interview questions. Invite human resource expert to provide a workshop for staff to examine how we conceptualize diversity building in our hiring processes. Search Committee Chairs OAA Director Ongoing. 3. Grow scholars and future professionals by providing internship opportunities to graduate students. Support and be a resource for students in graduate programs completing projects on topics related to advising, access, and disability. Continue to support four GTF positions (two in OAA, two in DS) and when relevant, assist students doing research or projects around issues of advising or disability. OAA Director DS Director Ongoing. Point 4: Expanding the Pipeline A. Define what this focal area means to your specific unit. Through advising and disability services we have a unique opportunity to guide, support, and influence large numbers of students coming from all types of diverse backgrounds. Although our primary focus is on UO students after they have been admitted, we work with many prospective students who in some cases are still trying to decide if college is even the right choice. We have been involved in several significant programs and initiatives to help build desire and interest to attend college (for students with disabilities, students of color, international students, and first generation college students). B. What have you learned about this focal area from your environmental scan? We are limited in how much we can be directly involved in active recruitment activities. We have been very successful in reaching underrepresented students through programs that focus on accessibility, transfer student transitions, and supporting when possible programs organized by other offices, such as Admissions and OMAS. Once students are recruited the challenge becomes retention. C. Identify your unit’s strengths and challenges in this area. The work of OAA/DS is very important for many new students as they consider whether or not to attend the UO, or in some cases whether or not to stay at the UO. For decades, retention research has shown that for many students the connection with a caring individual, who often is an academic adviser, is a key to early adjustment and successful transitions into a university. Programmatic initiatives are important, but individual interactions with students are also very powerful. The biggest challenge is to balance competing needs for outreach/recruitment efforts with other important priorities. GOAL: Continued involvement in programs that support access to the University. Action Progress Measurement Responsible Entity/ Accountability Timeline for Implementation 1. Continue participation in Embracing the Future, Reach for Success, and March to College to support recruitment of underrepresented middle school/high school Maintain current level of participation. OAA/DS Advisers Ongoing. students. 2. Remain accessible to all prospective students and continue on-site advising at community colleges to support prospective transfer student populations. Maintain current level of participation, and increase community college presence if resources allow. OAA/DS Advisers Ongoing. 3. Coordinate and/or participate on scholarship selection committees that build diversity, including Diversity Building Scholarship, Non-traditional student scholarships such as Edmundson Davis, George Bean, Todd Walcott, and scholarships for students with disabilities, such as the Pincetich and Hesser. Scholarships coordinated by OAA/DS will evaluate selection committee membership and level of accessibility to application process and materials. Continue participation on a range of selection committees. OAA/DS Advisers Ongoing. 4. Provide support and advising to students selected for admission under special circumstances including Undergraduate Support Program and Disability Review Committee. Maintain current level of participation and coordination. Examine current programs for effectiveness and efficiency. OAA USP contact DS DRC contact Ongoing. 5. Ensure that Admissions has information to provide to high school and community college counselors on issues related to disability and access to college. Annual assessment of information being disseminated by Admissions. Provide additional materials as needed. DS Director Annually. Point 5: Developing and Strengthening Community Linkages A. Define what this focal area means to your specific unit. OAA/DS recognizes our role as an important resource for communities on and off campus. Developing and strengthening community linkages means maintaining and developing relationships to remain visible, welcoming, and informative. B. What have you learned about this focal area from your environmental scan? Most OAA/DS services are geared for and utilized primarily by the campus community. We do have some important connections, however, to communities outside the University via such roles as that of the Adaptive Technology Access Adviser and through advising support offered on site at community colleges. Another example is the number of community members invited annually to share their experiences and expertise with students via informational workshops and courses offered through OAA. C. Identify your unit’s strengths and challenges in this area. The action items are already in place and we believe are important. It is important to consistently evaluate and further develop them when possible. OAA/DS websites are one of the primary resources community members on and off campus will access for initial information. The recent redesign of these sites will allow for more editing at the departmental level to ensure current information is posted in a timely way. Due to limited time, staffing, and resources, it will prove challenging to develop and expand on OAA/DS involvement in communities outside the University. GOAL: Strengthen on and off campus community relationships to help promote diversity. Action Progress Measurement Responsible Entity/ Accountability Timeline for Implementation 1. Continue active role in LCC Transition Academy, a program designed for high school students with disabilities and their parents who want to learn more about college opportunities. Participate on overall planning committee and be an active part of the community presentation team. DS Director Adaptive Tech Adviser Annually 2. Remain an active resource on issues of adaptive technology. As time allows Disability Services, and particularly the Adaptive Technology Access Adviser, is available to provide information to support community efforts around adaptive technology. OAA/DS Directors and Adaptive Technology Access Adviser Ongoing. 3. Expand diversity of community professionals and students who are invited to speak in classes and workshops, including BI 199 courses (Introduction to Health Professions, Introduction to Dentistry), to support diverse applicants to Include in the annual report the names of members of the community who have actively participated in these programs. Designated OAA Adviser Annually. graduate and professional programs. 4. Write articles for Connections (parent newsletter) coordinated through the Office of Student Life. Once per month an article is submitted to the Director of Parent Programs to include in the Connections newsletter. Designated OAA Adviser Monthly. 5. Maintain and update OAA/DS website to ensure a welcoming, accessible and informative source of information. The new format allowing department level editing should help with this process. Invite groups of students to review and give feedback on the site. This can be incorporated into the marketing/PR plan. OAA Publications Specialist and OAA/DS Directors Ongoing. Point 6: Developing and Reinforcing Diversity Infrastructure A. Define what this focal area means to your specific unit. OAA/DS embraces and values diversity and is committed to supporting and upholding the points outlined in the Diversity Plan for the University of Oregon. OAA/DS will engage in ongoing assessment and evaluation to help ensure that the University community recognizes our dedication and commitment to diversity. B. What have you learned about this focal area from your environmental scan? OAA/DS has been in discussions around diversity efforts and initiatives for the past five years as outlined in the overview. The Diversity Planning Team was created in fall 2006 to begin the process of assessing current OAA/DS efforts and to identify areas for attention. C. Identify your unit’s strengths and challenges in this area. OAA/DS has a committed team in place with plans to meet at least once per month. An additional goal is to bring more members to the team to include students and support staff. OAA/DS Directors and staff have established strong working relationships with many colleagues in departments and offices across campus, which will help maintain efforts to develop and reinforce infrastructure. The Diversity Planning Team recognizes that we are in a learning process around diversity initiatives with staff members at various points in their development of awareness and sensitivity. The challenge is to continue to acknowledge and support this spectrum while also fostering growth and movement forward as a unified group. GOAL: Continue to develop and strengthen OAA/DS commitment to a “learning and working environment that recognizes the value of diversity.” Action Progress Measurement Responsible Entity/ Accountability Timeline for Implementation 1. Include diversity initiatives and efforts in the annual report. Annual report will reflect initiatives and efforts undertaken by OAA/DS staff throughout the year. OAA Director Annually. 2. Annual performance evaluations will include discussion of individual growth in diversity awareness and sensitivity. Each staff member will participate in at least three diversity events/efforts per year. This will be discussed with OAA/DS Directors. OAA Director Annually. 3. Develop a core vision statement for OAA/DS which will reflect the mission to “foster an inclusive environment.” Ask all staff to continue reflecting on our vision for OAA/DS to ensure development of a collaborative, inclusive and unified vision. Diversity Planning Team Work on OAA/DS vision statement in 07 (potential topic for fall retreat) to adopt by end of 07-08 academic year. 4. Diversity planning team will continue to meet on a regular basis and will collaborate with the professional development committee to ensure diversity initiatives are updated and evaluated on a consistent basis. Diversity planning team will compile and maintain a journal of OAA/DS diversity efforts and report once per month in staff meeting. Diversity Planning Team Monthly. Strategic Diversity Plan for Academic Learning Services Spring 2007 Last year ALS staff engaged in a 12-hour training program on cultural competency. Under the leadership of Robin Holmes, the training devoted some time to the process of “environmental scanning,” that is, assessing our department’s competencies in areas related to diversity efforts and challenges. These discussions became the groundwork for our diversity plan. The overarching intent of our department’s diversity plan is to ensure the deliberate demonstration of our commitment to respect the rights, safety, dignity and essential worth of all individuals and to affirm and promote the diversity of backgrounds, perspectives, opinions, ideas, and cultural experiences of students, staff and faculty. The following goals, organized around the six points suggested for UO diversity plans, are assessed annually during staff retreats that focus exclusively on ALS diversity efforts. Point 1: Developing a Culturally Responsive Community A. Define what this focal area means to your specific unit. ALS faculty and staff understand the importance of providing a welcoming and respectful environment for the students and faculty who Participate in services designed to improve their learning and teaching skills. Students who participate in our TRiO programs are predominately low-income, first-generation students and students-of-color. Recognizing and affirming cultural differences among those seeking assistance in our offices, labs, and classrooms becomes critical in providing effective services within a culturally diverse community. B. What have you learned about this focal area from your environmental scan? Participating in cultural competency training assisted in the process of evaluating our responsiveness to cultural differences. ALS faculty and staff are keeping journals of the day-to-day challenges, concerns, and achievements in developing competencies that lead to a more responsive community. C. Identify your unit’s strengths and challenges in this area. As a unit, our commitment to providing a culturally responsive community is strong. However, the process of examining our long-held assumptions, values, and beliefs, as well as resisting defensive perspectives will understandably be our individual challenges. Goal #1 Enhancing cultural competency will be recognized and emphasized as an integral part of the professional development of ALS faculty and staff. Measures of progress short / long term Responsible entity / Accountability Timeline for Implementation Action #1 Add a Diversity Advisory Committee to departmental committees. Diversity Advisory Committee will meet at least once a term to assess departmental efforts and progress toward goals and will debrief and engage faculty and staff at department meetings. Director ALS will appoint this committee. Beginning fall 2007 for one-year appoint. Action #2 Each year all ALS faculty and staff will read and discuss a common book (or other substantive material) related to diversity. (We are currently reading Privilege, Power, and Differences by Allan Johnson.) Faculty and staff will join small discussion groups to encourage engagement and inquiry. Diversity Advisory Committee will suggest readings and assist ALS Director in organizing opportunities for discussion. On-going with year end review Action #3 Faculty and staff will enroll in classes, attend events, or participate in activities that promote awareness and education regarding socio-economic, race, and cultural differences. Involvement in these endeavors are recognized as part of employee annual performance appraisals. All ALS faculty and staff On-going with year end review Action #4 Educate faculty re: campus resources that respond to student concerns related to discrimination or intimidation, e.g., OMAS, Office the of Disability Services, Bias Response Team, a Student Life, and Counseling Center. Activity will be included as part of staff meeting’s agenda. Directors of ALS, SSS, McNair Beginning fall 2007 Goal #2 ALS faculty and staff will foster a culturally knowledgeable, sensitive and responsive community within the office, labs, classroom, and advising settings. Measures of progress short / long term Responsible entity / Accountability Timeline for Implementation Action #1 All publications, including syllabi for courses and workshops, will include a statement that expresses our department’s commitment to fostering a culturally responsive community. 100% of course materials by spring 2009 ALS Curriculum Committee chair; Office Manager Formative review spring 2008 Action #2 Materials used in classes and workshops will include underrepresented perspectives and voices. 100% of publications by spring 2009 ALS Curriculum Committee chair; all instructors Formative review spring term 2008 Action #3 Evaluation forms for courses and workshops will be modified to expand opportunities for students to comment on teaching behaviors related to diversity and inclusiveness within the classroom. 100% of evaluation forms by spring 2008 ALS Curriculum Committee chair Formative review winter term 2008 Action #4 TEP will review midterm evaluation forms for faculty to assess opportunities for them to receive student feedback in this area. 100% by spring 2008 ALS Curriculum Committee chair; TEP consultants Formative review winter term 2008 Action #5 Training for tutors will include unit on contributing to a cultural responsive community. 100% by spring 2008 Curriculum Committee chair; Tutor Coordinator Design module fall 2007 Point 2: Improving Campus Climate A. Define what this focal area means to your specific unit. As part of a campus that seeks to improve access and retention of students and faculty who have been historically underrepresented in higher education, ALS must provide a safe, confidential, respectful, non-judgmental, welcoming environment for students and faculty. In addition, we must be diligent in making sure that those who witness or are the targets of discriminatory or unacceptable behavior are provided support and referrals to campus resources that can assist with appropriate responsive processes. B. What have you learned about this focal area from your environmental scan? Because we work with students from culturally diverse backgrounds, the importance of a positive, supportive, and safe campus climate is clear to our faculty and staff. We need to continue to assess our own knowledge and abilities in order to be proactive. C. Identify your unit’s strengths and challenges in this area. Our faculty and staff are diligent in making referrals for students who experience unacceptable behaviors. We need to ensure that our office conveys a multicultural and diverse orientation and context for students. Goal #1 To improve the campus climate within the physical office of Academic Learning Services. Measures short / long term Responsible entity / Accountability Timeline for Implementation Action #1 ALS will conduct surveys to solicit student opinions about the campus climate within ALS; we will devote at least one meeting a year to discussing ways in which our office conveys a welcoming place for all students and faculty. (Examples of efforts implemented in the past couple of years include: photographs of students hang in the hallway leading to the main office to convey the Conduct, collect, and assess student surveys. ALS Environmental Committee; ALS Director Begin process fall 2007 Assess survey results winter term 2008 racial, age and cultural diversity of students using ALS services; a visual display area in the ALS main office— Identity within Community—highlights cultural, religious, and social events, programs, celebrations, lectures and readings that remind us of opportunities to learn more about the differences within our university and global communities.) Measures short / long term Responsible entity / Accountability Timeline for Implementation Action #2 ALS will host a lunch open-house for all university students, staff and faculty. Written invitations will be extended to offices and individuals, such as OMAS and McNair scholars, who add to the efforts to support diversity at the UO. All ALS faculty and staff Event held every term during dead week Goal #2 To attract more students of color, low income, and first generation students to become tutors. Action #1 ALS and OMAS faculty and staff will meet at least once a year to discuss ways in which the offices can improve referrals and support for underrepresented students. Arrange meeting with OMAS Director Director ALS Directors TRiO Programs By winter 2008 Point 3: Building Critical Mass A. Define what this focal area means to your specific unit. Because of office works with many low-income, first-generation college students and those from groups underrepresented in higher education, ALS places high value on employing faculty and staff who share these attributes. B. What have you learned about this focal area from your environmental scan? Currently the profile of ALS faculty and staff consist of 68% female and 14% underrepresented and 5% individuals with disabilities. Well over 60% of the students who use ALS services are themselves low-income, first-generation college, students with disabilities, older students or students-of-color. C. Identify your unit’s strengths and challenges in this area. We are a diverse group of faculty and staff and will continue to aggressively recruit to add more diversity. Low salaries are not even a regional draw and limited resources for recruitment restrict efforts. Goal #1 To attract persons underrepresented in higher education to ALS professional positions. Measures short / long term Responsible entity / Accountability Timeline for Implementation Action #1 ALS will make concerted efforts to widen the recruitment net in order to notify, attract, and recruit applicants who are underrepresented in higher education. Working with OIED and AA, ALS searches will use listservs, community groups, and other targeted resources to advertise job openings to nontraditional individuals. Chair of search committee; Office Manager From job announce- ment through closing of search. Point 4: Expanding and Filling the Pipeline A. Define what this focal area means to your specific unit. The importance of expanding and filling the pipeline in higher education is a value shared among our faculty and staff and remains at the core of our mission to provide support for all students, especially those at risk for not succeeding in this academic environment. B. What have you learned about this focal area from your environmental scan? The goals and objectives for two of our TRiO grants—Student Support Services and the McNair Scholars Program are 1) to retain and graduate low-income and first-generation students and students with disabilities at the undergraduate level and 2) to assist low-income, first-generation students and those from groups underrepresented in higher education in being accepted into doctoral programs. Both of these programs are intended to help expanding and filling the pipeline. C. Identify your unit’s strengths and challenges in this area. Although it is difficult to assess the impact of our efforts in this area, our faculty and staff have diverse socio-economic and racial backgrounds, and thus we are able to provide important mentoring to low-income and first generation students. Goal #1 To increase the number of persons from underrepresented groups at the University of Oregon. Measures short / long term Responsible entity / Accountability Timeline for Implementation Action #1 ALS will participate in admissions programs, such as Embracing the Future, that help recruit students who would add diversity to the UO student population. Participation is considered as part of employees’ annual performance evaluations Director ALS Fall 2007 Action #2 ALS faculty and staff will serve on committees that review admissions applications and provide scholarships to non traditional students. (Currently four ALS instructors serve on the Diversity Scholarship Committee, one on Disability Review Committee, and one on Undergraduate Support Program admissions committee.) Committee work is part of our work culture and is considered as part of employees’ annual performance evaluations. All faculty and staff By spring 2008 Goal #2 To increase the number of undergraduates, graduates, and professors from underrepresented groups in higher education across the country. Action #1 ALS will continue to seek governmental funding, such as TRiO grants (Student Support Services and McNair Scholars Program), that provide academic, financial and personal support to nontraditional students (including low-income and first-generation college students, students with disabilities, and students ethnically underrepresented in higher education) and that encourage career aspirations to pursue PhD and join the professoriate. Submit competitive grant applications for SSS and McNair funding. ALS Director As required for review funding by the Departm Education. Point 5: Developing and Strengthening Community Linkages A. Define what this focal area means to your specific unit. ALS serves many students who come from our immediate Eugene/Springfield area or who transfer to the UO from an Oregon Community college. The strength of community linkages affects perceptions regarding our academic community. In addition, good relationships soften a perceived town/gown split and demonstrate the relevancy and value of higher education within the larger local community. B. What have you learned about this focal area from your environmental scan? Although as individuals ALS faculty and staff participate in the community and contribute to numerous social, economic, and cultural efforts, developing and strengthening community linkages has not been a high priority for our office. C. Identify your unit’s strengths and challenges in this area. This is an area that could use more attention to ensure effective and consistent communication. Coordinating services across institutions and off-campus groups will continue to be a challenge. Limited resources restrict our efforts in this area. Goal #1 To inform those who might consider attending the UO about ALS services, especially those that low-income, first-generation students and students-of-color might find particularly helpful. Measures short / long term Responsible entity / Accountability Timeline for Implementation Action #1 In collaboration with LCC, ALS will teach on a more consistent basis the transfer course that helps non-traditional students make the transition from a community college to the university. Coordinate with UO admissions and LCC regarding funding, publicity, enrollment, space, etc. ALS instructor (currently designated as Becky Dusseau) Early fall 2007 Action #2 ALS will participate in local high schools’ Junior Night for parents of juniors and will offer low-fee SAT workshops to students. Coordinate with area high schools and publicize SAT preparation alternatives. Director and Associate Director Winter 2008 Point 6: Developing and Reinforcing Diversity Infrastructure A. Define what this focal area means to your specific unit. The infrastructure at the UO can be an invisible yet powerful factor in encouraging or discouraging efforts to communicate, support, and collaborate among diverse populations and disciplines. Policy manuals for the ALS components, such as the Teaching Effectiveness Program, tutoring program, SSS, McNair, have been written to explain policies and procedures for specific activities. These are written with an emphasis on the rationale and intended effect of established processes, especially those that relate to other offices serving non-traditional students, such as Financial Aid or OMAS. B. What have you learned about this focal area from your environmental scan? Our relationships with other offices on campus are, for the most part, mutually supportive and effective. Changes in staffing and portfolios in campus offices (including our own) mean that we need to update our understanding of priorities, assumptions and program directions among departments and units across our academic community. C. Identify your unit’s strengths and challenges in this area. Our faculty and staff are eager to work collaboratively with other offices on campus to develop and reinforce diversity infrastructure. Inconsistencies in our efforts to update our knowledge of other campus programs on a regular basis can circumscribe our attempts in this area. Goal #1 To facilitate an infrastructure that supports and fosters cultural diversity at the UO. Measures short / long term Responsible entity / Accountability Timeline for Implementation Action #1 The Teaching Effectiveness Program will conduct workshops on issues related to diversity, including how faculty can use specific tools and techniques to assess their own behaviors as they relate to students’ perception of their sensitivity to issues related to cultural, economic, and social diversity. Number of workshops and participants; workshop evaluations TEP staff will plan and implement. Fall 2007 Action #2 ALS faculty and staff will participate on committees or other programs that promote and support diversity among our students, faculty, and staff. (Currently, ALS has representation on CoDaC, LGBTQ, and the Non-traditional Student Union.) Commitments will be made during ALS fall retreat; Committee work is part of our work culture and is considered as part of employees’ annual performance appraisals. All ALS faculty and staff Fall 2007 June 14, 2007 Charles Martinez, PhD Vice Provost for Institutional Equity and Diversity University of Oregon Dear Dr. Martinez: I am pleased to transmit the diversity action plans for each of the units in the portfolio of the Vice President for Finance and Administration (VPFA) and for the administrative office of the VPFA. These updated plans incorporate a number of the suggestions provided by the Diversity Advisory Committee (DAC) after their review of the plans in March. I appreciate the thoughtful and comprehensive comments about our original plans that were provided by the DAC. When I originally submitted these plans in March, the VPFA administrative office plan was a combined one that included the president’s office. Based on comments received during the Diversity Advisory Committee review, the president’s office plan has now been created and submitted as a separate one. The Enrollment Services Office has recently been added to the portfolio for which I am responsible. For this stage of the diversity strategic action plan process, however, the Enrollment Services plan will remain under the umbrella plan submitted by the Interim Vice President for Student Affairs. A quick survey of the units in the VPFA portfolio including Campus Operations, Human Resources, University Planning, Affirmative Action and Equal Opportunity, and Budget and Finance reveal a workforce critical to the administrative infrastructure and one that impacts the daily lives of all who work and study here. Offices in these areas ensure the integrity of the university’s hiring processes, manage financial operations, are charged with ensuring the health and safety of the working and learning environment and with creating a physical environment that is conducive to achieving the university’s objectives. These are essential functions and they come with enormous responsibility including the responsibility to provide proactive leadership in university diversity initiatives as is demonstrated in the plans each has submitted. In addition to the goals outlined by each of the units, a key strategic initiative is presented below. Responsibility for achieving this goal resides with my office. In thinking about the particular issue of filling the pipeline it became apparent to me that within the VPFA portfolio the pipeline easily refers, among other things, to finding capable individuals to fill support positions that do not require a college degree. This provides us with a unique responsibility and opportunity to look creatively at filling this pipeline in a way that creates the workforce of the future for the UO while enhancing diversity and providing training and educational benefits to staff as appropriate. The resulting goal and process is stated below. Area of Emphasis III. Building Critical Mass IV. Expanding and Filling the Pipeline The role of units in the VPFA portfolio in connection with building critical mass and with expanding and filling the pipeline is well documented in the unit level reports. The missing component is purposefully recruiting and training individuals to provide skills that will prepare them as successful applicants for support positions. This is critical to the university’s ability to sustain a robust work force in an era of changing age demographics and in order to ensure that our workforce in support positions represents the diversity of individuals in the community available for these positions. Goal: To create an apprenticeship program that focuses on the recruitment and training of entry level individuals to positions that do not require a degree. The focus for this effort will be on individuals who otherwise might not have considered the University of Oregon a viable option for their employment. Actions: 1. Appoint task force to identify apprenticeship opportunities in trades, maintenance and office support positions. The task force should include individuals with experience or knowledge in alternative learning experiences or vocational education, connections to the K-12 community, and individuals representative of areas where apprenticeships may be appropriate. 2. Work with task force to focus on one or two promising opportunities among those selected. Develop program of recruitment, training and mentoring. Address issues of personnel management including supervision and compensation. Recommend budget and administrative structure. Indicators: 1. Successful program design by spring 2008 with goal of attracting high school or high school equivalency completers to begin apprenticeships in summer 2008. 2. Recruitment activities that attract desired apprenticeship candidates for successful program launch. 3. Proactive interest among current UO staff in providing mentoring and training for apprentices. 4. Participant satisfaction in program and success in finding permanent employment. Assessment instruments to be determined. Timeline: 1. Task force appointed summer 2007. 2. Program design by spring 2008. 3. Program launch summer 2008. Conclusion Those of us in leadership positions within this portfolio are excited about the institution’s commitment to a more diverse and welcoming environment at the University of Oregon. We look forward to the opportunities and rewards that continued efforts in these endeavors will create for all of us. Best regards, /s/ Frances Dyke Frances Dyke, CFO and Vice President for Finance and Administration University of Oregon Office of the Vice President for Finance and Administration Diversity Strategic Action Plan June 13, 2007 University of Oregon Diversity Strategic Action Plan for Office of the Vice President for Finance and Administration I. Mission of the Office of the Vice President for Finance and Administration The vice president for finance and administration (VPFA) advises the president and the provost on all financial matters. The VPFA manages support units including affirmative action and equal opportunity, budget and finance, campus operations, human resources, institutional research, public safety, and university planning. II. Organization structure/Units organization charts The attached chart (Attachment A) shows the organization structure of the VPFA office; a total of ten people work in this immediate office. III. History of diversity efforts in the unit The VPFA’s office has served as the focal point for the diversity efforts occurring across that division’s portfolio. The vice president for finance and administration will continue to provide the unifying force that addresses diversity strategic action plan efforts from the units across the VPFA portfolio. The vice president for finance and administration, along with other university administrators, also serves as a leader for these efforts throughout campus. Also, a number of staff from the VPFA office attended the diversity strategic action plan training sessions conducted by the Office of Institutional Equity and Diversity. Individual employees have attended relevant non-university training as well. For example, one staff member has attended continuing legal education training on “elimination of bias,” designed to educate attorneys in identifying and eliminating from the legal profession and from the practice of law biases against persons because of race, gender, economic status, creed, color, religion, national origin, disability, age or sexual orientation. IV. Resource Statement Staff time and resources have been used in creating this plan and will continue to be committed to the ongoing development of the plan in the future. In addition, the president, the provost, and the vice president for finance and administration will develop priorities for resources related to all college, school, and unit diversity action plans. 1 V. Plan Development/Committee Description An initial meeting was held for our employees to discuss the concept of diversity and to discuss the strategic action plan process. All employees in the VPFA office were invited to attend. This meeting was held in conjunction with the staff of the office of the president; the two offices were combined for this purpose as both are quite small. The initial meeting specifically discussed: 1. University Diversity Plan background; 2. How the Strategic Action Plan will relate to the Diversity Plan; 3. Proposed steps to follow in creating our Strategic Action Plan; and 4. Creation of Strategic Action Plan working committee. All employees were then given the opportunity to volunteer for participation on our diversity strategic action plan committee. Seven individuals from the office of the president and office of the vice president for finance and administration volunteered to serve on the committee; they comprise thirty percent of our total number of employees. The strategic action plan team subsequently met to: 1. Review in detail the Strategic Action Plan components and requirements; 2. Analyze past and current diversity efforts within our offices; and 3. Assess diversity climate in our offices. As part of our environmental scan, the Office of Affirmative Action & Equal Opportunity provided us with a demographic summary of the employees in our office. Another component of our environmental scan is a survey that will be administered to all employees (see Attachment C). The survey is mentioned below in Point 1 of the Six Areas of Content Emphasis. All committee members had an opportunity to review this plan. The committee will continue to meet to identify action items and further refine our strategic action plan in the future. Committee members have been asked to provide their own input and solicit input from other employees in our offices. Two of the challenges identified by the committee were opportunities for training for office staff and improving the materials available for visitors and prospective students by offering them in languages other than English—beginning with Spanish. VI. Diversity value statement Diversity is of value to our office because, as the university president has stated, racial and ethnic diversity are essential components of quality and success in academe. Our office interacts with a wide variety of people from across campus and around the world. It is crucial for us to be welcoming and inclusive of people from all backgrounds and cultures. 2 We discussed the following themes as part of these efforts: • Importance of making every employee/prospective employee a part of a community in which they belong and are valued. • The need to provide ethical leadership as part of the university’s diversity efforts. VII. For the purpose of this strategic plan, define diversity As indicated in the University’s mission statement, diversity, as “an affirmation of individual identity within a welcoming community,” is a core value in our commitment to educational excellence. The concept of diversity is also embodied in the University of Oregon policy “to promote the rights of all individuals to equal opportunity in education and employment without regard to race, color, sex, national origin, age, religion, martial status, disability, veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, or any other extraneous consideration not directly and substantively related to performance.” SIX AREAS OF CONTENT EMPHASIS Point 1 – Developing a Culturally Responsive Community Goal 1: Increase employees’ professional development. • Action 1: Administer survey to all employees in our offices (Attachment C). Measurement: ƒ Surveys administered ƒ Number of surveys received. ƒ Whether the feedback suggests a need to refine the way in which training opportunities are provided to employees. Timeline: September 2007 Responsibility: Brian Smith • Action 2: Track training received by employees. Measurement: Training being tracked. Timeline: Ongoing Responsibility: Colleen McKillip Goal 2: Increase the assistance in solving problems for visitors to our offices. For visitors to our offices who have challenges in verbal communication, provide them with assistive devices. • Action 1: Provide access to assistive devices for hearing-impaired callers and vision- impaired visitors to our offices. Measurement: All visitors with verbal impairments able to communicate with our office staff. Timeline: September 2007 Responsibility: Colleen McKillip 3 • Action 2: Provide campus information resource pamphlets in languages other than English for visitors to our offices. Measurement: Pamphlets provided. Timeline: September 2007 Responsibility: Colleen McKillip Point 2 – Improving Campus Climate Goal 1: Continue to serve as a catalytic leader for diversity efforts on campus. • Action 1: Continue to be involved as one of the leaders in these campus efforts. Measurement: Continued activities Timeline: Ongoing Responsibility: Frances Dyke • Action 2: Continue to provide the unifying force that addresses diversity strategic action plan efforts from the units across the VPFA portfolio. Measurement: ƒ Continued monthly meetings involving all associate vice presidents, directors, and the assistant vice president to address these issues. At these meetings, information about diversity planning efforts is shared and best practices are discussed. ƒ Increased sharing of ideas among these managers. Timeline: Ongoing Responsibility: Frances Dyke Point 3 – Building Critical Mass Goal 1: Increase outreach and recruitment that targets specific underutilized group members in our hiring processes. This applies specifically to searches in which an administrator in one of our offices is the direct hiring authority and/or chairs the search committee. • Action 1: Increase the use of targeted outreach to professional associations and listservs, especially those that focus on underutilized group members. Measurement: Increased targeted outreach occurring in each search. Timeline: Ongoing Responsibility: Any supervisor hiring an employee/chairing a search committee. • Action 2: When a search firm is used in the recruitment process, require the firm to conduct targeted outreach of underutilized group members. Measurement: Include language requiring targeted outreach in search firm contracts. Timeline: Ongoing Responsibility: Any supervisor hiring an employee/chairing a search committee. Point 4 – Expanding and Filling the Pipeline 4 Goal 1: Provide opportunities for students who are members of underutilized groups to experience career opportunities available in our offices. • Action 1: When hiring student workers and student interns, conduct targeted outreach for students who are members of underutilized groups. Measurement: Targeted outreach occurring in each hiring process. Timeline: Ongoing Responsibility: Any supervisor hiring a student worker. Point 5 – Developing and Strengthening Community Linkages Goal 1: Continue to serve as a catalytic leader for diversity efforts in the Eugene/Springfield community. • Action 1: Continue to seek opportunities for involvement such as that represented by the “Memorandum of Understanding Establishing a Diversity and Human Rights Consortium” (see Attachment B). Measurement: Continued activities Timeline: Ongoing Responsibility: Dave Frohnmayer & Frances Dyke Point 6 – Developing and Reinforcing Diversity Infrastructure Goal 1: Ensure that all new staff members in our offices are aware of internal policies, procedures and protocols relating to diversity issues. • Action 1: Provide one-on-one orientation for all new employees about all university policies and procedures as well as the history of diversity efforts in our offices and the future diversity activities that we will undertake. Measurement: All new hires receive orientation. Timeline: September 2007 Responsibility: Any staff member supervising an employee. 5 Attachment A: Office of the Vice President for Finance & Administration Organization Chart 6 Attachment B: History of Diversity Efforts (See following pages) 7 Attachment C: Survey Questions Please provide details for each of your answers. 1. Have you attended any training programs – at the university or elsewhere – related to any aspect of diversity? 2. Would you be interested in attending any such training programs on campus in the future? 3. Are there any other topics for training programs that would be of particular interest to you? 4. Does your office provide growth and advancement opportunities equally to all employees? 5. Does your office provide a comfortable work place atmosphere for employees? 6. Does your office provide job opportunities to people from a variety of backgrounds? 8 UNIVERSITY OF OREGON OFFICE OF AFFIRMATIVE ACTION AND EQUAL OPPORTUNITY Strategic Diversity Action Plan Revised June 18, 2007 OAAEO Strategic Diversity Action Plan 6/18/07 Page 1 Office of Affirmative Action and Equal Opportunity Strategic Diversity Action Plan OFFICE OF AFFIRMATIVE ACTION AND EQUAL OPPORTUNITY MISSION The mission of the Office of Affirmative Action and Equal Opportunity (OAAEO) is to work with all members of the University of Oregon community to help ensure that the university is meeting the letter and spirit of its legal obligations related to affirmative action, equal opportunity and nondiscrimination, and to support the university’s commitment to diversity. Inherent in that mission is the recognition that a diverse workforce and student body will bring different perspectives, experiences, ideas and solutions to the classroom and workplace that will enhance the learning experience for all, helping to advance the boundaries of knowledge and contributing to the university’s ability to develop innovative strategies to address challenges facing the institution and the larger community that it serves. The mission of the OAAEO is aligned with and supportive of the University of Oregon mission, including specifically “a dedication to the principles of equality of opportunity and freedom from unfair discrimination for all members of the university community and an acceptance of true diversity as an affirmation of individual identity within a welcoming environment.” Specific responsibilities of the OAAEO include: • serving as a resource to the campus community with respect to issues of affirmative action, equal opportunity and prohibited discrimination; • serving as the Discrimination Grievance Counselor for all members of the campus community with concerns about prohibited discrimination as provided in Oregon Administrative Rule 571-003-0025(3), and as the office of record for formal discrimination complaints by students; • serving as a resource and monitoring unclassified searches for compliance with affirmative action and equal opportunity obligations; • coordinating the employment provisions of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and addressing complaints from members of the public regarding access; • maintaining a current and compliant affirmative action plan and promoting campus understanding of affirmative action obligations. OAAEO Strategic Diversity Action Plan 6/18/07 Page 2 While the OAAEO’s primary responsibility is to help ensure institutional compliance with affirmative action and equal opportunity obligations, it can best serve that compliance role through proactive efforts to build understanding and support of underlying legal obligations and the institution’s independent commitment to diversity. As a result, we value the opportunity to train, guide, support, and serve as a sounding board for the university community on issues related to diversity. Staff at OAAEO continually strive to ensure that the office is accessible and supportive to all who have questions or concerns and that constituents and staff feel valued, safe and respected so that the OAAEO can serve as a value-added partner in the work of the university. See the attached for an organizational chart identifying the individuals and positions within the OAAEO. DEFINITION AND VALUE OF DIVERSITY The University’s Diversity Plan defines diversity as including, but not limited to, “differences based on race, ethnicity, national origin or citizenship, gender, religious affiliation or background, sexual orientation, gender identity, economic class or status, political affiliation or belief, and ability or disability.” The definition of ‘diversity’ is closely aligned to the university’s Equal Opportunity Policy, which is one of several core documents that guide the OAAEO’s work related to equal opportunity and prohibited discrimination. Even though the office has a primary compliance function, nearly all of its work is directly related to and supportive of equity and diversity. PAST DIVERSITY AND EQUITY EFFORTS Since virtually all of the work of the OAAEO is directed to ensuring equality of opportunity, acting affirmatively as needed to meet that goal, one of the challenges for the OAAEO in connection with the strategic diversity action planning process has been to think more critically about each component of the OAAEO’s work and how that relates to the university diversity plan, and then to critically evaluate how that work could better support the university’s overall diversity efforts. A review of past efforts related to diversity generally, as opposed to ensuring compliance with underlying legal obligations, identified a number of important past efforts. However, it also suggested a limited emphasis on proactive efforts related to compliance that directly support diversity (e.g. focusing more on technical and procedural compliance in the search process rather on the OAAEO Strategic Diversity Action Plan 6/18/07 Page 3 proactive efforts such as broader outreach and recruitment and discussion with search committees/hiring authorities regarding unintentional bias). For the past several years, the OAAEO has been focusing on proactive efforts. The OAAEO Strategic Diversity Action Plan (SDAP) includes a number of proposed actions and strategies in support of the university’s overall diversity efforts. Some are new but many reflect an extension of proactive efforts already underway. PLAN DEVELOPMENT AND PROCESS The OAAEO is a small, 5-person office. All members of the staff have been integrally included in the strategic planning process. The development of the office SDAP began with a staff retreat which provided the opportunity for review of the concept and definition of diversity, review of office history and mission, and review of past office diversity and equity efforts. Each staff member was asked to provide further input on past efforts, how the work and activities of the office contribute to diversity, and whether others should be involved or consulted in developing the OAAEO plan. A first draft of the SDAP was developed from input received during and following the planning retreat. A final draft of the SDAP was circulated to all staff for review and input. As to whether others should be involved or consulted in developing the SDAP, the consensus was that initial planning should reside with OAAEO staff. However, as part of its ongoing diversity effort, the OAAEO will solicit feedback and input from the following: administrative units with whom the OAAEO works closely, academic administrators, groups on campus representing the interests of underrepresented faculty, staff, and students, and other professionals and/or organizations with whom OAAEO might effectively partner in fulfilling its mission and responsibilities. AREAS OF EMPHASIS I. Developing a Culturally Responsive Community A culturally responsive community is one in which differences among constituents are acknowledged, valued and validated. The OAAEO recognizes that such differences may require different approaches in working with individuals from different backgrounds and abilities. In order to ensure an environment in which there is the opportunity for greater understanding, it is critically important that the OAAEO provide a safe and respectful environment for all members of the university community, whether that involves individuals OAAEO Strategic Diversity Action Plan 6/18/07 Page 4 with discrimination concerns, individuals whose behavior has been called into question, managers and supervisors seeking assistance in managing issues within their areas of responsibility, or anyone else with an affirmative action, equal opportunity or diversity related question or concern. The OAAEO has undergone a philosophical shift over the last four years, moving from a “compliance cops” to a “compliance partners” framework. Just as stereotyping can negatively affect the performance of students and employees, interacting with members of the campus community in a way that suggests a need for constant policing negatively affects the pride of engagement and accomplishment that ultimately will be the cornerstone of meaningful and sustained progress toward diversity. The shift is intended to communicate our confidence that we are all working positively toward the common goal of a campus community in which diversity is reflected, respected, and valued. Increased understanding among office staff of the role and responsibilities of the office, how day-to-day activities relate to and support underlying responsibilities, and how responsibilities relate to the broader goal of diversity has reinforced the underlying shift and contributed to more positive interactions with the campus community. Goal #1 To reinforce effective partnership with and support of campus efforts, continue efforts to increase understanding among staff of the role and mission of the OAAEO, including the relationship between affirmative action obligations and efforts relating to diversity. [Internal focus] Actions: 1. Provide staff with reading materials articulating the history, purpose, and foundations of Affirmative Action. 2. Schedule ongoing discussions on the subject to occur during staff meetings. 3. Ensure all staff receive training related to the work of the office, based on individualized needs. Indicators: • Evidence of greater understanding on the part of staff. • Improved communication among staff. • Occurrence of ongoing discussion of the history, purpose and legal foundation of affirmative action. • Receipt of training. OAAEO Strategic Diversity Action Plan 6/18/07 Page 5 Timeline: • Materials provided and discussions scheduled to occur beginning on or about July 1, 2007. • Training to occur on an ongoing basis. Responsibility: OAAEO Director and AA/EO Specialist Goal #2 Assess the success of the ongoing shift to serving as an effective partner. [External focus] Actions: 1. Develop continuous improvement feedback form(s) inviting input from campus constituents regarding their interactions with the OAAEO – whether they were consistently treated in a respectful manner, whether the assistance they received was effective, and whether there is additional information that would better assist with their understanding of affirmative action and equal opportunity obligations and/or institutional commitment to diversity. 2. Determine how and to whom the feedback form(s) should be distributed, e.g. to administrators, search committees, individuals seeking assistance, and others with whom the OAAEO works. 3. Distribute the feedback form(s) consistent with identified plan. 4. Review feedback form(s) on a regular basis. 5. Use feedback to guide any necessary training or other activity necessary to ensure that the OAAEO is providing effective service in a respectful and culturally sensitive manner. Indicators: • Number of feedback forms received. • Nature of feedback and whether it suggests need to further refine the way in which the office interacts with campus constituents. Timeline: • Feedback form(s) developed by September 30, 2007. Responsibility: OAAEO Director, AA/EO Specialist, Office Manager/Executive Assistant, and Compliance Assistant OAAEO Strategic Diversity Action Plan 6/18/07 Page 6 Goal #3 Participate in presentation of training opportunities that contribute to a more culturally responsive community. [External focus] Actions: • Continue to participate in training opportunities that address affirmative action, equal opportunity and diversity, both as an invited participant with other offices such as Human Resources and independently developing training unique to OAAEO objectives. Indicators: • Training that helps build understanding of affirmative action, equal opportunity and diversity continues to be available to the campus community, contributing to overall understanding and a more culturally responsive campus community. Timeline: • Ongoing Responsibility: OAAEO Director and AA/EO Specialist II. Improving Campus Climate OAAEO has the opportunity to impact and improve campus climate through the assistance and support it provides to other units on campus in connection with hiring, assistance in managing and resolving concerns relating to possible discrimination or harassment, and in coordinating the employment provisions of the ADA. In all of its work, the OAAEO seeks to assist units in recognizing that providing an environment in which individuals feel valued, safe, and respected contributes positively to the work of the unit, but sometimes requires a different approach and viewing a situation from a different perspective. The goal of the OAAEO in all of its work is to help build understanding, and through that increased understanding, help units reach positive resolution to issues involving possible affirmative action or equal opportunity issues. Helping units to resolve issues at the lowest level possible, and as early as possible, typically leads to a more comprehensive, sustained and positive resolution. OAAEO has seen an increase in the number of requests for assistance with informal complaint resolution. OAAEO assistance has been in the form of informal review, coaching, problem-solving, and training. The increasing OAAEO Strategic Diversity Action Plan 6/18/07 Page 7 number of requests and informal feedback received to date suggest an increased confidence on the part of campus constituents that OAAEO is an effective partner in problem resolution. We will continue to nurture that confidence, since early, informal problem resolution minimizes the potential damage from tension within a classroom or workplace, saves the institution the time and effort involved in responding to more involved formal complaints, and contributes to a campus climate in which constituents feel their concerns will be heard and addressed. The OAAEO works closely with several offices and organizations on campus that address campus climate issues. These include, but are not limited to: the Office of Institutional Equity & Diversity, Human Resources, Student Life including in particular the Bias Response Team and the Office of Conflict Resolution, Disability Issues and Advisory Committee, and the President’s Council on Race. Goal #1 Continue efforts to assist campus constituents with early and comprehensive informal complaint resolution. [External focus] Actions: 1. Develop tools to more effectively communicate the availability of OAAEO to assist with informal complaint resolution – whether an update of the OAAEO brochure, a regular newsletter, or other communication tool. 2. Develop a plan for distributing information regarding the OAAEO services in connection with informal complaint resolution so that students, staff, faculty and administrators who might need assistance know that OAAEO is a possible resource. 3. Schedule meetings with Vice Presidents, Deans, Department Heads, and Directors of major organizational units, particularly those in which there have been past formal or informal issues of possible discrimination or harassment, to review how the OAAEO can best assist organizational units in connection with any emerging issues. 4. Reinforce and expand outreach efforts to other offices to more effectively communicate the availability of OAAEO services in connection with informal complaint resolution. Indicators: • Number of instances in which OAAEO provides informal assistance with problem resolution. OAAEO Strategic Diversity Action Plan 6/18/07 Page 8 Timeline: • Information tool(s) and distribution plan to be developed by September 15, 2007. • Scheduling of meetings with Vice Presidents and Deans to be initiated by September 15, 2007; schedule for meetings with Department Heads, and directors of major organizational units to be developed in conjunction with the Vice Presidents and Deans. • Ongoing outreach to other offices to be ongoing. Responsibility: OAAEO Director, AA/EO Specialist, Office Manager/Executive Assistant III. Building Critical Mass The ability to recruit and retain talented employees who possess diverse skill sets, who can effectively work with individuals from diverse populations, and provide new ways to serve diverse communities is crucial to the success of an organization in our increasingly global society. The university’s ability to attract and effectively serve a more diverse community necessarily requires recruiting and retaining a workforce that reflects the diversity of the population the University of Oregon aspires to serve. The OAAEO has both an internal and external role in connection with building critical mass. Internally, the OAAEO is committed to fostering diversity within its own workforce, as well as ensuring an environment in which all staff feel valued and respected. As a small office with a largely stable staff, the OAAEO has had very few opportunities to hire in the last several years. As hiring opportunities arise, OAAEO is committed to conducting model searches. The OAAEO has a total of five employees. Within the last year, one person of color resigned to take a higher level position; a person of color was hired to fill that vacancy. Both women and people of color are well represented within the office (100% and 40% representation, respectively). With limited opportunities for hire, recent efforts have focused on professional development, both to assist employees in having a more comprehensive understanding of the work of the office and as a way of enhancing the work experience for staff. Three employees, including both employees of color, attended job-related conferences or participated in other professional development opportunities in the last year. Consistent with office needs, the OAAEO Strategic Diversity Action Plan 6/18/07 Page 9 duties and responsibilities of all employees have changed and, in several cases, expanded, providing an opportunity for greater job satisfaction. A concerted effort has been made to provide informal mentoring for all staff. Externally, the OAAEO’s efforts are to build campus-wide understanding of and genuine support for the institution’s affirmative action and equal opportunity obligations. OAAEO strives to serve as a partner and resource in connection with unclassified hires, working with hiring authorities to ensure compliance with affirmative action and equal opportunity obligations, encouraging and supporting appropriate affirmative efforts to increase diversity in our applicant pools and among new hires. In support of that effort, OAAEO is working on building an on-line compendium of outreach and recruitment resources that will be readily available and easy to use for hiring authorities and search committees. To date, the office has made strides in its work to generate better understanding and support for affirmative action. An increasing number of units are engaging in substantive and innovative efforts to attract diverse applicant pools, are engaging in appropriate affirmative steps in the hiring process, and utilizing the expertise and resources of the OAAEO. Goal #1 Identify avenues of outreach and recruitment most likely to reach and attract diverse applicant pools, and make those readily available to campus hiring authorities in an easy-to-use format online. [External focus] Actions: 1. Compile a directory of outreach and recruitment resources, including hard copy and electronic venues, professional and academic organizations, colleges and universities with significant enrollments of women and minority students, etc. 2. Make that directory, organized in a manner that facilitates easy use, available on the Affirmative Action and Human Resources web pages. Indicators: • Directory of outreach and recruitment resources readily available on line. • Increased efforts of targeted recruitment and outreach efforts. Timeline: • Have directory of outreach and recruitment resources posted on-line by September 15, 2007, with additions and refinement ongoing thereafter. OAAEO Strategic Diversity Action Plan 6/18/07 Page 10 Responsibility: OAAEO Director, AA/EO Specialist, Office Manager/Executive Assistant Goal #2 Continue efforts to increase the understanding of hiring authorities and search committees as to how aspects of the search process can contribute to or detract from their ongoing diversity efforts, and to encourage search committees to act affirmatively during the search process. [External focus] Actions: 1. Use information gleaned from continuous improvement feedback forms (Area of Emphasis I, Goal 2, above) to better understand what information hiring authorities and/or search committees find most helpful and what topics they would like to know more about. 2. Use information obtained from meetings with vice presidents, deans, department heads and directors (Area of Emphasis II, Goal 1, above) to inform ongoing development of search committee briefings and other resources, such as compendium of carefully selected articles and other readings that address the value of diversity and practices that contribute to or detract from diversity. 3. Revise the search committee briefings per information received from items #1 and 2. 4. Track and compile data regarding searches in which hiring authorities/search committees are requesting information regarding diversity of applicant pool at the start of the application review and at other relevant points during the search process. Indicators: • Search committee briefing and other resources refined to more effectively communicate both legal obligations and strategies supporting greater diversity. • Increase in the number of hiring authorities/search committees engaging in affirmative steps, such as checking on the diversity of applicant pool throughout search process. Timeline: • Search committee briefing and development of additional supporting resources updated by September 15, 2007 for start of the new academic search season, with further refinement based on feedback and information from relevant administrators as received. OAAEO Strategic Diversity Action Plan 6/18/07 Page 11 • Compilation of data regarding search committee exploration of diversity of applicant pools to begin March 15, 2007. Responsibility: OAAEO Director, AA/EO Specialist, Office Manager/Executive Assistant Goal #3 Evaluate what data is most useful to campus administrators in understanding areas in which further work is needed to have a workforce representative of availability, and how searches and promotions are contributing to addressing areas of under-representation. [External focus] Actions: 1. Maintain current information regarding availability and under- representation. 2. Develop annual report of hiring and promotion activity and how that contributes to addressing areas of under-representation. Review that report with Provost/Sr. Vice President and Vice Presidents for efficacy in helping campus administrators better understand where further affirmative efforts are needed. Indicators: • Current availability and under-representation data available to share with hiring authorities and search committees. • Annual report more closely linking department and organizational unit activity to areas of under-representation. Timeline: • Data and plan to be updated annually. • Report of hiring activity to be developed by December 31, 2007. Responsibility: OAAEO Director, AA/EO Specialist, Office Manager/Executive Assistant, Data Collection Coordinator Goal #4 Support use of innovative recruitment and search strategies and practices among largely autonomous units across campus; recognize and celebrate successful efforts. [External focus] OAAEO Strategic Diversity Action Plan 6/18/07 Page 12 Actions: 1. Develop process for collecting innovative strategies and practices from ongoing search activities. 2. Develop and implement effective avenues for communicating those strategies, e.g. a regular newsletter or an innovative practices piece on the Affirmative Action Office webpage, in order to maximize sharing of information regarding successful strategies and minimize the extent to which individual units may be reinventing the same strategies. 3. Explore appropriate avenues for celebrating successful efforts in ways that will motivate ongoing diversity efforts. Indicators: • Information regarding innovative strategies and practices readily available to hiring authorities and search committees. • Successful efforts recognized and celebrated. Timeline: • Process for collecting innovative strategies and practices developed and implemented by July 1, 2007. • Communication of innovative strategies and practices initiated by September 15, 2007. • Discussion/coordination with appropriate university administrators (Vice Provost for Academic Affairs, Vice Provost for Institutional Equity & Diversity, Associate Vice President for Human Resources) regarding avenues for celebrating successful efforts initiated by September 15, 2007, with timetable for implementation determined through those discussions. Responsibility: OAAEO Staff IV. Expanding and Filling the Pipeline The OAAEO’s role in connection with expanding and filling the pipeline primarily involves encouraging and promoting the hiring, promotion, retention, and development of individuals from underrepresented groups within the office. Most of that effort is in connection with its support and monitoring of the unclassified search process, addressed in Area of Emphasis III above. The OAAEO regularly employs one or more student workers. Working with the Office of Multicultural Academic Support, we have been successful in identifying students to fill those positions. The office will continue that practice. OAAEO Strategic Diversity Action Plan 6/18/07 Page 13 OAAEO will continue to explore avenues by which it can contribute to campus efforts to attract, retain and provide a rewarding and enriching experience for an increasingly diverse student body. Goal #1 Increase the efforts to attract student workers from underrepresented groups when such positions are open. [Internal focus] Actions: 1. Work with the Office of Multicultural Academic Support to post available positions. 2. Notify student unions of available positions. Indicators: • Ongoing diversity among student workers. Timeline: • Ongoing as positions become available Responsibility: OAAEO Director and Office Manager/Executive Assistant Goal #2 Foster an inclusive environment within OAAEO in which employees have a clear understanding of the values and expectations for how we work together in fulfilling our mission and are valued and treated with respect. Actions: 1. Hold staff retreats bi-annually. 2. Develop a statement of value and expectations to be distributed to all staff. 3. Engage staff in a focused discussion regarding avenues for staff input related to office climate and effective teamwork. Develop appropriate avenues for input based on that discussion. 4. Take action as necessary in response to staff input regarding office climate and teamwork. 5. Ensure understanding among staff regarding individual roles and responsibilities, and how each staff member’s work contributes to overall compliance and supports the work of the OAAEO. OAAEO Strategic Diversity Action Plan 6/18/07 Page 14 Indicators: • Occurrence of regular staff retreats. • Discussion of safe avenues for staff input, and implementation of those avenues. • Increasingly effective teamwork. Timeline: • Staff retreats to begin by December 31, 2007. • Statement of values and expectations to be developed and shared with staff by September 30, 2007. • Focused discussion regarding avenues for staff input following distribution of statement of values and expectations, with implementation to follow. • Discussion regarding roles, responsibilities and how those contribute to overall work of OAAEO ongoing. Responsibility: OAAEO staff V. Developing and Strengthening Community Linkages Developing and maintaining ties with other organizations, both on and off campus, is important to ensuring the most comprehensive and effective support of institutional efforts in support of diversity and the university's increasingly diverse community. OAAEO regularly partners with a number of campus-based groups and offices, including the OIED affiliates, Human Resources, President’s Council on Race, Bias Response Team, various offices within Student Affairs, and others. In addition, OAAEO regularly receive requests to provide support to other areas in ways that are related but not necessarily part of our core function – participating in the Law School Mediation Training, making presentations to student groups and classes. While OAAEO recognizes the value of community linkages and has established relationships with some local public agencies, to date those have not received the same level of attention as on-campus partnerships. The limited number of OAAEO staff and the volume of OAAEO work make spending time away from the duties of the office a significant challenge. Thus, staff must regularly make decisions about priorities and the use of time. OAAEO Strategic Diversity Action Plan 6/18/07 Page 15 Goal #1 Maintain relationships with individuals and organizations within and outside of the UO community. [External focus] Actions: 1. Continue to nurture existing relationships with individuals, offices and organizations whose work is related to the functions of the OAAEO. 2. Continue to seek out opportunities to work with, support and assist OAAEO partners. 3. Provide opportunities for all OAAEO staff to be involved with partners. Indicators: • Continued and expanded internal and external relationships • Continued opportunities to work with partners • Increased involvement of OAAEO staff in internal and external relationships Timeline: • Ongoing • Increased involvement to occur as opportunities arise and are consistent with current priorities. Responsibility: OAAEO Staff VI. Developing and Reinforcing Diversity Infrastructure Given its compliance function, the OAAEO plays a central and critical role in the campus infrastructure supporting diversity. All aspects of OAAEO work – support and monitoring of the unclassified hiring process, formal and informal complaint assistance, coordination of the employment provisions of the ADA, and development of the campus affirmative action plan – are part of the diversity infrastructure. The office serves a key role in communicating, explaining, interpreting and ensuring compliance with university policies and procedures related to affirmative action and equal opportunity. The office also serves a role in the ongoing review and updating of existing policies and procedures. Given the multiple informal and formal discrimination complaint processes available on campus, there is confusion within the campus community about what office(s) can provide what assistance. The lack of a single, clearly articulated complaint process for addressing discrimination concerns makes it OAAEO Strategic Diversity Action Plan 6/18/07 Page 16 difficult to ensure constituents are aware of their options for addressing complaints and may result in some concerns going unaddressed. Providing multiple entry points for addressing concerns can increase the likelihood that an individual will find some means to make their concern known. However, it also creates a significant challenge in terms of ensuring appropriate coordination and consistency in response, overcoming the current confusion as to where to refer individuals with discrimination and harassment concerns, and allowing for a broad and comprehensive understanding of campus climate based on the volume and nature of reported concerns. Further review is needed of whether the campus would be better served by a single discrimination complaint process. The OAAEO serves as the office of record for formal discrimination complaints by students that involve behaviors by university employees. In addition, the OAAEO is typically asked to conduct investigations in connection with formal discrimination complaints brought by classified and unclassified staff through the complaint processes available to those employees. In every case, the OAAEO is committed to conducting objective and thorough investigations, serving as an objective fact-finder and treating complainants, respondents and witnesses with the utmost respect. While the office has established policies and procedures related to all aspects of its work, those have not been formally compiled into a policies and procedures manual readily available for review within or outside of the office. Systematically compiling a formal policies and procedures manual will serve as a resource for staff within the office, and provide useful information that can be shared with others as appropriate – e.g. a written explanation of the interactive ADA eligibility/accommodation process for supervisors and employees interested in engaging in that process. Goal #1 Work with the Office of Institutional Equity and Diversity, Human Resources, and other offices that may be appropriate to evaluate whether the university would be better served by having a single discrimination complaint process for all members of the university community. [External focus] Actions: 1. Begin discussion with OIED and HR regarding the possible benefits and/or pitfalls of a single discrimination complaint process. 2. Identify other parties that need to be engaged in ongoing evaluation of current discrimination complaint processes, and initiate further discussion as appropriate. OAAEO Strategic Diversity Action Plan 6/18/07 Page 17 Indicators: • Better understanding of whether current complaint processes are most effectively serving the university. • Development of improved process(es) as needed to ensure that discrimination complaint process is effective, accessible and understood by the campus community. Timeline: • Schedule initial discussion between OIED and HR prior to the start of Fall Term 2007. • Further action and timeline dependent on that initial discussion. Responsibility: OAAEO Director, AA/EO Specialist Goal #2 Ensure that OAAEO reports of formal investigations are comprehensive and effectively communicate to the Affirmative Action Administrative Council (AAAC) or other decision makers the specifics of the discrimination concern(s) raised by the complainant and evidence relevant to those concern(s) so that decision makers are able to make fair and informed decisions fully supported by underlying evidence. [External focus] Actions: 1. Develop feedback form to be completed by AAAC and other decision makers following a formal grievance investigation. 2. Take appropriate steps per item #1. Indicators: • Feedback received from AAAC and other designated decision makers in the classified and faculty grievance processes. • Investigative process strengthened to better support the formal complaint process and needs of decision makers. Timeline: • Feedback form developed by September 30, 2007. • Implementation by December 31, 2007, with each new formal complaint investigation. Responsibility: OAAEO Director and AA/EO Specialist OAAEO Strategic Diversity Action Plan 6/18/07 Page 18 Goal #3 Review formal and informal complaints and evaluate complaint processes to identify any areas for improvement. [Internal focus] Actions: 1. Conduct annual review of cases to determine if there are repeat actions or behaviors, or if cases are being appealed elsewhere. 2. If review suggests areas for improvement, make appropriate adjustments in process. 3. Generate annual report reflecting the number of formal and informal complaints, the bases for the complaints, and the outcome (cause finding, no cause finding, informal resolution, no resolution reached, etc.) Indicators: • Number of repeat actions or behaviors. • Number of appeals. • Adjustments to processes if warranted. • Number and nature of complaints annually. Timeline: • Review to occur within one year and annually thereafter. Responsibility: OAAEO Director, AA/EO Specialist, Office Manager/Executive Assistant, Data Collection Coordinator Goal #4 Review ADA cases and evaluate the ADA eligibility/accommodation process to identify any areas for improvement. [Internal focus] Action: 1. Conduct annual review all new ADA requests to ensure that each matter has been appropriately pursued and documented. 2. If review suggests any areas for improvement, make appropriate adjustments in process. 3. Generate annual report regarding the number and outcome (accommodation provided, eligible but no accommodation identified, not eligible, etc.) of active ADA requests. OAAEO Strategic Diversity Action Plan 6/18/07 Page 19 Indicators: • Number of ADA requests. • Adjustments to process if warranted. • Number and outcome of ADA requests. Timeline: • Review to occur within one year and annually thereafter Responsibility: OAAEO Director, AA/EO Specialist, Office Manager/Executive Assistant, Data Collection Coordinator Goal #5 Systematically compile existing OAAEO policies, procedures and practices into a formal policies and procedures manual. [Internal focus] Actions: 1. Identify all existing office policies, procedures, and practices. 2. Review policies, procedures, and practices for any necessary updating 3. Compile updated policies, procedures and practices into a formal policy and procedure manual. Indicators: • Development of a comprehensive OAAEO Policies & Procedures Manual. Timeline: • Identification and review of policies, procedures, and practices to occur by December 31, 2007, with compilation into a formal Policy and Procedure Manual by March 31, 2008. Responsibility OAAEO Staff OAAEO Strategic Diversity Action Plan 6/18/07 Page 20 RESOURCE STATEMENT The OAAEO Strategic Diversity Action Plan will require significant staff time. Actions requiring data collection will require both staff time and some monetary cost in producing information collecting tools. There will also be some monetary cost involved in producing information sharing materials, conducting retreats, and training. OAAEO will have a better understanding of the resource implications of its strategic diversity action plan as the planning process continues. Office of Affirmative Action and Equal Opportunity Organizational Chart OAAEO Strategic Diversity Action Plan 6/18/07 Page 21 University of Oregon Strategic Diversity Action Plan Budget and Finance Division ƒ Budget and Resource Planning ƒ Business Affairs ƒ Purchasing and Contracting Services ƒ Printing and Mailing Services I. Mission and Guiding Principles The units of the Budget and Finance division serve the teaching, research, and public service missions of the university by: ƒ providing effective, proactive, and responsive financial and business services; ƒ promoting progressive and sustainable business practices; and ƒ ensuring appropriate stewardship of the university’s resources. We serve as a strategic partner with the university’s core academic mission – anticipating needs and seeking ways to enable its success. The attached memorandum titled “Values and Expectations” (Attachment A) forms the basis for how we expect to work together in fulfilling our mission. II. Organizational Structure The attached organizational chart (Attachment B) shows the alignment of functions within the Budget and Finance area. Attachment C provides a snapshot of current employee demographics. III. History of Diversity Efforts / Creating Change Budget and Finance areas have seen significant change in the past two years – particularly in leadership, organization, and culture. Upon the retirement of the former Business Affairs Director, the university consolidated business and finance areas under the leadership of an associate vice president position in order to enhance coordination and communication between these critical functions. This organizational change, and subsequent administrative transitions, has opened the way to a process of assessment, restructuring, and redirection. Organizational changes in the past year have included: (1) restructuring of the Business Affairs Office and creation of three newly configured functional units reporting to the AVP (Business Affairs, Purchasing and Contracting Services, and Printing and Mailing Services); (2) refocusing the Office of Resource Management and recognizing Budget and Finance - March 2007 Revision Page 1 Institutional Research and Budget and Resource Planning as connected yet distinct functions; and (3) defining organizational needs and recruiting new leaders to assume vacant or recently restructured roles within these functions. As is true with any significant transformation, these changes have created both challenges and opportunities for individuals and the organization as a whole. Change creates uncertainty and at times impatience, as employees and customers wonder what is to come. Change shakes us out of our comfort zones, and this can be alternatively exciting and stressful. Most significantly, change creates many opportunities for dialogue – about what has been, what is to come, what we are, what we will be, and how we serve the university. Organizational changes allow us the opportunity to rediscover what we do and how we relate to others in doing it. Over the past months, many such conversations have taken place, and diversity-related topics have been a central component of many of these discussions. In addition to these more global conversations, the following are efforts devoted specifically to diversity topics: ƒ Recent staff meetings have included guest speakers from: o Disability Services o Many Nations Longhouse o Nontraditional Students Union ƒ Attendance was encouraged, and many staff participated, in the forums on Cultural Competency. Several follow-up meetings were held to continue discussions between staff who were able to attend and those who were not. ƒ Attendance was encouraged, and many staff participated, in the dedication of the Many Nations Longhouse. ƒ Attendance was encouraged, and many staff participated, in University Senate meeting discussions regarding the UO Diversity Plan. ƒ Several emergent issues enabled open and productive discussions regarding issues of free speech, religious differences, and workplace culture and climate. ƒ Budget and Finance areas have actively engaged in working with Minority, Women, and Emerging Small Business owners to educate them on our purchasing and contracting processes in order to increase participation by MWESB vendors. ƒ Recruiting, hiring, and promotion policies and practices have been changed to ensure a culture that promotes and supports diversity. ƒ Salary equity analyses have been performed and a number of inequities addressed through reclassifications and the recent salary increase process. ƒ The memorandum titled “Values and Expectations” has been distributed to and discussed with division employees. IV. Resource Statement Units within Budget and Finance are in the process of reassessing the resources needed to best serve their mission and the future needs of the university, and this has Budget and Finance - March 2007 Revision Page 2 included a re-evaluation of the utilization of resources for professional development. In the coming year, we will be focusing staff training and education efforts on a portfolio of topics derived from planning discussions over the past several months. The framework for these efforts includes: (1) identifying skills and abilities needed to perform individual jobs; (2) identifying skills and abilities needed to perform collectively as a team; and (3) identifying opportunities and resources for training and development that enhance these skills and abilities. V. Process for Plan Development The diversity plan for the Budget and Finance areas is an evolving work in progress and will continue to be revised as it is informed by more detailed exploration of each of the six areas of emphasis. As key leadership positions are filled in the various units and we proceed, we will continue to refine and formalize strategic and implementation plans for our work. In the past year an informal environmental scan process has been conducted as new leadership has become familiar with the division. This process has included discussions between the associate vice president and various university constituencies regarding the services provided by the Budget and Finance areas; small group and individual discussions with staff; and participation in university-wide and divisional forums regarding diversity topics. Based on consultation with division staff and managers, a next step in the development of the areas of emphasis will be to engage in a more formalized environmental scan process. The following next steps are planned for implementation: (1) appointment of a committee to work with the associate vice president on workplace climate issues and to assess customer service areas; and (2) working with Institutional Research and OIED to develop survey instruments to assess opportunities and challenges in the area of workplace, customer service, and community interaction; and (3) identifying implementation actions for programs responsive to the development areas identified. VI. Diversity Value Statement The UO Diversity Plan describes diversity as “differences based on race and ethnicity, national origin or citizenship, gender, religious affiliation or background, sexual orientation, gender identity, economic class or status, political affiliation or belief, and ability or disability.” A diversity of ideas is another important quality that we value. Promoting an environment where different points of view and the ability to question are encouraged, valued, and supported is vital to an organizational culture that is rich, dynamic, and open to change. Budget and Finance - March 2007 Revision Page 3 Valuing diversity in all aspects of our work and in our interactions with our customers and constituents is vital and integral to our success. As such, our strategic actions in support of diversity are integrated with our overall strategic planning – they are not considered a “program” or an add-on activity. AREAS OF EMPHASIS Point 1: Developing a Culturally Responsive Community Developing and providing a culturally responsive community is essential to our ability to work together as a team within the Budget and Finance areas and to partner with our many constituencies, including students, faculty, staff, parents, vendors, etc. As such, we view a culturally responsive community as an integral component of what we need to be in order to succeed. Goal 1: Promote an inclusive and respectful workplace climate within all units of Budget and Finance. Action Items: 1. Through collaborative efforts, identify strengths and areas for improvement in workplace climate in Budget and Finance areas. a. Measurement: Completed assessment of workplace climate and documentation of action plan to address areas needing improvement. b. Timeline: June 2008 c. Responsibility: AVP with diversity planning committee 2. Finalize an annual plan for professional development that addresses both corporate and position-specific development needs and that features diversity topics as a vital component. a. Measurement: Completed plan and progress report documenting attendance in professional development sessions. b. Timeline: June 2008 c. Responsibility: AVP, all managers and supervisors 3. Ensure that statement on values and expectations is shared with all new employees as part of the orientation process. a. Measurement: Documentation by managers that this has been completed. b. Timeline: Ongoing c. Responsibility: AVP, all supervisors 4. Ensure that the statement, “Ability to work effectively with faculty, staff and students from a variety of diverse backgrounds” is included as a required qualification in all position announcements. Ensure that the statement, “The Budget and Finance - March 2007 Revision Page 4 successful candidate will possess a leadership style that reflects modern management practices and promotes diversity in the workplace” is included as a required qualification in all supervisory position announcements. a. Measurement: Documented postings that include this language. b. Timeline: Ongoing c. Responsibility: AVP, all supervisors 5. Ensure that performance evaluations for all employees include an assessment of the individual’s ability to interact with colleagues and constituencies in a respectful and inclusive manner. For supervisory employees, this evaluation will include an assessment of the individual’s actions in promoting a positive workplace climate. Where areas for improvement are noted, there will be an accompanying suggested plan for development. a. Measurement: Documented assessment in performance evaluation narrative. b. Timeline: All evaluations completed after April 1, 2007 c. Responsibility: AVP, all supervisors 6. Hold periodic informal cross-functional employee discussions to provide information, answer questions, and discuss employee concerns. a. Measurement: Completed sessions and documented follow-up actions as appropriate. b. Timeline: Ongoing c. Responsibility: AVP Goal 2: Promote interactions and relationships with all constituencies that provide a welcoming and inclusive environment that is respectful of diverse members. Action Items: 1. Identify strengths and areas for improvement in customer service in all Budget and Finance areas. This comprehensive assessment will include specific queries regarding accessibility of services to constituents of diverse background and ability. a. Measurement: Completed assessment of customer services (via survey) and documentation of action plan to address areas needing improvement. b. Timeline: June 2008 c. Responsibility: AVP with diversity planning committee 2. Continue and expand work with OUS regarding vendor relationships with Minority, Women, and Emerging Small Business Owners to enhance competition for university purchasing and contracts. a. Measurement: Completed education sessions held with MWESB constituents; documented advertising for contracts and purchasing that promotes MWESB participation. Budget and Finance - March 2007 Revision Page 5 b. Timeline: Ongoing c. Responsibility: Purchasing and Contracting Services 3. Encourage employee participation in university discussions that focus on diversity topics, particularly with regard to anticipating future customer needs related to changing demographics. a. Measurement: Attendance at relevant sessions and follow-up staff meeting discussions. b. Timeline: Ongoing c. Responsibility: AVP, all supervisors Point 2: Improving Campus Climate As key service units of the university, the work of Budget and Finance entails a great deal of contact with a wide variety of constituencies. To supplement measures aimed at promoting a comprehensive cultural understanding, it is important to promote positive resolution skills to address the inevitable conflicts that arise in any large and complex environment. Goal 1: Improve and enhance conflict resolution skills among Budget and Finance employees. Action items: 1. Provide professional development sessions for all employees that provide tools and resources for preventing, mediating, and resolving conflicts, including harassment and discrimination complaints. a. Measurement: Attendance at relevant sessions and follow-up staff meeting discussions. b. Timeline: June 2008 c. Responsibility: AVP Point 3: Building a Critical Mass Recently, hiring and promotion practices within Budget and Finance areas have been reviewed and changes implemented to enhance recruitment and retention of a more diverse workforce. Looking forward, it is important to continue work in these areas to ensure a diverse organization that is robust and well-poised to serve the changing needs of an increasingly global and dynamic university. Goal 1: Enhance recruitment practices to attract a diverse pool of applicants. Action items: 1. In consultation with Human Resources and the Affirmative Action Office, assess recent recruitment processes to better understand applicant demographics, Budget and Finance - March 2007 Revision Page 6 advertising approaches that have yielded applications, and recruitment strategies that may be yet untapped. Discuss findings and strategies with supervisors to support future recruitments. a. Measurement: Size and diversity of future applicant pools. b. Timeline: Ongoing c. Responsibility: AVP, all supervisors Goal 2: Enhance employee retention practices. Action items: 1. Conduct exit interviews of all employees who leave the university or the department to enhance our understanding of factors that influenced their departure. Identify any workplace issues needing improvement and communicate with appropriate university constituencies in a manner that respects confidentiality. a. Measurement: Completion of exit interviews and demonstrated meaningful follow-up. b. Timeline: Any employees leaving Budget and Finance departments or the university after April 1, 2007. c. Responsibility: All supervisors 2. Explore the nature and effectiveness of current departmental employee recognition programs and make recommendations for improvements. a. Measurement: Demonstrated implementation of recommendations. b. Timeline: June 2008 c. Responsibility: AVP with diversity planning committee 3. Explore and develop career tracks that aid in employee development and organization succession planning. Evaluate obstacles to employee development and strategies for promoting career growth. a. Measurement: Documented development of departmental career path strategies. b. Timeline: Evaluation phase – (July 2008); Implementation (TBD) c. Responsibility: AVP with diversity planning committee, Human Resources, and others as appropriate Point 4: Expanding and Filling the Pipeline Outreach to K-12 students and development of university pipeline programs is a goal of the Diversity Plan for the University of Oregon. Development of such programs may imply a need for different business models that provide incentives to academic units engaged in these activities. Goal 1: Explore potential financial models to support planned outreach programs in support of diversity and recruitment. Budget and Finance - March 2007 Revision Page 7 Action items: 1. Advise on financial strategies, assess best practices, and perform financial modeling as requested to support institutional goals. a. Measurement: Completed development of financial allocation models. b. Timeline: TBD based on institutional planning c. Responsibility: Budget and Resource Planning Point 5: Developing and Strengthening Community Linkages Engagement in the local community enhances the experience and perspective of individual employees, brings information-sharing to the work environment, supports recruitment, and increases the visibility of the university in the community. A number of Budget and Finance staff are engaged in local activities, and it is important to support and encourage employees in participating in the broader community. Goal 1: Increase employee awareness and encourage employees to participate in community organizations / activities – particularly in areas that promote diversity. Action items: 1. Schedule guest speakers from local organizations to speak on community and diversity topics as part of regular staff meetings. a. Measurement: Number of guest speakers hosted by Budget and Finance b. Timeline: June 2008 c. Responsibility: AVP with diversity planning committee 2. Recognize employee participation in community activities as a beneficial complement to their regular university duties. a. Measurement: Inclusion in the employee evaluation process b. Timeline: Employee evaluations completed after April 1, 2007 c. Responsibility: AVP with diversity planning committee Point 6: Developing and Reinforcing Diversity Infrastructure Goal 1: Participate as an active partner with the Office of Institutional Equity and Diversity in the continuous development and implementation of diversity initiatives in the Budget and Finance areas. Goal 2: Ensure dissemination and continued discussion of this Strategic Diversity Action Plan with all Budget and Finance employees. Goal 3: Work collaboratively with university partners to support diversity plan initiatives across the institution. Budget and Finance - March 2007 Revision Page 8 Attachment C Associate VP for Budget and Finance Area Employee Counts Gender Ethnicity Area/Type Total Female Male Asian Black Hispanic Native American Pacific Islander Multi- Ethnic White Declined Budget and Resource Planning Admin 14.286% 14.286% 0.000% 0.000% 0.000% 0.000% 0.000% 0.000% 0.000% 0.000% 14.286% OA 57.143% 42.857% 14.286% 0.000% 0.000% 0.000% 0.000% 0.000% 0.000% 57.143% 0.000% Student 28.571% 28.571% 0.000% 0.000% 0.000% 14.286% 0.000% 0.000% 0.000% 14.286% 0.000% Total, Bdgt & Resource Plan 100.000% 85.71% 14.286% 0 0 14.286% 0 0 0 71.429% 14.286% Business Affairs Office Admin 1.471% 0.000% 1.471% 0.000% 0.000% 0.000% 0.000% 0.000% 0.000% 1.471% 0.000% Staff 63.235% 45.588% 17.647% 1.471% 1.471% 1.471% 0.000% 0.000% 0.000% 58.824% 0.000% OA 27.941% 20.588% 7.353% 1.471% 0.000% 0.000% 1.471% 0.000% 0.000% 25.000% 0.000% Student 7.353% 7.353% 0.000% 0.000% 0.000% 0.000% 0.000% 0.000% 1.471% 5.882% 0.000% Total, Business Affairs 100.000% 73.530% 26.471% 2.941% 1.471% 1.471% 1.471% 0.000% 1.471% 91.176% 0.000% Printing & Mailing Services Staff 69.388% 30.612% 38.776% 0.000% 0.000% 6.122% 2.041% 2.041% 0.000% 57.143% 2.041% Staff Post-Retired 2.041% 0.000% 2.041% 0.000% 0.000% 0.000% 0.000% 0.000% 0.000% 2.041% 0.000% OA 8.163% 4.082% 4.082% 0.000% 0.000% 0.000% 0.000% 0.000% 0.000% 8.163% 0.000% Student 6.122% 6.122% 0.000% 0.000% 0.000% 0.000% 0.000% 0.000% 0.000% 6.122% 0.000% Temp 14.286% 2.041% 12.245% 0.000% 0.000% 0.000% 0.000% 0.000% 0.000% 10.204% 4.082% Total, Printing & Mail Svcs 100.000% 42.857% 57.144% 0.000% 0.000% 6.122% 2.041% 2.041% 0.000% 83.673% 6.122% Source: Personnel download for period December 1, 2006 to February 28, 2007 for non-terminated employees on payroll. Does not include vacant positions. fJniversity of Oregon Campus Operations Diversity Action Plan June 2007 Working Together for Excellence in Service to the Campus Community University of Oregon Campus Operations Diversity Action Plan Table of Contents A b o u t C a m p u s O p e r a t i o n s . . . . . 2 C a l l f o r A c t i o n . . . . . . . . 2 R e v i e w o f C u r r e n t P o l i c i e s a n d P r a c t i c e s . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 R e v i e w o f t h e M i s s i o n S t a t e m e n t . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 E n v i r o n m e n t a l S c a n . . . . . 4 D e v e l o p i n g t h e D i v e r s i t y A c t i o n P l a n . . . . . . . 4 S t r a t e g i c A c t i o n P l a n - S i x P o i n t s . . . . . . 5 DevelopingaCultural lyResponsiveCommunity . . . . . 5 Improv ingCampusCl imate . . . .6 B u i l d i n g C r i t i c a l M a s s . . . . . . . . 7 Expand ingandFi l l ing thePipe l ine . . . . . 8 Developingand StrengtheningCommunityLinkages . . . . . . . . 8 Developing andreinforcing diversityinfrastructure. . . . . . . . . . 9 I d e n t i f y i n g R e s o u r c e s . . . . . . . . . 9 L i s t o f A t t a c h m e n t s . . . . 1 0 Attachments Campus Operations Organization Chart Mission Statements from Facilities Services and Environmental Health & Safety 2004 Demographic Data for Campus Operations Results of Diversitv Survev Survey tool New Employee Orientation Diversity Materials Employee Training Programs related to Discrimination, Harassment, Diversity Employee Newsletter articles - 1 - Campus Operations Diversitv Action Plan June 2007 I. About Campus Operations The University of Oregon Division of Campus Operations encompasses two departments; Facilities Services and Environmental Health and Safety. Facilities Services is responsible for the maintenance and repair of all campus buildings and grounds, utilities distribution, custodial and garbage services, campus recycling, remodel and renovation projects, and capital construction and repair. Environmental Health and Safety assists university departments in achieving a safe, healthful and environmentally responsible campus. This includes working with the campus community on compliance with environmental regulations, worker safety and health issues, research laboratory safety, creating and maintaining fire safe environments, and managing the workers' compensation program. Campus Operations employs 220 classified staff and officers of administration, plus approximately 60 student workers. Approximately one-third of our employees work an off-shift, and the Central Power Station is a 2417 operalion. The University of Oregon campus consists of 3.1 million gross square feet of Education and General (non- auxiliary) space on 230 acres. The age of campus buildings range from 125 years to current construction, with several major capital construction projects planned over the next 5 years. General principles used to guide the work of Campus Operations are: - create an effective environment for learning and teaching - promote customer involvement and communications - commitment to employee on-the-job safety and a safe physical environment for campus community - practice sound fiscal decision-making - encourage team work amongst the various units of Campus Operations II. Call for Action From the University of Oregon Diversity Plan, page 7, Scope of the Diversity Plan: "The Diversity Plan should be viewed as a call to action, one that requires attention at all levels and hard work by all members of the University community and of the external community. Perhaps the most important directive embodied in the Diversity Plan is the expectation that each unit undertake strategic planning focused on diversity issues. (Emphasis addec[) The Diversity Plan provides guidance on issues that those unit-developed Strategic Action Plans should address." As a part of the University of Oregon, Campus Operations has a responsibility to uphold and advance diversity initiatives, whether they come from our Action Plan, or from university-wide recommendations. For purposes of this Strategic Action Plan, Campus Operations will use the definition of diversity as set forth in the UO Diversity Plan, page l3: "Diversity refers to the differences or variations ofpeople based on their different backgrounds and experiences related tq identification with particular groups or communities. . . . For purposes of this Diversity Plan, the term diversity is given a broad meaning and includes, but is not limited to, differences based on race, ethnicity, national origin or citizenship, gender, religious affiliation or -2- Campus Operations Diversity Action Plan June 2007 background, sexual orientation, gender identity, economic class or status, political affiliation or beliel and ability or disability." On September 30, 2006, Campus Operations employees were notified via the monthly employee newsletter of the need to develop a strategic diversity action plan (DAP) (Appendix H). Employees interested in participating in the plan's development were encouraged to contact Greta Pressman, project coordinator. A group of seven employees, plus the coordinator, formed the core committee tasked with developing the Campus Operations Strategic Diversity Action Plan. Diversity Action Plan (DAP) Development Team members: Jeremy Chambers, EH&S technologist Johnny Earl, lead worker, Custodial Services Tim King, supervisor (retired), Exterior Team Susan Osterman, buyer, Facilities Services Greta Pressman, manager (retired), Facilities Services Chris Silva, payroll/personnel administration, Facilities Services Mo Soleimani, supervisor, Central Power Station Candice Woyak, pipe & steam ffiter,Zone B, Facilities Services Campus Operations recognizes that this process to create and implement a Strategic Diversity Action Plan will be ongoing and will not end with the approval of this plan. III. Diversity Value Statement The value of diversity to the university, to departments such as Campus Operations, and to individuals such as employees of Campus Operations is clear. From page 23 of the UO Diversity Plan: "All members of the University community share in the responsibility of creating and maintaining a learning and working environment that recognizes the value of diversity. All members of the University will benefit from increased diversity at the University and from the efforts to build a safe inclusive and just campus climate." Through diversity, Campus Operations becomes better prepared to work with other campus departments who are our customers, as they too become more diverse. This will enable us to be a better provider of services to campus. Also through diversity, our organization can enhance the feelings of inclusion, respect and safety of our emolovees. IV. Review of Current Policies and Practices Over the past five years, Campus Operations has sponsored a series of ongoing educational programs for all employees, targeting harassment and inappropriate behavior, discrimination, and conflict resolution. The content of these programs came about as the result of past employee relations issues. See Appendix G for full listing of these training programs. In addition, all Officers of Administration recently completed a four hour (management action in the moment) training program "Intervening in Inappropriate Behavior." The following documents are reviewed with all new employees, and are also included in the new employee orientation packet (see Appendix F): -3- Campus Operations Diversity Action Plan June 2007 - UO Affirmation of Community Standards (ll7l02) - "It's About Respect", Harassment and Discrimination Policy and Training Manual for Campus Operations - Facilities Services Work Rules, including a section on Prohibited Behavior V. Review of Mission Statements The mission statements for Facilities Services and Environmental Health and Safety outline the purpose of the two units, provide a backdrop for organizational objectives, and assist in guiding future decisions/direction. The DAP Development Team reviewed the mission statements to consider the inclusion of diversity statements as appropriate. The mission statements were amended and forwarded to the Campus Operations management team for review, comment, and approval. Copies of the mission statements can be found in Appendix B. VI. Environmental Scan At the request of the Diversity Action Plan (DAP) Development Team, the Office of Affirmative Action and Equal Opportunity provided a 2004 demographic data report, by gender and race (Appendix C). Slightly less than lJoh of all current employees are people of color, and there are no people of color in an unclassified (supervisory) position The data contained in this demographic report can be used as a baseline data set when the effectiveness of this plan is reviewed in future years. A subset of the DAP Development Team created a survey tool which was given to all employees. The survey was reviewed and approved by the Campus Operations management eam and the full DAP Development Team. The survey was presented to each shop/work unit by a member of the DAP Development Team. Time was set aside for the surveys to be completed at the time they were distributed. To ensure anonymity, surveys were collected and placed in an envelop by a member of the DAP Development Team and forwarded directly to the project coordinator. A total of 232 surveys were completed. It should be noted that although all employees were given the opportunity to complete a survey, some chose not to do so. Twenty-seven surveys were returned by officers of administration, 146 returned by classified staff, 45 by students, and 14 surveys were returned that had no employee type marked. See Appendix D for survey questions and tabulation of responses. The DAP Development Team recommends that the survey be repeated within two years. VII. Developing the Diversity Action Plan As directed by the Diversity Plan for the University of Oregon (May 14,2006), the Campus Operations DAP Development Team entered into the process of developing a strategic action plan to focus on known and discovered areas of need. The action plan is designed to: - "Provide details and data about specific diversity challenges." Results of the employee survey were -4- Campus Operations Diversity Action Plan June 2007 tabulated and presented to the DAP Development Team. These results were used as key discussion points when addressing each of the six Strategic Points. Team members also drew from their own experiences and extensive knowledge of the organization when discussing the six points. - "Include detailed descriptions of specific actions to be taken to address those diversity challenges." Some of the six points presented clear opportunities for recommended actions; and even those that at first seemed to not be as relevant to our organization were found to also offer opportunities for actionable recommendations. - "Provide information about the measurable markers of progress that will be assessed uring implementation of the plan." Specific progress markers were not determined for every Recommended Action. The work of implementing this diversity plan will be ongoing, and future annual reviews will provide opportunities to specify additional progress markers for remaining or additional Recommended Actions. In the discussions by the DAP Development Team, we remained mindful of the value of all ideas put forth by the members, regardless of whether or not those ideas were eventually included in the plan. Six Strategic Points l. Developing a culturally responsive community: Definition A culturally responsive community recognizes that all of its members come from differing cultural backgrounds and that these cultures are integral to how each person views and experiences the world. A responsive community acknowledges these differences and seeks to understand the commonalities among different cultural groups, and also to embrace and celebrate the differences. A culturally responsive community is better able to respond to intolerance and prejudice should they occur. Strengths and Challenges Several survey questions addressed the issue of cultural responsiveness: Section A, question 4, Section B, question 1, Section D, questions 1 - 3. A review of these questions shows that 5lo/o of respondents agree that the UO provides training and other opportunities to promote cultural understanding. Sixteen percent disagreed with this statement; the remaining32% were "neutral". Sixty-eight percent agree that Campus Operations respects the differences and similarities of all employees, 13% disagree, and 19o/owere "neutral". These results point towards the need for additional opportunities for employees to learn about and experience cultures other than their own. In general, Campus Operations employees agree that their experience as an employee of the UO has had a positive impact on their behavior related to language use (78%), comfort level (87%) , and exposure to cultural perspectives (73%). Action Items L Work with the Office of Human Resources (OHR) and/or the Office of Affirmative Action and Equal Opportunity (OAA/EO) to develop a series of required short educational programs for Campus Operations employees, aimed at increasing multi-cultural awareness and understanding. Measurement: Program content designed, approved and schedule developed for presentation to all Campus Operations staff.. Attendance records and program evaluations. Timeline: First program developed and presented by May 2008. -5- Campus Operations Diversity Action Plan June 2007 Responsibility: TBD (see Section VII - Identifying Resources) 2. Invite representatives from campus and community groups to lead brown-bag lunch discussions to increase multi-cultural awareness and understanding. The Office of Student Life Bias Response Team, the High School Equivalency Program (HEP) and City of Eugene Human Rights Commission are examples of groups to be considered. Measurement: Listing of topics and discussion leaders/groups presented to Campus Operations management team. Attendance records and program evaluations. Timeline: Schedule and promote at least one of these events by Fall Terrn2007. Responsibility: TBD (see Section VII - Identifying Resources) 3. Post information (posters, flyers, etc) about cultural events sponsored by intemational student groups, such as Korea Night. Look for ways to provide free tickets to these events. Measurement: List of groups contacted about forwarding information to Campus Operations. Record of communications sent to employees. Timeline: Ongoing Responsibility: TBD (see Section VII - Identifying Resources) 2. Improvins campus climate Definition To improve the campus climate we must improve our abilities to respectfully work and learn in a diverse community. Every member of the University community has the responsibility to make the University a supportive and inclusive place. Employees of Campus Operations, and all university employees and students, have the right to work and learn in an environment free from harassment and discrimination. Strengths and Challenges Several survey questions addressed the issue of campus climate: Section A, question l, Section B, question 2, Section C, question 6. A review of these questions finds that 79o/o f Campus Operations employees agree that the UO provides a comfortable work atmosphere. Seventy-two percent of employees agree that Campus Operations supports diversity in the workplace. Section C, question 6 reveals a marked difference between classified and non-classified staff. Eighty-five percent of Officers of Administration agree that supervisors do take steps to ensure that acts of harassment do not take place. Zero percent of OAs disagree with this statement, with 15% neutral. Only 620/o f classified and 6l%o of unknown status agreed with this statement. Sixteen percent and 3loh, respectively, disagreed with this statement (22Y0 and 8% neutral). Action Items 1. Onethird of our classified employees believe that supervisors do not take steps against acts of harassment. Some of this may be due to the need to keep all personnel actions private; therefore, employees remain unaware of actions that may be taken by supervisors. Recommendation: Send a letter to all Campus Operations employees from the director that includes: a. reminder ofthe need for privacy in all personnel actions and the specific steps that occur as part ofthese actions; b. summary of recent mandatory education programs attended by all supervisors; c. information on how/where to report harassment or discrimination. This information should also be made available to employees via the web. Measurement: Letter sent to all employees. Analysis of future survey shows higher rate. Timeline: Distribution of letter to all employees by October 2007. -6- Campus Operations Diversity Action Plan June 2007 Responsibility: G. Hecht 2. Provide a summary of the Campus Operations Diversity Action Plan to all current employees. This should be presented by a member of the DAP Development Team at a crew meeting, and include a discussion on why this is important to Campus Operations. A copy of the entire plan will be made available to each work unit, and will also be made available via the web. The summary will include, but is not limited to: a brief introduction, the value of diversity to the organizalion, the six Action Plan Points (including recommended actions and progress markers), results of the Diversity Survey, and revised mission statement. A full copy of the Plan, including appendices, will be available to all employees at their "home" location. Measurement: Presentation to all Campus Operations work units, including record of attendance. Timeline: By September 2007, or 2 months following final approval of the plan by the Provost. Responsibility: G. Pressman 3. Institute a policy of an annual review of the Strategic Diversity Action Plan within each work unit. Measurement: Policy developed and approved by Campus Operations management. Timeline: Policy communicated to all work units by September 2007. Responsibility: G. Hecht 4. Work with the Office of Human Resources (OHR) to add an appropriate behavioral component o classified and non-classified performance reviews that addresses behaviors related to diversity. Measurement: Additional behavioral component developed and approved. Timeline: January 2008 Responsibility: A. Smith 5. As part of the orientation process, all new employees will meet with the diversity coordinator for Campus Operations (see section on Identifying Resources) to learn about the Plan and the importance of diversity to Campus Operations and the University of Oregon. Measurement: Outline of orientation content presented to Campus Operations management. Long term measurement should show improved understanding on future surveys. Timeline: Beginning with employees hired after December 1,2007 . Responsibility: TBD (see Section VII - Identifying Resources) 3. Buildins critical mass Definition To build critical mass we must work to hire and retain high-quality persons from underrepresented groups. Strengths and Challenges Several survey questions addressed the issue of building critical mass: Section A, questions 2, 3, Section B, questions 3,4. Approximately one-half of all respondents believe that the university and Campus Operations are providing advancement opportunities for all employees. Approximately 6 out of l0 believe that the university and Campus Operations do a good job of hiring people from a variety of backgrounds. These numbers clearly show that many of our employees do not believe enough effbrt is being made to hire and advance employees in general, and minorities in particular. See Appendix C which presents a snapshot of employee diversity in2004. Action Items 1. Create a task force to conduct a thorough review of our recruitment process, including how/where open -7- Campus Operations Diversity Action Plan June 2007 positions are al]nounced, and desired timeframe for each step in the process. The outcome of this review should, among other things, determine how we can best reach potential applicants from underrepresented groups. This review should include working with the Office of Human Resources, the Oregon Department of Employment Services, and community organizations/agencies that support underrepresented groups. Measurement: Written report of task force findings and recommendations is presented to Associate vice president Campus Operations. Long term measurement: analysis of hiring pools and actual hire. Timeline: Summer 2008 Responsibility: C. Silva 2. The annual performance appraisal process is a good time to ask employees about their work/career development goals. Employees interested in position advancement could benefit from assistance in developing an individual plan of action designed to prepare themselves for future positions. This assistance may come from direct supervisors, Campus Operations personnel staff, or referral to the Office of Human Resources. Measurement: Changes in answers in future surveys. Timeline: Provide training to Officers of Administration by February 2008. Responsibility: A. Smith 3. Determine if there are additional opportunities to create on the job training or mentoring similar to the Trades Maintenance Worker program in the Central Power Station. Measurement: Report presented to Associate Vice President for Campus Operations Timeline: Report completed by April 2008. Responsibility: A. Smith 4. Work with area community colleges, high schools, and other educational settings, such as the campus High School Equivalency Program, to schedule opportunities for Campus Operations employees to talk about careers in facilities maintenance. Measurement: Analysis of application pool. Timeline: Discussions with area schools complete by March 2008. Responsibility: TBD (see Section VII - Identifying Resources) 4. Expandine and filling the pipeline Definition Effective outreach to top students graduating from Oregon high schools requires support and assistance from all parts of the University. The role lbr Campus Operations in Expanding and Filling the Pipeline is perhaps limited, but is stil l important. Strengths and Challenges Visitors to the University campus, including middle and high school groups, will take away with them an image of a beautiful place where learning and living occurs. This is both a strength and a weakness for Campus Operations. We are very proud of the beautiful exterior environment that has been developed and maintained by our employees. We are also proud of the work that has been accomplished inside our buildings to make the spaces pleasing as well as fully functional. This is possible only because of the hard work of all Campus Operations employees. Should funding fbr the department drop below current budget allocations, we would be unable to maintain this level of service for all areas. Action Items 1. Continue current funding level for exterior spaces, including hanging flower baskets, support of -8- Campus Operations Diversity Action Plan June 2007 University Day, and up{o-date campus map stations. Measurement: Analysis of budget expenditures. Timeline: Ongoing Responsibility: G. Hecht 2. Establish thoughtful priorities for utilizing the anticipated increase (up to $20 million in 2007-08 biennium) in deferred maintenance money from the State Legislature. *Measurement: Correction of long standing deferred maintenance items Timeline: Ongoing Responsibility: D. Dehle 3. Provide up to date information to recruitment/admissions taff related to campus facilities and new construction for use in recruitment materials. For example, the LEED certification for the Lillis Building and other LEED projects would be of interest to some prospective students. Measurement: Record of informatiotVcommunications ent. Information included in recruitment materials. Timeline: Ongoing Responsibility: (TBD) 5. Developing and strenethenine community linkages Definition The University, and it's individual departments such as Campus Operations, are a resource for the public community beyond the University. Community linkages provide for a closer connection, and therefore understanding, for those actively involved. Developing and strengthening community linkages can be either informal or formal. The potential for informal linkages may occur each time there is an interaction between a community member and a Campus Operations employee. Formal linkages can be developed by becoming involved in community groups whose mission is tied to promoting and encouraging diversity. Strengths and Challenges We know that some individual employees spend non-work time participating in activities sponsored by local groups. However, there is no coordinated effort to connect Campus Operations employees with groups that promote and encourage diversity. Action Items 1. Seek out community agenciesigroups that sponsor events where interested Campus Operations employees could volunteer their time and expertise. An example would be linking up with a community group such as Food for Lane County or Habitat for Humanity to work together on a volunteer project. Measurement: Record of attendance and evaluation of experience. Timeline: first event scheduled by June 2008 Responsibility: TBD (see Section VII - Identifying Resources) 6. Developing and reinforcing diversity infrastructure Definition All members of the University community share in the responsibility of creating and maintaining a learning and working environment that recognizes the value of diversity. The University should continue to develop programs and departments that address issues of diversity, and the University should support programmatic enhancements and innovations that support diversity. -9- Campus Operations Diversity Action Plan June 2007 Strengths and Challenges Campus Operations strives to maintain good working relationships with our campus customers. This then enhances our ability to undertake new initiatives in partnership with campus departments. Action Items L Coordinate and/or review with the Office of Institutional Equity and Diversity (OIED) any actions undertaken as a result of this plan. Measurement: Maintain files/record of meetings and communications. Timel ine: Ongoing Responsibility: TBD (see Section VII - Identifying Resources) 2. Working with other departments, respond to opportunities to provide support to their initiatives. (Example: the Office of Student Life's "Erase the Hate" sticker program.) Measurement: Maintain files/record of meetings, communications, and actions taken. Timeline: Ongoing Responsibility: (D. Cadigan) VIII. IdentifyingResources The Campus Operations Diversity Action Plan (DAP) Development Team recognizes that while some of the recommended actions contained in this plan can be accomplished by existing staff resources, others cannot. A part time Coordinator of Diversity Programs would provide centralized leadership and oversight to all aspects of diversity issues within Campus Operations. In addition, this position would act as liaison between Campus Operations and other campus departments, including university administration. This position would also be responsible for monitoring the implementation of the plan and completing required reports to the Office of Institutional Equity and Diversity. At this time, the Campus Operations' budget could not support the cost of such a position. The DAP Development Team believes that the ability of this plan.to achieve the stated recommended actions will be difficult at best without additional staffing resources. The Team encourages the Campus Operations director and the office of the vice president for finance and administration to explore how this part time position could be funded. IX. Attachments A. Campus Operations Organization Chart B. Mission Statements from Facilities Services and Environmental Health & Safety C. 2004 Demographic Data for Campus Operations D. Results of Diversitv Survev E. Survey tool F. New Employee Orientation Diversity Materials G. Employee Tra.ining Programs related to Discrimination, Harassment, Diversity H. Employee Newsletter articles -10- University of Oregon Campus Operations Diversity Action Plan June 2007 Attachments - l l - o> o g g O r l - ' c o n .a o E > _ 6 . E : ^ - t * o s; o m E = : ; ul .g o > 9 o t )(/) ; o d 9 o I o I u ; o o v x o . 9 E > = o .@ a v , t c > 9 9 o a .9 e a o c E O o - o € o o d o A Q; : F O 6 0 U) L 6, o .x, 6 ; l o .9 - - q - 2 - : z . Q o o J o o , o > ; E ' .9 z 2 . 9 ' t u x > L 4 E ' 6 a o l 9 3 t ! a sg < c TI .9 e o q o O O( ) p ) d o t U ) o @ 9 c - o o o o a o 6 O E 2 ' = v ) { c o I g c ( / ) o 3 _ 9 o - ( / ) 5 > o .g o o b . q; : O o I o F o c - o() E E c P-E n o = . i sO Y o g. o o . 9 5 U ' 6 c n \ @ o o - a t , o B € . d ) ' d > G o o e o < o , o 6 t c ci a ' d ! o - 5 o - u c > s l O = > o o i l ( L > E X E - o . ; . = ! o c O - J C > 5 h Y x o u t u r . \ c so - . o 6 o N I = o ( D o ef rSe 7 o > E u U E ' A E q x E E E a r 9 = o g c o c . 6 9 E > 3 6 F O . = ; i i . 9 d r u E g 5 c 0 o E ^ o a - I .x () b g s o d ) q . 9 = C O N N E o € > 9 o o = I J ; ! ! O c o o = l U 6 . Q > L E ' E - 9 i $ t u E 9 e 3 g E F 5 a333 6 * < o - o o o CL{ J o l- (, o c o *, G L o CL o oq J CL E G' c) o f UniversiQ of Oregon Facilities Services Mission Statement The mission of the University of Oregon Facilities Services department is to support a quality university experience through effective and timely maintenance, repair, improvement, renovation, and cleaning of campus buildings, building-systems, utilities, equipment, and grounds. We serye a diverse population of university students, faculty, and staff, campus visitors, those doing business with the University of Oregon, and a far reaching community-of- interest. In support of this mission, Facilities Services is committed to: Establish and maintain a safe, clean, attractive, and effective physical environment for the campus community. Advocate and demonstrate good stewardship and long-term protection of assets through sustainable practices and initiatives. Provide services in a high quality, cost-effective manner through a work force of highly skilled, diverse employees. Encourage and engage in open and free discussions for the exchange ofideas across all units of Facilities Services as well as for the university community at large. Cultivate and promote an environment that supports equity, diversity and an inclusive work place atmosphere. Provide the necessary training, tools, and equipment for a safe and efficient work place. Demonstrate sound fiscal responsibility and management of budgetary resources. Revised l2106 Appendix B Environmental Health and SafetY Mission Statement Environmental Health and Safety (EHS) assists the University of Oregon community in promoting a safe and healthful environment for all individuals associated with the University, including students, faculty, staff, and visitors and those in the surrounding community through technical assistance, education, training and evaluations. Additionally, EHS coordinates with others to minimize loss of resources including property, personnel and processes. In support of this mission EHS is committed to: Evaluate the status of and oversee the compliance of health, safety, and environmental standards, codes, regulations, and University programs through inspections, audits, and monitoring. Cooperate with academic and administrative units to identiff health, safety, and environmental hazards or noncompliance and assist in resolving those issues through education, monitoring, and problem solving. Provide technical services and expertise to the University community. Encourage an open atmosphere for the exchange of ideas and suggestions for a safe, healthy, and environmentally responsible campus community. Maintain and build confidence and support for EHS from the University community' Care for the environment by promoting ethical and responsible behaviors. Demonstrate sound fiscal responsibility and management of budgetary resources. Develop and implement new programs to assure the University remains compliant with regulations and industry standards. Maintain necessary documentation to demonstrate regulatory compliance and responsible actions in health, safety, and environmental activities. Provide training in health, safety and environmental matters' Assist the University in emergency preparedness, response, and remediation activities. Respond to and investigate environmental, health, and safety concerns of individuals associated with the University. Campus Operations Diversity Strategic Action Plan 2004 Demographic Data - Source: UO Office of Affirmative Action and Equal Opportunity Total Employees Male 77.95% Female 22.05% White 90.26% People of Color 9.74% Unclassified Emnlovees 13.85% of Total Employees Women 1852% of total Unclassified Employees People of Color 0.00% of total Unclassified Emolovees Classified Employees 86.15% of Total Employees Women 22.62% of total Classified Employees Peoole of Color Il.3l% of total Classified Emnlovees Workforce Availability: data collected from submitted applications Availability - skilled craft supervisors Women 26.96% People of Color 6.31% Availability - skilled craft workers Women 14.12% People of Color 8.07% Availability - service maintenance workers Women 25.92% People of Color 10.77% Appendix C CAMPUS OPERATIONS DIVERSITY SURVEY November 2006 RESULTS for Classified Staff N : 142 A. THE LINIVERSITY OF OREGON: 1. Provides a comfortable work place atmosphere for me. 48% Strongly Agree 44Yo Agree 8% Neutral 0% Disagree 0o/o Strongly Disagree 2. Provides growth and advancement opportunities equally to all employees. 32oh Strongly Agree 48Yo Agree 20o% Neutral 0% Disagree 0% Strongly Disagree 3. Seems to actively attempt to hire people from a variety of backgrounds. 48% Strongly Agree 40%o Agree 3% Neutral 0% Disagree 0o/o Strongly Disagree 4. Provides training and other opportunities to promote multicultural understanding. 28% Strongly Agree 64%o Agree B% Neutral 0% Disagree \oh Strongly Disagree 5. Creates an equal opportunity work environment for all employees. 36% Strongly Agree 40%o Agree 24o% Neutral 0% Disagree 07o Strongly Disagree B. CAMPUS OPERATIONS: l. Respects the differences and similarities of all ernployees. 24oh Strongly Agree 64%o Agree 120% Neutral 0o/o Disagree 07o Strongly Disagree 2. Supports diversity in the workplace. 20% Strongly Agree 64oh Agree 16% Neutral 0% Disagree 0% Strongly Disagree 3. Does a good job of providing job opportunities to people from a variety of backgrounds. l2% Strongly Agree 72%o Agree l60% Neutral 0% Disagree 0% Strongly Disagree 4. Does a good job of providing growth and advancement opportunities to people from a variety of backgrounds. 20% Strongly Agree 48%o Agree 24ohNeutral 2% Disagree 0% Strongly Disagree 5. Has non-discrimination and non-harassment policies that are enforced. 28% Strongly Agree 48Yo Agree 200% Neutral 4% Disagree 0% Strongly Disagree Appendix D C. THE WORK ENVIRONMENT: 1. I understand Facilities Services/EH&S rules and policies for the following terms: a. Discrimination: 48% Strongly Agree 48o/o Agree 4% Neutral 0% Disagree joh Strongly Disagree b. Harassment : 48% Strongly Agree 44%o Agree 2%o Neutral 0olo Disagree 0o/o Strongly Disagree c. Racism : 48% Strongly Agree 48%o Agree 4% Neutral 0% Disagree joh Strongly Disagree d. Diversity: 29%o Strongly Agree 50o% Agree 21o% Neutral 0% Disagree 0% Strongly Disagree 1. If I were to witness any of these - Contintted on bock - vorkplace, I would know what to do. 46% Strongly Agree 46Yo Agree 8% Neutral 0% Disagree \oh Strongly Disagree 2. I think diversity enriches Facilities/EH&S by having people frorn different backgrounds working together. 44o/o Strongly Agree 44%o Agree 12oZ Neutral 0% Disagree 0% Strongly Disagree 3. I think diversity slows down Facilities/EH&S's progress as a result of differences that arise among people from diverse backgrounds. 0% Strongly Agree }oh Agree 140% Neutral 54% Disagree 32oh Strongly Disagree 4. I understand that I am entitled to a work environment fiee from any form of harassment. 68% Strongly Agree 32o/o Agree 0% Neutral 0o% Disagree joh Strongly Disagree 5. My belief is that supervisors and managers take steps to ensure that acts of harassment do not take place. 20% Strongly Agree 64-%o Agree 160lo Neutral 0% Disagree 0% Strongly Disagree 6. I would feel saf'e taking complaints to someone in authority in Campus Operations. 48% Strongly Agree 40oh Agree 1270 Neutral 0% Disagree 0% Strongly Disagree E. lndicate whetlrer your campus experience has chemged vour behqvior in any of the following ways: 1. I stop to consider whether the language I am using may be offensive to others. 40% Strongly Agree 48o/o Agree 120% Neutral 0% Disagree 0% Strongly Disagree 2. I feel comfortable working around people who are not of my culture or ethnic background. 44o/o Strongly Agree 56o/o Agree 0% Neutral 0o% Disagre e 0o/o Strongly Disagree 3. I have had the opportunity to be exposed to different cultural perspectives in my workplace. 32% Strongly Agree 52o/o Agree 160% Neutral 0% Disagree 0% Strongly Disagree F. Rate how closely you agree with the following statements: 1 . I h a v e a g o o d j o b . 48% Strongly Agree 52o/o Agree 0o% Neutral 0olo Disagree jYo Strongly Disagree 2. I would recommend that a friend seek employment with my organization. 48% Strongly Agree 360/o Agree l60% Neutral 0% Disagree 0% Strongly Disagree 3. Overall, my organization rates as the best place I have worked. 37% Strongly Agree 42%o Agree l7% Neutral 4% Disagree 0% Strongly Disagree CAMPUS OPERATIONS DIVERSITY SURVEY November 2006 RESULTS for Officers of Administration N :25 A. THE UNIVERSITY OF OREGON: 1. Provides a comfortable work place atmosphere for me. 48% Strongly Agree 44oh Agree 8% Neutral 0o% Disagree 0o/o Strongly Disagree 2. Provides growth and advancement opportunities equally to all employees. 32o/o Strongly Agree 48oh Agree 20o% Neutral 0% Disagree 0% Strongly Disagree 3. Seems to actively attempt to hire people from a variety of backgrounds. 48% Strongly Agree 40Yo Agree 3% Neutral 0o% Disagree 0o/o Strongly Disagree 4. Provides training and other opportunities to promote multicultural understanding. 28% Strongly Agree 640/o Agree 80% Neutral 0%o Disagree 0o/o Strongly Disagree 5. Creates an equal opportunity work environment fbr all employees. 36% Strongly Agree 40Yo Agree 24olo Neutral 0% Disagree 0% Strongly Disagree B. CAMPUS OPERATIONS: 1 . Respects the differences and similarities of all employees. 24oh Slrongly Agree 64%o Agree 120% Neutral 0% Disagree 0% Strongly Disagree 2. Supports diversity in the workplace. 20% Strongly Agree 64Yo Agree l60% Neutral 0% Disagree 0% Strongly Disagree 3. Does a good job of providing job opportunities to people fiom a variety of backgrounds. l2% Strongly Agree l2%o Agree 160% Neutral 0% Disagree 0% Strongly Disagree 4. Does a good job of providing growth and advancement opportunities to people fiom a variety of backgrounds. 20oh Strongly Agree 4BoA Agree 24o% Neutral 2% Disagree 0% Strongly Disagree 5. Has non-discrimination and non-harassment policies that are enforced. 28% Strongly Agree 48oh Agree 20% Neutral 4% Disagree 0% Strongly Disagree C. THE WORK ENVIRONMENT: l. I understand Facilities Services/EH&S rules and policies for the following terms: a. Discrimination: 48olo Strongly Agree 48Yo Agree 40% Neutral 0% Disagree joh Strongly Disagree b. Harassment : 48% Strongly Agree 44o/o Agree 20% Neutral 0% Disagree 0o/o Strongly Disagree c. Racism : 48% Strongly Agree 48%o Agree 40% Neutral 0% Disagree 0o/o Strongly Disagree d. Diversity: (N:24) 29oh Strongly Agree 5 0% Agree 2 I o% Neutral 0% Disagree 0% Strongly Disagree 1 . If I were to witness any of these - Continued on back - vorkplace, I would know what to do. (N:24) 460/o Strongly Agree 46%o Agree 8% Neutral 0o% Disagree 0%o Strongly Disagree 2. I think diversity enriches Facilities/EH&S by having people from different backgrounds working together. 44oh Strongly Agree 44%o Agree 120% Neutral 0% Disagree 0% Strongly Disagree 3. I think diversity slows down Facilities/EH&S's progress as a result of differences that arise among people from diverse backgrounds. (N:22) 07o Strongly Agree 0% Agree l40% Neutral 54% Disagree 32oh Strongly Disagree 4. I understand that I am entitled to a work environment free from any form of harassment. 68% Strongly Agree 32c'/o Agree 0olo Neutral 0o% Disagree 0o/o Strongly Disagree 5. My belief is that supervisors and managers take steps to ensure that acts of harassment do not take place. 20% Strongly Agree 640/o Agree l60% Neutral 0% Disagree 0% Strongly Disagree 6. I would f-eel saf'e taking complaints to someone in authority in Campus Operations. 48% Strongly Agree 40o/o Agree 120% Neutral 0% Disagree 0% Strongly Disagree E. Indicate wlretlrer your calnpus experience has chonged your behuvior in any of the following ways: 1. I stop to consider whether the language I am using may be offensive to others. 40% Strongly Agree 48%o Agree 120% Neutral 0% Disagree 0% Strongly Disagree 2. I feel comfortable working around people who are not of my culture or ethnic background. 44o/o Strongly Agree 56oh Agree 0o% Neutral 0% Disagree 0o/o Strongly Disagree 3. I have had the opportunity to be exposed to different cultural perspectives in my workplace. 32o/o Strongly Agree 52oh Agree l6% Neutral 0% Disagree 0% Strongly Disagree F. Rate how closely you agree with the following statements: l . I h a v e a g o o d j o b . 48olo Strongly Agree 52Yo Agree 0% Neutral 0% Disagree 0o/o Strongly Disagree 2. I would recommend that a friend seek employment with my organization. 48% Strongly Agree 360/o Agree 16% Neutral 0% Disagree 0% Strongly Disagree 3. Overall, my organization rates as the best place I have worked' (N:24) 3lo/o Strongly Agree 42oh Agree 170% Neutral 4% Disagree 0%o Strongly Disagree CAMPUS OPERATIONS DIVERSITY SURVEY November 2006 RESULTS for Student Workers N:45 A. THE UNIVERSITY OF OREGON: 1. Provides a comfortable work place atmosphere for me. 56% Strongly Agree 40oh Agree 2% Neutral 0% Disagree 2oh Strongly Disagree 2. Provides growth and advancement opportunities equally to all employees. (N:44) 307o Strongly Agree 54%o Agree 90% Neutral 7o/o Disagree 0%o Strongly Disagree 3. Seems to actively attempt to hire people from a variety of backgrounds. (N:44) 27o/o Strongly Agree 44%o Agree 27ohNefiral 2% Disagree 0% Strongly Disagree 4. Provides training and other opportunities to promote multicultural understanding. 7% Strongly Agree 47Yo Agree 33% Neutral 11% Disagree 2% Strongly Disagree 5. Creates an equal opportunity work environment for all employees. 5 1%o Strongly Agree 43oh Agree 4%o Neutral 2o/o Disagree joh Strongly Disagree B. CAMPUS OPERATIONS: 1. Respects the differences and similarities of all employees. 3B% Strongly Agree 44oh Agree 160% Neutral 2% Disagree 07o Strongly Disagree 2. Supports diversity in the workplace. (N:44) 37% Strongly Agree 52Yo Agree 9% Neutral 2o/o Disagree 0o/o Strongly Disagree 3. Does a good job of providing job opportunities to people from a variety of backgrounds. (N:43) 13% Strongly Agree 4lo/o Agree 2l % Neutral 2% Disagree 0% Strongly Disagree 4. Does a good job of providing growth and advancement opportunities to people from a variety of backgrounds. 29oh Slrongly Agree 42o/o Agree 25o% Neutral 4% Disagree 0% Strongly Disagree 5. Has non-discrirnination and non-harassment policies that are enforced. 34% Strongly Agree 44Yo Agree 20o% Neutral 0% Disagree 2% Strongly Disagree C. THE WORK ENVIRONMENT: 1. I understand Facilities Serryices/EH&S rules and policies for the following terms: a. Discrimination: 43% Strongly Agree 47o/o Agree 4% Neutral 4YoDisagree 2o/o Strongly Disagree t . b. Harassment : 47oh Strongly Agree 4'7o/o Agree 40% Neutral 0o% Disagree 2o/o Strongly Disagree c . Rac ism: 49o/o Strongly Agree 40o/o Agree 7% Neutral 2o/oDisagree 2oh Strongly Disagree d. Diversity: 40% Strongly Agree 36oh Agree l5oZ Neutral 7% Disagree 2oh Strongly Disagree If I were to witness any of these - Continued on back - vorkplace, I would know what to do. 43% Strongly Agree 49o/o Agree 4% Neutral 2ohDisagree 2o/o Strongly Disagree I think diversity enriches Facilities/EH&S by having people from different backgrounds working together. 29oh Strongly Agree 53o/o Agree l60% Neutral 0% Disagree 2o/o Strongly Disagree I think diversity slows down Facilities/EH&S's progress as a result of differences that arise among people from diverse backgrounds. (N:41) 2o/o Strongly Agree 0o/o Agree l70% Neutral 42% Disagree 3970 Strongly Disagree I understand that I am entitled to a work environment free fiom any fonn of harassment. 58% Strongly Agree 38% Agree 20% Neutral 0o% Disagree 2oh Strongly Disagree My belief is that supervisors and managers take steps to ensure that acts of harassment do not take place. 44oh Strongly Agree 45o/o Agree 90% Neutral 2oh Disagree }oh Strongly Disagree I would f'eel safe taking complaints to someone in autliority in Carnpus Operations. 49% Strongly Agree 3 8% Agree 1 1o% Neutral 2% Disagree 0% Strongly Disagree 5 . E. Indicate whether your campus experience has chqnged vour behavior in any of the following ways: 1. I stop to consider whether the language I am using may be offensive to others. (N:44) 14% Strongly Agree 50o/o Agree 2jo/oNeuIral 7% Disagree 2% Strongly Disagree 2. I feel comfortable working around people who are not of my culture or ethnic background. 51% Strongly Agree 34Yo Agree I 1o% Neutral 2% Disagree 2o/o Strongly Disagree 3. I have had the opportunity to be exposed to different cultural perspectives in my workplace. 20% Strongly Agree 3loh Agree 400% Neutral 7% Disagree 2o/o Slrongly Disagree 2. 4. 6 . November 73,2006 TO: Campus Operations Employees FROM: George Hecht, Director SUBJECT: Diversitv Survev In May 2006, the University Senate approved the University of Oregon Diversity Plan. An important component of that plan is the requirement hat each academic and non-academic unit develop a strategic action plan for achieving greater diversity within their unit. The Campus Operations Diversity Action Plan Development Team has prepared an employee survey designed to provide an understanding of our department's cultural climate at this point in time. The results of this survey will form the basis for discussion of action steps to be included in the final strategic action plan document. Our action plan will be submitted for approval in March 2007 to the provost, vice provost, and the Office of Institutional Equity and Diversity (OIED). The UO Diversity Plan calls for an ongoing effort. In addition to an annual activity report from each unit, a two-year review and a five-year progress report are planned. This will provide additional opportunities for our employees to participate in the process. Completing the survey is voluntary; however, I hope that everyone will take a few minutes to ensure that their voice is heard. Thank you for participating in this survey. Be assured that all responses will remain anonymous. Members of the Diversity Action Plan Development Team are: Jeremy Chambers, EH&S Johnny Earl, Custodial Services Tim King, Exterior Team Susan Osterman, Purchasing/Stores Greta Pressman, Team Leader Chris Silva, Payroll Mo Soleimani, Central Power Station Candice Woyak, Zone.B CAMPUS OPERATIONS DIVERSITY SURVEY In reflectinq on the past vear, rate how closely ou agree with the items in this suryey, based on your perception and thinking. November 2006 A. THE UNIVERSITY OF OREGON: 1. Provides a comfortable work place atmosphere for me. 2. Provides growth and advancement opportunlties equally to al l employees. 3. Seems to actively attempt to hire people from a variety of backgrounds. 4. Provides training and other opportunities to promote mult icul tural understanding. 5. Creates an equal opportunity work environment for all employees. B. CAMPUS OPERATIONS: 1. Respects the differences and similarities of all employees. 2. Supports diversity in the workplace. 3. Does a good job of providing job opportunities to people from a variety of backgrounds. 4. Does a good job of providing groMh and advancement opportunities to people from a variety of backgrounds. 5. Campus Operat ions has non-discr iminat ion a d non- harassment oolicies that are enforced. C. THE WORK ENVIRONMENT: 1. I understand Faci l i t ies Services/EH&S rules and pol ic ies for the following terms: a. Discr iminat ion b. Harassment c. Racism d. Diversity 2. lf I were to witness any of the above acts in the workplace, I would know what to do. Strongly Disagree Disagree E f l Strongly Disagree Disagree N E Strongly Disagree Disagree E t l Strongly Disagree Disagree t r tE Strongly Disagree Disagree E t l Strongly Disagree Disagree t f E Strongly Disagree Disagree t tE Strongly Disagree Disagree 1 1 - Strongly Disagree Disagree E E Strongly Disagree Disagree -1 E Strongly Disagree Disagree E - Strongly Disagree Disagree t l E Strongly Disagree Disagree N E Strongly Disagree Disagree N E Strongly Disagree Disagree -n Neutral Agree E E Neutral Agree - E Neutral Agree E E Neutral E Neutral E Neutral n Neutral E Neutral n Neutral tl Strongly Agree n Strongly Agree E Strongly Agree E Strongly Agree E Strongly Agree n Strongly Agree -1 Strongly Agree E Strongly Agree n Strongly Agree E Strongly Agree E Strongly Agree E Strongly Agree n Strongly Agree tl Strongly Agree tl Strongly Agree n Neutral Agree tf t: Neutral Agree E - I Agree fI Agree E Agree E Neutral n Neutral E Agree E Agree D Agree E Agree n Agree tl Agree E Agree E Neutral tl Neutral D CAMPUS OPERATIONS DIVERSITY SURVEY 3. I think diversity enriches Facilities ServicesiEH&S by having people from different backgrounds working together. 4. I think diversity slows down Facilities Services'/EH&S's progress as a result of differences that arise among people from diverse backgrounds. 5. I understand that I am entitled to a work environment free from any form of harassment. 6. My belief is that supervisors and managers take steps to ensure that acts of harassment do not take place. 7. I would feel safe taking complaints of any form of harassment to someone in Facilities Services in authoritv. November 2006 Strongly Disagree Disagree r ]E Strongly Disagree Disagree E N Strongly Disagree Disagree E t f Strongly Disagree Disagree E E Strongly Disaqree Disaqree E - E Strongly Agree tl Strongly Agree tl Strongly Agree tf Strongly Agree n Strongly Aoree tl Strongly Agree E Strongly Agree n Strongly -1 Neutral - Neutral tf Neutral D. f ndicate whether your campus experience has chanqed vour behavior in any of the following ways: 1. I stop to consider whether the language I am using may be offensive to others. 2. I feel comfortable working around people who are not of my culture of ethnic background. 3. I have had the opportunity to be exposed to different cultural perspectives in my workplace. Strongly Disagree Disagree N E Strongly Disagree Disagree E E Strongly Disagree Disagree n- t Agree n Agree E Agree E Agree E Agree E Neutral E E. Rate how closely you agree with the following statements: 1. I have a good job. strongly Disagree Disagree E - I 2. I would recommend that a friend seek employment with my Strongly organization. Disagree Disagree ft fI 3. Overall, my organization rates as the best place I have worked. Strongly Disaqree Disaoree Comments: (not required) Agree Strongly Agree E Strongly Agree E Strongly Neutral Aoree tl tf Neutral Agree E E Neutral Agree E t l Neutral Agree N E Neutral Agree E f l Neutral -I Neutral fl I am - Classified E Student O.A. t tn Temp E Please check one of the fol lowino: Campus Operations New Employee Orientation Diversity Information & Materials A. From: Page 5, Facilities Services Work Rules (5116101) PROHIBITED BEHAVIOR In our opinions, certain behavior cannot be tolerated. Committing any of the following acts may ' be cause for disciplinary action ranging from reprimand to dismissal, depending on the severity of the particular situation: 5. Harassment of employees, students or the public based on sex, race, color, marital status, religion, national origin, age, disability, or sexual orientation. Harassment includes verbal remarks, jokes, physical contact or other conduct which creates a hostile or intimidating work environment. B. Each employee receives a copy of the UO Affirmation of Community Standards (l 17 102) which states in part: "We affirm our respect for the rights and well-being of all (UO Community) members." C. Harassment and Discrimination Policy and Training Manual - oolt's About Respect" Table of Contents: - What is it? Harassment in the Workplace - What do I do now? Harassment & Discrimination Complaint Procedures - From a Student's Perspective - But I didn't mean it like that!" Intent vs Perception - Personal Behavior Checklist Worksheet - Ifyou have been accused ofsexual harassment - Retaliation - Supervisor's Responsibilities and Checklist - Contact Information - References For complete copies of these materials, contact Chris Silva,346-2284, csilva@uoregon.edu Appendix F University of Oregon Campus Operations Employee Training Programs Related to Discrimination, Harassment and/or Diversity Issues 5-year History 2002-03 Harassment and Discrimination training for all classified and unclassified employees Conflict Resolution Skills 2003-04 Harassment and Discrimination training for all employees hired since previous training 2004-05 Harassment and Discrimination review, Maintenance and Operations crews 2005-06 Harassment and Discrimination training for all employees hired since previous training Diversity, Construction Team 2006-07 Intervening in inappropriate behavior fbr all Officers of Administration Harassment and Discrimination review for all classified employees Appendix G University of Oregon Focilities Services News ond fnformotion A letter {rotr. Director George H"cht to "11 C"t rprts Operationt "t.ployeesI am writing to tell you about a new initiative soon to be undertaken by Campus Operations. As you probably know, the university senate recently approved a Five Year Diversity Plan for the University of Oregon. As a continuation of that effort, we have an opportunity to create a diversity action plan specific to Campus Operations. What do we mean by diversity? The universify's Diversity Plan states that diversity is "Differences based on race, ethnicity, national origin or citizenship, gender, religious affiliation or background, sexual orientation, gender identity, economic class or status, political affiliation or belief, and ability or disability." A departmental diversity action plan seeks to lay out a do-able plan of action for the recruitment, retention, and professional development of a diverse work force. Your h.lp is t""J.J I have asked Greta Pressman to facilitate the development of a diversity action plan for our department. Our goal is to have this Campus Operations plan developed by a team of employees: classified staff, supervisors , and student workers. With your help, the plan will be developed over the next 3-4 months. If you are interested in working on the Campus Operations diversity action plan, contact Greta at gretap@uoregon.edu. or at 346-2275 indicating your interest, by Friday, September 8. To view the newly a p p r o v e d U O d i v e r s i t y p l a n , g o t o : http://vpdiversity.uoreeon.edu/. A paper copy of the plan may be obtained from Greta Pressman. Thank you for your interest in this important work. George Hecht Director Durnpsters on the Move Drop boxes for wood and metals recycling and large-volume trash disposal are now all located together west of the Central Power Station. Septem-ber 2006 On the look-out dumpster in this area as well. And, metals recycler Doug Howell will park a trailer for disposal of all refrigeration units and large plumbing fixtures. A big thanks to Jerry Henry for cleaning up arld organizing this area west of CPS, which seems to accumulate stuff faster than the average home garage! The relocation effort was coordinated by Tim King, who says a few simple rules need to be observed: l. Do not dump anything on the ground. Contact Tim King if you are unsure where something should go or if you need help loading items into the drop boxes. 2. Do not allow contractors to use the dumpsters without checking with Tim King, as servicing these boxes is a Facilities Services expense. 3. Contact Jerry or Tim if you need to stage any materials in this area. New ResiJ..tc" H"ll Nears Cornpletion Much more than just a dormitory, the university's first new residence hall in over 40 years is set to open in time for Fall Term. The L i v i n g L e a r n i n g Center integrates traditional Iiving and dining areas with spaces for academic c l a s s e s , s t u d y g r o u p s , f a c u l t y a d v i s i n g , a n d performance areas. T h e 2 0 2 resident rooms will be occupied mostly by freshman students, plus a few sophomores, with a total capacity of 387 students. ProjectmanagerGeorge Bleekman will continue to monitor the project during the post-construction phase Tkry'.. Hr.J.J Our \Vay Watch out for all the ducks coming in for a landing on or before September 25. Fall term enrollment is expected to be very close to last year; between 20,300 and 20,400 students. In addition to the drop boxes, Jerry Henry will soon be setting up a covered and locked non-ferrous metals recycle area with a padlock keyed to a mechanical room key. Recycling coordinator Jim Fleck will place a cardboard recycle Which wav to Fenton Hall? Appendix H University of Qregon Focilities Services News ond Informotion Ch.ritabl" Frrrrd Drive - GL.i.tg just a httl" c"., h.lp a lot Campus Operations employees are invited to a kick-off for the 2006 State of Oregon Employees Combined Fund Drive (CFD). Coordinator Cheryl Dumas encourages everyone to stop by the Facilities conference room on Friday, November 3, f rom 1l:30 to l2:30. You can pick up your packet of information and pledge form, and enjoy a home-baked goodie. As always, you can select from a list of many agencies and charities to receive part or all of your contr ibut ion. Whatever is important o you - you wi l l find a CFD organization that shares your concern. Any amount that you choose to give can make a difference in someone's life. For example, for $1 a work day, you could buy one candy bar - or - 75 rides for low- income seniors or people with disabilities for grocery shopping and doctor appointments plus one month of afe shelter for a mother and child fleeing domestic violence. If you can't make it to the kick-ofi your packet will be delivered to your work place. \[o1L on Diversity Action Plan Begins The Campus Operations Diversity Action Plan Development Team has begun the task of preparing a report and plan of action for achieving greater diversity in Facilities Services and Environmental Health & Safety. As a big first step, the Team will conduct an employee survey designed to assess the organizational climate and identify challenges with regards to issues relating to equity and diversity. Every employee will be invited to participate in the survey. The responses to the survey will help the team to determine issues and concerns to be addressed by the action plan. Members of the Development Team are: Jeremy Chambers, Johnny Earl, Tim King, Susan Osterman, Greta Pressman, Chris Silva, Mo Soleimani, and Candice Woyak. Approved by the University Senate in May 2006, the UO Diversity Plan instructs each campus unit to levelop a strategic diversity action plan by Match2007. SryH" l lo to . . . . Bill Beckett, environmental manager for EH&S. Bill 's responsibilities include hazardous materials handling and overseeing the university's compliance with various regulatory environmental agencies. Congratulations to . . . . Rob Basto, who was recently promoted to the posit ion of capital construct ion accounts services manager. Again, Tk"rLYou. . . . To the numerous Facilities employees who helped during the past few months to prepare the Westmoreland apartment complex for sale - a very big THANK YOU! Although he was unable to attend our celebration last month, president Frohnmayer sent his thanks to all: "(I) want everyone associated with the Westmoreland transfer to know of my deep appreciation of their hard work." O.'r b"..rfiful carnpus Over the past 30 years considerable research as been done to understand the issues that impact a student's choice of a higher education institution. Last year, the Association of Physical Plant Administrators (APPA) set out to conduct a study of their own to determine the benefit of campus facililies in the recruitment process. Here at the UO we have always known that our beautiful grounds, open spaces, and "collegiate-like" buildings are a priceless resource. The APPA study, with 13,782 students responding, confirms how important a campus' physical condition can be to a student's choice of school. Two-thirds of the respondents indicated that the overall quality of campus facilities were "essential" or "very important" to their decision of where to enroll' Half felt that the attractiveness of the campus was "essential" or "very important." Respondents were asked to pick the one facility that had the greatest impact on their decision. Number one wasfacilities in my major (30.5%). The absence or poor maintenance of a facility is also important to potential students. More than one quarter (26.1%) indicated they had rejected an institution because it lacked a facility they felt was important. And l5.l percent of the respondents rejected outright institutions for lack of open spaces. c{ li OJ 14 q) z University of Oregon Focilities Services News ond fnformotion H"liJ"y Parties Set For Decem-Ler 14, The annual Campus Operations holiday parties will be held on Thursday, December 14. The two events, one for day shift employees, and another for evening and night shift employees, give us all an opportunity to eat some very good food and relax with our co-workers for a while. The festivities begin at noon for day shift employees. As always, there will be plenfy of mouth-watering barbequed turkey courtesy of the Operations and Maintenance supervisors. Ham, mashed potatoes and gravy, veggie trays, plus soft drinks will also be provided. Employees are encouraged to bring a side dish or dessert o share. Decorating the Stores Warehouse area begins about 9:00 r the morning of the l4 'h. "olunteers are welcome to stop by and lend a hand. A pot luck party for evening and night shift employees begins l2 hours later at midnight. It will be held in the Gerlinger Hall Alumni Lounge. Here's a chance cul inary ski l ls! to show off vour Charitabl" F.ud Drive - an upJate Charitable Fund Drive coordinator Cheryl Dumas happily reports that this year's contributions total $9,473. That's $ I ,000 over what was raised than last year. The 2006 State of Oregon Employees Combined Fund Drive benefits hundreds of local and state organizations. Thank you so much to all of you who were able to contribute! Diversity Srrr,"y R"s.rlts Being RevieweJ by DAP Developrnent T"t.., In December the Campus Operations Diversity A,ction Plan (DAP) Development Team will be analyzing .re results of the recently distributed Diversity Survey. These results will form the basis for discussion of specific action steps to be included in the Campus Operations strategic plan. The results of the survey will be given to all On the look-out Campus Operations employees, along with the full strategic action plan document at the time it is submitted to the Office of Institutional Diversity and Equity in March 2007. If you did not receive a survey please contact Greta Pressman or Chris Silva as soon as possible so that your opinion can be included in the survey results. H" l l " to . . . . Gary Wood, new Property Specialist in Stores. Gary will be working with Frank Haworth, doing receivables, stock organizing and parts pick-up. He begins his new job on December 4. Welcome to Facilities! Congratulations to . . . . Rose DeBono, newly hired Supervising Architect for Design Services. Rose began working in Facilities as a drafter in 1983. She was promoted to Design Services Supervisor in 1986, and then in 1993 she gave up that position to work parffime so she could spend more time with her family. It's great to have her back leading Design Services. AJJiti"n to Music B.tilJit g Begfins Sprint' 2007 North side view of Music Building, 1921. The next big construction project on campus wi l l be tan addition to the Music Bui lding. Darin Dehle, c a p i t a l c o n s t r u c t i o n m a n a g e r , s a i d t h a t construction is slated to begin in the Spring of 2007. Two additions totaling 29,000 square feet will more than double the current, very crowded, space. However yo.. celeLrate - presents trrJ"t a tree, lightittg ""r.JL., walking in the snowy *ooJ. - rnay yo., .t J your {arnili.. tttJ f.i"ndt enjoy this *o.tJ.J.'l tirne o{ the year. ,\r ti 0.) (.) o HUMAN RESOURCES Strategic Diversity Action Plan June 2007 The staff members of Human Resources are excited about these initiatives designed to create a workplace that will support the university’s diversity strategic directions. This draft will be revised and updated as the diversity planning and review process continues. I. Human Resources’ Mission Human Resources’ mission is to support the teaching, research and public service mission of the University of Oregon by providing a comprehensive human resources program to university department managers, supervisors and employees. Human Resources’ programs and services serve the university’s mission by recruiting, retaining, and supporting high-caliber faculty and staff. HR partners with the campus community to meet for a wide range of employee needs, including benefits, compensation, employment, employee relations, training and development, work and family services, and recognition programs. This office is also responsible for ensuring HR compliance with a wide range of state and federal laws, university policies, and three collective bargaining agreements. The staff of Human Resources is deeply committed to providing excellent service to the campus community by ensuring a partnership that assists departments in creating and maintaining a respectful, inclusive, and professional work environment. We value the unique contributions, skills, abilities, talents and life experiences that each individual brings to the collective workforce. II. Organization Chart The attached organization chart shows how the work of Human Resources is structured and the reporting lines of staff members. Human Resources reports to the Vice President for Finance and Administration. III. Diversity Value Statement The University of Oregon Diversity Plan defines diversity as “Differences based on race, ethnicity, national origin or citizenship, gender, religious affiliation or background, sexual orientation, gender identity, economic class or status, political affiliation or belief and ability or disability.” Human Resources is committed to providing support to diverse constituencies and will continue to work to ensure the worksite is a welcoming, inclusive and supportive environment that respects and values the unique contributions, skills, abilities, talents and life experiences of all employees in our workforce. The work of Human Resources is particularly relevant to university diversity strategies because of it influence on virtually all employment decisions for classified employees and its many services for unclassified employees. IV. History of Diversity Efforts 2 Human Resources’ staff members historically have worked to incorporate principles of fairness, equity and diversity in all its programs and services. Appendices A - C outline specific efforts to support and promote greater diversity both on campus and in the surrounding community. V. Plan Development/Process The development of the HR Strategic Diversity Action Plan began with a commitment to provide opportunity for the broadest participation possible at every stage of planning. As a result, all staff members of the department have been and will continue to be included in conversations about the plan’s content as the planning process progresses. As a first step, five focus group meetings were held from October 18 to November 13 to allow for a safe, confidential and respectful dialogue between staff members on the topics of diversity and equity. The groups identified challenges and proposed ways to improve service to the campus community and the public and foster a welcoming and inclusive approach and atmosphere in Human Resources. In addition, potential initiatives were suggested that could to support diversity efforts on campus. In January, small work groups based on work focus and functionality met to refine and augment the diversity goals and action items proposed in this draft and to identify measures to evaluate the success of each specific action item. The goals in this plan reflect suggestions made by staff members in discussions held last fall and conversations held with each work group in January. Next, action steps and measurable outcomes were identified, prioritized, reviewed by the Human Resources administrative staff. Next this plan will move forward in the university review and implementation, followed by assessment and refinement as necessary. As mentioned above, Human Resources programs affect in some way the employment of nearly all UO employees. It is important, therefore, that the plan development include campuswide perspectives from all levels of the organization. While considerable collaboration has occurred within Human Resources in preparing this strategic plan, more work is needed to gather broader input on Human Resources’ potential to improve campus climate. A similar process occurred at the Vivian Olum Child Development Center, a program that is part of Human Resources. The VOCDC plan is forwarded with this document. VI. Resource Statement The time, money and resources necessary to support this strategic plan will be best determined once the action items have been finalized and prioritized. 3 AREAS OF EMPHASIS Point 1 – Developing a Culturally Responsive Community Goal #1 Foster an environment within Human Resources that is inclusive and in which employees are valued and treated with respect. Action Items • Review and revise HR mission and values statements using a collaborative process to ensure it reflects values of diversity and equity in customer service, policy interpretation. Consult with OIED. Measurement: Completed mission statement. Timeline: October 1, 2007 Responsibility: Linda King • Identify and offer training sessions or facilitated discussions for Human Resources staff members that strengthen their understanding of diversity and improve their ability to interact effectively with diverse audiences; identify learning opportunities for HR staff members and allocate resources toward providing these opportunities. Potential development opportunities for HR staff members include: o Conduct customer service training that focuses on issues of diversity, privilege and respectful environment and how they affect customer service in HR (using either in-house or outside facilitator). Measurement: Training session designed and presented for HR staff members Timeline: October 1, 2007 Responsibility: Linda King and Cris Cullinan o Hold question and answer sessions with members of the OIED to get individual perspectives on how HR might build a welcoming environment. In later years, extend to facilitators from the community based on input from HR staff members. Measurement: Q & A sessions held at least quarterly at HR all-staff meetings that assist HR staff in working more effectively, inclusively and respectfully with members from diverse populations Timeline: Throughout 2007 and 2008 Responsibility: Linda King o Arrange for a presentation by Chicora Martin on gay and lesbian concerns and especially the unique issues facing transgendered individuals. Measurement: Session held Timeline: October 1, 2007 Responsibility: Linda King • Ensure that performance appraisals for all Human Resources employees include an assessment of their work in dealing with diverse members of the community and in applying rules and policies fairly and with sensitivity to the impact on diverse populations. Measurement: Completed performance appraisals that include these criteria. 4 Timeline: Implemented for all performance appraisals conducted after March 1, 2007. Responsibility: Linda King and supervisory staff in Human Resources. • Ensure that hiring process for and orientation of new HR employees incorporates departmental expectations on welcoming and respectful communication. Measurement: New language in posting for positions in Human Resources; orientation checklist that includes expectations. Timeline: July 1, 2007 Responsibility: Linda King, Chris Lonigan and Joan Walker Goal #2 Provide services to job applicants, university employees and other visitors to Human Resources that assist with special challenges in written, verbal, and visual communication. • Solicit and gather information regarding how HR services can be more accessible, helpful and welcoming. o Convene a group of community leaders and experts on the subject to discuss office appearance, webpage, employment application and procedures, and other topics as appropriate. Measurement: Meeting held, data collected and feedback compiled, report discussed and action steps created. Further consultation with community group on action steps. Timeline: July 1, 2008 Responsibility: Linda King and administrative staff as appropriate • Explore ways to improve services to applicants and employees with limited English language skills. o Assess need for services (e.g., frequency, languages, etc.) o Identify translation services available both on campus and in the community; o Obtain cost estimates of providing service; o Consult with IDEC on community partnerships. Measurement: Assessment conducted to determine frequency and nature of need for translation services; research available translation services; prepare cost estimates; identify resources. Timeline: July 1, 2008 Responsibility: Linda King and Assistant Director • Explore ways to better serve those whose disabilities make it difficult to access HR information: o Ensure that TTY equipment used in HR is current and that staff are trained to use it. Measurement: Four members of reception staff receive training on TTY. Timeline: July 1, 2007 Responsibility: Joan Walker • Provide reading assistance and accommodation to employees and applicants who are illiterate; publicize service. Measurement: Service publicized on webpage and other recruitment materials. Timeline: July 1, 2007 Responsibility: Chris Lonigan 5 Goal #3 Provide assistance, services, and programming for the campus community that supports the university’s strategic directions outlined in the Diversity Plan for the University of Oregon. Action Items • Continue and augment professional development programs for university faculty and staff designed to improve the ability to interact respectfully and effectively with diverse members of the University community; review current training offerings and new employee orientation programs to ensure that diversity principles are incorporated as much as possible. o Review and expand current offerings specific to issues of equity, inclusion, privilege and diversity; check current curricula to ensure infusion of these issues into content. Measurement: Review each course offering for relevant content with HR administrators and OIED in consultation with OAAEO and Bias Response Team (and others) to ensure issues are current and pertinent; revise courses accordingly. Timeline: July 1, 2008 Responsibility: Cris Cullinan o Check with OIED on a regular basis to see what issues are surfacing that should be addressed in HR training. Measurement: Meet with OIED to discuss issues that should be covered in HR conduct workshops at least once every two months for first year; finalize notes and shared. Timeline: July 1, 2008 Responsibility: Cris Cullinan o Coordinate as needed with CoDaC regarding HR training; assist CoDaC with training as needed. Measurement: Meet with CoDaC to explore ways that HR and CoDaC can coordinate their efforts. Timeline: Begin meetings fall term 2007. Responsibility: Cris Cullinan o Post prominently announcements of activities, workshops and other campus events related to advancing the goals of the UO Diversity Plan; annually update and expand the HR online training guide to include department names and links related to non-HR workshops or events related to goals of the UO Diversity Plan. Measurement: Work with OIED to identify and publish activities on HR bulletin boards and in HR publications (such as training guide). Timeline: June 1, 2008 Responsibility: Cris Cullinan in consultation with OIED o Research ways to provide training and development to employees who do not have access to a computer in the normal course of their jobs as a way to underscore our interest in their career development needs. Measurement: Identify positions and contact supervisors regarding the best way to contact employees; assess training needs and arrange appropriate opportunities. Timeline: June 1, 2008 Responsibility: Cris Cullinan and Kathy Cooks 6 • Promote the completion of annual performance appraisals for classified staff and officers of administration that include an assessment of ability to work effectively with diverse populations. o Review and revise performance appraisal instruments to ensure that they include criteria that appraise leadership performance with regard to diversity (for OAs) and ability to interact respectfully and discuss relevant professional development opportunities for continued growth (for both OAs and classified employees). Measurement: Performance appraisal instruments reviewed and revised. Timeline: October 1, 2007 Responsibility: Assistant HR Director o Conduct random audits of completed appraisals to ensure that evaluations are fair and avoid unfair or illegal comments (e.g., attendance for FMLA reasons). Measurement: Audits conducted monthly. Timeline: Start by October 1, 2007 Responsibility: Assistant HR Director o Add content to the performance appraisal section of the supervision course regarding the evaluation of employees based on the ability to work effectively with diverse populations. Measurement: Supervision course curriculum modified. Timeline: September 1, 2007 Responsibility: Cris Cullinan o Offer template that provides supervisors with suggested criteria and language for appraising performance in the areas of diversity. Measurement: Template prepared and available on website. Timeline: September 1, 2007 Responsibility: Assistant HR Director and Cris Cullinan • Provide orientation programs that include information on the diversity of the university community, the expectation of effective and respectful interactions, and resources for obtaining the necessary skills. o Review material in supervision course related to orientation to make sure this is effectively addressed. Measurement: Supervision course curriculum modified. Timeline: September 1, 2007 Responsibility: Cris Cullinan, Joan Walker, and Chris Lonigan • Explore the feasibility of conducting a survey that would solicit ways that Human Resources could improve its services in meeting campus diversity needs; specifically target “diversity communities.” Measurement: Consult with OIED regarding other information-gathering and evaluative efforts for possible collaboration; identify survey topics. Timeline: July 1, 2008 Responsibility: Linda King and Alana Holmes 7 • Contact employee assistance program (EAP) provider to assess expertise in working with employees experiencing isolation or other problems associated with cultural changes or diversity issues; incorporate this information in EAP materials. Measurement: Contact with EAP and materials revised. Timeline: September 1, 2007 Responsibility: Karen Logvin • Encourage HR staff members to participate in UO and community committees that deal with diversity issues. Measurement: Discussions at administrative and all-staff meetings on appropriate activities and committees. Timeline: Ongoing Responsibility: Linda King • Conduct a comprehensive review of the HR website in an effort to make it more welcoming, barrier- free, and a positive recruitment and retention tool for faculty and staff. Measurement: Assess current website and identify necessary changes; identify resources (e.g., web designer) to modify; train staff to keep website current. Timeline: March 1, 2008 Responsibility: Linda King, Assistant Director, and David Lechnyr Point 2 – Improving Campus Climate Goal #1 Understand better the challenges university departments face in meeting their diversity goals to create Human Resources initiatives that will better support campus efforts. Action Items: • Identify and carry out strategies to collect this information from university departments; possible activities include: surveys, focus groups, evaluations of classified searches. Measurement: Strategies determined and carried out (e.g., survey conducted) Timeline: November 1, 2007 Responsibility: Linda King and Assistant Director • Discussions with CSTDAC, union representatives, Office of Administration Council to brainstorm challenges and possible remedies. Measurement: Meetings held with campus groups Timeline: November 1, 2007 8 Responsibility: Linda King and Assistant Director Goal # 2 Identify ways that Human Resources can contribute to university-wide strategic diversity initiatives to create an inclusive environment. Action Items: • Support improvements to complaint processes in which issues of equity are raised. o Informal dispute resolution: Consult on process for informal resolution, especially those involving classified employees, including meeting with unions as appropriate and assisting with written instructions and flowchart preparation. Measurement: Continue regular meetings with SEIU and GCIU and informal resolution process; consult with OAAEO as appropriate. Timeline: Ongoing Responsibility: Alana Holmes o Single- complaint process: Assist OAAEO, OIED and others in assessing the feasibility of single-complaint process, especially with regard to collective bargaining law and labor contracts. Measurement: Consultation as needed. Timeline: Based on OAAEO and OIED timeline. Responsibility: Alana Holmes and Linda King ƒ Canvas the participants in the supervision course, Preventing and Dealing with Sexual Harassment, and Leadership in Student Supervision, where we cover the complaint processes, to learn how theses processes could be improved. Measurement: Discussions held during these trainings. Timeline: June 1, 2008 Responsibility: Cris Cullinan 9 • Explore ways to include Human Resources’ activities and programs (such as training opportunities) with OIED Events Calendar and other information sharing mechanisms. Conversely, work with OIED in sharing information, coordinating events and publicity related to training Measurement: Meet with OIED to discuss collaboration Timeline: September 1, 2007 Responsibility: Linda King and Cris Cullinan Goal #3 Explore ways to create a welcoming environment and positive first impression to visitors to HR. • Provide writing table and chairs in elevator lobby for those completing applications. • Explore possibility of offering wireless access to non-UO applicants and application printing services. • Obtain art work that reflects a welcoming atmosphere. • Post fliers advertising diversity programs or activities in public view. • Review office physical space to ensure compliance with disability accessibility. Measurement: Determine need and feasibility of proposal; determine cost and identify resources to create a more useable, welcoming space. Timeline: July 1, 2008 Responsibility: Joan Walker, Chris Lonigan, and Linda King Goal #4 Research best practices in human resources that support the campus community to be more welcoming to underrepresented populations Action Items • Research practices and programs of other universities. For example, review training and development opportunities available on other campuses to see what HR could add to offerings related to equity, privilege, inclusion and the creation and maintenance of a respectful and welcoming environment; consult with PSU and OSU on their programs. Research CUPA-HR website for ideas. Measurement: Research and contact OSU, PSU, some or all comparator institutions and CUPA- HR for information. Create an action plan for UO. Timeline: January 1, 2008. Responsibility: Linda King and administrative staff Point 3 – Building Critical Mass Goal #1 Expand our outreach and recruitment to create more diverse applicant pools that include underrepresented populations. Action Items • Explore ways to post university positions more widely within local community, including efforts to identify effective ways to reach diversity-related organizations; partner with local organizations to attract greater diversity and to meet with potential applicants that represent diverse backgrounds. 10 Measurement: Convene a group of community leaders from agencies such as El Centro Latino to solicit input on best way to attract applicants of color. Timeline: January 1, 2008 Responsibility: Cris Cullian – arrange contacts; HR administrators • Explore alternative advertising venues that might reach a more diverse audience (e.g., Oregon Daily Emerald and Eugene Weekly). Measurement: Conduct cost benefit analysis and identify additional resources needed. Timeline: January 1, 2008 Responsibility: Chris Lonigan • Analyze how new employees, especially those who represent diverse populations, learned about UO jobs; provide this information to hiring departments electronically. Assess current recruiting and hiring processes for effectiveness in attracting diverse applicants; build on successes and address challenges with new initiatives. Measurement: Set up a reporting process that tracks new hires of color and how they learned about the vacancy and provides information to hiring supervisors and departments. Timeline: March 1, 2008 Responsibility: Chris Lonigan and David Lechnyr • Participate with OAAEO committee established to create a directory of outreach and recruitment resources. Measurement: Attend meetings as scheduled by OAAEO and participate fully. Timeline: Ongoing Responsibility: Chris Lonigan and Alana Holmes • Research opportunities for career fairs held across the state that target underrepresented populations and give UO more visibility across the state. Measurement: Identify potential career fairs (including UO Career Center Career Fair); determine costs of participating; identify resources to fund; explore partnerships with other Eugene-Springfield agencies; attend fairs. Timeline: June 1, 2008 Responsibility: Chris Lonigan, Alana Holmes, and Assistant Director • When presenting at national and regional conferences (e.g., NCORE), highlight UO's commitment to equity and inclusion; consider taking recruitment announcements to those conferences to advertise openings. Measurement: Preparation of materials and attendance at conference. Timeline: June 1, 2008 Responsibility: Cris Cullinan in consultation with OIED • Explore ways to provide applicants with more information about a search, particularly those with a “soft deadline;” obtain contact information for non-classified searches to improve quality of response when applicants contact Human Resources. Measurement: Meet with OAAEO to discuss ways to provide greater information. Timeline: September 1, 2007 11 Responsibility: Linda King • Review information such as the “How to Apply” sheet for quality, accuracy and readability for different populations. Measurement: Review sheet with different audiences (supervisors, potential applicants, etc.) to ensure accuracy and clarity; revise as appropriate. Timeline: January 1, 2008 Responsibility: Chris Lonigan • Identify UO benefits (such as staff fee rate) that might be attractive to diverse populations; provide a link to the work and family services webpage from the “Jobs” webpage as a way of attracting potential employees with benefits program and other services. Measurement: Provide link. Timeline: March 1, 2007 Responsibility: Chris Lonigan and David Lechnyr Goal #2 Pursue initiatives aimed at retaining diverse faculty and staff. Action Items • Research ways to create programs that encourage retention of underrepresented faculty and staff. Measurement: Identify and attend conferences (such as NCORE) that offer professional development opportunities on this topic; share information and implement programs as feasible; identify resources. Timeline: July 1, 2008 Responsibility: Linda King in consultation with Russ Tomlin • In cooperation with OIED and OAAEE, offer the workshop "Understanding Institutionalized Privilege and Building Culturally Competent Leadership," designed specifically for UO. to promote greater understanding of UO faculty, staff and student experiences on a daily basis. Measurement: Explore interest with OIED and OAAEO in collaborating on presentation; design training and present. Timeline: March 1, 2008 Responsibility: Linda King, Cris Cullinan with representatives of OEID and OAAEO. • Research interest and feasibility of exit interview process; ensure that information coming from departing employees is reviewed, reported appropriately and problems addressed. Measurement: Meet with representatives of OIED and OAAEO in identifying need and creating process; implement process that includes feedback mechanism. Timeline: July 1, 2008 Responsibility: Linda King and Assistant Director with OAAED • Offer support for the “Faculty and Staff of Color” group; assist in identification of employee-related issues; explore with group the idea of sponsoring social opportunities that bring people together who are interested in supporting a more welcoming environment and that provide opportunities for networking. 12 Measurement: Attend meeting of Faculty and Staff of Color to explore possible ways to collaborate and support its activities. Timeline: July 1, 2008 Responsibility: Karen Logvin and Kathy Cooks • Explore affordable child-care options that address needs of low-income faculty and staff; examine current programs for ways to offer their services at lower cost. Measurement: Research practices at other universities and colleges; identify resources needed to implement best practices. Timeline: July 1, 2008 Responsibility: Karen Logvin • Continue and expand, as appropriate, recognition programs that acknowledge all kinds of contributions to the university; promote departmental recognition activities to support inclusivity at all levels of the organization. Measurement: Encourage departments to acknowledge and reward inclusive behaviors; prepare model recognition program for departments to follow. Timeline: March 1, 2008 Responsibility: Karen Logvin and Kathy Cooks Point 4 - Expanding and Filling the Pipeline Goal #1 Support campus efforts to attract students that represent diversity as found in the Diversity Plan for the University of Oregon. Action Items • Continue and expand collaborations with departments serving student parents and nontraditional students (Office of Student Life, Graduate School, Nontraditional Student Union, ASUO Women’s Center). Measurement: Hold ongoing meetings with these offices to identify opportunities for collaboration. Timeline: Ongoing Responsibility: Karen Logvin • When presenting at national and regional conferences (e.g., NCORE), highlight UO's commitment to equity and inclusion; consider taking student recruitment materials to these conferences whenever appropriate. Measurement: Gather appropriate materials to take to conference; attend conference. Timeline: June 1, 2008 Responsibility: Cris Cullinan in consultation with OIED and Admissions • Contact area high schools in effort to get students to consider UO for both employment and academics; partner with Admissions and Career Center. 13 Measurement: Continue to work with high schools; contact LCC and high school culinary programs for food service employment. Timeline: June 1, 2008 Responsibility: Chris Lonigan Point 5 – Developing and Strengthening Community Linkages Goal #1 Identify ways to partner with community employers and agencies on diversity recruitment to the Eugene- Springfield area. Action Items • Contact Lane County Human Resources Director group to determine if there is interest in partnering on this activity. Measurement: Contact convener to get item on a quarterly meeting and conduct discussion. Timeline: January 1, 2008 Responsibility: Linda King • Continue participation in WorkNet to attract a broader, more diverse applicant pool. Measurement: Continue participation and expand involvement if possible. Timeline: Ongoing Responsibility: Chris Lonigan Goal #2 Improve communication of available services in community for university faculty and staff. Action Items • Research community connections for possible partnerships (e.g., El Centro Latino, Directions, domestic violence agencies, etc) to attract greater diversity and provide support within the campus community. Measurement: Research and assess agencies that would be of most interest and benefit to UO employees; contact those deemed most beneficial to explore potential partnerships. Timeline: June 1, 2008 Responsibility: Alana Holmes and Cris Cullinan Point 6 – Developing and Reinforcing Diversity Infrastructure Goal #1 Support OIED efforts to create an infrastructure for the university’s diversity efforts as appropriate. • Support OIED in recognition activities (such as the MLK annual award) that acknowledge work that advances the university’s diversity initiatives. 6/18/07 Amendment to the Vivian Olum Child Development Center Diversity Plan June 2007 The review and assessment by members of the UO Diversity Advisory Committee provided valuable advice regarding needed revisions to the VOCDC diversity plan. Unfortunately, the current center director recently resigned and plans to recruit a new director are underway. In order to modify the plan to not only incorporate the suggested revisions, but also to insure leadership commitment and involvement, it will be important that the new director play a role in the changes. For that reason, the plan has been modified to include a process that begins this summer with center staff and concludes in the fall with the involvement of parents and the new center director. The process will be initiated this summer by Karen Logvin, the UO’s work and family services (WFS) administrator, who supervises the center director and provides oversight for the center’s programs and policies. June 2007 • Assign to the UO’s work and family services (WFS) administrator, the responsibility for reviewing and approving the center’s action plan and goals, including the development of an environmental scan and allocation of sufficient resources to support identified goals as they are developed. • The WFS administrator will establish an Action Planning Committee formed from the Lead Teachers group which currently meets weekly with the center director. July-August • The Action Planning Committee will develop and implement an environmental scan. August • Agenda for bi-annual all-staff retreat will include discussion of environmental scan results. • Establish staff work groups at retreat to draft goals based on the “six areas of emphasis” found in the UO Diversity Strategic Plan. To reflect the mission of the center, goals must reflect at least the following elements: • Child Curriculum • Classroom Environment • Parent-Staff relationships • Teacher training • UO student worker training • Center operating policies October 2007 • The new center director will join the center’s action plan committee, and assume leadership of the planning effort with Karen’s guidance. November 2007 • Results of environment scan and drafted goals will be reviewed and discussed by the Center’s Parent Advisory Council (November is first meeting of the year). January 2008 • Agenda for all-staff retreat will include review and assessment of current goals, with amendments as necessary, including measurement and implementation timeline. University of Oregon Office of Institutional Research Diversity Strategic Action Plan March 15, 2007 Guiding Principals for the Office of Institutional Research The Office of Institutional Research provides management information and analytical support to the University's decision makers, enhancing strategic planning and policy-making processes. We serve as the chief information clearinghouse for the University and conduct research on students, faculty, and staff to promote on-going institutional self-assessment. Institutional Research also fulfills the University's compliance reporting requirements at both the federal and state levels. Specifically this office: • Provides the highest quality data, information, and analytical services. • Anticipates our customers’ needs and exceed their expectations. • Provides institutional research and assessment data and data analysis to departments and units throughout the University community. • Organizes and conducts other institutional assessment programs, including assessment of student learning and student activities, both independently and in collaboration with other departments. • Provides institutional assessment results and analysis to administrative units, academic departments, and offices providing student support services. • Serves as consultants to other University offices, departments, and individuals on institutional data collection and analysis matters. The Office of Institutional Research plays a central role in the research and assessment of the University’s progress toward meeting its diversity goals: • Planning and Analysis. The office provides a wide range of information that enhances the institution’s ability to make effective decisions within the context of diversity. For example, a major component of the Program Review process includes trend data on ethnicity and gender. • Faculty and Staff Studies. The office conducts a variety of studies that evaluate the equity of compensation by gender and ethnicity. In addition, the office provides information about the ethnic and gender diversity of units on campus or among specific groups of employees. • Student Studies. The office provides analytical support for enrollment management including enrollment patterns and trends based on gender, ethnicity, and income. This office also provides extensive analysis regarding the effectiveness of financial aid programs that assist students of color, low income students, and first generation college students. Retention and graduation information provided by the office sustains a variety of self-assessment efforts as campus programs monitor progress toward their diversity goals. • Communication. The office coordinates the submission of information that tracks diversity on campus and disseminates information regarding students, faculty and staff through the University Profile. In addition, we participate in many data sharing -3- consortiums, which allows the University to compare its progress against similar institutions. Mandate The Diversity Plan for the University of Oregon was adopted and issued by President Frohnmayer on May 14, 2006 and adopted by the University Senate on May 24, 2006. The plan provides a set of principles to guide the University as it nurtures the development of a more culturally responsive community. A central element of the Diversity Plan is that each college, school, and unit develop its own Strategic Action Plan. Given the small size of the Office of Institutional Research, the office’s entire staff participated in the development of our unit’s plan. Institutional Research Staff: J.P. Monroe, Associate Director Guihua Li, Associate Director Andrea Larson, Senior Research Analyst Sherry Stahl, Management Analyst Dee Rawson, Administrative Program Specialist The Office of Institutional Research is uniquely positioned to help the University achieve its diversity objectives. Our office regularly provides information and analysis to the campus community on a wide range of diversity issues. From studies of students to faculty compensation, our office can provide a detailed and nuanced view of our community. Providing demographic information about our students or staff is just the first step. For us, being culturally responsive means understanding the linkages between diversity and other aspects of university life. Our unit’s goals reflect not what we think we are already doing to support diversity on campus — though, these activities are numerous. Rather, given the six elements of the UO Diversity Plan, our plan focuses on the additional activities we can undertake to help ensure its success. Areas of Emphasis 1. Developing a culturally responsive community Goal #1 Assist in educating the campus community about the new UO Diversity Plan. Because the UO Diversity Plan represents an organic and evolving initiative, fostering an ongoing climate of self-assessment is vital to the plan’s success. Institutional Research can -4- support a culture of evaluation by providing information and the analytical tools necessary to meet the goals of the plan. Action items: 1. Meet with the Office of Institutional Equity and Diversity to identify a strategy for the year following release of the Diversity Plan. 2. Support the office’s informational and analytical needs in the process of increasing awareness and acceptance of the plan. Measurement: Promote campus-wide awareness of the diversity goals by providing data that supports self- assessment activities. Timeline: Initiative begins with the approval of the UO Diversity Plan. Have concrete steps in place for the 2007-08 academic year. Responsibility: Associate Director of IR Goal #2 Plan and participate in diversity training and educational opportunities. In an effort to broaden the perspective of our office, there should be regularly scheduled diversity and training opportunities. Action items: 1. Assess where the staff feels there is the need for training. 2. Schedule at least one training per year in IR. 3. Schedule at least one training per year in partnership with other offices on campus. 4. Follow-up each training with group discussion about how the training informs and affects the work that we do. Measurement: Develop a schedule of training opportunities. Timeline: Initiative begins immediately; ongoing. Responsibility: Administrative Program Specialist 2. Improving campus climate Goal #1 -5- Provide institutional research and assessment support to the activities of Business Affairs Office’s employee survey. Institutional Research can offer expertise in the development and analysis of an employee survey that will provide a sense of the campus’s climate around diversity issues. Action items: 1. Meet with Laura Hubbard to support the design, administration, analysis, and dissemination of results of the new employee survey. 2. Consult with HR concerning other efforts in this area. 3. Include items in the survey that help assess the diversity climate on campus. Measurement: Completion of the survey in collaboration with BAO and HR. Timeline: Initiative begins May 1, 2007; end not yet determined. Responsibility: Senior Research Analyst 3. Building critical mass Goal #1 Highlight diversity goals and efforts in the University Profile. The University Profile is an important vehicle for communicating our diversity objectives. The Profile should feature what we hope to accomplish and highlight our successes as we move forward with the plan. Action items: 1. Propose a new section in the University Profile that emphasizes the University’s efforts to recruit a more diverse student and employee population. 2. Coordinate this effort with the Office of Institutional Equity and Diversity Measurement: Addition of new section to the Profile. Timeline: Initiative begins immediately; ends with the publication of the new Profile. Responsibility: Management Analyst 4. Expanding and filling the pipeline -6- Goal #1 Assess our efforts to attract a more diverse admission pool. As an institution, we are committed to the goal of increasing the diversity of our student population, and we commit resources to achieve that end. However, we lack a comprehensive evaluation system that tests whether our efforts are sufficient to achieve our goals. For example, how effective is the current mix of institutional aid that we offer to students in our efforts to attract a more diverse pool of students? Institutional Research will take steps to more closely monitor the effectiveness of these efforts. Action items: 1. Meet with Martha Pitts to discuss the development of measures that can be used to assess the University’s efforts to attract a more diverse student population. 2. Create a template that helps communicate these efforts to key constituencies on campus. Measurement: A set of key indicators developed in coordination with Admissions and Financial Aid. Timeline: Initiative begins June 1; ends December 15, 2007. Responsibility: Associate Director of IR Goal #2 Provide an assessment of how Freshmen Interest Groups (FIGs) enhance the retention of a more diverse student population. The FIGs efficacy in the area of student retention and academic performance are now well documented. There is some evidence that the program may be especially beneficial for students of color. Action items: 1. Meet with Karen Sprague to discuss the development of measures that can be used to assess the effectiveness of the program in the retention of students of color. Measurement: Analytical support for the assessment of FIGs effectiveness in the retention of diverse students. Timeline: Initiative begins June 1; ends December 15, 2007. Responsibility: Associate Director of IR -7- 5. Developing and strengthening community linkages No goals at this time. 6. Developing and reinforcing diversity infrastructure Goal #1 Develop measurable indicators of progress in each dimension of the diversity framework. Historically, Institutional Research has provided information and analysis about the University’s progress toward meeting its objectives and goals. We need to expand these activities to include key elements of the diversity plan. Action items: 1. Meet with the Office of Institutional Equity and Diversity and work out a strategy for tracking progress on the plan by developing key indicators. 2. Support the office’s informational and analytical needs. Measurement: A set of key measures developed in coordination with the Office of Institutional Equity and Diversity. Timeline: Initiative begins June 1; ongoing. Responsibility: Associate Director of IR Goal #2 An inventory of the work that IR is currently doing to support diversity efforts around campus. Because the Office of Institutional Research interacts with many campus decision makers, units, and programs on a variety of diversity issues, it is important that the office develops an inventory of these activities and relationships. For example, looking at ethnicity is routinely part the retention and graduation analysis that we do each year; however, it’s not labeled as a diversity study, per se. We need to gain a better understanding of what information we are gathering and how it is being used around campus. Action items: 1. Develop a comprehensive list of reports and analyses that relate to diversity. 2. Detail how the information is being used. 3. Evaluate the any unmet needs. Measurement: -8- Produce a document that details the office’s current diversity activities. Timeline: Initiative begins immediately; ends September 1, 2007. Responsibility: Entire staff Goal #3 A survey of the work that other IR offices are doing to support diversity efforts at other campuses. Knowing what other IR offices are doing in this area would also be helpful. A survey of our peer institutions would give us an idea about what areas need further attention and would help guide future initiatives. Action items: 1. Survey other IR units to identify analyses that are being conducted around diversity issues. 2. Detail how the information is being used. Measurement: A document that details peer IR offices’ current diversity activities. Timeline: Initiative begins immediately; ends December 1, 2007. Responsibility: Management Analyst Resources The Office of Institutional Research will have a better understanding of the resource needs and staffing implications as we move forward with these initiatives. Department of Public Safety Strategic Diversity Action Plan I. Diversity Value Statement The University of Oregon Diversity Plan defines diversity as “Differences based on race, ethnicity, national origin or citizenship, gender, religious affiliation or background, sexual orientation, gender identity, economic class or status, political affiliation or belief and ability or disability.” The University of Oregon Diversity Plan continues, “All members of the University community share in the responsibility of creating and maintaining a learning and working environment that recognizes the value of diversity. All members of the University will benefit from increased diversity at the University and from the efforts to build a safe, inclusive, and just campus site.” The Department of Public Safety (DPS) embraces this mandate, and realizes its unique role in fulfilling it. To DPS falls the responsibility of enforcement on campus, and with that the attendant responsibility of applying cultural competence in tense, complex, conflicting, and crisis situations, where time is limited and the reasonableness of individuals is sometimes impaired through substance use, political passion, their own biases and beliefs, or even crowd psychology. To be effective in these situations, DPS must have previously built a day-to-day foundation of respect, fairness, impartiality, and tolerance through its interactions with the campus community. DPS recognizes that it needs to be a campus leader in diversity tolerance and cultural competence, and that leadership in these areas will enhance public safety and create a model of fair and unbiased enforcement that is based on a thorough foundation of education and prevention. II. Diversity and the DPS Mission The Department of Public Safety plays an integral role in the university community by providing a safe, secure, and welcoming environment. Our mission is to foster a climate that encourages a free, open, and civil exchange of ideas, in support of the educational, research, and public service goals of the university. We recognize and promote the value of diversity and tolerance consistent with a spirit of responsible citizenship within an international community. Specifically addressing the relationship of DPS staff to the University of Oregon Diversity Plan, it is clear that: ƒ DPS recognizes the clear intersection of campus-wide diversity action plans and its own departmental mandate. ƒ DPS staff has both knowledge and ownership of the DPS mission statement and the campus-wide Diversity Plan. ƒ Diversity tolerance and cultural competence is emphasized to all staff, both uniformed and non-uniformed, as well as student employees. ƒ DPS staff reviews the mission statement at least annually. Department of Public Safety Diversity Action Plan 9/21/2007 Page 2 We recognize that the achievement of a department utilizing best practices in public safety will include a continuous department-wide emphasis on diversity tolerance and cultural competence, and ongoing training in diversity for all DPS employees. III. Providing a Safe Environment on a Diverse Campus In fulfilling our mission, we are an integral part of the campus community, and not a separate entity. The result, and the ongoing goal, is a Department that is diverse and culturally competent in the same degree as rest of the campus, and that participates fully in the campus-wide commitment to diversity and cultural competence. DPS has an added responsibility to assist others in maintaining a culture of diversity on the campus through its enforcement responsibility. Through the exercise of this responsibility, DPS plays a unique role at a pivotal point in the timeline of diversity expression, namely, at times of civil protest and group demonstrations. DPS recognizes that civil protest has a place and purpose, and that in fulfilling that purpose, civil protest must not interrupt the freedom of others to pursue their own activities, and their right to protection of their property, including the public’s right to the protection of public property. DPS, through consistent emphasis and training, has a practice of respectful and non- confrontational interactions with participants and observers during protest, and a mission to enhance freedom of expression while respecting the rights of all. We maintain an environment free from intimidation and violence, and practice fairness and consistency regardless of our personal opinions. IV. Recognizing the Value of Diversity and Tolerance At DPS, prevention and education are primary components of our mission, which have equal importance to enforcement, and which dramatically reduce the element of enforcement required in our activities. We support each person, regardless of differences, by treating him or her fairly. We recognize the uniqueness of each person and his or her unique and essential contribution to the community. We understand that in protecting the rights of an individual, we are assuring the safety of the larger community. We understand that cultural competence and diversity tolerance come in to critical play when individuals perceive impingements on their safety and security, and we recognize that the primary tool to combat this is through education and prevention. We encourage diversity by protecting people based upon their rights as citizens of the campus community, regardless of their differences. We continuously educate ourselves about the differences we may encounter. In the last three to four years, we have worked with various groups (American English Institute, International Students Association, Public Safety Advisory Group (PSAG) and others), to reach out and be certain that they are aware that DPS will not discriminate against them, and instead is there to serve them, and, where necessary, to protect them. We are aware that international students, and others from diverse cultures and backgrounds, may have different and negative experiences with the role of public safety officers, and may hesitate to contact them even when needed. We work consistently through outreach and Department of Public Safety Diversity Action Plan 9/21/2007 Page 3 training to provide a different and positive experience of public safety officers before any need arises. We continue to seek additional involvement with on-campus leaders of these groups. V. Diversity Training and Benchmarks The Department of Public Safety recognizes that the process of creating and implementing a Strategic Diversity Plan is ongoing, and will not end with the approval of this plan. Training for the culturally competent public safety officer and DPS employee emphasizes prevention, education, and enforcement. Within these three fundamentals, diversity tolerance is emphasized and cultural competence is achieved. The defining trait of well-trained DPS employees, clearly understood by all in the Department, is their fair, unbiased, and respectful treatment of all in the campus community and the wider society in the performance of their duties. The Department of Public Safety provides on-going training for officers and employees, both within the department and through outside sources. This training is seen as essential and is supported by all staff. Through diversity training, DPS becomes prepared to interact with other campus departments and units as they, too, become more diverse. The resultant trust and sense of inclusion will enhance public safety through information, cooperation, prevention, and education. Through commissioning, merit awards, and community awards, officers and DPS employees are rewarded for their proper actions in fulfillment of the DPS mission. These recognitions often involve situations where the officer or employee has demonstrated cultural competence and respect for diversity, and in no case would include the opposite. An example of this would be when a staff member recognizes a situation of difficulty dealing with a “diversity” issue re: language barrier and goes beyond the expected performance of duty to alleviate the issue at hand. This system of reward and recognition fosters awareness and encourages additional efforts to support and protect the widely diverse campus population. VI. History of the DPS Diversity Action Plan Changes in personnel at every level in the department have occurred during the development of the DPS Diversity Action Plan (DAP). There is recognition that the delay created by these changes does not need to impact the quality of the plan, nor its basis in participation of a variety of department employees. In fact, the acceptance of change, the flexibility to respond positively and move forward, while maintaining the contributions of past participants, is a strength which the department brings to the plan at its outset. As part of the development of the Diversity Action Plan, a survey was developed and distributed to all DPS employees (see Attachment A). Time was set aside for the surveys to be completed at the time they were distributed. Anonymity was ensured by creating a drop box for the surveys. The completed surveys were tabulated (see Attachment B). Department of Public Safety Diversity Action Plan 9/21/2007 Page 4 VII. Areas of Emphasis 1. Foster an environment within DPS that is inclusive and in which employees are valued and treated with respect. Action Items: A. At each bi-monthly staff meeting the UO and DPS Diversity Policy will be reaffirmed. B. When each new employee meets with the Director, this commitment will be emphasized. C. The training officer will, at each training session, speak about diversity and our DPS mission statement. D. Conduct survey or information gathering effort (e.g., focus groups) to elicit ideas for new or improved services that will serve campus diversity needs. E. Research practices and programs of other universities. F. Review current DPS public space for potential changes in appearance that would create a more welcoming first impression to visitors. G. Work with the assistance of the Vice President of Administration and Finance to locate, acquire, and relocate DPS physical spaces to assist in our work efforts and improve our public perception and present a more welcoming space for prospective employees. 2. Building critical mass. Goal #1 Expand our outreach and recruitment to create more diverse applicant pools that include under represented populations. Action Items: A. Explore ways to post DPS position announcements more widely within the local community, and partner with local organizations to attract greater diversity. Direct position postings to groups cited in 3A below. Department of Public Safety Diversity Action Plan 9/21/2007 Page 5 B. Research opportunities for attendance at career fairs held in the local area and across the state that target under represented populations. C. Do fingerprinting of applicants who require background investigations on Sundays to accommodate applicants’ potential work conflicts. 3. Expanding and filling the pipeline. Goal #1 Support campus efforts to attract students that represent diversity as found in the diversity plan for the University of Oregon. Action Items: A. Continue and expand collaborations with departments serving student parents and nontraditional students (Office of Student Life, Graduate School, Nontraditional Student Union, ASUO Women’s Center, and Office of Veterans Affairs). 4. Developing and Strengthening Community Linkages Goal #1 Identify ways to partner with community employers and agencies on diversity recruitment to the Eugene-Springfield area. Action Items: A. Identify local agencies and resources that serve and support under represented individuals. B. Seek out community agencies/groups that sponsor events where interested DPS employees could volunteer their time and expertise. An example would be linking up with a community group such as Food for Lane County or Coalition for the Homeless to work together on a volunteer project. 5. Developing and reinforcing diversity infrastructure. DPS will be at the forefront of reinforcing the diversity infrastructure. Action Items: A. Closely monitor reports of actions by the campus constituents which are contrary to the “Diversity Mission Statement”. All reports of hate crimes, gay bashing, harassment of persons of color, etc., will be immediately forwarded to the Vice President for Administration and Finance for further attention and action. Department of Public Safety Diversity Action Plan 9/21/2007 Page 6 B. Document and investigate hate/bias related incidents committed on campus. C. Work with and support Office of Institutional Equity and Diversity (OIED) efforts by developing a working relationship with OIED staff. Attachment A University of Oregon Department of Public Safety Survey Diversity Definition “Differences based on race, ethnicity, national origin, or citizenship, gender, religious affiliation or background, sexual orientation, gender identity, economic class or status, political affiliation or belief and ability or disability.” Cultural Competence Definition “Cultural competence is an active and ongoing process of self-reflection, learning, skill development, and adaptation, practiced individually and collectively, that enables us to engage effectively a culturally diverse community and world. Cultural competence allows us to recognize that our statements, convictions, and reactions are conditioned by the culture in which we live. Cultural competence enables us to bring this knowledge to bear in our interactions so that we can participate respectfully and effectively in our pluralistic University, state, country, and world.” 1. Has our department defined or described diversity in the department’s mission and goal statements? Yes No 2. On a scale from 1 through 5, please rate how important diversity seems to be in our department, based upon actions (i.e., hiring a diverse staff, ongoing diversity training and awareness, accomplishments and strategic direction, etc.). Not Very Important Very Important 1 2 3 4 5 3. On a scale from 1 through 5, please rate how responsive you feel our department has been in addressing diversity in general. Not Very Important Very Important 1 2 3 4 5 4. On a scale from 1 through 5, please rate how well our department has developed strategies to welcome students from various backgrounds, under-represented groups, or international students. Not Very Important Very Important 1 2 3 4 5 5. Definition: On a scale from 1 through 5, how “culturally competent” do you feel our department is? Not Very Important Very Important 1 2 3 4 5 Department of Public Safety Survey Diversity and Cultural Competence June, 2007 Page 2 6. How much of a priority is it for our staff to develop cultural competency skills in their work with students on campus? Not Very Important Very Important 1 2 3 4 5 7. On a scale from 1 through 5, how well do you think DPS has positively impacted the climate regarding diversity on campus? Not Very Important Very Important 1 2 3 4 5 Write In / Free Response 8. What challenges has our department faced in regards to diversity in the areas of: a. Training? b. Personnel / Hiring? c. Implementing diversity initiatives? 9. What are some specific accomplishments / “best practices” that you feel DPS has achieved regarding cultural competency diversity initiatives, or campus climate? Please describe here and/or attach separate documents. A Strategic Diversity Action Plan for the University Planning Office June 13, 2007 1. Mission. The University Planning Office (UPO) manages the creation of places that support and enhance teaching, research, and public service activities at the University of Oregon. The UPO provides services related to campus planning, project-design management, City of Eugene and Oregon University System coordination related to development, and space management. The office is the steward of the university’s built environment and works proactively to ensure a beautiful and functional campus. 2. Organizational Structure. The UPO reports to the vice president for finance and administration. It currently consists of the senior director; five planning associates, one of whom also serves as a space analyst; a research analyst; and an office assistant. These individuals comprise 6.75 FTE; all report directly to the senior director. An organizational chart is attached. 3. History of Diversity Efforts in the University Planning Office. Past efforts The UPO has been diligent in performing searches for internal vacant positions that will result in diverse candidate pools. During the review and selection process for new employees, we follow affirmative action guidelines. We also regularly employ two or three students in our office. While the search process for these is not as rigorous as for permanent employees, the results have yielded a strongly diverse representation of the student body. These students are from the fields they intend to pursue as professionals (architecture, landscape architecture, and planning); our office serves as mentors to them during their employment with us. When hiring outside professional consultants for assignments such as conceptual design studies or planning and design services, we are equally diligent about performing searches that will result in a diverse pool of consultant firms from which to choose. These searches include, at a minimum, advertisements in minority publications, specifically The Skanner (Portland) and The Portland Observer, and, less frequently, The Hispanic News (Portland). Our design process is heavily user driven, which allows each project to consider a wide range of criteria developed by widely diverse user groups. In this way each project can focus on and emphasize the values most important to the project itself. Effectiveness Our staff currently consists of three men and five women; as such we are over- represented by women. However, we do not currently have any employees that are not white and of European descent. We did have an employee of Chinese descent who left the office five years ago for a job in San Francisco. As noted above our student A Strategic Diversity Action Plan for the University Planning Office June 13, 2007 Page 1 employees tend to be representative of diverse backgrounds—including African and Asian. Most importantly we serve as mentors to these students during their time at the university. In recent years we have hired consultants from a variety of ethnic and racial backgrounds including those of Native-American and African-American descent. As for diversity in design, several projects have taken on the issue of how users from varying backgrounds can be accommodated by the built environment and how people from the dominant background can learn from alternative built environments. The most striking of these developments is the Many Nations Longhouse (Native American), which evolved out of a user/design process rich in diverse social and cultural values. As such, the building's presence plays a prominent role in providing opportunities for people to gain information about and participate in the expression of Native American traditions, values, and beliefs. 4. Resource Statement. The UPO currently is funded by a combination of general funds and funds recovered from individual construction projects. We also currently have a very small percentage of our work funded by a grant. As designers and planners we are innately curious about the built environment and the processes that result in alterations to it; we have a high interest in understanding what it means to be a long-lived institution with recognized and established iconography in a world that demands change and innovation. The challenge is to change and innovate while not losing the legacy that represents 125 years of institutional history. This type of challenge fascinates planners. 5. Process for Plan Development. Diversity planning has included the UPO staff in its entirety, with authorship of the plan assigned to the senior director. As a group we began by evaluating our work over the last several years with an eye towards diversity issues. This took place over the course of several staff meetings and an annual retreat. The process resulted in a improved understanding of why diversity is important to us (among other things, because our served population as the entire, diverse university community); the definition of diversity we would use as we move forward with our action plan (see below), and what ideas we will include as actions in this plan. Finally, we determined that (1) we will all participate in future monitoring of our diversity plan, and (2) we will include diversity topics in the agendas as we make our annual visits to each vice president, dean, and director in which we discuss specific projects and campus development. 6. Diversity Value Statement. The vision statement in the Campus Plan, which is the university's guiding document related to campus-planning processes and policies, and the UPO's mission statement (both printed below) are founded on meeting the needs of campus users and protecting the integrity and quality of the campus's built environment. A Strategic Diversity Action Plan for the University Planning Office June 13, 2007 Page 2 Diversity Value Statement: Understanding the relationship between the environment and the campus community's needs and expanding the learning opportunities of campus users depends on our understanding the diversity of the campus community. UPO's mission – “ The University Planning Office manages the creation of places that support and enhance teaching, research and public service activities a the University of Oregon.” Campus Plan Vision – “The University of Oregon’s campus will be responsive to the needs of its occupants, adaptable to emerging opportunities, and beautiful to behold.” 7. Definition of Diversity. First and foremost, the development of an Action Plan means that, in implementing the UPO's mission and the Campus Plan's vision, we, as a group, will learn more about diversity (in its diverse forms—physical, social, cultural, ethnic, sexual, ideological) and its relationship to and expression in the built environment. This represents for us an opportunity to learn more about an interesting facet of landscape and facilities design. As stewards of a public higher-education institution, we eagerly embrace opportunities to learn more about the craft of our work. As we continue to learn, we will apply our knowledge to the processes we oversee. New knowledge potential: Process to apply to: How to create spaces that accommodate a broad diversity of users. (Examples include those with differing mobility abilities, language use, cultural backgrounds, etc.) Design process Different and better ways to communicate with the on-campus and off-campus communities including professional specialty consultants. Plan development Design process Mentoring students (especially those with diverse backgrounds) not only as our employees but also in the informal contacts that result in the execution of our various processes. Student interactions Hiring consultants and staff with diverse backgrounds to place them in positions of leadership on the campus and make them a part of the interdisciplinary design teams. Hiring process Inclusive processes that consider not only the participants but how the final product will fit into our existing campus and expand our knowledge of a world beyond the campus. For example, just what does it Plan development Design process A Strategic Diversity Action Plan for the University Planning Office June 13, 2007 Page 3 mean to design and build a campus that responds to diverse ideas and is still a cohesive campus welcoming to all? A Strategic Diversity Action Plan for the University Planning Office June 13, 2007 Page 4 Action plan – The core elements of our Action Plan fall into four broad categories: external interactions, diversity and design processes, office interactions (i.e., inter-office relations), and consultant/staff recruitment. We are likely to rely heavily on regular office meeting times and existing available professional development options. We plan to integrate systematic feedback on our progress in the following ways: 1. Each employee has a year performance evaluation, these offer opportunities for candid and private feedback on diversity issues. 2. We will dedicate some time each year at our yearly retreat to examining diversity issues. 3. Each year we meet with Deans and other directors who regularly initiate large development projects. We will set aside some time in each of these meetings to review our ideas about diversity and development and offer an opportunity for them to assess our efforts in these areas. 4. Many projects are subjected to a post occupancy review. This review will include the examination of diversity issues. 5. Periodically, we assess the health of the campus in terms of its physical development. In this way we hope to identify, pro-actively, areas for improvement or areas to preserve before individual projects are initiated. We will add diversity issues to these assessments. We have expanded these categories and organized them around the six areas of emphasis within the university’s diversity plan, indicating goals, actions, and measures of progress, responsibilities, and timelines. A Strategic Diversity Action Plan for the University Planning Office June 13, 2007 Page 5 1. Developing a Culturally Responsive Community. Meaning A culturally responsive community is aware of the cultural differences of its individuals. Its built environment is responsive to these individuals' needs. The greatest challenge here is to determine ways in which to be responsive to cultural diversity and still maintain (and even identify components of) the institution's historic/cultural integrity. Current Status Our broadly inclusive processes allow the values of diverse community to be reflected in the results. However, as staff, we should be able to remind individual groups of areas the broader community has identified as important, as well as ways in which these may be exclusionary, which groups also may wish to consider as they go about their work. Recently these areas of importance have included sustainability, trees, and transportation issues. While the Campus Plan prescribes the process that allows user groups to direct the design of their projects, it does not single out diversity as an issue that should be expressly considered (see Developing and Reinforcing Diversity Infrastructure). Current Strengths and Challenges Individual groups’ ability to set their own priorities is a strength; the challenge is our limited ability, depending on the project, sometimes to guide them towards the greater community’s goals and sometimes to point out diverse opportunities for consideration, and then to help the user groups embrace these as their own. Measure progress Responsible Timelines Goal: Establish diversity as a value each project should consider. Action: Include diversity issues in discussion relating to consultant selection and design. Percent of design processes where discussed Project Planners Begin this immediately Action: Explore the implications of a diverse built environment in the context of our campus and its existing forms. Do environments honor the past while being responsive to all? Planning Office Staff (Senior Director) Series of conversations over the next 12 months. Action: Consider adding diversity as an issue to be considered by each project as it is designed—perhaps as a pattern. Included in Campus Plan Campus Planning Committee (UPO Staff) Consider for next year's work plan 2. Improving Campus Climate. A Strategic Diversity Action Plan for the University Planning Office June 13, 2007 Page 6 Meaning Beyond our interactions with each other, we also interact with all sections of the campus community in the course of our work. Additionally we interact with off-campus consultants, governmental agencies, and community members. Current Status Our self-evaluation of past projects did not reveal any apparent deficits in our interactions, particularly around diversity efforts. Current Strengths and Challenges We are interested and eager to improve the ways in which we interact with each other, with our campus constituents, community members, and with our hired consultants. Measure progress Responsible Timelines Goal: Improve the quality of our interactions with others in the areas of diversity. Action: As on-campus news items which include diversity arise, use these as discussions in staff meetings. Four times a year discuss a news item. Senor Director Begin this immediately Action; Use existing curriculum or invited speakers or facilitators to explore issues related to communications and interactions and diversity issues in staff meetings. Four times a year. Senior Director Begin this immediately Action: Take advantage of opportunities to place consultants of minority backgrounds in visible situations such as lectures or public appearances. One opportunity for each consultant Senor Director As opportunities arise 3. Building Critical Mass. Meaning Our unit recognizes the university’s commitment to develop a critical mass of persons from under-represented groups. For us this means faculty, staff, and student employees. Current Status Our small staff is without minority representation and currently without student minority representation but is well represented by females. Current Strengths and Challenges We work hard to ensure deep pools from which to choose as we fill vacant positions (which are infrequent). Our turnover rate for student employees is much higher and this will provide future opportunities. A Strategic Diversity Action Plan for the University Planning Office June 13, 2007 Page 7 Measure progress Responsible Timelines Goal: Increase number of minority on staff including student workers. Action: Make every effort to fill vacant positions, including student positions, with diverse applicants. Ensure that every search is well recruited. Senor Director Begin this immediately A Strategic Diversity Action Plan for the University Planning Office June 13, 2007 Page 8 4. Expanding and Filling the Pipeline. Meaning Our opportunity lies with minority student employees and in being good mentors to them so they effectively pursue their careers in the fields they have chosen. Successful mentoring requires awareness of and sensitivity to their diverse backgrounds. Current Status We are currently without student minority representation but have had several minority student employees in the past. Current Strengths and Challenges Our turnover rate for students is higher than for permanent employees, and this will provide opportunities in the future. Measure progress Responsible Timelines Goal: Provide mentoring to minority student workers. Action: Be good mentors to minority student workers who will be entering the work force. Check in with students periodically to assess their progress and see if help is needed. Entire staff Begin this immediately 5. Developing and Strengthening Community Linkages. Meaning By setting examples in planning processes (see Developing a Culturally Responsive Community) we can show other public agencies how to integrate diversity issues into the practice of planning and development. Current Status We regularly share our ideas with local practitioners who are motivated listeners because they would all like to work for the university. Current Strengths and Challenges Our strength in this area is our interest in learning and sharing what we learn with others. Our challenges lie in the time needed to do this. Measure progress Responsible Timelines Goal: Share what we learn with other practitioners. Action: Present our work to local, regional, and national groups. One presentation a year. Entire staff Begin this immediately 6. Developing and Reinforcing Diversity Infrastructure. A Strategic Diversity Action Plan for the University Planning Office June 13, 2007 Page 9 Meaning Incorporate our ideas about diversity and the built environment into the regular processes involved in campus planning and assist in developing new ones as needed. Current Status We regularly update our plans to include new ideas. Current Strengths and Challenges Our strength is our interest in doing this. Our challenge lies in the time needed to do it. See Developing a Culturally Responsive Community for our goals and actions for this point. A Strategic Diversity Action Plan for the University Planning Office June 13, 2007 Page 10 Office of the Vice President for Research and Graduate Studies Strategic Diversity Action Plan Updated 09/19/07 Executive Summary The mission of the Office of the Vice President for Research and Graduate Studies (OVPRGS) is to support the University of Oregon in its development as an Association of American Universities (AAU) research university by enhancing the scope, quality, and impact of its scholarship and associated academic programs. Led by the Vice President for Research and Graduate Studies, the office promotes organizational change and targeted initiatives supporting research excellence, graduate training, and their connection to societal concerns. The OVPRGS invests substantial resources to support diversity-related graduate education and research. Primary goals exemplified in this plan are to elevate diversity-related scholarship, to expand the diversity of the University’s graduate population and to connect research and outreach efforts to serve more divers communities in Oregon and beyond. The OVPRGS Strategic Diversity Action Plan is inclusive of reports from the Graduate School, the 30 research Centers and Institutes that report to the OVPRGS and from the associated research administrative offices. Each of the three areas are distinct in their activities and missions, and the format of the plan reflects those distinctions. The OVPRGS intends to engage in the following actions to develop its diversity plan within four primary focus areas. Developing a Culturally Responsive Community • Continue to support the research centers and institutes in their efforts to enhance our culturally responsive community through research projects, outreach, and program development. • Encourage members of the research centers and institutes to develop new programs and seek outside funding for relevant projects and activities, and provide administrative and financial support for these endeavors. • Encourage unit members to engage in formal and informal opportunities to address issues related to improving campus climate and in supporting our diverse community such as those programs offered by the Office of Equal Opportunity, CoDaC, the Office of Institutional Equity and Diversity, and the Oregon Humanities Center. • Provide information about various diversity initiatives, services, and resources in all graduate school materials. • Incorporate more relevant information regarding diversity in our GTF training sessions. • Identify “best practices” for GTF training sessions • Build more diversity information into new graduate student orientations. • Form a graduate student advisory group to help the Graduate School develop additional programs and services. (Note: This group will likely have suggestions that also serve the other areas of emphasis.) Improving Campus Climate • Work with the relevant central administrative units to ensure that all administrators and leadership in all OVPRGS units understand current UO policies related to personnel and hiring practices, particularly as they relate to a diverse workplace. • Continue GTF support for administrative units that support the goal of improving campus climate (e.g., Bias Response Team). • Explore increased opportunities for graduate students from the new Conflict and Dispute Resolution degree program to become involved with diversity-related issues on campus. • Work with office of AAEO to make sure that Graduate School staff members who regularly interact with graduate students clearly understand the discrimination complaint process. • Add content related to diversity and campus climate on OVPRGS websites. Building Critical Mass • Encourage all units to undertake targeted and strategic recruitment efforts for all employment opportunities. • Work with the Provost’s Office and the schools to increase the opportunities for interdisciplinary hires and programming, particularly when there is an opportunity to enhance the diverse nature of our community. • With regard to strengthening existing academic programs, the Graduate School will actively look for opportunities to support academic programs with a scholarly or creative focus on diversity. Expanding and Filling the Pipeline • Explore the possibility of developing work opportunities for students in the area of research administration. • Continue to offer professional development opportunities to the campus community in the area of research administration. • Encourage research centers and institutes to participate in federally and privately funded programs that target research opportunities for under-represented groups. • Increase Graduate School and/or faculty involvement in targeted recruiting fairs. • Continue and expand the Fighting Fund Fellowship program in the Graduate School. • Formalize a Graduate Student Merit Fellowship that helps continuing and completing students successfully graduate. • Continue and expand support for the McNair program. Office of the Vice President for Research and Graduate Studies Diversity Strategic Plan Updated 09/19/07 Table of Contents Introduction 1 About the Office 3 Plan Process and Design 7 Programs and Activities that Encourage a Diverse Campus Community 8 Building a Critical Mass and Filling the Pipeline 15 Community Engagement 23 Suggestions to Enhance Existing Activities and Ideas for New Initiatives 25 Resources 28 Identifying Markers of Progress 29 1 Introduction As a leading public research university, the primary mission of the University of Oregon (UO) is to sustain and transform society through the creation and dissemination of scientific and humanistic knowledge that addresses the economic, social, and environmental needs of Oregon, the nation, and the world. Research initiatives at the UO can be examined in the same terms as the university as a whole: interconnection, pluralism, and a commitment to sustaining future generations through innovations that elevate economic competitiveness, global stewardship, and quality of life. Faculty within the schools and colleges are among the leading scholars in their fields and they form the basis for Oregon’s interconnected research initiatives and programs. These initiatives, in the many forms in which they are presently manifest, have their roots in a long tradition of interdisciplinary research, beginning with the establishment of the Institute of Molecular Biology in 1959. Outstanding faculty members and graduate students from many disciplines take advantage of diverse insights and methodologies to conduct collaborative research unique to Oregon. The UO has more than 60 interdisciplinary institutes and centers, approximately half of which are organized under the Vice President for Research and Graduate Studies to focus on interdisciplinary scholarship. The remainder are organized under deans, departments, and programs. The interdisciplinary institutes and centers provide opportunities for research and graduate training but most importantly contribute, through truly innovative scholarship, to both today’s world and the prospect of a sustainable future. UO research programs integrate diverse disciplinary, cultural, and international perspectives that enhance the development of critical thinking, communication, and interpersonal skills that are essential to its mission. UO research centers at the intersections of the humanities and social sciences promote dialogue, inquiry, and appreciation of international issues and cultural diversity including aspects such as religion, gender, race, and ethnicity. Programs that focus on issues of diversity include those in well-established centers such as the Center on the Study of Women in Society, the Center on Applied Second Language Studies, the Center for Indigenous Cultural Survival, the Center on Asian and Pacific Studies and the Center on Diversity and Community as well as emergent research centers including the Northwest Indian Language Institute and the Center for Race, Ethnicity, and Sexuality Studies. Brief descriptions of these centers follow: ƒ The Center for the Study of Women in Society (CSWS) is a multidisciplinary research center that generates, supports, and disseminates research on gender and all aspects of women's lives. A member of the National Council for Research on Women (NCRW), CSWS is one of 95 women's research and policy centers in the U.S. and among 300 centers in more than 80 countries. CSWS creates and disseminates knowledge about how gender, race, ethnicity, class, sexual identity and culture shape women's lives. The Center develops alliances with other universities and outside organizations sharing interests in women and gender-related issues, and creates bridges between research, teaching, public understanding, and discussion about women's lives. 2 ƒ The Center for Applied Second Language Studies (CASLS) is a National Foreign Language Resource Center promoting international literacy by supporting communities of educators and by partnering with those communities to develop a comprehensive system of proficiency-based tools for lifelong language learning and teaching. ƒ The Center for Indigenous Cultural Survival (CICS) focuses on educational, cultural, and research activities. It serves as a liaison between the University of Oregon and indigenous communities in the United States and around the world. The Center collaborates with researchers and students in the International Studies Program, Ethnic Studies, CSWS and other departments at the university to offer undergraduate and graduate degrees that focus on indigenous cultural survival. Primary activities have included: internships, collaborative research with Indigenous communities, curriculum development, graduate student training, and developing relationships with universities in countries outside the US that share an interest in indigenous cultural survival. ƒ The Center for Asian and Pacific Studies (CAPS) brings together the UO's diverse programs and expertise related to the study of Asia and the Pacific. The Center's affiliated faculty members are engaged in teaching and research on the peoples, histories, languages, cultural traditions, and economies of East, Central, South, Southeast Asia, and the Pacific Islands. CAPS organizes lectures, conferences, and workshops to inform the community about major trends and developments in the Asia-Pacific region. It is also building educational connections with key institutions in the countries of the region with growing economic and cultural links with the Pacific Northwest. A major grant application to the US Department of Education for Foreign Language and Area Studies (FLAS) Fellowships in East Asian Studies was funded in 2006. This grant supports fellowships for graduate students who are U.S. citizens and permanent residents studying Chinese, Japanese, and Korean in conjunction with area/international studies. ƒ The Center on Diversity and Community (CoDaC) is an interdisciplinary research center whose mission is to promote inquiry, dialogue, and effectiveness on issues of cultural diversity. CoDaC fulfills its mission through basic and applied research, outreach programs and public events, consulting services, and information networks to serve the UO campus as well as stakeholder individuals, communities, and organizations. CoDaC promotes interdisciplinary scholarship in areas of cultural competency in higher education, cultural diversity, diversity, and conflict and resolution. ƒ The Northwest Indian Language Institute (NILI) provides Native language teachers and community members with training in language teaching and linguistics. With tribal partners, NILI supports and strengthens language preservation efforts by establishing collaborative, on-going projects which meet the specific needs and desires of each language community. ƒ The Center for Race, Ethnicity, and Sexuality Studies (CRESS) facilitates intellectual conversation and critical engagement among scholars of race and sexuality. CRESS has three primary goals: 1) to connect the field of sexuality studies with race and ethnicity studies; 2) to highlight current research being undertaken by UO faculty and others, 3 especially interdisciplinary research such as studies of class, disability, and other nonracial/ethnic minority identities; and 3) to foster a diverse intellectual climate at the UO, in part by contributing to the recruitment, retention, and success of faculty and students working in the fields represented by the Center’s mission. About the Office of the Vice President for Research and Graduate Studies The mission of the Office of the Vice President for Research and Graduate Studies (OVPRGS) is to support the UO in its development as an Association of American Universities (AAU) research university by enhancing the scope, quality, and impact of its scholarship and associated academic programs. Led by the Vice President for Research and Graduate Studies, the office promotes organizational change and targeted initiatives supporting research excellence, graduate training and their connections to societal concerns. The Research Office and the Graduate School have independent administrative structures and these are reported in a distinct manner throughout this plan. Research Administration The administrative departments offer support for sponsored programs, including identification of funding opportunities, proposal submission, research compliance (including human and animal subjects research), contracts and grant administration, as well as the translation of basic research into commercial products or services through technology transfer, and the Riverfront Research Park activities. Total sponsored program awards have grown to over $96 million in FY06 supporting hundreds of active UO research, instruction, and community service projects. The Research Office has nine major objectives as it strives to support research excellence: ƒ grow resources supporting the cycle of innovation ƒ strengthen collaborative research ƒ foster interdisciplinary research initiatives and associated investments ƒ expand the diversity of scholarship ƒ build research capacity and infrastructure ƒ promote the responsible conduct of research ƒ connect research to outreach and service ƒ improve performance benchmarking and accountability ƒ enhance communication to stakeholders There are five major administrative departments responsible for supporting and promoting these objectives. Office of Research Services and Administration (ORSA) http://research.uoregon.edu/research_orsa.html ORSA provides assistance to faculty, researchers, and students who seek to obtain and manage grants and contracts in support of research, instructional programs, and public service projects; 4 also, it has institutional authority to submit applications and accept awards on behalf of the UO. ORSA provides services in three major areas: 1) proposal preparation and clearance; 2) grant and contract administration; and 3) institutional systems development in support of grant and contract management. Office of Research and Faculty Development (RFD) http://research.uoregon.edu/research_rfd.html RFD provides services to faculty and researchers seeking support for research, performance, public service, and scholarly projects. Services include funding source information dissemination, proposal development, and management of internal research support programs. RFD also coordinates funding information, proposal development workshops, and other research related services to advanced graduate students. Office of Technology Transfer http://research.uoregon.edu/research_tech-transfer.html The Office of Technology Transfer focuses on helping university inventions successfully make the transition from academia to the commercial marketplace. The office identifies promising early stage research with strong commercial potential, and it brings in investors and support from corporate partners and moves aggressively to license inventions to an existing company or to a spin-off company for further product development. Office for Responsible Conduct of Research (ORCR) http://research.uoregon.edu/research_orcr.html ORCR provides leadership in fostering a culture of research integrity and compliance with a focus on education, training, and technical assistance. The office also serves as the institution's research standards office in matters of conflict of interest, misconduct in research, and responsible conduct of research that is governed by federal, state, and UO rules and policies. Office of the Riverfront Research Park (RRP) http://research.uoregon.edu/research_riverfront.html RRP connects university research with economic development, with responsibility for developing the Riverfront Research Park and creating an environment that fosters technology related businesses and start-up companies in close partnership with university research. RRP activities assist in diversifying the region's economy and creating quality employment opportunities for students, faculty, and the community. 5 Centers and Institutes http://research.uoregon.edu/research_institutes.html Currently there are 30 centers and institutes that report to the Vice President, with several others pending approval; the Office of the Vice President is responsible for the formal establishment, review, and termination of research centers and institutes. These 30 centers are the principle recipients of external research funds. While the Centers and Institutes directors’ report to the Vice President, their governance and administrative structures vary as does the strength of their relationship to any specific academic unit(s). Most members of centers and institutes hold faculty appointments in related academic departments and graduate students working with them must satisfy the graduate degree requirements of the related departments through which they will earn their degrees. Centers and Institutes include the following: Natural Sciences and Technology • Center for Advanced Materials Characterization in Oregon • Center for Ecology and Evolutionary Biology • Center for High Energy Physics (in process of formal establishment) • Computational Intelligence Research Laboratory • Computational Science Institute • Institute of Molecular Biology • Institute of Neuroscience • Institute of Theoretical Science • Lewis Center for Neuroimaging • Materials Science Institute • Neuroinformatics Center • Oregon Center for Optics • Oregon Institute of Marine Biology • Solar Energy Center Social Sciences and Humanities • Center for Applied Second Language Studies • Center for Asian and Pacific Studies • Center on Diversity and Community • Center on Indigenous Cultural Survival • The Center for Race, Ethnicity, and Sexuality Studies (in process of formal establishment) • Center for the Study of Women and Society • Northwest Indian Language Institute (in process of formal establishment) • Oregon Humanities Center 6 Allied Arts and Architecture • Center on Housing Innovation • Community Service Center • Institute for Community Arts Studies – Center for Community Arts and Cultural Policy (in process of formal establishment) • Institute for Policy Research and Innovation • Institute for a Sustainable Environment Education and Family Issues • Center on Human Development • Center on Violence and Destructive Behavior • Child and Family Center Graduate School http://gradschool.uoregon.edu/ The Graduate School has administrative oversight of all degree and certificate granting graduate programs (except Law) at the University of Oregon. The mission of the Graduate School is to support, develop, and oversee graduate education at the UO. The guiding principles of the Graduate School are equity, fairness, collaboration, and shared responsibility. These principles are embedded in one of its most important publications, “Guidelines for Good Practice in Graduate Education,” which can be found on the Graduate School website. The Graduate School reports directly to the Vice President for Research and Graduate Studies, Richard Linton. Recently, the current Associate Dean of the Graduate School, Marian Friestad, was appointed Vice Provost of Graduate Studies, which has created a second reporting relationship to Provost Linda Brady. Because of the reporting relationships, all elements of the OVPRGS diversity plan essentially are unique components of the broader Academic Affairs plan under the Provost. In addition to the Dean and Associate Dean, the Graduate School has a professional staff of nine individuals, one of whom is from an under-represented group. 7 OVPGRS Diversity Plan Process and Design of Report As we considered the process for developing a plan for the OVPGS, we did so from a shared understanding that the value of having researchers and graduate students and research activities and graduate programs that bring diverse experiences, interests, and ideas to the university is at the core of our mission to create and transfer knowledge. The absence of diversity (e.g., sameness, uniformity) is antithetical to the process of discovery. Definitions As a guiding principle, we adopted UO’s Diversity Plan definition of diversity, “differences on race and ethnicity, national origin or citizenship, gender, religious affiliation or background, sexual orientation, gender identity, economic class or status, political affiliation or belief, and ability or disability,” as the basis for our discussions and for the purpose of writing the plan. Additionally, we note that in our discussions we found that we often defined diversity to include variety and complexity in the experiences, perspectives, and interests that researchers, research activities, graduate programs, and graduate students bring to the institution. In some cases the indicators of those varied backgrounds and experiences may fall into categories traditionally associated with race, gender/gender identity, ethnicity, abilities, exposure to higher education, or national origin. However, in other cases they may represent alternative areas of study (e.g. interdisciplinary work) or alternative methods of knowledge creation (e.g. those associated with indigenous cultures). These additions to the general University definition add richness and greater dimensions to the overall conversation. Process The OVPRGS has three distinct branches: central research administrative offices, centers and institutes, and the Graduate School. Each major section of the plan is generally divided into three separate subsections to reflect those distinctions. In terms of process, all three units participated in conversations led by the Vice President and worked in parallel during the months of development. During the fall meeting of the Research Center and Institute Directors, Vice President Linton discussed the campus diversity plan process with the Directors and the group discussed an appropriate process for developing a plan for the OVPR. The matter was further discussed during meetings with his research administrators and also with senior leadership in the Graduate School. A steering committee was formed, which included Moira Kiltie, Mary Fechner, and Diane Wiley, to coordinate the development of the plan for the research administrators and the research centers and institutes. The research administrators and the center and institute directors were asked to provide information to the subcommittee on the areas of emphasis described in the template provided by the Office of Institutional Equity and Diversity. The material was reviewed by the subcommittee and after some iteration, a draft was developed. As agreed upon earlier, we did not request that each Center and Institute create its own plan, choosing instead to roll up relevant Center and Institute activity into one comprehensive document from the OVPR. Primarily this was done because the faculty are addressing diversity 8 plans within their home academic departments. In developing the OVPRGS plan we asked the researchers to focus on how, through research activities, we currently enhance diversity in the UO community and how we can go forward to insure that the research community is accessible to individuals from under-represented groups. Vice Provost and Associate Dean Marian Friestad coordinated the Graduate School plan. The Graduate School has engaged in a series of discussions with faculty through the Graduate Council to help us identify the types of support that would be most helpful in increasing graduate student diversity. It is expected that these conversations will continue throughout the planning process, and beyond. During the 2007-2008 academic year we intend to form a graduate student advisory group to help identify graduate student needs that are not currently being met, and that the Graduate School would seek to address. Report Design This plan is structured under the following headings: 1) Programs and Activities that Encourage a Diverse Campus Community 2) Building a Critical Mass and Filling the Pipeline 3) Community Engagement: Linkages to Civic Organizations, Public Schools, and Governmental Units 4) Suggestions to Enhance Existing Activities and Ideas for New Initiatives 5) Resources 6) Identifying Markers of Progress ` Each major header is generally broken into three sections to reflect the three separate units: Research Administration, Centers and Institutes and Graduate School. Where there are only two subsections, that is because the topic does not directly relate to one of the units. Due to the extensive number of initiatives, under each heading we include only a select number of examples to provide a sense of the breadth of activities and initiatives. 1) Programs and Activities that Encourage a Diverse Campus Community Research Administration A. Recruitment: Through search and recruitment processes, the departments reach out to under- represented groups and communities through advertising strategies and interpersonal networking to announce and promote job opportunities. Recent examples include filling the positions of Associate Vice President for Research and Director of ORSA and Associate Director for Technology Transfer; the advertising strategy included national professional journals and newspapers, on-line job search engines, and job lists targeted to higher education professionals indicating an interest in universities with strong diversity programs. A woman of color will begin in the ORSA position as of July 1, 2007. As part of the search for an Associate Director for Technology Transfer, OTT made direct, one-on-one contact with women and minority candidates in the profession, to ensure that these potential candidates were aware of the opening at UO, to invite them to submit an application, and to encourage them to inform other potentially interested parties of UO’s search. 9 B. Procedures and Policy: The OVPR has worked closely with the Office of Affirmative Action and Equal Opportunity (OAAEO) to develop policies and guidance for appointment procedures that insure affirmative hiring and appointment processes. For example, a formal procedure appointing internal candidates to the position of director for research centers and institutes, in cooperation with OAAEO, insures all qualified candidates are aware of the opportunity and all formally eligible candidates are considered deliberately for the position. The departments also seek out businesses owned and managed by under-represented groups through recruitment, solicitation, and advertising in focus publications, such as the Portland Observer, the Skinner, and the Hispanic News. As an example, the Riverfront Research Park, which solicits architects, contractors, and consultants and has a substantial purchasing volume, hires and/or makes purchases from minority and women run/owned companies whenever practicable. C. Professional Development: The Office of Research and Faculty Development offers workshops on proposal preparation and one-on-one consulting for researchers seeking external funding for their research activities. While these activities are not solely targeted to individuals from under-represented groups, they provide support for individuals with an opportunity to refine skills and acquire tools necessary to write successful grant applications. For those who enter the research enterprise from less than traditional backgrounds, the competition can be even fiercer. Programs are designed to work with individuals to help them develop relationships with relevant UO faculty and administrators and the strong skill sets for articulating their research agenda within the proposal framework. An introduction to a broad array of funding opportunities that supports a great variety of research activities also is shared, providing researchers with critical tools enabling them to receive external funding for their research. D. Research Compliance: The University of Oregon’s Federal-wide Assurance with the Department of Health and Human Services assures that all of its activities related to human subjects’ research, regardless of funding source, are guided by the ethical principles in the Belmont Report. This report was created to assist scientists, subjects, reviewers, and interested citizens in understanding the ethical issues inherent in human subjects’ research. It describes three basic principles or general prescriptive judgments that need to be considered when working with human subjects. These principles are: 1. Respect for persons – individuals should be treated as autonomous agents and persons with diminished autonomy are entitled to protection; 2. Beneficence – people conducting human subjects’ research should do no harm, and maximize the possible benefits and minimize possible harms to subjects. 3. Justice – all research participants should be treated equally. The Office for Protection of Human Subjects (OPHS) requires all researchers, staff, and students who work with humans subjects to take into account these ethical principles as they conduct their research. OPHS staff also upholds these principles when working with the University and 10 community by supporting open communication, active listening and educational tools regarding human subject issues. Further, as of February 15, 2007, all student and faculty researchers, OPHS staff and Institutional Review Board (IRB) members are required to complete the Collaborative IRB Training Initiative (CITI). CITI is comprised of compliance training modules which include use of vulnerable populations (children, prisoners, and pregnant women). It also contains modules on international research emphasizing cultural and social awareness. CITI courses are available in Spanish, French, Portuguese, and Chinese. Russian modules are currently under development. UO participants can complete their training requirements in any of the available languages. Not only have the training requirements been broadened to include all University individuals taking part in human subjects’ research or the administrative processes surrounding human subjects’ research, but the new training course is far more comprehensive than the one formerly offered. The CITI website is accessed through the UO human subjects’ web site http://humansubjects.uoregon.edu/. In addition to CITI, the OPHS home page also contains a link to the Office of Research Integrity’s project, Ethics and Research in the Community. This is an educational website intended for researchers who work closely with the members of the local community. The site emphasizes professionalism and social awareness, and is available in both English and Spanish. Web access is available at: http://humansubjects.uoregon.edu/education/mass_cphs/training_staff/index.htm. Special in-class presentations are made throughout the year to graduate students engaging in human subjects’ research, including training on cultural sensitivity. Prospective researchers are informed of the need to understand their subjects’ culture and how that may affect research methodology and consent processes. Adequate knowledge of local research conditions is necessary for researchers to conduct the research in such a way that protects the rights and welfare of the subjects. Researchers are encouraged to consult with local community leaders and stake holders to obtain pertinent information about local customs and laws. Centers and Institutes Faculty affiliated with centers and institutes work with their home departments on faculty searches, recruiting efforts, and in the strategic recruitment process for diverse and talented candidates. Centers and institutes offer valuable research opportunities to faculty candidates and are often used as a tool in the recruitment process. Centers and Institutes abide by university hiring practices for non-faculty researchers and staff. In so doing, they attempt to reach out to the broadest pool of eligible candidates possible for the positions by conducting national, regional, and local searches as applicable, using traditional and non-traditional sources for advertising and announcing open positions. In terms of engaging students, the centers and institutes have aimed for many years to assist departments in effectively recruiting under-represented minority students into graduate and undergraduate programs. In general, the efforts parallel those of the National Institutes of Health and the National Science Foundation, which have aggressively promoted diversity. Diversity 11 plans are required for many long-standing NIH and NSF training grants for Ph.D. graduate students and are often required in non-training grants as well. Below are examples of Center and Institute programs and activities dedicated to encouraging a diverse campus community: A) Center on Diversity and Community (CoDaC) CoDaC promotes the development of a culturally responsive community through all of its focus areas. Its individual and collaborative research initiatives are geared toward advancing inquiry and understanding on cultural diversity issues and topics (broadly construed) across many contexts. Some initiatives promote research that deepens awareness, knowledge, and skills, while others promote evaluation and assessment of multicultural effectiveness. Examples include the CoDaC-funded Campus Climate Research Interest Team (RIT) that conduct more extensive research based on the findings of Dr. Susan Rankin’s 2001 campus climate survey and the Center’s Graduate Summer Research Award program. The Center’s consulting initiatives emphasize knowledge, awareness, and skill building at the professional and organizational level. Through the Cultural Competency Project and related training and organizational development efforts, CoDaC works with UO colleges, schools, and other campus units to enhance cultural responsiveness in these communities. To date, the following campus units have participated in (or will soon participate in) CoDaC’s consulting activities: Academic Advising, Academic Learning Services, Architecture and Allied Arts, Career Center, College of Education, Counseling and Testing Center, Erb Memorial Union, Housing/Residence Life, Physical Activity and Recreational Sports, Registrar’s Office, Student Affairs (Directors), Office of Student Life, and Teaching Effectiveness Program. The Center’s events advance outreach efforts by providing opportunities for academic and wider communities to engage with one another on issues related to the Center’s mission. Examples include the 2006 conference, “What is Cultural Competency?: A Series of Conversations” and the 2003 Oregon Summit, “After Grutter: Affirmative Action and Our Compelling Interests in Diversity.” Finally, CoDaC’s information resources connect the campus and wider community and communicate key information for those who are interested in issues and opportunities related to the center’s mission. These include housing the Eugene/Springfield and UO Multicultural Resource Guide, databases, and reading lists, as well as CoDaC-developed video and print materials. B. Community Service Center (CSC) The CSC manages the Housing and Urban Development Community Development Work Study Program (HUD Fellows). For each of the past four years, the HUD Fellows Program at the UO has supported between three and five graduate students; it is focused on supporting minority or low-income graduate students in a graduate program on community development. The goal is to 12 support students so that they can graduate with minimal debt, and therefore can commit to a career in public service or in the non-profit sector. HUD Fellows make a commitment to pursue these careers. C. Center for the Study of Women and Society (CSWS) For the past 35 years CSWS has been actively engaged in promoting diversity on campus. Starting with its specific mission of generating, supporting, and disseminating research on women, the Center has expanded the focus of its programs, research, and awards to include the intersections of gender with race, ethnicity, sexualities, class, age, nationality, and ability. CSWS has hired staff and recruited affiliates with an explicit concern for diversity broadly construed. This concern is reflected in programming and sponsored research. Two recent examples: ƒ CSWS-sponsored professional development seminars for women faculty. Most recently the Center organized a Women’s Leadership workshop (co-sponsored with Academic Affairs) that has led to the re-formation of a women faculty leadership forum and listserve; and ƒ Agnes and David Curland Grants, a collaboration with the Yamada Language Center to strengthen the internationalization of gender research by providing grants to faculty and graduate students to study languages not usually taught at the University. D. Center for Asian and Pacific Studies (CAPS) CAPS is, by its very nature, a research unit committed to diversity. The Center sponsors talks and conferences aimed at a broad audience within and beyond the university community related to Asian themes and often feature Asian speakers. Virtually all programming, in one way or another, is premised on the goal of enhancing cultural diversity at the UO. On average, 25 public events are held throughout the year that have 100% Asia content. Last year, over 3,900 people attended Asia-related public events on campus. E. Center for Evolutionary and Ecological Biology (CEEB)/ Institute of Molecular Biology (IMB)/Institute of Neuroscience (ION) Through efforts related to the Summer Program for Undergraduate Research (SPUR), CEEB, ION, and IMB have forged relationships with many colleges and universities with large minority enrollments: e.g., Grambling State University, Xavier University of Louisiana, University of Maryland Baltimore County, University of New Mexico, Chaminade University in Honolulu, Alabama State University, University of Arkansas, Howard University, and University of Texas at San Antonio. These connections are invaluable in recruiting under-represented minority candidates more assiduously and effectively to our graduate programs. At the ABRCMS meeting (Annual Biomedical Research Conference for Minority Students) in November 2006, SPUR Director Dr. Peter O’Day succeeded in making many new contacts with other programs, aiming to establish a stable recruitment base for SPUR and for UO graduate programs. These 13 include Morehouse College, City College of New York, and Florida A &M University, and the American Indian Research Opportunities program at Montana State University. This will enable the Centers to be more effective at ABRCMS and the SACNAS (Society for the Advancement of Chicanos and Native Americans in Science) meetings in the future. Though SPUR representatives have consistently attended these conferences, the UO presence has not been effective in recruiting students in the past. Now, the program is recruiting SPUR scholars from previous summers to attend these meetings, together with their UO faculty mentors. The Directors of CEEB, ION, and IMB believe that these new alliances and improved approaches are impacting faculty networking more generally by providing easy contacts with institutions of high minority representation. The hope and expectations are that this will yield results in graduate recruiting as well. Another example of minority recruiting efforts involves individual contacts between researchers – often the most successful kind of recruitment tool. The research lab of Professor John Postlethwait and Professor Alan Rhoades’ lab at Howard University have developed a robust collaborative relationship. Several Howard University undergraduates have worked in the Postlethwait lab, and Professor Postlethwait has visited Howard several times, discussing the UO graduate program with prospective applicants. Graduate School For at least the last decade, the Graduate School has provided support for a variety of programs that strive to enhance the diversity of the University. Most of these programs provided direct financial support to graduate students who add to the cultural, ethnic, experiential, intellectual, racial, or socio-economic diversity of our community. In other cases, the support was used for events that focused on research related to diversity or that provided opportunities to build community. Descriptions of current and future activities can be found below. A. Fighting Fund Fellowships This program is central to our diversity goals, as they are broadly defined above. It is designed to help graduate programs recruit students who enhance the diversity of their discipline and/or the university. The Graduate School provides a full tuition waiver and/or a non-service stipend for the first year of an incoming student’s graduate program. To obtain this funding the department must commit to at least a comparable level of funding for the student’s second year, and provide a mentor to help the student make the transition into their graduate program. Departments are enthusiastic this program because it helps them recruit strong applicants who often have multiple offers from other institutions. The non-service stipend also provides an incoming student with financial support that does not require them to work on anything except their academics. However, the program is flexible so that in disciplines where all incoming students are given a GTF appointment, the Fighting Fund award can be added to the normal funding package. For the 2006-2007 academic year, 18 students received one of these awards. This represents an investment of just over $188,000. 14 B. Academic & Research Support The Graduate School has regularly provided support for Native American and Indigenous Peoples initiatives. Since 1995 the Graduate School has provided support to the Southwest Oregon Research Project (SWORP), which recovered thousands of ethnographic and military documents in the Smithsonian Institution and National Archives. These documents have been brought back to the regional tribes and to the UO Knight Library. Support for students doing this research, trips to Washington, D.C., local events (e.g., Potlatch), and continuing acquisitions all help scholars doing work in this area and enhance the university’s relationships with various tribes in the pacific northwest. The Graduate School has also provided support for the Center for Indigenous Cultural Survival (CICS), the Northwest Indian Language Institute (NILI), and the Long House. In each of these cases, the support is focused on graduate students who are from the communities served by these initiatives and/or doing research related to those communities. The Graduate School also provides funding ($5000 each year) to support CoDaC graduate summer research awards. These are competitively-awarded summer stipends for graduate student research projects that are directly related to the Center’s mission, which promotes “research and best practices on issues of cultural diversity, equity, and access.” C. McNair Program Although the McNair program at the UO deals with undergraduate students, the Graduate School sees this as an excellent opportunity to be involved in a program that directly deals with the “pipeline” issue. Currently, the Graduate School waives the application fee for any McNair student (from any university) who applies to one of our graduate programs. The Graduate School also provides funding to McNair Fellows as they begin their graduate programs; and provided the funding for a spring event that brought Carl S. McNair, founder of the Dr. Ronald E. McNair Foundation, Inc. to campus for a graduation ceremony in 2005. Earlier this year, the Graduate School provided funding to send Assistant Vice Provost Emilio Hernandez to a national McNair Scholars conference to help identify and recruit talented undergraduate students to the UO. Finally, the Graduate School publicizes a national list of McNair scholars who can be recruited by graduate programs at the University of Oregon. In the past, the Graduate School had also provided funding to under-represented students through the Target of Opportunity – Laurel Awards (TOLA) program. However, after consultation with the then titled Office of Multicultural Affairs (OMA), and with the development of the Diversity Building Scholarship (DBS) program, it was decided that the Graduate School should focus its resources on graduate students. D. Institutional Priority & Strategic Alliance GTFs The Graduate School allocates funding for 50-60 GTF positions in administrative units across campus. This funding covers the tuition waiver, fee subsidy, and health insurance for each of these positions. Although this program serves many purposes, the following funded positions are diversity related: disability services reading coordinator, multicultural recruitment specialist, family issues advocate, international student positions (multiple), bias response team, OIED, and 15 Chinese Flagship program. The positions listed above represent an investment of approximately $70,000 for the current academic year. Each of the units where the GTF works pays the student’s salary, and those amounts are in addition to what the Graduate School contributes. E. Other Support The Philosophy Department began the Minority Recruitment Initiative (MRI) in 2002 with the goal of increasing the diversity of the applicant pool for philosophy and by extension the diversity of its graduate student body and the university. The Graduate School joined this endeavor in 2004 by providing both Fighting Fund Fellowships and an additional three years of summer research support for two students admitted to the doctoral program in philosophy in fall 2005. The Graduate School has provided matching funds to departments if faculty members are traveling to graduate student recruitment fairs that focus on under-represented students. The Graduate School has also provided some “completion” fellowships to students from under- represented groups. Some of these awards have been called Graduate Merit Fellowships, while others may take the form of a tuition waiver, typically for the student’s last term. These awards have not yet become part of a formal program, but it is our hope that funding will become available so this becomes possible. 2) Building a Critical Mass and Filling the Pipeline Research Administration Research administrators recognize that many of the largest funding agencies are increasingly sensitive to issues related to diversity and access, and therefore work with researchers preparing proposals to consider how their proposals will engage audiences beyond their focused research area and how the proposal will contribute to building greater diversity among the research community. Since 2004, the Office of Research and Faculty Development has sponsored a series of workshops that are specifically geared to assist faculty and graduate students in refining the skills necessary to preparing successful research proposals. In the current funding climate, the ability to secure external research support is critical to success in the academy and for those working with community organizations. Graduate students and junior faculty make up the bulk of our contacts. Many of the clientele have interests in humanities and social science disciplines involving diversity related scholarship and research. The workshop activities are of particular importance for those individuals who are in the building phase of their career and need strong peer networks and mentoring to support their research activities including the preparation of applications for funding. The Director of Faculty Development, Dr. Mary Fechner, works individually with researchers on the proposal preparation but also provides introductions to individuals doing related work or who have had success with particular funding agencies. In the past, Dr. Fechner has included formal mentor partnering as part of her summer workshops for faculty. 16 Departments are increasingly taking advantage of targeted marketing and advertising vendors to reach out to under-represented candidates when searching to fill administrative positions. Examples include Hispanic Outlook Magazine, Diverse Issues in Higher Education journal and higheredjob.com diversity posting option. The Office of Technology Transfer is a key partner of the University of Oregon’s Technology Entrepreneurship Program (TEP). TEP helps Oregon by fostering entrepreneurial skills and providing experience for the next generation of leaders in law, business, and the sciences, and past TEP teams have included women and minorities. TEP has reached out to focused business organizations such as the Oregon Associate of Minority Entrepreneurs (OAME). OAME is a non-profit, tax exempt organization formed to promote and develop entrepreneurship and economic development for ethnic minorities in the State of Oregon. OAME works as a partnership between ethnic minorities, entrepreneurs, education, government, and established corporate businesses. Individuals in the OVPR units are members of their professional organizations which each have their own diversity enhancement activities in place. These professional organizations provide continuing education and training opportunities that can be accessed by individuals who wish to pursue career advancement in specific areas. ORSA offers free access to videoconferences and training opportunities produced by the National Conference of University Research Administrators to the campus community. This opportunity allows individuals, regardless of current position, to become familiar with research administration as a career and to keep up with new and upcoming issues in research administration. Centers and Institutes The research community is keenly aware of the many issues related to filling the pipeline both for academic researchers and for research administrators. Some of the issues are common while others are specific to the individual career path. Much of the commonality has to do with providing individuals at different educational and career stages with access and information about career opportunities and pathways. UO center and institute researchers often pursue funding for formal, externally supported programs that promote engagement in and access to scientific inquiry with a strong emphasis on reaching out to individuals from under-represented minorities. For example, the NSF and NIH actively promote opportunities to support building greater diversity in the scientific community through programs such as the NSF Integrative Graduate Research Education Training (better known as IGERT), the NSF GK-12 program, and the NIH Research Supplements to Promote Diversity in Health Related Research. In some cases, the funding agency limits the number of applications that may be submitted from the institution. As an indication of the faculty interest in these programs, there are faculty requesting an opportunity to compete for these grants every time these programs are announced and often there is more interest in proposal development than the UO is allowed to submit. 17 The NSF and NIH programs are conceived to insure that under-represented minorities have an opportunity to receive quality scientific education at the K-12 and higher education levels, to have opportunities to engage with well trained researchers in a wide variety of fields, and to have opportunities to engage in scientific inquiry in formal and informal settings developed and overseen by well-trained university researchers. They also have programs specifically to enhance opportunities to engage in significant research activities and access to research equipment and materials for researchers from historically black and other institutions of higher learning. The NSF and NIH define under-represented minority groups as African Americans, Alaskan Natives, American Indians, Hispanic Americans, and Native Pacific Islanders. Further, research faculty interested in training grants from federal agencies are routinely asked to explain how the project for which they are requesting funding will lead to a more diverse academic and applied research workforce. An example comes from a typical NSF request for proposal for the 2007 Integrative Graduate Research Education Training program which states, “In contributing to a diverse science and engineering workforce for the future, the IGERT project must include strategies for recruitment, mentoring, and retention aimed at members of groups under-represented in science and engineering, including women, racial and ethnic minorities, and persons with disabilities.” The NIH, the UO’s second largest federal funding agency, has stated that it recognizes a unique and compelling need to promote diversity in the biomedical, behavioral, clinical, and social sciences research workforce. Further, the NIH expects efforts to diversify the workforce “…to lead to the recruitment of the most talented researchers from all groups; to improve the quality of the educational and training environment; to balance and broaden the perspective in setting research priorities; to improve the ability to recruit subjects from diverse backgrounds into clinical research protocols; and to improve the Nation's capacity to address and eliminate health disparities.” The NIH Research Supplements for Promoting Diversity in Health Related Research is an example of a program that UO researchers have used to help fill the pipeline as this is a program that makes funds available for administrative supplements to improve the diversity of the research workforce by supporting and recruiting students, post doctorates, and eligible investigators from groups that have been shown to be under-represented. The NIH includes individuals from under-represented racial and ethnic groups, individuals with disabilities, and individuals from disadvantaged backgrounds for support from this program. A. Materials Science Institute (MSI) - UCORE MSI administers an NSF-sponsored program UCORE (Undergraduate Catalytic Outreach and Research Experience) that aims to create a seamless transition between Oregon high schools, community colleges, and universities. This project is establishing a model for improving the recruitment, transfer, and retention rates of students along that spectrum of educational levels, eventually leading to baccalaureate in Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) degrees. Key elements include: early identification of community college and university students with interest in STEM fields; provision of intensive week-long camps and 10-week research projects in the summer; and training in education outreach, peer-led tutoring, and academic and 18 career-path mentoring. Following these activities, students serve as peer tutors at their home institutions (both community colleges and universities) during the next academic year under the supervision of graduate student and faculty mentors. The intellectual merit of the project lies in the immersion of students in early research experiences - with a special focus on community college students from diverse, non-traditional backgrounds - in order to improve completion rates of physical sciences-related transfer associate degrees, and to boost the numbers who transfer to four-year institutions and complete baccalaureate degrees in these areas. It also tests models for catalytic peer- and near-peer mentoring and tutoring at community colleges and high schools to increase interest in physical sciences and related careers. The project's broader impacts are felt in its targeting of community colleges that have the most diverse group of students engaged in post-secondary education in the state. Through the project's design, students from diverse backgrounds are able to mentor, tutor, and otherwise encourage their peers to successfully complete coursework and move into physical sciences careers. B. Center for Evolutionary and Ecological Biology/ Institute of Molecular Biology /Institute of Neuroscience - SPUR For about 15 years, a primary focus in terms of promoting diversity for the three institutes has been the Summer Program for Undergraduate Research (SPUR). This program currently brings about 15 to 20 undergraduate students from other institutions to the UO each summer for an intensive and highly successful research experience. (UO undergraduates also participate in the program.) The program aims to recruit a high percentage of under-represented minority students. In fact, the program has been increasingly successful at attracting highly-qualified under-represented minority students. With leadership from SPUR director, Dr. Peter O’Day, the institutes have developed new strategies for: a) making connections with faculty and administrators at institutions with high minority population; b) identifying and recruiting talented under-represented minority students; c) ensuring that all participants have sufficient support to successfully complete an intensive and exciting research project; and d) facilitating access to the wonderful cultural and recreational opportunities Oregon has to offer. These strategies have led to new and concrete plans for increasing UO enrollment of under-represented minority students at both the undergraduate and graduate levels. SPUR seeks applicants who are qualified, enthusiastic, hard-working, and motivated to complete the rigors of this intensive experience. Due to improved identification, contact strategies and assiduous recruiting the number of under-represented minority students who have applied to SPUR and the recruiting index (the fraction of under-represented minority candidates who accept an offer of admission) have increased dramatically. The under-represented minority applicant pool rose by > 50%, while the recruiting index has risen to over 80% from lower than 45% in the past 4 years. As a result, the fraction of SPUR participants who are under-represented minorities has risen considerably. With this new approach, SPUR now ensures that the majority of the financial support for visiting fellows goes toward under-represented minority students. For SPUR 2006, approximately 70% of the total program costs were spent in support of under- represented ethnic minority SPUR fellows and 67% were spent in support of women SPUR fellows. 19 Continual improvements are made to the SPUR program itself. By ensuring that the visiting scholars have a first-rate scientific and personal experience at UO, each year a cadre of SPUR alumni are generated who carry the UO’s reputation to institutions across the country. Professional development opportunities for SPUR fellows have been enhanced by instituting weekly workshops on practical features in science careers, and by facilitating attendance of SPUR fellows at national meetings. Three minority SPUR fellows attended the recent Annual Biomedical Research Conference for Minority Students (ABRCMS) and presented their SPUR 2006 projects. This is unprecedented in the history of this program. IMB provided funds to help with these conference trips. As in past years, all visiting young scholars indicated that the SPUR 2006 experience was significantly positive. Student testimonials to the richness and professional importance of the SPUR program can be found at http://biology.uoregon.edu/spur/SPUR%20testimonials.html. Other important improvements made in the last four years include the director’s close interactions with all of the SPUR students throughout the summer, including weekly lunchtime feedback sessions, and his fostering of their involvement with the local community outside the science environment. He arranged for undergraduate SPUR participants from UO to live with the visiting SPUR students in UO Housing, serving as residence assistants, counselors, activities coordinators, and travel guides. They motivated the visiting SPUR students to find outside activities to provide balance and a well rounded aspect, by organizing group activities outside of research. In addition to musical and theatrical events, these activities included weekend trips around Oregon – the coast, the Cascades, Columbia Gorge, Portland shopping, rafting on the McKenzie, Crater Lake, the Redwoods, Fall Creek, Silver Falls, and others. These recreational and cultural features of the program made life in Oregon a unique selling point for recruitment, and they fostered close bonding among all the students that was key to a very successful summer experience. In addition to these gains, Dr. O’Day for the first time identified outside funding through the Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology- Minority Access to Research Careers program, which has the goal to increase under-represented minority representation in the life sciences. In the past four years, through this program, the program has received about $78,000 designated and spent for support of under-represented ethnic minority SPUR scholars. He has also solicited internal funding from the Offices of the Provost and the Vice President for Research which have generously contributed funding for half the UO Housing costs for the visiting students. ION, IMB and CEEB also contribute support for the SPUR program each summer from their ICC funds. Of particular note, all of the under-represented minority SPUR participants since 2003 are currently pursuing professional careers in science and medicine. C. Oregon Institute of Marine Biology (OIMB) – K12 OIMB has an ongoing graduate K-12 Fellows program supported by the NSF to provide targeted instruction to elementary students (grades K-6), and professional development to teachers in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) content. This GK-12 program is targeted in some of Oregon’s most economically depressed communities, including Coos Bay and North Bend. STEM education is enhanced through the presentation of marine and aquatic sciences utilizing and building upon the Marine Activities, Resources, and Education (MARE) 20 curriculum developed at the University of California Berkeley. The intellectual merit of this proposal includes a goal to permanently improve teachers’ understanding of science content, and their use of inquiry and the scientific method to teach STEM subjects. Summer workshops familiarize UO graduate student fellows with the MARE curriculum and provide practical pedagogic knowledge for teaching in K-6 classes, and an understanding of the Oregon based standards system. MARE Lead Teachers act as mentors for the fellows and as support for other teachers in the district. The broader impact of this project includes the development of a more permanent University/K-12 relationship; the development of teaching, communication, and team-building skills by the GK-12 Fellows; the opportunity for Fellows to gain knowledge and experience of the K-12 teaching community; and the formation of working partnerships with faculty, Fellows, and teachers. Teachers and their students accrue a number of benefits including up to date scientific information, experiences with real science via inquiry-based investigations, and exposure to working scientists. D. MSI - IGERT This Integrative Graduate Education and Research Traineeship (IGERT) program offers a nationally unique, comprehensive package of new and tested approaches to graduate education in materials chemistry and physics. It is designed to prepare the next generation of graduate students for the challenges of an increasingly interdisciplinary and rapidly evolving research and development arena. A primary goal of the IGERT program is “to facilitate greater diversity in student participation and preparation, and to contribute to the development of a diverse, globally- engaged science and engineering workforce.” In order to successfully receive an award for this program, the faculty leaders had to clearly articulate a program strategy and plan for recruitment, mentoring, retention, and graduation of U.S. graduate students, including efforts aimed at members of groups under-represented in science and engineering (the NSF defines this as a member of an under-represented group is American Indian/Alaskan Native, Black, Hispanic, Pacific Islander (native of Hawaii, Guam, Samoa), disabled, and/or female). The research and education activities of the MSI IGERT program are unified by the study of structure/property relations in the increasingly important class of materials that have properties dominated by critical length scales that lie between those of bulk materials and molecular species. Each of the three established research thrusts provides outstanding opportunities for interdisciplinary graduate training because the chemistry, physics, and engineering of short length scale systems are closely intertwined. A diverse group of students and scientists from the UO, Oregon State University, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Portland State University, and a range of other industrial and academic partners are brought together in an effort to enhance graduate training and materials research. Five key program elements interspersed in the graduate program are designed to accelerate the transition from student to scientist. These include summer immersion programs, laboratory rotations in chemistry and physics at the participating institutions, a Technology Entrepreneur Fellows program teaming IGERT trainees with MBA and law students, regular research thrust seminars, and internships in industry, academia, or a national laboratory. These program elements are designed to accelerate the transition from passive learner to scientist by training students in group-based problem solving, helping students acquire technical and time management skills, and challenging them to complete a project related to a research thrust area. 21 The program elements described above are expected to decrease time to degree, expand research opportunities through collaborations with the participating institutions, and enhance recruitment of excellent students, including members of groups under-represented in science and engineering. The connections established by the program will have a substantial impact on the Pacific Northwest region in particular, through the education of a workforce commensurate with its large concentration of high-technology industry. The research and education collaborations formed will strengthen the scientific basis to build nanoscience infrastructure accessible to academic and industrial partners within the framework of the statewide Oregon Nanoscience and Microtechnologies Institute. E. Center for Applied Second Language Studies (CASLS) – Chinese Flagship CASLS and the Portland Public School district are joint recipients of the National Security Education Program's (NSEP) National Flagship grant to oversee a K-16 integrated Mandarin Chinese language learning program. The Oregon Flagship program is the first of its kind nationally and will serve as a K-16 model for future NSEP programs. The UO Chinese Flagship program is a four-year program designed to help students become linguistically and culturally competent in Mandarin Chinese. Students are able to pursue degrees in any of the 134 academic programs offered at the UO while taking college-level courses in Chinese. The expectation is that Flagship scholars will learn, grow, challenge, and support each other through the challenges of balancing their demanding course load. They will also be actively involved in sharing the Chinese culture with the larger university community. Flagship students will spend their junior year immersed in the culture and integrated into regular courses at Nanjing University in China. Flagship scholars will receive career counseling, introductions to government and private employers, and internship opportunities. In order to recruit students from diverse backgrounds and economic status, CASLS partnered with Portland Public Schools and the World Language Institute, which serves Chinese heritage students. CASLS also contacted weekend schools in the Portland area with large Chinese heritage student populations. A vast majority of students attending these schools are multiethnic and come from a working class background. To further reach working class parents and encourage their children to apply to the program, CASLS posted flyers at local Asian markets about the program and application process. The Center and its programs have also been featured in Portland-area Chinese newspapers, a medium that reaches out to non-native speakers of English. While 50% of these scholars are American-born, 70% of these students ethnically identify themselves as Chinese, 10% as Vietnamese, 10% as Singaporean, and 10% as American. Females make up 80% of this cohort. Currently, thirty-five students from multiethnic backgrounds have applied to become 2007-08 Flagship scholars, and this group of scholars promises to be as diverse as the first cohort. In addition, CASLS’ Tamagawa International Exchange program also draws students from diverse backgrounds to the University. Students from Tamagawa University in Japan spend six 22 months at the University of Oregon. The Tamagawa program helps these students develop cultural competence, and these students in turn increase the diversity of the UO student population. F. Center for Asian Pacific Studies (CAPS) - FLAS CAPS has been awarded a $778,000 federal grant for graduate students to study Asian languages as part of the Foreign Language and Area Studies (FLAS) Fellowships Program. The grant will fund six academic-year and five summer FLAS fellowships each year from 2006 through 2010. FLAS funding is administered by the U.S. Department of Education under Title VI of the Higher Education Act. The FLAS program provides tuition and a stipend for university graduate students who are doing advanced language training in Chinese, Japanese, or Korean in combination with area studies, international studies, or international aspects of professional studies. To be eligible for funds, students must be U.S. citizens or permanent residents. The goals of the fellowship program include: ƒ to assist in the development of knowledge, resources, and trained personnel for modern foreign language and area/international studies; ƒ to stimulate the attainment of foreign language acquisition and fluency; and ƒ to develop a pool of international experts to meet national needs. Graduate School Please refer to pages 13-15, for descriptions of programs such as the Fighting Fund Fellowships and the McNair Program that are relevant also to this section on building critical mass and filling the pipeline. While the Graduate School does not play a direct role in the recruitment of faculty, it does actively pursue opportunities to support academic programs with a scholarly or creative focus on diversity. The Graduate School intends to continue to take a proactive role in that manner. The Graduate School is a small unit with nine professional staff members. On the occasions when there are positions open, the Graduate School uses targeted marketing and advertising vendors to reach out to under-represented candidates for administrative positions. Examples include Hispanic Outlook Magazine, Diverse Issues in Higher Education journal, and higheredjob.com diversity posting option. 23 3) Community Engagement: Linkages to Civic Organizations, Public Schools, and Governmental Units Research Administration While research administration is focused primarily on the support of faculty and researchers, OVPR administrators are notably engaged with the external community through a variety of means. The Vice President sits on numerous boards and workgroups on the regional, state, and local level, including appointment by the Governor as co-chair of the Oregon Innovation Council’s subcommittee on Research Commercialization, OUS liaison to the Sasakawa Young Leaders Fellowship Fund (SYLFF), and chair of the OUS Research Council. The Vice President for Research, the Office of Technology Transfer and the Office of the Riverfront Research Park are significantly engaged with business organizations and professional organizations in the region, state, and locally. They meet with federal, state, and local officials both on and off campus, and participate in groups such as the Eugene Chamber of Commerce, the Lane Metro Partnership, and the Lane Workforce Partnership. The Office of Research Services and Administration routinely provides support and technical advice to non-profit organizations engaged in research and outreach activities with UO faculty. The Office of Research and Faculty Development provides limited assistance to external organizations requesting help with grant applications, and through its website provides information and links that are helpful to both UO researchers and outside individuals and groups seeking external funding. The Office for the Protection of Human Subjects provides information and institutional review for outside organizations, such as K-12 schools, engaged in research with UO faculty, and individual researchers who wish to conduct research at the University of Oregon. Centers and Institutes A. Center for the Study of Women in Society (CSWS) CSWS is committed to building linkages between the Center and the communities around us. Community-based scholars participate in Research Interest Groups (RIGs) and RIG dissemination activities reach diverse communities. For example, through the CSWS Violence, Gender & Society RIG, annual forums are sponsored that bring together UO faculty and representatives of public and private agencies in Oregon to address research and practice in violence prevention, including domestic violence and violence against disabled and institutionalized people. This year, the RIG’s conference “Methamphetamine, Gender, and Interpersonal Violence: Current Issues, Emerging Initiatives, and Multidisciplinary Solutions,” is being funded that will be attended by service providers from throughout Oregon and UO researchers. 24 CSWS is reaching out to the immigrant and Latino/a community locally, throughout the state, and beyond. The CSWS Women in the Northwest Research Initiative is planning a conference in May 2008 on immigrants in Oregon. As a part of the preparation process, the members have set up a community advisory board to help plan the conference that, so far, includes four different immigrant and Latino/a organizations in the Eugene area. The CSWS Americas RIG is building institutional links for research with organizations in Mexico. To further strengthen this international collaboration, it is bringing three scholars from Oaxaca in April 2007 to campus for class and public presentations. In addition, it sponsors a community lecture series, CSWS Road Scholars, which sends CSWS-affiliated scholars throughout Oregon to present their research to a variety of community, religious, and educational organizations. B. Community Service Center (CSC) CSC provides significant community outreach because community partnerships are at the core of its work. CSC works locally and across the state. Local partners include the City of Eugene and the 4J School District. Across the state, CSC works with 9 cities, 10 non-profits or special districts, 6 counties, and 1 tribe. The CSC’s efforts assist communities in creating local change. The CSC also is the home of the PPPM Internship Program, which serves undergraduate and graduate students in the program as well as across campus. The placements for interns include a variety of local agencies that work with diverse clients and/or promote diversity, such as HIV Aids Alliance, Centro Latino Americano, and St. Vincent de Paul Society. C. Institute for Policy Research and Innovation (IPRI) Through its research and community outreach activities, IPRI contributes to the UO’s efforts to build a diverse faculty, staff, and student body by working directly and indirectly with communities across the state in ways that build strong relations with the university as a whole. IPRI has 3 projects that will have a long-term impact on developing a more diverse UO community. ƒ The Kake community development project is re-establishing ties between UO and Southeast Alaska native peoples. UO formerly had many Tlingit and Haida students, but that pipeline has dried up in recent years. The Kake project can re-open the pipeline by creating good will and demonstrating the practical value of the university. ƒ The 4J project aims to (among other things) help the local school district adjust to and better serve the increasingly diverse K-12 student population. This will establish ties between the UO and local communities of color, again creating good will and demonstrating the institution’s practical value. ƒ The Korea National Housing Corporation co-operative research project not only builds international linkages (in Korea), it also contributes to the university’s ties with the large and growing local Korean community. 25 D. Oregon Humanities Center (OHC) OHC contributes perhaps most significantly to the diversity efforts on campus by helping to develop and strengthen community linkages through public outreach efforts. This has been--and continues to be--an ongoing endeavor. To cite a current example, OHC is hosting a major symposium (in conjunction with the Judaic Studies Program) on "Witnessing Genocide: Representation and Responsibility" in April 2007 that will be open to the public. A large percentage of the public programs OHC co-sponsors with other units on campus each year encourage an understanding of and involvement with cultural and racial diversity. A few recent examples include: the "World Music Series" and "Dance Africa" at the School of Music and Dance; the Women and Gender Studies Program's "Currents in Gender Studies" annual symposium; the Margaret Meade Traveling Film and Video Festival; many Judaic Studies events and programs; CoDaC programs; the Hawai'ian Students Association annual Lu'au and other programs; ASUO Women's Center's "Take Back the Night"; the Zeta Phi Beta (a black sorority) Step Show; ArtCessAble; a spring 2006 conference on Race and Political Development; the ASUO's annual Women of Color Conference; and this year, a conference sponsored by the Office of Student Life called "New Writing, New Thinking: The Immigrant Experience," which features a group of teachers, writers, performers, and academics who are all immigrants or first- generation immigrants to the U.S. 4) Suggestions to Enhance Existing Activities and Ideas for New Initiatives Research Administration Research administrators want to explore ways to more directly engage with the student body to encourage consideration of careers in research administration; the concept would engage students in specific schools and programs by developing more formal relationships, perhaps creating internships or workshops. To accomplish this, dedicated staff time and extra financial support would be needed to undertake a successful and strategic program including developing a focus on under-represented minorities. RFD and ORSA will develop guidance materials for researchers applying for federal funds that are project specific but are required to address the following types of questions: a) What may be the benefits of the proposed activity beyond the specific field of study? and b) How well does the proposed activity broaden the participation of under-represented groups (e.g., gender, ethnicity, disability, geographic, etc.)? Administrators in RFD and ORSA are available to work with colleagues on securing external funding for programs related to supporting a diverse university community and welcome the opportunity to support and partner in the future as new opportunities arise. 26 Centers and Institutes Researchers consistently request enhanced financial and administrative support for the purpose of seeking and writing applications for external funding for projects that have both research merit and provided enhanced opportunities to reach out to under-represented communities. Researchers believe that central and school leadership is needed to give greater value to these endeavors during evaluations of an individual’s workload and commitment to university, school and department. Researchers also noted there needs to be greater central support for those who, after receiving the funds, then implemented the program. Specifically, the following needs were identified by centers and institutes as crucial to their diversity related activities: • Assistance in seeking funding and writing grant applications • Course buy-outs for key personnel • Support, financial and otherwise, for recruiting faculty and research positions that will support and enhance a diverse campus community – in particular making interdisciplinary hires and developing mechanisms to provide support for those individuals once on campus • Seed and/or bridge funding from central administration that is separate from other internal support mechanisms directed specifically to diversity related projects that have a high probability of receiving external funding • Sources of support for research or teaching activities that are directly related to the goal of enhancing and supporting a diverse university community • Financial support for administrative positions to coordinate the activities of existing programs and to assist those programs as they seek new funding sources • Support for auxiliary costs such as student housing, fees, insurance, travel, and recruitment that are related to existing program (and for those we want to initiate) • Support to more actively promote and fund regional or national level research conferences on campus. These gatherings have venues which are open to the larger university campus and as such provide opportunities for undergraduate and graduate students to engage the in the full scope of research activity. • More graduate and undergraduate focused research conferences or poster sessions. Including funding for students to travel to academic conferences. 27 Graduate School Specific ideas for developing a culturally responsive community include: • Continued support for CoDaC for its research initiatives. • Provide information about various diversity initiatives, services, and resources in all Graduate School materials. • Meet with CoDaC research award recipients to explore additional types of support. • Incorporate more relevant information in GTF training sessions. • Identify “best practices” for GTF training sessions (in collaboration with TEP & others). • Build more diversity information into new graduate student orientations. • Form a graduate student advisory group to help the Graduate School develop additional programs and services. (Note: This group will likely have suggestions that also serve the other areas of emphasis.) Specific ideas for improving campus climate include: • Continue GTF support for administrative units that support this goal (e.g., Bias Response Team). • Explore increased opportunities for graduate students from the new Conflict and Dispute Resolution degree program to become involved with these issues on campus. • Work with office of AAEO to make sure that Graduate School staff members who regularly interact with graduate students clearly understand the discrimination complaint process. • Participate in any efforts to streamline or simplify these processes, with particular attention to how this intersects with the mandated processes in the GTF Collective Bargaining Agreement. • Add content related to diversity and campus climate on the Graduate School website. Specific ideas for building critical mass and expanding and filling the pipeline include: • Increase Graduate School and/or faculty involvement in targeted recruiting fairs. • Continue and expand the Fighting Fund Fellowship program. • Formalize a Graduate Student Merit Fellowship that helps continuing and completing students successfully graduate. • Participate in a proposed program that matches graduate students from under- represented groups with undergraduate students from under-represented groups to encourage the latter to consider going on for a graduate degree (under development by Tia Dumas). • Continue and expand support for the McNair program. 28 5) Resources Research Administration and Centers and Institute The Office of the Vice President provides administrative and financial support to a wide array of existing programs and units that relate to diversity and campus climate. This includes providing over $985,000 in funds over the last three fiscal years to existing centers with missions specifically relevant to diversity (i.e. CoDaC, CASLS, CSWS, CAPS and CICS). The Vice President’s Office also provides financial support for specific projects and activities initiated by center and institute members including those indicated in earlier in this plan. In the last two fiscal years, the Vice President’s office has provided over $90,000 in financial support for emerging research centers including NILI and CRESS (also described above). Additionally, the Vice President’s office provides GTF waivers to groups and project focused on diversity related issues. As an example, in the FY05-FY07 period, the Vice President provided over $425,000 in GTF support to CICS, CSWS, CRESS, CASLS and CAPS alone. Offices reporting to the Vice President have provided and will continue to provide administrative support as requested to support outreach and research activities relevant to enhancing a diverse university community and scholarship. Examples of this include personnel and finance management as well as proposal development assistance and external funding searches. The Vice President for Research is exploring ways to expand interdisciplinary initiatives in areas related to diversity scholarship. While there are many research needs that have to be addressed by the Office of the Vice President, we encourage faculty, researchers and research administrators to come forward with requests for support when developing new projects and programs related to supporting diversity and enhancing the campus climate. A recent example (March, 2007) is support for a major research project entitled “ Understanding the Immigrant Experience in Oregon” that assists faculty in Geography and Anthropology as well as the Labor Education Research Center. Graduate School The primary type of resource that the Graduate School has available is financial. These financial resources take the form of tuition waivers and/or cash payments. In the former case, the Graduate School has approximately $400,000 in tuition remission funds available for distribution. In the latter case, the sources for cash payments currently consist of private gifts or funds allocated from the state lottery system. The lottery funds provide virtually all of the non- service stipend funds that are used for the Fighting Fund Fellowships (FFF). Recent changes in lottery funding have cut the total amount of money available for the 2006-2007 and 2007-2008 academic years, but may increase the total amount beginning in 2008. Currently, the Graduate School has requested and received assurances that the FFF program will be supported at its current levels through the 2008-2009 academic year. However, long term dependence on lottery funds is an inherently risky situation. There is only one privately funded award in the Graduate School Office (Southeast Asian Study Grant) that has an explicit diversity component. A second resource that the Graduate School has available is its ability to advocate for programs and practices that enhance diversity within the university. The public advocacy activities fall 29 primarily on the shoulders of the Dean and Associate Dean. However, all staff members within the Graduate School are aware of the importance of diversity in graduate programs. The Graduate Council, and elected body of faculty, is another resource for information gathering and advocacy. A third and final resource that the Graduate School can provide is through its role in reviewing academic programs. An example of this is the Program Review Process, which was revised two years ago. The required self-study document now explicitly asks the department being reviewed to describe its diversity initiatives for undergraduate students, graduate students, and faculty. 6) Identifying Markers of Progress Primary metrics for OVPRGS success will be the extent of sponsored program and sponsored research activity involving diversity-related topics, the overall diversity of the graduate student population and the extent of connection of research units through their outreach activities to diverse communities. We have identified the following as examples of markers of progress: • More targeted recruitment efforts will be pursued for administrative jobs using professional Associations and targeted paid media postings for all units. The advertising strategies will clearly identify contacts, media or otherwise that are specifically targeting individuals from under-represented groups. • Research centers and institutes will be encouraged to participate in federally and privately funded programs that target research opportunities for under-represented groups. • Centers and institutes will be encouraged and supported to continue engaging in activities that enhance greater diversity on campus and scholarship that focuses on diversity-related topics. • ORSA will develop a tracking method for diversity related proposals for external funding through its Early Proposal Clearance System (EPCS). Researchers will indicate on one of the required screens whether the proposal application is related to diversity issues. On an annual basis, ORSA will report out the number of self- reported proposals related to diversity have been submitted to external organizations and will track those to the awards received. • The establishment of a graduate student advisory group will be considered to help the Graduate School develop additional programs and services. 30 • Formalization of a Graduate Student Merit Fellowship program will be pursued that helps continuing and completing students successfully graduate including students from diverse backgrounds. • Updated print and web materials will be produced incorporating enhanced information related to diversity and campus climate for all units. Office of the Vice President for Research and Graduate Studies 2007 Diversity Plan Addendum- June 11, 2007 Hiring Practices In response to an implication made by reviewers about our hiring practices (review, page 7), it is important to reiterate that our approaches are in solid conformity with the policies and procedures endorsed by the Office of Equal Employment and Affirmative Action (EEAAO). The example in question was meant to demonstrate that our strong commitment to the recruitment practices suggested by EEAAO resulted in the recent hire of a person of color for a senior leadership position within research administration. This is particularly significant for a position where people of color are highly underrepresented nationally. Additionally, our Centers and Institutes follow the university rules and procedures in their hiring practices of both faculty and staff. We have no reason to believe that there are inconsistencies in hiring practices among these units given that they work within university guidelines as do the departments, schools and other organizational units. Other Policies and Procedures Where we discussed our proactive stance on diversity policies and procedures, we selected a few units to highlight best practices. This should not be interpreted to mean that these are the only units actively engaging in efforts that diversify our campus through hiring, business practices, research, outreach, and cross-cultural engagement. They were only meant as exemplars and were not to imply inconsistency in the division. Filling the Pipeline through Training Opportunities The reviewers asked whether we provided any professional training for administrators and staff, aside from faculty training and workshops. We refer the reviewers to page 16 of the plan where we noted, “The Office of Research Services and Administration (ORSA) offers free access to videoconference training opportunities produced by the National Conference of University Research Administrators to the campus community. This opportunity allows all, regardless of current position, to become familiar with research administration as a career and to keep up with new and upcoming issues in research administration.” Additionally, ORSA offers access to free videoconferencing and other training materials to all UO employees. For example, the NIH and NSF offer sessions on issues and practices involving research administration. ORSA announces these events on their website and also by email. Compliance Training for Graduate Students The reviewers asked if graduate students were trained by the compliance administrators to consider their own cultural influences on their choice of research methodology and design. It is not the place of the research administrators to train graduate students on their specific research methods or experimental design techniques. This is in the province of the academic disciplines and the faculty mentors. The CITI training is specifically aimed to inform and educate both faculty and student researchers on the process of obtaining consent from human subjects in ways that are compliant with federal regulations and sensitive to the norms and cultures of the individuals who are to be the subjects. Measurement The reviewers asked for more reflection on measurement of effectiveness of current programs, and the consideration of additional measures. Graduate School The Graduate School has mechanisms in place that provide data on the overall effectiveness and impact of the graduate student experience. The Graduate School is working to incorporate and capture metrics of specific relevance to the diversity mission. These measures also will provide annual and ongoing information for the Graduate School and the Provost’s Office to gauge the impact and effectiveness of specific scholarship programs such as the McNair and the Fighting Fund. Additionally, the Graduate School plans to use the Graduate Council and the proposed student advisory group to help in formulating and evaluating specific metrics. Inclusion of representatives from the Office of Institutional Equity and Diversity in both of these working groups will serve to strengthen assessment of outcomes relevant to institutional diversity. Centers and Institutes Many of the programs described in our plan involving the Centers and Institutes are funded by competitive grants and validated through national peer review processes. Almost all of these sponsored programs are required to have explicit evaluation plans in place as a prerequisite to being funded. The University has access to these plans at the time they are submitted to the funding agency. In order to get continuation funding or to seek new funding, the Centers and Institutes rely on the data from the evaluations to substantiate their requests for funding in the next round of proposals. Therefore, evaluation is a very important component of the program for any Center that hopes to receive funding from outside sources. There are periodic meetings and reports made to the VPR office on center/institute activities. We are working to formalize these reports in ways that are most effective without being overly burdensome. We anticipate that the more formal review processes will certainly include specific consideration of efforts promoting diversity at the UO. Annual evaluations of unit heads reporting to the VPR typically occur in the fall. We anticipate gathering information in these annual evaluations about our administrative leadership in enhancing diversity. Additional Future Steps The original university diversity plan called for the development of a Graduate Merit Fellowship program aimed at supporting minority and non-traditional graduate students. The Graduate School is committed to committing additional revenue from enhanced lottery funds towards such a program. The Graduate School will develop a pilot program next year with a formal evaluation process. We anticipate the results of the pilot will elevate fundraising efforts to support this program. A new development position reporting to the VPR will assist in private fund-raising to enhance diversity in graduate education. Nurturing and sustaining the programs and activities that are in place now and finding ways to insure sustainability for these important programs are major goals for administrators in Research and the Graduate Studies. Many of these programs are funded by competitive grants and cannot continue without that funding. We will continue to provide support and encouragement to those faculty who are working proactively to find the funding that will sustain these programs. For those programs that rely primarily on internal support, we will work with the faculty and administrators to diversify sources of funding. As additional funds become available, programs that enhance and support the goals of our diversity plan will have a high priority for support. University of Oregon Division of Student Affairs Diversity Action Plan Prepared by: Diversity Action Committee for Student Affairs July 20, 2007 2 TABLE OF CONTENTS Content Page Student Affairs Diversity Action Plan Summary……………………….. 3 About Student Affairs…………. .……………………………………… 5 Need for a Five Year Strategic Action Plan for Diversity……………… 6 The Process of Completing Strategic Action Planning………………… 7 The Student Affairs Diversity Action Plan…………………………….. 8 Goal 1: Developing a Culturally Responsive Community……………. 10 Goal 2: Improving Campus Climate………………………………….. 11 Goal 3: Building Critical Mass……………………………………….. 12 Goal 4: Expanding and Filling the Pipeline…………………………... 13 Goal 5: Developing and Strengthening Community Linkages……….. 14 Goal 6: Developing and Reinforcing Diversity Infrastructure……….. 15 Appendix 1: Diversity Action Committee for Student Affairs………. 16 Appendix 2: Division of Student Affairs Survey (Staff and Faculty).. 17 Appendix 3: Department Heads Survey…………………………… 19 Appendix 4: Results from the Survey for Department Heads and Associate Directors……………………………….. 21 Appendix 5: Student Affairs Staff and Faculty Survey Responses…. 22 Appendix 6: What is Cultural Competence?....................................... 26 3 University of Oregon Division of Student Affairs Diversity Action Plan Diversity Action Plan Summary The staff and faculty employed by the Division of Student Affairs represent seven departments and possess a broad range of talents and expertise. These seven departments administer a wide array of programs and services in the following administrative areas: • Residential Programs and Facilities—providing social, physical, and cultural development opportunities for students (Erb Memorial Union, Housing, and Physical Activity & Recreation Services). • Student Services— offering programs and services that provide students with opportunities to practice or develop skills in a healthy environment (Career Center, Counseling & Testing Center, Health Center, and Student Life). In May, 2005, the University of Oregon began efforts to develop and adopt a five-year, University-wide diversity plan (The Plan). The vision set forth in this plan reaffirmed the University’s core values of equality, opportunity and pluralism, as well as its dedication to the dissemination of knowledge in an increasingly diverse world. The Plan recognizes, however, the University’s ongoing struggle with how to best articulate and achieve these ideals. The Division of Student Affairs crafted a diversity action plan in line with the six strategic directions (listed as “goals” in our plan). Guiding principles undergirding each of the goals as well as action steps are outlined in the full document of the diversity action plan following this summary. Goal 1: Developing a Culturally Responsive Community A culturally responsive community recognizes that students, staff and faculty come from a myriad of cultural backgrounds and that these cultures are integral to how we view and experience the world. A responsive community acknowledges that there are differences between and amongst cultures. It is a community that seeks to understand the commonalities among different cultural groups and also one that embraces and celebrates the differences. A culturally responsive community supports and rallies around diverse groups that may be verbally or physically threatened or misunderstood, and works to improve and educate the community. Goal 2: Improving Campus Climate Climate encompasses the University of Oregon’s learning, working, social, and cultural environments. It also includes the University’s relationship with the surrounding community. Student Affairs will expand its efforts to make the University a more open 4 and inviting place for all students, faculty, staff, alumni, and community members by recognizing that this requires a sustained, long-term commitment and continuous evaluation of the campus climate. Goal 3: Building Critical Mass Building a critical mass of staff and faculty from underrepresented groups is central to the goals of maintaining a campus environment that embraces diversity and providing the campus community with tools to be global citizens. Achieving a critical mass of staff and faculty from underrepresented backgrounds demands the retention of such individuals. Our goal is to create an institutional culture that provides all members with opportunities for professional growth. Investment in and development of underrepresented members will result in consistency and excellence of service for U of O students. Goal 4: Expanding and Filling the Pipeline Filling the pipeline refers to the University's efforts in the recruitment of students as early as the middle school years. Various programs and offerings within Student Affairs strive to retain these students once they have indicated their intention to attend the University. A focus is placed on "growing scholars" to attend graduate school and later become faculty and or staff members in the academy. Goal 5: Developing and Strengthening Community Linkages As a public institution, the University of Oregon is a community resource that must serve as an active participant in the Eugene/Springfield area as well as the State of Oregon. The University, the Eugene-Springfield community, and the state will all benefit from developing and strengthening these connections. Goal 6: Developing and Reinforcing Diversity Infrastructure Diversity infrastructure is the framework necessary to support, maintain, and enhance a vibrant, diverse community. This framework consists of developing clear and effective diversity goals and expectations within all departments in Student Affairs. Developing and reinforcing institutional diversity infrastructure involves all levels of University administration. It will be incumbent upon upper administration within Student Affairs to provide vision, inspiration and direction for each department in order to attain divisional goals regarding diversity. 5 Diversity Action Plan The Division of Student Affairs About Student Affairs Mission Statement The Division of Student Affairs develops and administers University and unit policies to assure that students at the University of Oregon are supported in their academic and personal development and challenged to develop as individuals through an array of co- curricular experiences. Student Affairs staff plays a significant role in preparing students for a culture of learning in a global and diverse society. Organization The staff and faculty employed by the Division of Student Affairs represent seven departments and possess a broad range of talents and expertise. These seven departments administer a wide array of programs and services in the following administrative areas: • Residential Programs and Facilities—providing social, physical, and cultural development opportunities for students (Erb Memorial Union, Housing, and Physical Activity & Recreation Services). • Student Services— offering programs and services that provide students with opportunities to practice or develop skills in a healthy environment (Career Center, Counseling & Testing Center, Health Center, and Student Life). Guiding Principles Through the breadth and depth of our programs and services, we seek to honor our responsibility to meet students where they are and facilitate their growth academically, personally, and professionally so they will succeed in a diverse, global environment. In recognition of this responsibility, we are dedicated to the following principles: 1. We value and recognize our responsibility to foster an inclusive community characterized by safety, respect, and kindness in which each member, student and staff alike, is empowered to use his or her voice and be heard. 2. We seek to effectively model the ability to identify and respond to issues affecting campus climate while maintaining/increasing awareness of our own ongoing process of self-reflection and learning. 3. We strive to support students on their academic journeys by fostering their holistic development as lifelong learners and encouraging their active participation in a multicultural society. 4. We will ensure, through cooperation and collaboration with other members of the University community, that all programs, services, and office environments are 6 welcoming and that we are willing and able to assist any person, regardless of ethnicity, gender, age, national origin, race, ability, religion, sexual orientation, or socio-economic status. Need for a Five Year Strategic Action Plan for Diversity In May 2005, the University of Oregon began efforts to develop and adopt a five-year, University-wide diversity plan (The Plan). The vision set forth in this plan reaffirmed the University’s core values of equality, opportunity, and pluralism, as well as our dedication to the dissemination of knowledge in an increasingly diverse world. The Plan recognizes, however, the University’s ongoing struggle of how to best articulate and achieve these ideals. The Plan challenges the University community to “protect and enhance all intellectual discourse” and to continually “work to make ourselves more adept at understanding how the differences of race, ethnicity, international origin or citizenship, gender, religious affiliation or backgrounds, sexual orientation, gender identity, economic class, political affiliation or belief and ability or disability affect the way we live and learn.” The Plan calls for each school, college, and administrative unit to develop a strategic action plan to guide that unit’s efforts on diversity, focusing on the relevant issues of that unit. While each of the seven departments in Student Affairs could have prepared its own individual plan, Student Affairs opted to take a broader approach by constructing a divisional plan reflective of our collective efforts, strengths, goals, and challenges. The advantage of this approach will be a more uniform plan encompassing multiple administrative units. This holistic approach will result in a more consistent and broad- based effort than would be possible for any individual office or department. This collective effort further strengthens our ability as a division to serve the needs of our students, solidifies those common elements unique to the Division of Student Affairs, and strengthens our cooperation with the University’s academic units. 7 The Process of Completing Strategic Action Planning During fall term 2005, the Student Affairs Cultural Competency Committee was formed to begin strategic action planning for the division. The committee’s name was later changed to the Diversity Action Committee for Student Affairs (DACSA). The seven Student Affairs directors were each asked to nominate 2-3 individuals from their department to serve on the committee, with the hope of ensuring broad representation and optimum buy-in across the division. DACSA members for 2005-06 are listed in Appendix 1. DACSA was charged to: • Complete a five-year strategic action plan to guide the diversity efforts of the division. • Develop a plan for professional development around cultural competence within the division. • Develop a vehicle for exploring/identifying expertise in regards to diversity efforts. • Develop a professional development series for Student Affairs and/or the rest of campus (i.e., faculty, staff, students). • Make recommendations regarding the division’s role in assessing and campus affecting campus climate. • Develop divisional “best practices’ in regards to culturally competent hiring practices, including the recruitment, and retention of diverse divisional staff. • Address the “call to action” points of the University’s Five-Year Diversity Plan. One of the committee’s first tasks was to develop and disseminate a survey to all Student Affairs staff and faculty. The purpose of this survey was to assess the perceptions, needs and accomplishments of divisional members regarding diversity efforts. Two versions of the survey were sent: one to department heads, directors, and associate directors, and another to the rest of student affairs staff (Appendices 2 and 3 respectively). The survey, which was administered in the spring of 2006, provided the opportunity for broad participation in the strategic planning efforts by the majority of the division’s staff and faculty. It also served as an invaluable tool for collecting information about the plethora of programs, efforts, expertise and resources within the Division of Student Affairs. More than 180 staff and faculty members in Student Affairs completed and returned the survey. 8 The Student Affairs Diversity Action Plan Preface Preparing this document is the first time that the Division of Student Affairs has crafted a collective strategic action plan to address diversity efforts. This action plan reflects our collective hopes, commitment and belief in the importance of a multicultural division, University, and world. This document is a “living document,” meaning it is neither finished nor static. Current and subsequent DACSA committee members will review and update the plan on an on- going basis to improve upon the goals outlined in this document. Divisional Responsibility Led by the Vice President for Student Affairs, the Division of Student Affairs should improve communication, both within the division and across campus, regarding best practices and effective strategies that enhance cultural responsiveness. DACSA makes the following suggestions: • A “point” office should be responsible for keeping the community informed regarding upcoming cultural events, challenges that have been encountered, and approaches to dealing with those challenges. The newly created Dean of Students position/office seems to be ideally suited for this task, and could provide quarterly reports communicating important information regarding our community’s responsiveness. This office, working in conjunction with the Bias Response Team and other offices could also provide immediate reports when more timely communication is needed (e.g., a recent incident that has widespread impact on the student body and/or campus community). • More difficult/challenging incidents may occur that will have an impact on students, staff and faculty. If this occurs, the University will need to implement debriefing groups to allow those affected an opportunity to hear the facts, debrief reactions and to make plans regarding a sensitive and timely response. The Dean of Students Office, with assistance from other relevant parties (i.e., Bias Response Team, Office of Student Life, Counseling Center, Office of Institutional Equity and Diversity, etc.), should be responsible for carrying out this function. • Given the wealth of expertise and talent among Student Affairs staff and faculty, it is important that as a division we develop effective ways to communicate best practices of cultural responsiveness to the various departments. This committee strongly encourages formal and informal training opportunities allowing cross- department sharing and discussions. 9 • Providing students learning experiences and leadership opportunities are central aspects of the mission of Student Affairs. Whenever possible, DACSA recommends the involvement of students in the learning, development and implementation of culturally responsive best practices. Accountability Each year, the Vice President for Student Affairs will require each of the seven Student Affairs directors to document activities and programs that have supported the University’s diversity plan. Each director will provide the following information in their report: • Progress or non-progress on each of the new initiatives and programs developed in regard to our diversity efforts. • Results of our efforts to hire and retain a diverse staff and faculty. • A careful assessment of our progress in identifying and realizing cultural competence (Appendix 5) for Student Affairs staff and faculty. • Information regarding our success or lack of success in following through with the various goals and plans outlined within this document, both for the division and for each department. • Evidence of how each department is making a difference in regards to campus climate. This critical review will allow the Division to make improvements, replicate our successes throughout the division, share pertinent and innovative solutions in regards to diversity efforts with the rest of the campus, and provide direction to the Division in subsequent years of strategic planning. To this end, DACSA recommends that each department in Student Affairs include excerpts of department diversity activities in their individual annual reports and executive summaries. The Vice President for Student Affairs, in accordance with the directive in the University’s Five-year Diversity Plan, will submit an annual report reflecting the above information to the Vice Provost for Institutional Equity and Diversity and to the Provost. This report will describe the Division’s and individual units’ activities related to diversity during that year. The Vice President will disseminate this information to all division staff and faculty, allowing us all to realize the successes we have had as well as the challenges still ahead of us. Goals The Student Affairs Diversity Action Plan is presented as a series of six goals. For each goal we offer our definition of the goal statement, guiding principles, and an action plan. 10 The various activities listed in the action plans are a small sample of possibilities for each department to consider. Because each department experiences different time pressures and demands at different times of the year, a specific timetable for completing such activities will vary department to department. Goal 1: Developing a Culturally Responsive Community A culturally responsive community recognizes that students, staff, and faculty come from a myriad of cultural backgrounds and that these cultures are integral to how we view and experience the world. A responsive community acknowledges that there are differences between and amongst cultures. It is a community that seeks to understand the commonalities among different cultural groups and also one that embraces and celebrates the differences. A culturally responsive community supports and rallies around groups that may be verbally or physically threatened or misunderstood, and works to improve and educate the community. Guiding Principles The mission of Student Affairs includes supporting academic and personal development while preparing students for a global society. This strategic direction is important for Student Affairs because we interact with students in a holistic way, attending to their academic, emotional, social, physical and spiritual needs. Becoming and remaining a culturally responsive community is necessary in order to fulfill this mission. Action Plan Each department will plan and implement specific multicultural activities that best suit its needs and resources. The purpose of these activities is to increase community awareness regarding culture, improve campus climate, and increase our cohesion. Suggested department activities include: • In-service/professional development opportunities • Formal and informal trainings • Conference attendance • Ensuring opportunities for employees who work outside of the standard 8 to 5 workday (i.e., graveyard shift) to attend workshops and professional development activities • Developing a library of training videos and critical information for all staff to utilize as needed • Inviting guest speakers from within the division or from other departments on campus who have expertise working with various cultural groups • Providing opportunities for students to share information about their cultural backgrounds and their experiences on campus and in the community • Inviting off-campus experts to speak at or facilitate in-service events • Including cultural responsiveness training in all new employees’ orientation programs 11 • On-going recruitment and outreach efforts need to include visits to U of O student organizations to provide information about services as well as to solicit applications for student positions. Goal 2: Improving Campus Climate Climate encompasses the University of Oregon’s learning, working, social, and cultural environments. It also includes the University’s relationship with the surrounding community. Student Affairs will expand its efforts to make the University a more open and inviting place for all students, faculty, staff, alumni, and community members by recognizing that this requires a sustained, long-term commitment and continuous evaluation of the campus climate. Guiding Principles Student Affairs strives to foster a climate that nurtures diversity and promotes a learning environment that stimulates debate and free inquiry. Such discourse must take place within the bounds of courtesy, sensitivity, confidentiality, and respect. Student Affairs staff recognize that all students’ presence and contributions are of great value. We seek to learn as we collaborate with all members of our University community. Student Affairs will ensure that all programs, services, and office environments are welcoming and able to assist any person regardless of his or her race, gender, age, sexual orientation, religion, ethnicity, national origin, ability, or socio-economic background. Action plan • Seek out and promote opportunities for awareness of differences through presentations and training; invite departments and faculty to attend rather than expect volunteer participation. • Offer forums to give students a voice to express their feelings and perceptions of campus climate. • Follow-up on previous campus climate surveys conducted through the department of Student Life; consider reassessment of campus climate using instruments developed in the Rankin Report, 2001). • Hold focus groups to allow specific topics to be addressed; collaborate with the Associated Students of the University of Oregon (ASUO) to gather pertinent student data regarding students’ perceptions of campus climate. • Provide campus-wide and divisional opportunities for informal interaction between faculty, staff and students. • Provide leadership in developing effective ways to improve campus climate; hold forums, trainings and in-services on campus climate, safety, civility, and community building. • Develop a brochure and provide web links that display how Student Affairs departments can assist students. • Conduct annual assessment of effectiveness and participation. Goal 3: Building Critical Mass 12 Building a critical mass of staff and faculty from underrepresented groups is central to the goals of maintaining a campus environment that embraces diversity and providing the campus community with tools to be global citizens. Achieving a critical mass of staff and faculty from underrepresented backgrounds demands the retention of such individuals. Our goal is to create an institutional culture that provides all members with opportunities for professional growth. Investment in and development of underrepresented members will result in consistency and excellence of service for U of O students. Guiding Principles Staff and faculty in Student Affairs are often the first points of contact students have with the University. Examples of these contacts include admissions recruiters, financial aid counselors, medical personnel in the Health Center, facilities staff in Housing and the EMU, and instructors in Physical Activities and Recreation Services. It is vital that Student Affairs create a University environment in which students feel comfortable and “at home.” Achieving a critical mass of faculty and staff from underrepresented backgrounds within Student Affairs is essential to this effort. This representation will provide role models, mentors, and diverse experiences that will benefit all students. Action Plan • Ensure that job announcements address our desire to hire individuals with experience or demonstrated commitment to working in an increasingly diverse higher education environment. For example, at the Counseling and Testing Center, all job announcements stress the importance of a successful candidate possessing strong multicultural competencies. • Identify and implement initiatives for recruiting and retaining individuals whose native language is not English. Examples could include making all department handbooks, job descriptions, new employee orientation materials, or the Student Affairs Diversity Plan available in languages other than English. • Create access to larger pools of qualified candidates through recognition of work experience and academic degrees. For example, when developing minimum qualifications for a position, critically evaluate if a degree is necessary to be successful in the position. • Identify and develop relationships with key organizations and community leaders who can assist in disseminating information about University job opportunities. These relationships allow the University to improve identification of qualified candidates and create opportunities for personalized recruiting efforts. 13 • Sharing strategies and best practices to network and identify individuals and groups who may possess similar experience or backgrounds is helpful in building community and, in turn, towards maintaining a critical mass of individuals from underrepresented groups. • During staff and faculty recruitment and orientation, make the multicultural resource directory developed by the Center on Diversity and Community (CoDaC) available to new employees. This listing of resources includes advocacy, multicultural resource information, campus and community organizations, churches and spiritual resources, festival and events, and other places of cultural interest. • Encourage development of a Student Affairs mentoring program for new employees. Having personal contact with individuals who share common characteristics and interests may be helpful in building allies and creating a sense of community. Mentoring opportunities could be either formal or informal, depending on department needs and resources. Goal 4: Expanding and Filling the Pipeline Guiding Principles Filling and expanding the pipeline of students from diverse backgrounds, identities, and cultures should be an ongoing mission within Student Affairs. The Division of Student Affairs develops and administers University and unit policies to ensure that students are supported in their academic and personal development. Future recruitment and outreach to underrepresented students may be enhanced through collaborations with programs such as multicultural student organizations, admissions programs, and the Office of Institutional Equity and Diversity (OIED). Student Affairs departments, on an ongoing basis, are encouraged to evaluate their current strategies for recruiting underrepresented students. Action Plan • Review current promotional materials (e.g., admission brochures, flyers, educational materials, department websites, etc.) to ensure that they are inclusive and welcoming. Units should provide multicultural and diversity-related news, services, and resources for students. • Explore and develop strategies for Student Affairs departments to participate in the recruitment of students, specifically in the programs related to “low access” students and students of color. • Support recruitment efforts by highlighting on-campus employment opportunities for incoming students. Examples include: attending IntroDUCKtion, providing 14 information via listservs and websites such as the Office of Multicultural Academic Support (OMAS), Career Center, Oregon Economic Initiatives (OEI), Office of International Programs (OIP), and Academic Learning Services (ALS), and by providing job announcements and recruitment flyers at job fairs and other events. • Offer resource materials and possible programming to visiting multicultural groups (K- 12). Create and disseminate resources for incoming students. Once an event is confirmed, a summary of opportunities available through Student Affairs should be provided. Goal 5: Developing and Strengthening Community Linkages As a public institution, the University of Oregon is a community resource that must serve as an active participant in the Eugene-Springfield area as well as the State of Oregon. The University, the Eugene-Springfield community, and the state will all benefit from developing and strengthening these connections. Guiding Principles The Division of Student Affairs will work in partnership with the community to establish valuable linkages that promote diversity. Student Affairs is dedicated to providing cultural enrichment, understanding and celebration through events and services within the Division. The Eugene-Springfield community also offers a variety of cultural events. Collaboration between the two entities is mutually beneficial. Action Plan • Actively promote community events and networking opportunities. • Provide a variety of cultural events whose goals include bringing community members to campus. • Offer community access to Student Affairs speakers and presenters. • Develop a speakers list for community access. • Develop relationships with community leaders, organizations and businesses/ corporations to improve recruitment and retention efforts for underrepresented staff and students. • When appropriate, invite community members to serve on search committees. • Create a Student Affairs website for community and University access. • Invite community members to participate in training opportunities that enhance cultural knowledge. Goal 6: Developing and Reinforcing Diversity Infrastructure 15 Diversity infrastructure is the framework necessary to support, maintain, and enhance a vibrant, University community. This framework consists of developing clear and effective goals and expectations within all departments in Student Affairs. Developing and reinforcing institutional diversity infrastructure involves all levels of University administration. It will be incumbent upon upper administration within Student Affairs to provide vision, inspiration, and direction for each department in order to attain divisional goals regarding diversity. Guiding principles A framework for developing and reinforcing infrastructure specifically focused on diversity efforts may include: 1) developing a vision; 2) creating or revising mission statements; 3) strategic planning, and; 4) developing the necessary resources to realize the vision. Each Student Affairs unit will be responsible for developing programs and services focused on the growth of cultural knowledge, awareness, and skills. Key to this endeavor will be Student Affairs administration setting the tone and outlining the importance of diversity. Also important is understanding and appreciating the developmental nature of such efforts, the need for all levels of staff to engage in these efforts, and a willingness to sustain commitment over time. Action Plan • Identify professional development opportunities for Student Affairs administration to develop diversity related vision and direction for individual departments. • Attend professional development trainings and workshops in order to increase cultural awareness, knowledge, and skills. • Commit resources that each department needs to accomplish diversity-related goals. • Develop successful strategies to recruit and retain more diverse Student Affairs staff and faculty. • Directors should encourage staff at all levels to attend in-service and/or professional development opportunities to increase cultural awareness, knowledge, and skills. • Include an assessment of the unit’s diversity infrastructure efforts in the director’s annual review. • Maintain the Diversity Action Committee for Student Affairs (DACSA) allowing for a sustained diversity effort for the division. 16 Appendix 1 2005-2006 Diversity Action Committee for Student Affairs Robin Holmes, Co-Chair Student Affairs/Dean of Students Laura Blake Jones, Co-Chair Student Life Mandy Chong Erb Memorial Union Ben Douglas Health Center Jen de-Vries Physical Activity & Recreation Services Karen Duncan Registrar’s Office Suzanne Hanlon Erb Memorial Union Brian Henley Admissions Tomas Hulick-Baiza Admissions Jane Marshall Health Center Ron Miyaguchi Counseling & Testing Center Tina Haynes Career Center Judy Saling Financial Aid Tina Schmich Student Affairs Diversity Intern Lou Vijayakar Housing Donna Winitzky Housing 17 Appendix 2 University of Oregon Division of Student Affairs Survey (Staff and Faculty Version) The Division of Student Affairs is currently drafting a 5-year diversity plan. Your input into this process is critical as we attempt to capture the unique talents and expertise within our division. The purpose of this survey is to capture the perceptions and attitudes of the Division in regards to diversity, cultural competency and campus climate. Please take a few minutes to answer the questions listed below. Your answers will remain anonymous and are taken in the spirit of helping us to take an honest look at our strengths and weaknesses regarding diversity. If there are any questions you do not feel you can answer, just leave those questions blank. Results of the survey (presented in the aggregate) will be made available in the near future. Department: ____________________________ Multiple choice questions 1. Has your department defined or described diversity in the department’s mission and goal statements? Yes No 2. On a scale from 1-5, please rate how important diversity seems to be to your department, based on actions (i.e., hiring a diverse staff, ongoing diversity training and awareness, accomplishments and strategic direction, etc) Not very important Very Important 1----------------2-------------------3-------------------4-----------------5 3. On a scale from 1-5, please rate how responsive you feel your department has been in addressing diversity in general? Not very responsive Very responsive 1----------------2-------------------3-------------------4-----------------5 18 4. On a scale from 1-5 how “culturally competent” do you feel your department is? Not very culturally competent Very culturally competent 1----------------2-------------------3-------------------4-----------------5 5. On a scale from 1-5 how rate how important you feel developing cultural competency is to your unit and the role your unit plays on campus? Not very important Very important 1----------------2-------------------3-------------------4-----------------5 6. On a scale from 1-5 ho well do you think your unit has positively impacted the climate regarding diversity on campus? Not very positive Very positive 1----------------2-------------------3-------------------4-----------------5 Write in/Free Response 7. What important issues or considerations regarding diversity do you want the Student Affairs Cultural Competency Committee to be aware of as we are writing the Division’s 5 year plan? 19 Appendix 3 University of Oregon Division of Student Affairs Survey (Department Heads, Directors, and Associate Directors version) Department: ____________________________ Multiple choice questions 1. Has your department defined or described diversity in the department’s mission and goal statements? Yes No 2. On a scale from 1-5, please rate how important diversity seems to be to your department, based on actions (i.e., hiring a diverse staff, ongoing diversity training and awareness, accomplishments and strategic direction, etc) Not very important Very Important 1----------------2-------------------3-------------------4-----------------5 3. On a scale from 1-5, please rate how responsive you feel your department has been in addressing diversity in general? Not very responsive Very responsive 1----------------2-------------------3-------------------4-----------------5 4. On a scale from 1-5, please rate how well your department has developed strategies to welcome students from various backgrounds, underrepresented groups or international students? Little development of strategies Multiple strategies developed 1----------------2-------------------3-------------------4-----------------5 5. On a scale from 1-5, how “culturally competent” do you feel your department is? (see definition on memorandum) Not very culturally competent Very culturally competent 1----------------2-------------------3-------------------4-----------------5 20 6. On a scale from 1-5 rate how much of a priority is it for your staff to develop cultural competency skills in their work with students on campus? Not very important Very important 1----------------2-------------------3-------------------4-----------------5 Write in/Free Response 7. What challenges has your department faced in regards to diversity in the areas of: Training? Personnel/Hiring? Implementing diversity initiatives? 8. What are some specific accomplishments/”best practices” that you feel your unit has achieved regarding cultural competency, diversity initiatives, or campus climate? Please describe here and/or attach separate documents. 9. What important strategies or concepts do you want to convey to the Student Affairs Cultural Competency Committee as they go about constructing our divisional diversity plan? 21 Appendix 4 Results from the Survey for Department Heads and Associate Directors Total Responses for each question = 31 Has your department defined or described diversity in the department's mission and goal statements? Yes 17 54.8% No 14 45.2% On a scale from 1-5, please rate how important diversity seems to be to your department, based on actions. not very important 0 0% somewhat important 2 6.5% important 7 22.6% fairly important 14 45.2% very important 8 25.8% On a scale from 1-5, please rate how responsive you feel your department has been in addressing diversity in general not very responsive 1 3.2% somewhat responsive 1 3.2% responsive 8 25.8% fairly responsive 16 51.6% very responsive 5 16.1% On a scale from 1-5, please rate how well your department has developed strategies to welcome students from various backgrounds, underrepresented groups or international students. little development 2 6.5% few strategies 3 9.7% some strategies 13 14.9% many strategies 7 22.6% multiple strategies 6 19.4% On a scale from 1-5, how "culturally competent" do you feel your department is? not very 1 3.2% somewhat 3 9.7% competent 15 48.4% fairly competent 11 35.5% very competent 1 3.2% On a scale from 1-5 rate how much of a priority it is for your staff to develop cultural competency skills in their work with students on campus. not very important 0 0% somewhat important 0 0% important 4 12.9% fairly important 13 41.9% very important 14 45.2% 22 Appendix 5 What is Cultural Competence? Cultural competence is a developmental process occurring at individual and system levels that evolves over an extended time period. Cultural competence encompasses multicultural awareness, knowledge and skills. Cultural competence requires that individuals and organizations: a) Have a defined set of values and principals, demonstrated behaviors, attitudes, policies and structures that enable them to work effectively in a cross-cultural manner b) Demonstrate the capacity to 1) Value diversity, 2) Engage in self-reflection, 3) Manage the dynamics of difference, 4) Acquire and institutionalize cultural knowledge, and 5) Adapt to the diversity and the cultural contexts of the communities they serve c) Incorporate and advocate the above in all aspects of leadership, policy making, administration, practice, and service delivery while systematically involved with customers, key stakeholders, and communities. Cultural competence begins with a strong presence of culturally diverse individuals with the credibility, skills, and expertise to further the causes of equity, diversity, and inclusion. There is a need for a critical mass of executives, administrators, faculty, staff, and students of various backgrounds, in order to provide a diverse stream of talent, skills, opinions, and experiences. In order to recruit and retain such individuals, institutions must create an atmosphere and have in place incentives which will draw in a broad range of individuals. The University of Oregon has the unique challenge and opportunity to become an institution with the reputation and resources to draw such talented individuals, and to further important research agendas such as cultural competence. Secondly, cultural competence can only be achieved if individuals increase self- awareness. This reaches far beyond “appreciating” or “valuing” diversity, and requires active as opposed to passive action. Self-reflection of this nature can be difficult at best; and careful, thoughtful exploration with trained facilitators as well as utilizing critically- researched intervention strategies is needed. UNIVERSITY ADVANCEMENT DIVERSITY PLAN 2007-08 FINAL June 15, 2007 2 Note to readers: The plan was developed using a template that was provided by the Office of Institutional Equity and Diversity. The template emphasizes short-term achievable steps that can be evaluated and monitored. In the sections that follow, you will see goals and action items that include ways to measure progress, the person or unit responsible for the action item, and dates when action is expected or required on the item. This plan is intended to be a living document subject to modifications and adjustments. As approved by the Provost’s office, the plan will be evaluated and updated continuously with an annual required progress report to the Provost. To read the University of Oregon Diversity Plan or for information this planning process, please see http://vpdiversity.uoregon.edu/. Questions? Committee members are available to answer questions and discuss the plan. Please feel welcome to contact any of the committee members with comments or questions. Co-chairs: Assistant Vice President for Advancement Greg Stripp, stripp@uoregon.edu, 6-5551 Betsy Boyd (Public and Government Affairs), eaboyd@uoregon.edu, 6-0946 Members: Ed Dorsch (Development Communications), edorsch@uoregon.edu, 6-0605 Eric McCready (UO Development – Regional Development Office), mccready@uoregon.edu, 6-2363 Jan Oliver, Associate Vice President, Institutional Affairs, joliver@uoregon.edu, 6-2820 Lauren Peters (UO Alumni Association), lpeters@uoregon.edu, 6-5656 Maureen Procopio (UO Development – Donor Research), Maureen@uoregon.edu, 6-2061 Shannon Rose (Public and Media Relations), roses@uoregon.edu, 6-3314 Lyn Smith (UO Alumni Association), lynsmith@uoregon.edu, 6-5658 Susan Thelen (Creative Publishing), sthelen@uoregon.edu, 6-5046 3 Table of Contents OVERVIEW OF UNIVERSITY ADVANCEMENT DIVERSITY PLAN: Page 5 Summary………………………………………………………………………………………………………. Process for developing the plan……………………………………………………………………………. University Advancement Mission Statement…………………………………………………………….. About University Advancement……………………………………………………………………………. History of Diversity Efforts…………………………….………………………………………………........ University Advancement Diversity Plan: Key Themes…………………………………………………. Implementing the University Advancement Diversity Plan……………………………………………. UNIVERSITY ADVANCEMENT DIVERSITY PLAN: 14 Infrastructure Section I: Leadership and professional development……………………………….. Infrastructure Section II: Recruit and retain a diverse workforce………………………………....... Infrastructure Section III: Provide effective communication………………………………………... External Relations Section I: Student Access (Scholarships)…………………………………………. External Relations Section II: Community connections, university boards, awards, and events… 4 APPENDIX: 33 University Diversity Advisory Committee’s April 2007 written review of the UA plan…………… Procedures for Review and Comment……………………………………………………………………… University Advancement Mission Statement…………………………………………………………….. University Advancement organization chart……………………………………………………………… Affirmative Action data about University Advancement……………………………………………….. Office of Institutional Equity and Diversity Planning Materials……………………………………….. 5 Overview of University Advancement Diversity Action Plan Diversity Action Plan Summary: The University Advancement Diversity Plan is intended to be a plan that Advancement managers and staff members will use regularly, update annually, and subject to continuous review. The plan emphasizes achievable action steps that provide a common framework for Advancement employees to use in discussing work projects. It includes strategies for staff members to gain a greater understanding of diversity issues and to further their professional development. I. Process for developing the plan: A committee of ten University Advancement staff members developed the University Advancement Strategic Diversity Action Plan over a five month period. Vice President for Advancement Allan Price and his leadership team established the diversity planning committee that developed the plan, and reviewed the plan at key stages. Multiple opportunities were provided to all Advancement employees to learn about, review and participate in the plan’s development. The plan calls for the establishment of an on-going University Advancement Diversity Committee and the inclusion of goals and action items in University Advancement work plans. The process for developing the plan was inclusive and broad-based. Vice President for Advancement Price appointed the University Advancement Diversity Planning Committee in October 2006 with staff members representing each administrative unit of Advancement and different aspects of University Advancement functions. The committee was drawn from employee pools that included classified staff, officers of administration, and administrators. The committee generally used discussion and consensus to arrive at the plan. The Committee met bi-weekly through the fall to develop a plan and more frequently as subcommittees. Committee members also participated in information sessions hosted by the University of Oregon Office of Institutional Equity and Diversity (OIED). Regular updates about the University of Oregon’s diversity planning process were provided at departmental staff meetings. The plan was reviewed by Advancement leadership and disseminated to all Advancement employees by e-mail in January. Committee members followed up with calls to all Advancement staff members to alert them to the opportunity to comment on the plan. Comments were conveyed through web 6 submissions, e-mail, phone calls, and meetings. The committee also held an open forum February 14 to provide Advancement staff with the opportunity to comment on the Diversity Plan. The committee members wish to express our appreciation to the University of Oregon Diversity Advisory Committee for the thoughtful and helpful notes from reviewers. The reviewers’ efforts to understand and improve University Advancement’s plan was commensurate with our committee’s effort to develop the plan. The Committee received the Reviewers’ comments and carefully considered the comments. The final plan incorporates changes and clarifications to the document based on the review. The plan encompasses the six main points that the University of Oregon Diversity Plan requires each unit to address. Those points are: 1. Developing a Culturally Responsive Community 2. Improving Campus Climate 3. Building Critical Mass 4. Expanding and Filling the Pipeline 5. Developing and Strengthening Community Linkages 6. Developing and Reinforcing Diversity Infrastructure While the committee began its work by developing goals and action items for each required point, the committee quickly concluded that organizing the plan by University Advancement functions prevented duplication of action items and made the plan more reader-friendly. The Six Main Points are included within the University Advancement Diversity Plan although assembled in a way that works well for University Advancement.1 1 Note to University Diversity Advisory Committee: One of the reviewers of the March plan asked for greater explanation of about how this plan’s organization reflects the Six Main Points that are included in the university plan and are required for inclusion in unit plans. For example, Point 1: Developing a Culturally Responsive Community and Point 2: Improving Campus Climate connect to most areas of Advancement’s mission and especially to our plan’s Infrastructure I: Leadership and professional development, Infrastructure Section II: Recruit and retain a diverse workforce; and Infrastructure Section III: Provide effective communication. Point 3: Building Critical Mass 7 The plan also uses the University of Oregon definition of diversity: “Differences based on race and ethnicity, national origin or citizenship, gender, religious affiliation or background, sexual orientation, gender identity, economic class or status, political affiliation or belief, and ability or disability.”2 After receiving the Diversity Advisory Committee’s review of the University Advancement draft plan, the comments were considered, modifications were made to the plan, and it was resubmitted for final adoption. II. University Advancement’s Mission and Guiding Principles: Diversity Value Statement A commitment to diversity is at the core of University Advancement’s mission and is central to all of the strategies Advancement professionals use to promote and support the University of Oregon. Adopted in 2002, the current mission statement of University Advancement states that “University Advancement serves the University of Oregon by building and strengthening relationships with diverse constituencies that encourage investment in and support of the university, its programs and initiatives.” obviously is embedded in Infrastructure Section II: Recruit and retain a diverse workforce, but also is enabled by Infrastructure I: Leadership and Professional Development. Point 4: Expanding and Filling the Pipeline depends upon successful execution of Infrastructure I: Leadership and professional development and also External Relations Section I: Fundraising and Student Access (Scholarships). Point 4 is also achieved through Infrastructure III: Provide effective communication and External Relations Section II: Community connections, university boards, awards, and events. Point 5: Developing and Strengthening Community Linkages occurs when University Advancement successfully implements its communication, fundraising and external relations goals as described in the last three sections of the plan. The staff that is capable of carrying out the goals and action items in those sections must also benefit and engage in on-going professional development and growth (as described in the first two sections of the plan). 2 See appendix for OIED guidance 8 III. University Advancement’s primary objectives, adopted at the same time as the mission statement, are to “position the university strategically in the minds of our various constituencies; and acquire the public and private resources to finance the strategic directions of the university.”3About University Advancement (organization and resource statement) University Advancement is a campus-based service unit of more than 110 full and part-time employees. University Advancement staff members work in offices in Portland and Eugene with many staff members traveling regularly around the state, to Salem and Washington, D.C., and to meetings and events with current and prospective university supporters throughout the United States and beyond. University Advancement supports central communications efforts through Oregon Quarterly, materials produced by Development Communications and Creative Publishing, and by the Office of Public and Media Relations. University Advancement also serves as the central web content provider for the main university web page. University Advancement enjoys a strong base of support from its vice president who stands behind the mission statement of the division, and who is dedicated to implementing the university’s Diversity Plan. This “top down” leadership is crucial to all elements of University Advancement’s action plan. The smaller size of the division and individual work units provide a good environment for effective education, training and when appropriate, change. University Advancement units hold regular staff meetings that will allow the diversity trainings/professional development forums to be readily scheduled, manageable and conducive to strengthening Advancement’s infrastructure. University Advancement’s in-house professional design and web division when combined with the skills of its external relations officers (development, communications, public affairs, government relations, and marketing) give Advancement many of the tools necessary to be especially effective in supporting the university’s diversity plan. Units within University Advancement include the Office of Development (Annual Giving, Corporate & Foundation Relations, Development, Donor Relations, Gift Planning, Portland and Regional Development programs, Research and Prospect Management, and Special Events), Public and Government Affairs (Creative Publishing, Development Communications, KWAX, State and Federal Affairs, Public and Media Relations, and Trademark Management). The 3 From the University Advancement Mission statement adopted 2002 (see appendix) 9 University of Oregon Alumni Association, with its separate board of directors, reports to the vice president of University Advancement. The Associate Vice President of Institutional Affairs also reports to the Vice President of University Advancement. University Advancement is also the university’s connection to the University of Oregon Foundation, a separate 501c (3) organization.4 University Advancement has some special organizational circumstances that the plan attempts to address. For example, Constituency Development Officers (CDOs), although contracted through the Office of Academic Affairs, report dually to their college dean and the Associate Vice President of Development. They generally share offices with the school or college that supports them. CDOs must implement goals and action items from both the University Advancement Diversity Action Plan and their respective schools or college’s diversity action plans. Likewise, the University of Oregon Foundation is integral to University Advancement’s mission, but it operates as an organization that is legally separate from the University of Oregon. Because of circumstances like dual reporting and legally separate organizations and budgets, the plan uses strategies such as professional development forums, common calendars, and work plans as tools to hopefully align separate entities around shared goals and initiatives. According to the University of Oregon Office Of Affirmative Action, 69% of University Advancement’s workforce is made up of women and 9.3% of the workforce members are people of color.5 This compares to the AAEOE benchmark for the available workforce for the “external affairs” job group of 41% women and 8% people of color. This does point to success in our current recruitment and retention practices; it is the hope that this plan will build on these successes. With the installation of a new Vice President for University Advancement in 2001 and the subsequent kick-off of Oregon’s most ambitious fundraising campaign, University Advancement has been in a period of intensely focused work, growth, and review with changes to almost all aspects of the organization including: new procedures in the Office of Development beginning in 2002; the realignment of government affairs and media relations into a single department (Office of Public and Government Affairs) in 2005; the inclusion of Institutional Affairs as an aspect of University Advancement’s portfolio in 2006; and the development and implementation of Transforming Lives throughout this period. 4 See organizational chart (see appendix) 5 See October 2006 Diversity Strategic Planning Data Request (see appendix) 10 IV. History of Diversity Efforts at University Advancement This plan is University Advancement’s first formal effort to develop a common diversity plan throughout University Advancement although a commitment to diversity is embedded in much of Advancement’s work and in its current mission statement and primary objectives. Historically, all employment searches are conducted in close consultation with the Office of Affirmative Action. The Advancement workforce is unusually involved in community organizations both professionally and on their own time. Some University Advancement units already address diversity issues as formal components of their work plans (e.g., UOAA). For example, the UOAA carefully considers elements such as age, gender, race and ethnicity, geography, and occupational background as an element of balancing board membership. The Office of Public and Government Affairs is charged with securing public resources for the university. In coordination with higher education associations such as NASULGC, AAU, and ACE, the university’s state and federal legislative agendas have for decades closely monitored and advocated for need-based student aid, federal programs that provide access to groups that experience barriers to higher education, and other access programs that are essential to a public university. The Office of Development’s fundraising goals include an ambitious effort to raise $100 million for student access (e.g., scholarships, fellowships). Communications offices regularly highlight diverse individuals and programs in campus communications vehicles and develop materials for campus units to use for student recruitment. The committee’s environmental scan found that awareness of campus diversity trainings and bias response resources is mixed among University Advancement employees. Many staff members desire greater dialogue and professional development about diversity issues. Many University Advancement employees regularly make judgments about how to portray the diversity of the university campus in written and visual materials and report a need to develop greater confidence in their judgment. Many staff members worry whether they are sufficiently cognizant of diversity resources that would improve their performance and effectiveness. 11 V. University Advancement Diversity Action Plan – Key Themes: Several themes and ideas within the University Advancement Diversity Action Plan caught the attention of University Advancement’s workforce during the review and comment part of the planning process. Those issues will be subject to close and continuing review and discussion as the plan is implemented. Many staff members resonated to the idea that “time” and “leadership” are key components to the successful implementation of the university’s diversity plan, and those concepts and concerns are purposefully addressed in our plan. Leadership: The committee discusses the role of leadership in several places in the plan, including “top-down leadership”. While University Advancement is run in a collegial, team-oriented way with inclusive planning processes and most managers using goals and action items in formal or informal work plans, we are a service unit. As a service unit with many demands on the division’s resources, decisions about what to prioritize are generally determined for our unit by campus priorities and campus leadership. At the same time, the appetite for Advancement’s services sometimes seems insatiable and there are situations where modest additions to Advancement’s workload result in substantial results. The committee included language about “leadership” purposefully to recognize that resources and priorities flow from the institution’s priorities. Time: The last five years have been a period of intense engagement for University Advancement. The Oregon Campaign, rapid changes to communication and marketing vehicles, including the web, changes in philanthropy, new international opportunities, and uncertainty about the availability of public resources, particularly state and federal funding for enrollment, infrastructure, student aid, and research grants, require the application of skill and attention by external relations officers. As work units adopt new priorities, the plan tries to make clear that part of the process must be ongoing dialogue and evaluation that may involve the need for additional resources or changes to current procedures. Benchmarks: Some University Advancement employees voiced concern about whether the suggested benchmarks, such as the generation of new reports, will be useful or instead unnecessarily time-consuming. The committee recommends retention of the reporting benchmarks in recognition that the action plan is a work in progress that will evolve. As a first foray, reporting benchmarks will be a tool to prompt regular discussions about the diversity plan. 12 The plan also makes permanent a University Advancement Diversity Planning Committee. The purpose of the committee will be to assist with implementation and review of Advancement’s diversity plan and to provide a stable and knowledgeable forum for Advancement staff to use as a resource as we move forward with implementing the plan. The Committee may also serve as an initial point of contact for other campus units with diversity initiatives that have an interest in coordinating with University Advancement. We foresee a committee with staggered terms that will include representatives from each University Advancement department, classified and unclassified employees, and are representative of the breadth of the division. Current members of the Diversity Planning Committee have been invited to make up the membership of the on-going committee. VI. Implementing the University Advancement Diversity Plan At an early training session for individuals charged with developing diversity plans, Vice Provost for Institutional Equity and Diversity used a stair case analogy to illustrate the importance of developing achievable goals and action items. The committee frequently referred to the stair case analogy when we questioned whether our plan is sufficiently ambitious and commensurate to the university’s plan. The timing and sequencing of some of the plan’s action items reflect a strategy of first ensuring that staff members are well-grounded in the university’s diversity plan and Advancement’s role in moving that plan forward. Therefore, action items associated with planning and goal setting, professional development, and internal communication are sequenced before action items that move Advancement towards greater engagement with external audiences. To begin implementation of the plan, the co-chairs of the University Advancement Diversity Planning Committee will meet with Advancement’s AVPs and managers with responsibility for implementing action items. Members of the on-going planning committee will be organized into teams to be a resource for Advancement staff as the unit begins implementing each section of the Advancement plan. University Advancement also depends upon other units – particularly deans and administrators – to set priorities for the university. To engage in diversity enhancing fundraising activities, for example, will require coordination and communication among top university leaders to prioritize projects and opportunities. 13 14 University Advancement Infrastructure Section I: Leadership and Professional Development Primary Objective: To create and nurture an environment and culture within University Advancement that encourages an awareness of, commitment to, and ongoing engagement with the University Advancement Diversity Action Plan. Context: The following set of goals addresses changes to University Advancement leadership structure that will create the conditions for Advancement to effectively implement its own plan and to contribute in essential ways to the university’s plan. These goals speak to the accountability measures that will help Advancement leadership meet its benchmarks. These goals are informed by University Advancement’s commitment to creating learning opportunities for advancement staff members to promote and participate in a culturally-responsive community. The goals below are a set of baseline “tools” for creating such a community. But, the goals and activities that will flow from on- going implementation of Advancement’s plan will also result in dialogue, self-discovery, and other learning opportunities that will further inform and change leadership’s approach to ongoing management of University Advancement and its diversity plan. We recognize that the University of Oregon leadership is providing and fostering top-down leadership to make the campus climate welcoming to all. To promote a diversity-friendly campus climate, we recognize that staff members need the time and resources to make diversity a priority and that university commitment is manifest in form of time, commitment, and prioritization. Staff must participate in the development of ideas, implementation that makes sense in an individual’s daily work, and in honoring a staff member’s own experiences and diversity. Time and tools should come from the top-down. Ideas and approaches will come from all reaches of Advancement. 15 Time is an important theme in this section – in order for staff members to dedicate the time and attention that is necessary to create significant change, they must be given the time to succeed at their daily duties, as well as the time to commit to improving campus climate through discussion of issues, the development of actions that pertain to individual teams, and for meetings with central diversity staff and experts to address important issues. Ultimately, staff members who succeed at meeting their daily responsibilities will also succeed at incorporating an appreciation and understanding of diversity as an aspect of their professional growth and development. 16 Goals 1. Develop and adopt policies and procedures to create a working environment that is diverse, inclusive, and equitable. 2. Develop and maintain an infrastructure to promote an ongoing commitment to the Diversity Action Plan (DAP), ensuring this plan is a “living document”. 3. Promote top-down leadership within Advancement departments to create the necessary environment for commitment to the Diversity Action Plan to flourish. Measures of progress short / long term (Describe the methods you will use to measure the success of the action items and note the time frames involved.) Responsible entity / Accountability 6 (Clearly specify who will be responsible for the implementation of this action item.) Timeline for implementation (outline the expected time frame for beginning and / or completing your action item.) Action #1 Require Associate Vice Presidents (AVPs) to establish Diversity Action Plan-related diversity goals and action items in their annual goals and work plans. *Assess annual University Advancement goals to determine if supportive of DAP Vice President for Advancement Allan Price Assistant Vice President for Advancement Greg Stripp September 20077 Action #2 Conduct semi-annual review and update of AVP *Production of semi- annual status report of VP and AVPs. January 2008 6 Note to reviewers: Generally, this plan limits individuals and offices named in the “responsible entity” section to University Advancement staff members. This was an area of discussion for our committee in the development of our plan. We concluded that our plan could not list or obligate individuals or offices outside of Advancement to carry out action items. It is assumed that University Advancement staff will look to university resources such as OIED, the Bias Response Team, Human Resources, etc., to implement action items such as professional development forums. However, in response to the reviewers comments, we now indicate areas where we expect to work especially closely with OIED. We also include deans and other university leadership under “responsible entity” when current procedures and practices are already in place (e.g., setting fundraising or government relations priorities). 17 and division diversity-related goals and action items. Review and publish results. UA DAP including qualitative and quantitative assessment. *Report posted on UA website. Creative Publications posts status report Action #3 All units and departments to include diversity- related topics in regular staff meetings in order to communicate the various aspects of and efforts related to the DAP. *AVP evaluations. AVPs, Unit heads October 2007 Action #4 Create and commit a section of the existing University Advancement employee newsletter for coverage (e.g. unit successes and challenges, listing of resources, stories, guest columns) of implementation of the University Advancement diversity plan. *Click through rates on emailed link to newsletter and features; *track number of returned suggestions for content/stories. Creative Publications/Media Relations, newsletter editor. October 2007 Action #5 Provide UA staff members with the time necessary to meet both their ongoing responsibilities as well as the time to dedicate to diversity initiatives outlined in this report. *AVPs and Diversity committee members to poll staff members of respective departments formally (annual) and informally (as regular discussion item) during staff meetings; informal evaluation. AVPs and unit heads, Diversity committee members. January 2008 Action #6 Ensure that UO’s definition of diversity is fully *Definition is part of all orientation packages Advancement Operations October 2007 18 understood by all UA staff and the related constituencies with which we interface, and is distributed and posted thoroughly and consistently. and is posted in division work areas. Coordinators, Nancy Fish – UA Operations Coordinator (UAOC) Action #7 Include definition of diversity, diversity-related tools and contacts, and the UADAP in all orientation materials. *Review of all unit/department orientation materials UAOC, unit heads October 2007 Action #8 Include diversity programming and UADAP updates in all UA retreats (both at department and division level). *Annual review of retreat agendas AVPs, unit/department heads, OIED June 2008 Action #9 Make diversity resources readily available and visible to departments and division for presentations/ discussions. Provide Advancement staff with a department-based interface for securing resources, if desired. *Inclusion of speakers and materials in staff meetings, retreats, and other professional development forums AVPs, unit heads, Diversity committee, OIED, October 2007 Action #10 Establish standing UA diversity committee, and ensure that committee maintains representatives from all UA work groups, and continues to monitor and evaluate a “living” UADAP. *Annual appointment of diversity committee members VP, AVPs July 2007 Action #11 UA diversity committee meets semi-annually with AVPs to discuss diversity issues. For the 2007-08 action plan, the VP’s Summer Planning meetings with Advancement staff will include diversity plan action items. *Report of meetings VP, AVPs September2007 19 20 University Advancement Infrastructure Section II: Recruit and retain a diverse workforce Primary Objective: To provide the tools necessary to recruit and retain a diverse University Advancement workforce Background: This set of goals and action items relates to University Advancement hiring practices, and to the cultivation of highly skilled employees effective at operating within a diverse environment and acquiring resources from diverse constituencies. The action items involving recruitment range from increasing the knowledge of those who manage employment searches to an ambitious “grow your own” program that is designed to cultivate new employees who are broadly skilled. Goals 1. Increase number of applicants from diverse pools that specifically include ethnic, racial, and gender diversity. 2. Develop employment and retention opportunities for potential applicants who may not have traditional experience required for specific positions. 3. Increase recruitment from existing UO student body. 4. Provide education and tools to University Advancement human resources staff to enable them to better connect diverse applicants with the Measures of progress short / long term (Describe the methods you will use to measure the success of the action items and note the time frames involved.) Responsible entity / Accountability (Clearly specify who will be responsible for the implementation of this action item.) Timeline for implementation (outline the expected time frame for beginning and / or completing your action item.) 21 Eugene/Springfield community. Action #1 Refine and regularly evaluate “standing” affirmative action advertising lists unique to specific University Advancement departments and professional levels. *Advertising lists reviewed on annual basis. *Internally track responses of job applicants. UAOC and unit operations coordinators October 2007 Action #2 Create a complete inventory of professional organizations related to University Advancement professional staff; assess and evaluate employment services of these organizations; and include in all searches where appropriate. *Assess breadth of advertising placements compared to previous year. *Internally track responses of job applicants. UAOC, unit heads. October 2007 Action #3 Provide central pool of opportunity funds to enhance job advertising, candidate travel, and relocation cost budgets. *Track number of fund requests and measure number searches using opportunity funds for activities listed. VP, Asst. VP July 2007 Action #4 Implement (make at least one hire) in development Grow Your Own Program. *Employee hired. AVP Development January 2008 Action #5 Evaluate expansion of Grow Your Own Program to balance of UA division. *Detailed evaluation of program potential and recommendation delivered to VP. AVPs for UOAA and PGA. January 2008 Action #6 *Recurring budget VP June 2008 22 Provide central funding for expansion of Grow Your Own Program (if approved). allocation. Action #7 Expand recruitment for entry-level positions to include UO students and recent graduates (e.g. Career Center, academic departments, ASUO student groups, UOAA student alumni association, AGP calling program). *Measure increase in number of applicants and hires from UO student groups. AVP of UOAA, Director of Annual Giving, UAOC, UOAA student alumni association January 2008 Action #8 Work with central administration to develop “resource guide” and provide expertise to ensure all searches provide all applicants with an experience demonstrating diversity of the university and the Eugene/Springfield community. *Development of resource guide *Consider responses from applicants about their visits to UO UAOC, unit operations coordinators, UO Human Resources October 2008 Action #9 Design comprehensive resource packet/orientation materials and deliver to all new hires within one week of hire. *Development and distribution of packet; *survey new hires/recipients on value of packet. Operations coordinators, Diversity committee January 2008 23 University Advancement Infrastructure Section III: Provide effective communication about the University of Oregon Diversity Plan Primary Objective: To assist the University of Oregon through advance planning in the communications aspects of implementing the university diversity plan. Background: This set of goals is two-pronged: First, given the external focus of University Advancement, we need to make communication about diversity issues a priority, including planning for external communications in the event of incidents of bias; second, ensure that University Advancement staff members understand issues of bias from an external relations standpoint as well as the recourse available in the event of their own experience involving bias. Advancement is externally-focused, and public perception greatly influences what we do and the decisions we make. There are many stories to tell about the university’s success in meeting its mission, including many instances where the university’s commitment to diversity advances the university’s mission. University Advancement staff members must be proactive; making sure the university is well and thoroughly understood by diverse constituencies. There will also be times when members of under-represented groups come forward with problems. Individuals are sometimes tempted to avoid negative publicity by making the least of controversial incidents and attempting to avoid, control, or limit discussion. But a culturally-responsive community invites and encourages discussion about emotionally-charged issues, giving a voice to those who are marginalized and acknowledging the difficulty. Somehow, we must present the public image that we want to convey to our constituencies, even as we take an honest look at our diversity challenges. How do we present ourselves in a positive light while shedding light on our challenges? The answer goes beyond this plan. The first steps are acknowledging the paradox and planning for effective communication. 24 Goals 1. External communicators, including public and media relations, government affairs, development officers, Creative Publications, and others with a responsibility for external communications, make communication about diversity a priority. 2. Respond openly to negative incidents, addressing the concerns of the community members involved and providing accurate information to stakeholders. 3. Create process that ensures immediate attention through individual discussion or referral in a non- threatening, collegial environment for all UA employees who may have a diversity or bias- related issue. Measures of progress short / long term (Describe the methods you will use to measure the success of the action items and note the time frames involved.) Responsible entity / Accountability (Clearly specify who will be responsible for the implementation of this action item.) Timeline for implementation (outline the expected time frame for beginning and / or completing your action item.) Action #1 Develop a communications plan specifically addressing diversity issues. Completion of plan. Senior Director, Public and Media Relations January 2008 Action #2 Provide Bias Response Team information to all UA employees. Include resource information in forums, dissemination of diversity definition Unit heads, UA Diversity Committee, Bias Response Team October 2007 Action #3 Encourage unit heads and supervisors to participate in university-sponsored supervisor and Track University Advancement participation in AVPs, Unit heads January 2008 25 diversity training sessions. external trainings; participation part of individual work plans Action #4 Create an ongoing, semi-annual forum for UA employees to discuss diversity initiatives and to share experiences and knowledge. Establishment of forum. UA Diversity Committee, OIED. January 2008, June 2008 Action #5 Evaluate communications activities for opportunities to communicate with diverse constituencies Annual goals and evaluation for communications directors On-going evaluation Senior Director, Public and Media Relations, Director of Development Communications, UOAA Communications, Integrated Strategic Marketing Committee (IMSC) January 2008 26 External Relations Section I: Fundraising & Student Access (Scholarships) Primary Objective: To secure resources for scholarships and other initiatives to build the diversity of the University of Oregon student body Background: University Advancement is proud of its ambitious effort to secure resources for scholarship programs, a direction that was set for us by university leadership as a Campaign Oregon goal. We are also intensely aware of some of the financial and legal challenges associated with the designation of scholarship monies for specific groups or individuals with certain attributes. For example, development officers see a need for specific scholarship language and vernacular to use when discussing giving opportunities with donors and writing gift proposals. These goals and action items define the challenges and steps to advance our ongoing efforts to keep fundraising for scholarships a top priority. These action items also develop a model to identify and track other diversity related fundraising initiatives as those priorities are set by the provost, deans, and other academic and administrative leaders.8 8 Note to reviewers: Comments from the University of Oregon Diversity Advisory Committee suggest that our unit’s efforts to highlight the importance of leadership, especially our decision to highlight scholarships as a fundraising priority, need further clarification. For example, in the area of fundraising, several reviewers expressed interest in seeing additional fundraising priorities, beyond scholarships, listed. We have renamed this section to include “Fundraising” in the title and we have added an additional goal and two action items to External Relations Section I in response to the reviewers comments. New Action Items #6 and #7 calls for the development of an inventory of already identified fundraising priorities that will promote the university’s diversity goals. However, fundraising priorities flow from processes that involve deans and other university leaders. Fundraising priorities are not set by University Advancement. We bring professional judgment to bear on the likely success of a fundraising priority and carry out actions to advance the priority, but the development of new fundraising priorities to advance diversity objectives must come from interaction and leadership by academic and administrative units. 27 Goals 1. Ensure that scholarship processes and policies (administration of scholarships as well as solicitation and creation of new scholarships) enhance the university’s diversity goals, provide opportunities for all qualified applicants, and meet the needs of donors. 2. Raise and distribute both need and merit-based student aid that contribute to the university’s diversity initiatives. 3. Raise and distribute funds for the identified diversity initiatives and priorities of the University of Oregon Measures of progress short / long term (Describe the methods you will use to measure the success of the action items and note the time frames involved.) Responsible entity / Accountability (Clearly specify who will be responsible for the implementation of this action item.) Timeline for implementation (outline the expected time frame for beginning and / or completing your action item.) Action #1 Determine legal parameters of targeted financial aid gifts, especially as it pertains to diversity Parameters (and gift language) approved and established. VP, ED - UOF, UO and UOF legal counsel October 2007 University Advancement is a service unit with many demands on the division’s resources and many opportunities to support university initiatives. The unit’s organizational structure involves complex reporting relationships. For example, development officers are often responsible to both deans and University administrators. It is essential that fundraising priorities be set in consultation with academic and other leadership. As the diversity plans of other units, including schools, colleges, and departments, are developed, University Advancement looks forward to engaging in discussion about how to prioritize the diversity initiatives and opportunities to secure new resources that will ensue from those plans. 28 initiatives. Action #2 Provide and require ongoing education and training to development and foundation staff as to legal parameters surrounding targeted financial aid gifts. Incorporate training in Development Officer meetings. VP, ED-UOF, AVP Development October 2007 Action #3 Provide and require ongoing education and training to Admissions, Office of Student Financial Aid, and Deans’ offices as to legal parameters surrounding targeted financial aid gifts. Implementation of annual training sessions. VP, ED-UOF, AVP Development January 2008 Action #4 Complete inventory of existing financial aid gift funds and determine funds appropriate for benefiting diversity initiatives. Inventory completed and results distributed. Director of Donor Relations January 2008 Action #5 Establish university and unit goals for financial aid gifts that benefit diversity initiatives. Establishment of fundraising goals. Provost, Academic Deans, VP. July 2008 Action #6 Inventory existing gifts that benefit diversity initiatives Inventory completed and results distributed Provost, Academic Deans, VP Advancement. July 2008 Action #7 Inventory fundraising priorities that benefit diversity initiatives Inventory completed and results distributed Provost, Academic Deans, VP Advancement. July 2008 29 External Relations Section II: Community connections, university boards, awards and events Primary Objective: To broaden and strengthen University Advancement and the University of Oregon’s connections to its diverse constituencies Background: University Advancement staff members support and assist many of the university’s boards of advisors and University Advancement is the primary university liaison to the University of Oregon Foundation and UO Alumni Association. University Advancement also organizes activities that showcase the university to external constituencies and communicate regularly with public policy makers on behalf of the university. This set of goals and action items addresses the need to consider diversity in the university’s external relations including how to attract and honor diverse individuals who represent the university’s commitment to diversity. We describe ways to evaluate current activities and awards that are supported by University Advancement staff. We also recommend steps to better represent the university’s central leadership at important forums. Goals 1. Strengthen partnerships with local community, state, national and international organizations. 2. Appoint diverse constituent-based boards and committees to represent campus units, the university and its affiliated organizations. 3. Educate constituent-based boards and committees about the university’s diversity initiatives and engage their expertise, support, and relationships in the process of achieving university objectives. Measures of progress short / long term (Describe the methods you will use to measure the success of the action items and note the time frames involved.) Responsible entity / Accountability (Clearly specify who will be responsible for the implementation of this action item.) Timeline for implementation (outline the expected time frame for beginning and / or completing your action item.) 30 4. Strengthen outreach to diverse external constituencies. Action #1 Evaluate current roster of significant University Advancement events in terms of inclusion and appeal to diverse audiences Production of event roster and written review. Director of Special Events, AVP of UOAA October 2007 Action #2 Use Advancement-sponsored events as a cultivation tool by including community leaders and diverse constituencies * Review invitation lists for inclusion of community leaders * Evaluate AVPs October 2007 Action #3 Develop resource list to be used by UA event planners to heighten awareness of making events attractive to a broad base of constituents, and to use appropriate UA sponsored events to assist the university in achieving its diversity goals. Development of resource list. Director of Special Events, AVP of UOAA, OIED October 2007 Action #4 & #5 *Develop and maintain comprehensive calendar of significant external events where the university should be represented. Target events and coordinate representation by key UO personnel. *Develop and maintain comprehensive calendar of significant university-sponsored events and use events to advance the university’s diversity goals Development of calendar; annual reporting and assessment of UO participation at external events. Public and Government Affairs, Office of Government and Community Affairs, Development Office, Public and Media Relations, UOAA October 2007 Action #6 Publicize the purpose and history of UO awards, better communicating the diversity of individuals Awards database updated and linked from the diversity site Creative Publishing/Public and Media Relations October 2007 31 and accomplishments honored by the university. Edit the current awards database site to include biographies and other information. Action #7 Conduct a comprehensive membership inventory of major university boards and committees (define these groups). List of boards and committees defined, inventory completed. VP, Asst. VP. January 2008 Action #8 Conduct comprehensive inventory of school, college, and other unit-based advisory boards (define these groups). List of boards and committees defined, inventory completed. Appropriate unit heads, CDOs, OIED January 2008 Action #9 Design procedures for annual update to board and committee membership data. Procedures and database designed, data input. UA Diversity Committee January 2008 Action #10 Develop and implement board and committee orientation module dealing with university diversity initiatives and UA DAP to increase awareness of these groups . Module developed and orientations held AVPs, ED - UOF, UA Diversity Committee January 2008 32 Action #11 Develop board and committee diversity-related subcommittees and/or goals when appropriate to make use of expertise, contacts and diversity of these groups. Annual Report. AVPs, ED-UOF July 2008 Action #12 Research philanthropic behaviors of individuals from diverse backgrounds; educate development and alumni staff. Development officer training module developed AVP development, Director Research and Prospect Management April 2008 Action #13 Develop proposal for outreach program to diverse constituencies. Research models to identify alumni with an interest in diversity issues or alumni who would have an interest in participating in programs geared to diverse constituencies; Identify models for outreach program AVP of UOAA, AVP of Development, Donor Relations Director, OIED July 2008 Respectfully submitted June 15, 2007 by the University Advancement Diversity Planning Committee: Co-chairs: Assistant Vice President for Advancement Greg Stripp and Federal Affairs Director Betsy Boyd Members: Ed Dorsch Eric McCready Maureen Procopio Jan Oliver Lauren Peters Shannon Rose Lyn Smith Susan Thelen 33 Appendix April 24, 2007 Allan Price Vice President University Advancement Dear Vice President Price: Enclosed you will find the written review of the Strategic Diversity Plan for University Advancement. This review has been compiled by the Diversity Advisory Committee (DAC) as commissioned by President Frohnmayer and includes comments from Provost Brady with additional remarks from the General Council to follow. The DAC will continue to be a supportive resource as you work to revise and update your plan for final adoption by June 15, 2007. After you have had a chance to review the critiques, I encourage you to contact my office to go over the next steps or if you would like to meet and discuss this evaluation. My assistant Jenny can help set something up and you can reach her at 346-3186 or jenb@uoregon.edu. You can find the strategic planning template and additional resources on the OIED website at http://vpdiversity.uoregon.edu/. More information will be available periodically. Your individual efforts are paramount to this university wide endeavor and I look forward to seeing results as these efforts begin to positively impact our campus and community. Sincerely, Dr. Charles Martinez Vice Provost Strategic Diversity Plan Review Completed by the University of Oregon Diversity Advisory Committee, appointed by President Dave Frohnmayer and chaired by Dr. Charles Martinez, Vice Provost, in accordance with the UO Diversity Plan adopted by the University of Oregon Senate in 2006 University Advancement (Name of School, College or Department submitting plan) March 2007 (Date of Review) Reviewer #1 • Consistency with strategic directions outlined in the University Diversity Plan The diversity strategic action plan for UO Advancement is extremely well-aligned with the UO Diversity Plan and makes very good use of the template and resource guide provided by OIED. Each of the six content areas from the UO Diversity Plan are considered in the document, but the unit committee choose to organize the plan according to the major activities: leadership and professional development, recruit and retain a diverse workforce, provide effective communication regarding UO Diversity Plan, and external relations (student access, community connections. While this is a reasonable and appropriately contextualized approach, it would be helpful to see additional rationale for this organizational structure based on the primary functions of the unit. It also would be helpful for the unit to provide more details about how each of the six core content areas from the UO Diversity Plan are addressed within this organizing structure and the strategies that flow from it. These concerns are minor, and there is no question that the activities proposed are very consistent with directions outlined in the UO Diversity Plan. • Appropriateness of targeted actions given specified college, school, and unit challenges This plan is exemplary in many ways. In fact, if this unit is able to realize the goals that it sets forth in the strategic plan, it may be among the units with the greatest impact on realizing the diversity goals that are part of the UO Diversity Plan. It is clear that the unit made a strong effort to assess the current environment in advancement through internal engagement. The strategies that are put forth from this analysis are generally clear, salient, measurable, and realistic. In terms of targeted strategies, there simply are no glaring weaknesses in this plan. There are some missed opportunities, however. For example it is disconcerting that despite the thoroughness of the proposed efforts, there appears to be little reference to accessing other support services on campus to assist the unit in realizing the goals (particularly glaring is that there are very few references to possible collaboration with OIED). Also, given the important role that Advancement plays in generating pathways for external support for UO initiatives, it is disappointing that the only reference to fund-raising activity was directed toward student scholarships. What Advancement activity could be harnessed to support seeking resources to support campus diversity initiatives and/or initiatives that would generate from the schools and colleges? The planned strategies involving enhancing communications about UO diversity initiatives and more broadly engaging alumni are particularly laudable focal areas in this plan that could dramatically impact overall campus diversity efforts. • Appropriateness of measures to track progress on strategic actions One positive side-effect of the focus on realistic strategies is that the measurement plan is straightforward, specific, and likely to yield useful data about progress towards outcomes for this unit. In most cases the progress markers seem appropriate and sensitive to change. Excellent work in this area. University Advancement Strategic Diversity Plan Review March 2006 Page 2 of 5 • Clarity of responsibility for implementation of each proposed action All proposed strategies address implementation responsibility. This is a noteworthy strength of the effort in this unit. One issue to consider prior to adoption is about how those individuals and groups steering these efforts will coordinate interaction across this substantively and geographically diverse unit. Also, it would be useful to more fully describe the role that the committee that developed the strategic plan might play in tracking progress as the plan is implemented. • Sufficiency of resource allocations There is no substantive discussion in the plan about what unit resources (e.g., time, energy, and budget) will be brought to bear on the proposed actions. There is an apparent commitment to bring some resources to bear as the plan is implemented but this aspect is not adequately addressed. While the “wait and see” approach is somewhat understandable given that the UO administration has not directed any new funding to units to support diversity efforts, this unit is among the most important unit to lead efforts to identify new resources that might allow the UO to more effectively prioritize new initiatives. • Feasibility of implementation This plan is immensely implementable and the majority of proposed strategies proposed seem very feasible. The widespread involvement of unit constituencies in the planning contributes further to confidence that plan is likely to be implemented successfully. The timelines provide more clarity about implementation sequencing, but it would be helpful to see additional rationale for why certain strategies will be initiated at particular times. • Level of involvement of unit constituencies during the planning process There is evidence of widespread engagement in the planning process among staff in this very diverse unit. This is a remarkable achievement. While many Advancement staff were engaged in the planning process, it is unfortunate that there seemed to be minimal effort by the unit to seek information from external constituencies (e.g., alum, donors, etc.) about the strengths and weaknesses of the unit and the merits of the proposed efforts. • Reviewer Summary The diversity strategic plan for Advancement is superb in many ways. Even in this immensely diverse and heterogeneous unit, there was a very successful effort to engage unit members in this proactive and thoughtful planning effort. The proposed actions are well-aligned with the UO Diversity plan, flow from identified challenges in the unit, and are innovative and proactive. There is little doubt that this unit will accomplish many of the goals that are set forth in this plan, assuming sufficient resources and progress tracking efforts are put into place. The committee and unit leadership are to be commended for an exemplary effort. While there were many strengths, a few weakness are also noted including lack of focus on funding- raising potentials other than student scholarships, lack of involvement of external constituencies in the planning process, lack of a centralized plan to coordinate efforts across the unit, and lack of analysis of the resource needs for the plan. These minor concerns are very addressable in an otherwise superb plan. Reviewer #2 • Consistency with strategic directions outlined in the University Diversity Plan This plan responds well to all six points in the University Diversity Plan • Appropriateness of targeted actions given specified college, school and unit challenges University Advancement Strategic Diversity Plan Review March 2006 Page 3 of 5 See page 15 of this Plan; Action #5 indicates that UA staff will be given time necessary to meet both ongoing responsibilities and diversity indicatives; good idea, and is there a way that one may inform the other and they are in fact, one responsibility? Desire is to ensure that initiatives are ongoing as well and are integral to what is perceived as an ongoing responsibility. Refer to ‘Action #4 above, in integrating coverage of “diversity items/agenda” as part and parcel of the ongoing employee newsletter. News, reports that engage these issues should of course be an expected part of any communications. See page 16; Action #9 indicates, in pertinent part, the intent to: “make diversity resources readily available and visible to departments and division for presentations/discussions…” This is to be accomplished by “Inclusion of speakers and materials in staff meetings retreats and other professional development forums” as the measures of progress toward this action. It is unclear, however, how these speakers and materials will be identified, who what resources currently exist or from where this information will be gleaned. This information would help determine how successful these efforts may be in reaching the desired end; can also provide information to determine what is not known so that it can be sought. See page 23; Action #1 is an excellent recitation of an initiative that has been reviewed and established for enactment, with a timeline established for implementation. It is a most appropriate target to reach a considered goal in response to achieving a specific end. • Appropriateness of measure to track progress on strategic actions See page 22; Action #4 is, on its face, responsive to the goal to: “provide effective communication about the University of Oregon Diversity Plan” to the University Advancement Infrastructure (see page 20). It is an excellent idea for communicating information with and among those who share these goals and do this work so as to stay abreast of current developments. However, there is no wording present to indicate how these proposed semi annual forums will serve the UA infrastructure, measures to determine their efficacy in this regard. As to when they will occur. (I know that the date indicated January 3008 is a typo) I trust that the timelines are noted as estimates of the time needed to develop these plans, but it is always helpful to be able to parse out the work to be accomplished in developing this idea so that you can be best informed about the work to be done/who is needed/what information is required/etc. See page 17: UA Section II: Recruit and retain a diverse workforce. On page 19, Action #7 is certainly responsive to the goal, and includes important collaborations with campus units. This is also a place to ensure that these groups being engaged are representative bodies of the diversity that you seek. I note specifically, the UOAA student alumni association, and, if this information is not known already, would suggest engaging them in conversation about the width and breadth of their outreach and membership; not unlike the challenges and opportunities that are faced by the UO Alumni Association. If they are not as representative as would support the University’s diversity mission, they are clearly missed, invaluable opportunities for the associations, for the institutions and for potentially interested alumni. • Clarity of responsibility for implementation of each proposed action Generally, there are names provided as centers of responsibility for each action proposed. I would caution, however, to be as specific as possible so that there is an assumed or assigned individual/group/team that represents the unit’s shared mission. This is also a good way to gauge the representation of the constituents who are to be served by this plan to ensure their inclusion in both the creation of the plan and its execution. • Sufficiency of resource allocation There appears to be no concern expressed about a lack of resources, either time or money or personnel. It is helpful, however, to ensure as much specificity as possible in delegating responsibility so that it is clear who is responsible, and provides a fuller picture of how many of the targeted constituency is included in the process. University Advancement Strategic Diversity Plan Review March 2006 Page 4 of 5 • Feasibility of implementation The initiatives suggested seem feasible given the care with which goals were considered, actions designed to respond. I am not clear, however, with how the timelines were determined, and while I trust that they are appropriate, an explanation of how the actions would be implemented would serve as a point of reflection by which the progress could be measured and, where appropriate, recalibrated to portray a more accurate date for completion • Level of involvement of unit constituencies during the planning process As explained on page 5 of the UA Plan, the committee responsible for creating this writing represented each unit within University Advancement and opportunities were made available for review and input from all members of UA. While this representation is truly thoughtful, I believe that the inclusion of student and greater University community voices would have provided important perspective and agenda considerations. These voices included in both the planning process and with the opportunity to weigh in via community focus groups or other gatherings, would have enhanced the development of the wide ranging agenda and ideas that emanated from the committee. • Overall Comments This is a very thoughtful plan that has defined the work of diversity for this unit as particularly wide-ranging and intrinsic to those issues that touch our University lives and mission in profound ways; from the way in which messages are conveyed, to defining which messages are communicated, what kind of information is promoted, whose voices are represented and whose presence informs the work of University Advancement. The strengths are the involvement with each unit to look carefully about how decisions within that group’s purview are reflective of all the public, with some noted attention to the alumni of color who are least represented either in employment or service or widely included in University affairs. It is comprehensive in reach and commits the entire unit to reflect fully on the individual work of each office, but with an eye to its relationship to the whole. The challenges remain in more fully defining the expertise or training needed to accomplish tasks, i.e. identification of what kind of training in diversity or cross cultural communication or cultural competence is required. As UA has defined outreach for employment and professional development as a goal, extending itself to minority media and other media contacts not historically engaged, may also result in access to alumni not currently involved in UO affairs. These contacts can be sustained relationships that encourage internship and other pipeline programs that open up career options to campus communities with whom there is no historical interaction. Because of the strength of the commitment made to creating a diverse unit that is responsive and responsible to the entirety of the constituency served, there is a very high likelihood that it can contribute mightily to realizing a more diverse employment pool for both internal positions and external. The success in communicating to a wider range of the community augurs well for important collaborations with media, funding, and alumni service rolls. Reviewer #3 The Vice President for University Advancement Plan was consistent with the 6 key elements. The plan clearly states the Mission, Values and Goals of the Unit that ties back to the University of Oregon’s Diversity Plan. It detailed with extreme clarity the how the unit was involved and the ownership that everyone felt in developing the plan and in the implementation of the strategies. Due to the critical mission of this Unit I would highly recommend the creation of a new position that would have multicultural skills to be able to enhance the outreach for this unit. University Advancement Strategic Diversity Plan Review March 2006 Page 5 of 5 DAC Summary Review Additional DAC members concur with the evaluations as submitted above. This document is easy to read, thoughtful, and reflects great effort in engagement. The appendix of information regarding the unit is helpful and appreciated. The environmental scan is also good. The goals were well formatted and feasible. The detail in the plan is impressive. Consider adding rationalization for setting target dates and making clear who needs to be involved to inform and initiate. Reviewers understood the trickle down theory regarding time and money but not how this works for action items to get from ‘point a’ to ‘point b’. There are no glaring weaknesses in this plan however, there may be missed opportunities. The base building is really great but the commitment to accomplish the goals could be better. Leadership, time and the need for adequate benchmarks are addressed but do not reflect the consideration of this units own natural resources. For example, beyond proposed scholarship work there is no real commitment to generate dollars. Have you considered reaching out to alumni of color? The recognition that Public Relations and Marketing is a major issue for the UO can also be an indicator for great opportunity to set goals and promote skill around this. The Office of Institutional Equity and Diversity is not mentioned in the plan but could be acknowledged as a resource. The Office of the Vice President for University Advancement may possibly have the most opportunity to influence the university wide strategic plan efforts through the work done by the unit. This plan is a great start for those efforts and if the suggestions are considered and implemented, this may be the best plan on campus. This is exemplary work and a job well done. Comments form Linda Brady, Senior Vice President and Provost A very thorough plan. Well-defined process involving all relevant constituencies and good leadership (Betsy Boyd & Greg Stripp) that enhances potential for successful implementation. Consider fund-raising opportunities beyond scholarships (Office of Provost plan proposes collaboration in development support.) Leverage work of OIED and strengthen outreach to alumni of color. 34 Procedures for Review and Comment Reader’s Guide: Background on the development of the plan: In May, 2006, the Provost’s office asked campus organizations to develop strategic diversity plans. Vice President for Advancement Allan Price appointed the University Advancement Diversity Plan Committee in October 2006. The committee was charged with developing an action plan for advancement staff members to use in implementing the University Diversity Plan. The university president, vice presidents, schools and colleges, and the ASUO are also developing diversity plans specific to their day-to-day responsibilities and organizational missions. The University plan describes six main points that are to be considered in each strategic plan. All of the plans are expected to address these six strategic directions: 1. Developing a Culturally Responsive Community 2. Improving Campus Climate 3. Building Critical Mass 4. Expanding and Filling the Pipeline 5. Developing and Strengthening Community Linkages 6. Developing and Reinforcing Diversity Infrastructure The University of Oregon definition of diversity is: “Differences based on race and ethnicity, national origin or citizenship, gender, religious affiliation or background, sexual orientation, gender identity, economic class or status, political affiliation or belief, and ability or disability.” 35 Broadly speaking, committee members represented all aspects of Advancement. The committee approached its work by participating in the university-sponsored sessions on how to develop diversity plans and in sub-committees organized around the university plan’s six strategic directions. Periodic updates on the diversity advancement plan have been made at all advancement staff meetings. Some units have regularly discussed the diversity plan at standing staff meeting. Commenting on the Draft Advancement Diversity Plan: The committee respectfully requests all members of the advancement staff to review the draft plan. Comments will be accepted until Friday, February 16, 2007. Comments can be submitted via the following vehicles: • Written comments are preferred. • Written or verbal comments may be provided to: o UA Diversity Committee members from your department (see below for complete committee listing) o Any UA Diversity Committee member o Your supervisor or AVP o Betsy Boyd or Greg Stripp • Written comments only: o Online form: http://advancementdiversity.uoregon.edu o Nancy Fish (nfish@uoregon.edu) • All department heads are encouraged to formally address this plan at a staff meeting. If a staff meeting is not scheduled prior to February 16, you are encouraged to gather staff to discuss this plan and its impact on your department. • A forum open to all UA employees will be held from 10:00 – 12:00 on Wednesday, February 14, 2007 in the EMU Maple Room. 36 The committee particularly encourages units to consider the plan’s recommendations for work plans and to provide comments and recommendations for additions, deletions, or other modifications for the plan. After the comment period closes, the committee will submit a final draft plan to the Vice President for Advancement and his AVPs for review and submission to the Provost. This plan is intended to be a living document subject to modifications and adjustments. Once adopted, it will be evaluated and updated continuously with an annual required progress report to the Provost. Note to readers: The plan was developed using a template that was provided by the Office of Institution Equity and Diversity. The template emphasizes short-term achievable steps that can be evaluated and monitored. In the sections that follow, you will see goals and action items that include ways to measure progress, the person or unit responsible for the action item, and dates when action is expected or required on the item. To read the University of Oregon Diversity Plan or for information this planning process, please see http://vpdiversity.uoregon.edu/. Questions? Committee members are available to answer questions and discuss the plan. Please feel welcome to contact any of the committee members with comments or questions. UNIVERSITY ADVANCEMENT Mission and Primary Objectives Adopted March 2002 Mission Statement of University Advancement: University Advancement serves the University of Oregon by building and strengthening relationships with diverse constituencies, which encourage investment in, and support of the University of Oregon, its programs, and its initiatives. Primary Objectives of University Advancement: • Position the university strategically in the minds of our various constituencies. • Acquire the resources—public and private—to finance the strategic directions of the university. University of Oregon UNIVERSITY ADVANCEMENT Updated 8/8/07 *Constituency Development Officers report jointly to the dean or director of the designated academic unit and the Associate Vice President for Development. UO President Dave Frohnmayer University Advancement Allan Price Vice President Barbara Moore Special Assistant to the Vice Prsident Greg Stripp Assistant Vice President for Advancement Development Office Shane Giese Associate Vice President Central Special Events Donor Relations Corporate and Foundation Relations Gift Planning Research and Prospect Management Annual Giving Regional Program Constituencies* Architecture and Allied Arts Law Arts and Sciences Lundquist College of Business Oregon Bach Festival Education Knight Library Music Museum of Art Museum of Natural and Cultural History Journalism and Communication Athletics Alumni Association Dan Rodriguez Associate VP for Alumni Affairs Jordan Schnitzer Museum of Art Robert Melnick Executive Director Institutional Affairs Jan Oliver Associate Vice President Public and Government Affairs Michael Redding Associate Vice President Public and Media Relations Phil Weiler Senior Director Creative Publishing Guy Maynard, Director Editor, Oregon Quarterly Development Comms Ann Mack Director Trademark Management Matt Dyste Director Government & Cmty Rela's. TBA (new) Director KWAX Paul Bjornstad General Manager University of Oregon UNIVERSITY ADVANCEMENT Updated 8/8/07 *Constituency Development Officers report jointly to the Dean or Director of the designated academic unit and the Associate Vice President for Development. Staci Knabe Executive Assistant to the VP Leslie Wolgamott Executive Asst. DeAnna Heying Office Specialist 2 UO Foundation Board of Trustees Executive Committee Karen Kreft President and CEO University Advancement Allan Price Vice President Barbara Moore Special Assistant to the Vice President Greg Stripp Assistant Vice President for Advancement Nancy Fish Operations Coordinator (.80) Development Office Shane Giese Associate Vice President Carole Daly Senior Dir., Development and Leadership Gifts Susanne Quock Office Specialist 2 Jay Nelapudi Budget Manager Tina Fenley Budget Assistant Laura St. John Office Specialist 1 Kim Molinari Personnel Services Manager TBA (new) Office Specialist 2 Fundraising Programs Shawn Fincher Assistant Development Officer Peg Renkert Director Cmty Partnerships David Jones Information and Technology Manager Deon Black Info Tech Consultant Constituency Development Jane Scheidecker Oregon Bach Festival Dir., Major Gifts Amy Murschall Office Specialist 2 Patty Krier Museum of Natural and Cultural History Karen Shaw Director of Development Ellen Bryan Director, Strategic Prospect Donor Rsch CENTRAL Special Events Tammy Lutz Director Charity Feeney Office Specialist 2 Steven Remington Assistant Director Corp & Fdn Relas. Paul Elstone Senior Director Sarah Koski Office Specialist 2 Anne McGinley Program Manager (.75) TBA (new) Grant and Proposal Manager Jennifer Flores Director of Development (PDX) Donor Relations Janet Fratella Director Kathy Holston Executive Support Specialist 1 Jeff Brown Office Specialist 2 Dala Gant Associate Director Scholarship Mgt. Marisa Thompson Assistant Director Ann Reeder Assistant Director (.50) Gift Planning Hal Abrams Senior Director Rachel Hall Office Specialist 2 David Gant Director of Development TBA (new) Director of Development Lynn Cole Assistant Director Debbie Anders Administrative Program Specialist Rsch/Prospect Mgt Priscilla Elder Director Dale Luxford Program Manager Ryan Stoner Office Specialist 2 Maureen Procopio Associate Director Denise Storr Research Analyst 2 Shannon Cocke Research Analyst 2 Cary Lieberman Research Analyst 2 Mary Larios Research Analyst 2 TBA (Andrews) Office Specialist 2 TBA (Procopio) Assistant Director Donor Research Annual Giving Carlyn Schreck Diector Donelle Manton Office Specialist 2 Ryan Hire Associate Director President's Assoc's. Regan Moreland Program Manager Jennifer King Dir. of Development Qualifications Richard Ericson Program Manager Telefund Beverly Day Program Manager Regional Program Martie Steigleder Office Specialist 2 TBA (Shaw) Pacific Northwest John Manotti N. California and eastern states Luz Kellis Regional Program Assistant Kathryn Owen So. California, and San Diego Cty Eric McCready Int'l Devel. and Scholarships Candace Horter Portland Sheila Harrison Office Specialist 2 TBA (Horter) Director of Development CDOs* Arch. & Allied Arts Joseph Hunter Cindy Lundeen Associate Development Officer Law Matt Roberts TBA (Manton) Assistant Director Arts & Sciences Jane Gary TBA (Shuler) Director of Development TBA (Walker) Director of Development Sara Mason Associate Development Officer TBA (Leininger) Director of Devel. Communications Lundquist Coll of Busn. Gary Cordova Chip McPhee Director of Development Shauna Whidden Director of Development TBA (Bullis) Director of Development Chris Stutz Mgr., Office and Board Relations Education Andrea Wiggins Kate Feeney Assistant Development Officer Knight Library Lisa Manotti Donna Pellinger Development Assistant Music and Dance DeNel Stoltz Dana Clark Assistant Development Officer Jour. & Comm. Tara McMahon Jennifer Bell Assistant Development Officer Duck Athletic Fund Public and Government Affairs Michael Redding Associate Vice President Karen Scheeland PGA Coordinator Julie Gray Administrative Program Spec (.75) Public and Media Relations Phil Weiler Senior Director Shannon Rose Administrative Program Assistant Pauline Austin Deputy Director Jim Barlow Dir., Science, Research, and Internal Comms. Zack Barnett Publications Editor TBA (new) Director Media Relations Gov't & Cmty Relations TBA (new) Director TBA (new) GCR Assistant Betsy Boyd Federal Affairs Director (.75) Eric Stillwell Administrative Program Specialist Tim Black Director PGA Projects KWAX Paul Bjornstad General Manager Catriona Bolster Music Director Rocky Lamanna Operations Director Jack Fleming Program Director (.25) Trademark Management Matt Dyste Director, Brand Management Nita Nickell Assistant Director Lisa Cannell Administrative Program Assistant Gail Wilkie Office Specialist 1 (.60) Development Comms Ann Mack Director TBA (Gray) Office Specialist 2 (.50) Ed Dorsch Public Info Rep 2 Melody Leslie Public Info Rep 2 (.75) Creative Publishing Guy Maynard, Director and Editor, Oregon Quarterly Shelly Cooper Office Specialist 2 (.50) Susan Thelen Director, Advertising and Marketing Ross West Managing Editor OQ (.75) Taper Wickel Info Tech Consultant 1 Tim Beltran Public Info Rep 1 (web designer) Stephanie Chaney Administrative Program Assistant Jeanne Maasch Director Special Projects (.50) Colin Miller Design Director Lori Howard Public Info Rep 2 Tim Jordan Public Info Rep 2 David Goodman Public Info Rep 2 Marlitt Dellabough Public Info Rep 2 John Crosiar Assistant Director/ Senior Editor Scott Skelton Publications Editor (.75) Institutional Affairs Jan Oliver Associate Vice President Alumni Association Dan Rodriguez Associate VP, Alumni Affairs Julie Jensen Executive Support Specialist 1 TBA (Klotter) Associate Executive Director Jennifer Casey Deputy Director Alumni Comms. TBA (new) Asst Dir, Mbrship and on-line Comms. Lisa Fortin Assistant Director Student Mbrship Lauren Peters Office Specialist 2 Paula Jenson Office Specialist 1 Shelley Lowery Office Specialist 1 Christine Wilde Data Entry Operator TBA (Curry) Sr. Asst Director Alumni Relations MaryLou Singleton Office Specialist 2 Emily Boyd Assistant Director Alumni Relations Stephanie Edwards Assistant Director Alumni Relations Lyn Smith Accounting Manager Mary Glenn Office Specialist 2 Jordan Schnitzer Museum of Art Robert Melnick Interim Executive Director Miriam Jordan Executive Assistant TBA (new) Director Communications Lisa Abia-Smith Director Education Sharon Kaplan Museum Educator Liz Parr Studio Coordinator (.5) Kurt Neugebauer Interim Dpty Director Operations Brian Grass Facilities Services Jonathan Smith Tech-Preparator Jackie Barbera Assistant Christy McMannis Financial Services Coordinator Jason Aulicino Custodian (.5) Larry Fong Associate Director Interim Dpty Curator Jean Nattinger Registrar, Collections Manager Richard Gehrke Exhibitions Manager Deborah Smith PR/Marketing/ Membership Charles Lachman Curator of Asian Art (.33) 37 University Advancement Diversity Strategic Planning Data Request University Advancement Total Employees 97 Male 30 30.93% Female 67 69.07% White 88 90.72% People of Color 9 9.28% Unclassified Employees 59 60.82% Women 36 61.02% People of Color 4 6.78% Classified Employees 38 39.18% Women 31 81.58% People of Color 5 13.16% 38 Department within University Advancement Women People of Color UA Development Program 79.66% 11.86% UA Public & Govn’t Affairs 50.00% 3.13% UA Office of Vice President 66.67% 16.67% Availability – OA Job Group External Relations Women 41.05% People of Color 8.06% Source: Penelope Daugherty, Director Affirmative Action & Equal Opportunity University of Oregon Transmitted October 18, 2006 by e-mail 39 University of Oregon Strategic Diversity Action Plan For College / School / or Unit I. Description of the units mission / guiding principals This section should reflect the content of the units mission statement and/or vision statements with a clear description of the general principals used to direct the work of the unit II. Organization structure / Unit org. chart This section should reflect the members of the unit and the reporting structure that pertains to the members. III. History of diversity efforts in unit Please describe current or past efforts used by the unit to promote diversity or create change in the unit. Describe the effectiveness of the efforts. IV. Resource Statement Create a unit resource statement – talk broadly about resources, energy, time and money. V. Detail process for plan development and describe committee How will this Action Planning Committee operate? Who are your committee members and how were they selected? VI. Diversity value statement Articulate why diversity is of value to your unit? Where does it intersect with your unit’s mission and vision? VII. For the purpose of this strategic plan, define diversity 40 e.g., the UO Diversity Plan describes diversity as, 'Differences based on race and ethnicity, national origin or citizenship, gender, religious affiliation or background, sexual orientation, gender identity, economic class or status, political affiliation or belief, and ability or disability.' Areas of Emphasis... Point 1: Developing a Culturally Responsive Community Point 2: Improving Campus Climate Point 3: Building Critical Mass Point 4: Expanding & Filling the pipeline Point 5: Developing and Strengthening Community Linkages Point 6: Developing and Reinforcing Diversity Infrastructure Source: OIED Diversity Plan Template October 2006 workshop/web site 41 Strategic Diversity Plan Review Process The Senior Vice President and Provost, the Vice Provost for Institutional Equity and Diversity, and the DAC will be actively involved in the review process, which will focus on the following areas: • Consistency with strategic directions outlined in the University Diversity Plan (Perhaps didn’t address six concerns of UO plan, etc.) • Appropriateness of targeted actions given specified college, school, and unit challenges (Look for gaps in challenges and solutions. Does the action specified relate to the departments needs and is there evidence of an environmental scan determining this need. Check the specificity of strategies and watch for actions that aren’t really actions, etc.) • Appropriateness of measures to track progress on strategic actions (Look for progress markers. In addition to faculty demographics, other groups might be considered first.) • Clarity of responsibility for implementation of each proposed action (Who is responsible for what should be clear and understandable) • Sufficiency of resource allocations (This refers to more than money. Look at who is in place. Consider, current programming, other assets, etc.) • Feasibility of implementation (Can the submitted plan be done within a reasonable period of time, etc?) • Level of involvement of unit constituencies during the planning process (Was the plea to include the right voices heeded?) Reviews should be bulleted with narrative. The DAC will share review expertise amongst each other. Strong points first then point of concern. Often present in question form. Don’t dilute the actual critical feedback. The review process will be collaborative. The University plan provides that each dean or unit leader will have final discretion as to the content of their Strategic Action Plan, subject to the authority of the Senior Vice president and Provost. Our expectation is that informal review, consultation, and discussion will occur throughout the planning process Overview to the 2007 College of Arts and Sciences Diversity Report and Strategic Action Plan June 15, 2007 The College of Arts and Sciences is pleased to present the 2007 College of Arts and Sciences Diversity Report and Strategic Action Plan, a plan to which many have contributed. As the plan shows, CAS has actively and successfully developed and supported diversity in almost every aspect of the College. Yet we realize that we must continue to strive for improvement in access, excellence, equality, and opportunity. I. The Value of Diversity As the vision statement of the UO Diversity Plan states (p.4), “A university that values diversity respects diversity of opinion…[and] as members of the University community, we take it upon ourselves to protect and enhance intellectual discourse and to discharge the obligations such investigation requires of us.” Diversity of opinion does not occur naturally, but must be nurtured and protected; it is the benefit we all derive from diversity of ethnicity, economic class, gender, etc. The leadership of the College of Arts and Sciences strongly endorses this statement, and we believe our plan will serve us well in further developing diversity and excellence. As we move into the 21st century, it is crucial that we both understand and value difference. The College is committed to developing and maintaining an intellectual climate in which everyone – regardless of race, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, national origin, or economic class – has the opportunity to develop to the best of his or her ability. II. Introduction to the College of Arts and Sciences The College of Arts and Sciences (CAS) is a diverse group of departments and programs organized into three divisions: Humanities, Social Sciences, and Natural Sciences. The College is made up of approximately 40 departments/programs, 375* tenure-related faculty, 110*non tenure track instruction faculty, 80*officers of administration and officers of research and 75* classified staff (* note: figures are full time equivalents or FTE, not head count). According to the Fall 2005 Profile of Students, CAS provides a home for approximately 1,225 graduate students and 12,000 undergraduate student majors. The College also provides roughly two-thirds of all UO classes, student credit hours, and majors. The College curriculum spans a wide range of topics and provides a solid education in most areas of fundamental knowledge. Most of the general education courses offered at UO are within in the College. The College considers research and scholarly activities to be an essential part of its faculty members’ professional duties, encouraging and supporting research in all three divisions. College faculty members have been awarded many prestigious research grants and fellowships. 1 III. Principles and Overview of Diversity Initiatives The College of Arts and Sciences has a proven record of promoting, supporting, and achieving diversity, and continues to support programs and initiatives that encourage the development of a diverse faculty, student body, and curriculum. According to the University of Oregon Affirmative Action Plan 2006, CAS as a whole has a significantly larger percentage of women tenure track faculty than the University, and is approximately on par in its percentage of minority faculty. Below we highlight a few examples from the last ten years. Details for some of these initiatives can be found in the divisional reports. ƒ Tenure-related Faculty Hiring: 23% of the more than 270 new tenure-related faculty hired during that period have been persons of color. Presently almost 19% of tenure-related faculty members in the College are persons of color, and almost 33% are women. ƒ Promotion, tenure, retention: Faculty of color have been promoted, tenured, and retained at rates comparable to the faculty at large. ƒ Department/Program heads: Thirteen faculty of color have been appointed as heads of departments or programs. At present, 13 of 36 department and program heads are women. ƒ Endowed chairs/professorships: Three faculty of color and six women out of a total of 18 were appointed to CAS endowed chairs or professorships. ƒ Undergraduate student recruitment: CAS has worked jointly with the Office of Admissions on strategies to improve recruitment of undergraduates in general, and students of color in particular. ƒ Graduate student recruitment: A number of our programs have experimented with pilot programs to both attract and support graduate students of color. Details are available in the divisional reports. ƒ New programs: Two major programs developing the curricular and research aspect of our diversity efforts have been launched and funded entirely by CAS, representing over $1 million in incremental internal fund re-allocations. These are the new Ethnic Studies Program and the continuing Women and Gender Studies Program. In addition, a number of existing departments, including English and Romance Languages, have substantially expanded their faculty and offerings in the area of ethnic literatures in innovative ways. Working with Women’s and Gender Studies, CAS has agreed to financially support the development of a minor in Queer Studies over the next two years. 2 ƒ Encouraging diversity initiatives and faculty development: the CAS Dean’s office will set up a fund (initially $10,000) to match departmental diversity initiatives and faculty development. These achievements notwithstanding, we are always looking for ways to improve, and have asked departments and divisions to develop their diversity agenda with that goal in mind. The CAS administration believes that initiatives – whether in the areas of curriculum, research, outreach, or elsewhere – should develop out of faculty interest and engagement with students, colleagues, and the larger community, and we encourage our departments to propose new activities and to address inadequacies within specific areas. Although we are reluctant to issue top-down directives, we notice that departments, programs, and individual faculty recognize areas of inadequacy and develop plans to address them. The divisional reports delineate many of these efforts. For example, referring again to the UO Affirmative Action Plan 2006, we see that in the tenure-track faculty ranks, while the three CAS divisions all have hired an appropriate number of minorities relative to availability (Table 2). Yet in the Natural Sciences, women tenure- track professors are underrepresented by 28.26%. The Women in Sciences Forum, planned for fall, 2007 and organized by the CAS Development staff, will address this need by bringing together women science faculty with female high school and undergraduate students interested in further study in the sciences (for details, see the Natural Sciences Plan). Because new programs and initiatives are resource-intensive and we have limited funding, we cannot support every worthy idea, but must carefully evaluate proposals for evidence of widespread interest among faculty and students, further development of our research mission, and sheer practicality within the financially constrained conditions under which we function. However, because College support for diversity efforts includes the time and effort of faculty, staff, development officers, and administrative staff, it can be difficult to quantify. Most of the UO’s curriculum in ethnic literature and history, women’s and gender studies, and international languages and cultures resides in the College, and is supported through the consistent effort of the administration, faculty, and staff. The three divisions of the College – Humanities, Natural Sciences, and Social Sciences – have academic missions that arise from the inherently different natures of these respective fields and, therefore, express different needs when it comes to promoting diversity. These different needs are discussed in the divisional reports. Briefly, we understand that while the Humanities and Social Sciences often address diversity thematically in curricular and research projects, the Natural Sciences – with the exception of Psychology – focus on the natural world rather than the social or cultural world, and their approach is therefore different. At the same time, the topics studied under the various departments of the Natural Sciences are more consistent across national and cultural borders than those of the Humanities and Social Sciences, offering increased opportunities for global exchange that bring diverse populations together. 3 With those differences in mind, we affirm some basic principles that equally apply to all of us across the boundaries of the divisions: ƒ Diversity and excellence are not contradictory. CAS divisions have maintained and will always maintain an emphasis on academic quality and merit, and we believe that approach will best serve the larger goals of diversity. ƒ Diversity exists in many forms. As the May 14, 2006 University of Oregon Diversity Strategic Action Plan states (p.16, “Developing a Culturally Responsive Community), the term “diversity” should be understood broadly, as referring to “differences based on race, ethnicity, national origin or citizenship, gender identity, economic class or status, political affiliation or belief, and ability or disability.” All divisions of the College recognize the complexity of diversity, and are committed to the fair and respectful treatment of every person on campus. ƒ Diversity initiatives will be most effective when they are integrated within academic life. This means that to be successful, diversity initiatives should be developed and controlled by those close to the academic mission of the divisions. It also means that we should appreciate and welcome the sometimes radically different approaches suggested by different departments and programs. With these principles in mind and to the extent possible, CAS has provided and will continue to provide financial support for proposals that increase the diversity of the College. Innovative and practical ways to improve diversity within the College are presented in more detail and specificity in our divisional plans. IV. Process In accordance with our belief that initiatives must develop through grass roots efforts, CAS asked that each department or program develop its own process. As the divisional reports explain, many departments already had a process in place not only for the diversity initiative, but for academic initiatives in general – and that process generally includes soliciting input from faculty, students, and staff. The resulting College plan is based on a multi-faceted, dialectical process of writing, discussion, debate, revision, and resubmission that includes input from a large and diverse body of participants. After receiving detailed information from the departments and programs, the CAS associate deans drafted divisional plans for the Humanities, Social Sciences, and Sciences. These drafts were circulated and revised within the CAS Dean’s Office, and then presented to the Dean’s Advisory Group of department heads for their comment and input. After revisions based on this feedback, the drafts went to the larger body of department heads for further discussion and review. The department heads made use of regular departmental processes to seek input from faculty, students, staff, and other interested parties. The drafts also were submitted to the Diversity Advisory Committee. Based on reviews from all of these sources, the plans were revised. The final document, the 2007 College of Arts and Sciences Diversity Report and Strategic Action Plan, was approved by the Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences. 4 Diversity Report and Plan CAS – Humanities Part I Diversity in the Humanities I. Overview of the Humanities Division As part of the College of Arts and Sciences, the Humanities Division shares in the mission of the College to offer part of a broad general education at the undergraduate level as well as advanced study and research at the graduate level in its specialized fields. The Humanities Division is also a critical part of the effort to provide a strong liberal arts foundation, which is essential to the strength and excellence of the university. More specifically, the departments and programs of the Humanities Division are committed to the study of human meaning as it is expressed in diverse languages, explained in diverse literatures, and reflected upon from diverse philosophical and religious perspectives. As a result, concern about fostering and maintaining diversity is already central what motivates the work of humanist scholars and teachers. The role of languages in the development of diversity is explained in the report received from East Asian Languages and Literatures: “One of the most significant forms of diversity is marked by language and … the best way to engage another culture is through the language that culture employs.” This issue is not only related to fostering international diversity but is important to understanding diversity within the United States as well. The report continues: “[The study of languages other than English] is particularly important in the United States, which remains predominantly monolingual. …. The monolingual, when engaging those from another culture, always put the burden of linguistic proficiency on the other.” Through the study of language and literatures, the structures of language, through comparative study, and through reflection on worldviews, religions, and the nature of identity, community and human nature, students in the Humanities take up a share of the burden of understanding. The report received from Religious Studies says this about their courses, but the conclusion can apply in general to study in the Humanities: “By their very nature, as investigations and analyses of human differences and commonalities, our course offerings play an important educational role in developing a [diverse and culturally responsive community] at the University of Oregon.” II. Organizational Structure The Humanities Division consists of 18 departments and programs, each led by a Department Head or Director who is responsible for the department or program budget, course scheduling, review of faculty, and department or program compliance with University and College policies. The Division also includes three non-degree-granting programs committed to supporting the study of languages. These include the Yamada Language Center, the American English Institute, and the World Language Academy. The Division is also 5 6 responsible for the publication of three journals: Comparative Literature (housed in the Comparative Literature Program), Environmental Philosophy (housed in the Department of Philosophy), and The Northwest Review, (housed in the Department of English). The University of Oregon Forensics program is also part of the Humanities Division. In addition to work in their home departments, faculty members in the Humanities participate in a wide range centers and institutes, often in leadership roles. Many faculty members also participate in degree programs inside the Division (e.g. Comparative Literature) and outside (e.g. Ethnic Studies). Humanities Departments and Programs Classics Comparative Literature Program Creative Writing Program East Asian Languages and Literatures English Folklore Program German Studies Germanic and Scandinavian Humanities Program Judaic Studies Program Linguistics Medieval Studies Program Philosophy Religious Studies Romance Languages and Literatures Russian and East European Studies Scandinavian Studies Theatre Arts Within the Humanities Division, the following languages are regularly taught. Many other languages are also available on an occasional basis through the Yamada Language Center. Arabic German Latin Chinese Greek Portuguese Danish Hebrew Russian ESL Italian Spanish Finnish Japanese Swahili French Korean Swedish Each department has its own internal governance structure, means of consulting students, and procedures for hiring and evaluating faculty. Some departments (e.g. English and Philosophy) have formally established operating guidelines while others have informal procedures established over time. Department Heads and Program Directors report to the Associate Dean for Humanities who, in turn, reports to the Dean of the College. As in the other CAS divisions, resources, academic program development, and student programs related to academic areas are managed by the departments with oversight by the Dean’s office. III. History of Diversity Efforts Diversity efforts in the Humanities Division can be summarized under four headings: faculty development, curricular development, student development and community outreach. Faculty Development: Departments in the Humanities have actively worked to develop a diverse faculty. The result has been positive overall. At present, 75% of the tenure-related faculty in the Humanities Division is White/Non-Hispanic, compared with 80% of the whole faculty of the College. Of the faculty who do not report themselves as White/Non-Hispanic, 8% identify themselves as Asian, 5% indicate that they are Hispanic, 3% indicate that they are African American, and 5% indicate one of the other racial/ethnic categories. 4% of faculty declined to respond. The Humanities faculty is currently divided equally between male and female faculty members. This compares with the overall College faculty, which has 33% female members. Efforts in the Humanities Division to recruit and retain faculty of color are ongoing. These efforts typically involve three components. First, in conjunction with curricular developments, departments have often opened positions that contribute to fostering diversity. The English Department, for example, committed in 2001 to developing an academic strength in ethnic literatures. Hires in this area have often been faculty of color and the increased offerings in ethnic literatures have contributed to a more inclusive intellectual community of students and faculty. Second, departments have worked to advertise positions widely and to follow the guidelines they receive at the beginning of every search to maximize the diversity of search pools and to make sure that all qualified applicants are carefully considered. Third, departments have also worked to offer the best possible salaries and support to candidates selected for positions. Recruitment of faculty of color is a priority at the UO and at nearly every comparable university. The result is a need to provide competitive salaries and other forms of research support. Given relatively low salaries and few resources in the College to augment already limited departmental resources, searches often rely on the Minority Recruitment Program funds provided by the Provost’s Office. These funds have made a significant positive impact on the ability of Humanities Departments to successfully recruit faculty of color. 7 Despite success in recruiting faculty of color, retention of these faculty members remains a serious difficulty. For example, the English Department reports that while it has successfully recruited 17 faculty of color since 1995, 6 of these faculty members (35%) have left the University. While reasons for these departures are complex, two significant factors are limited diversity in the Eugene community and the relatively low salaries and limited research support provided to faculty after the first several years at the University. These reasons are commonly reported by departing faculty members and their department heads and more detailed information about why a person leaves the university is not currently available. In the University’s diversity plan the problems of critical mass, “cultural competence,” and faculty service expectations are also identified as key issues to be addressed. In addition to the regular process of recruitment, English also changed the general guidelines for hiring to reflect its curricular commitment to ethnic literatures. As a result of their 2001 planning, “members of the faculty committed themselves to reconceptualizing traditional literary fields by foregrounding issues of diversity. To this end, it was agreed that successful job candidates in the Department’s upcoming searches, regardless of specialization, should demonstrate that their research involves significant engagement with questions related to the study of race, ethnicity, or gender.” The English Department, thanks to several benefactors, has also been able to establish two endowed chairs dedicated to scholars working in racial and ethnic literatures. A search for a leading scholar to accept the Horn Chair is underway. The Carlisle and Barbara Moore Visiting Professorship is designed to support scholars who have a distinguished record of research that focuses on issues of race and ethnicity in literature and/or cultural production; who are willing to work with an active, diverse, and interdisciplinary faculty; and who can contribute to the continued development of ethnic literary studies at the University of Oregon. A search for the next Moore Professor is also underway. Another successful effort in faculty development related to diversity was the establishment of the Judaic Studies Program in 2000 by a gift from the Harold Schnizter Family Program to address what had been “a lack of attention to Jewish history, religious traditions, thought, and culture in the University’s curriculum.” In addition to program support, the gift partially endowed two faculty positions. Curricular Development: The general mission of the Humanities is to study the processes of human meaning and value, its languages, its expression in diverse literatures, and reflections on the process from the perspective of philosophy and religion. In this light, Humanities departments and programs all have sought to include courses and course content that take up questions of diversity. Within the 18 departments and programs, all but three offer courses that satisfy the Multicultural Requirement (the exceptions are two very small programs—Medieval Studies and Humanities—and Creative Writing). 8 Many departments have developed courses within their majors that either focus on diversity-related aspects of their fields of study or incorporate significant diversity- related course content in “standard” major courses. The College has also taken direct action to increase the number of foreign languages regularly offered. In the fall 2006, for example, Arabic, Korean, Portuguese, and Swahili were added through the new World Language Academy. The primary purpose of the WLA is to introduce new less-commonly taught languages into the UO curriculum, at first through self-support and later as regular offerings within a host department. Other curricular developments include the addition of a Multicultural Drama course to the regular offerings of the Theatre Arts Department. The Theatre Department has also added “workshops from visiting artists that include participation in a new symposium on immigrant writing, theatre for social change (activist/community- based theatre), the Bill T. Jones Dance Company, and a new joint venture in developing summer workshops for … disenfranchised and underprivileged youth … in the Eugene area.” At the graduate level, the Philosophy Department continues to require the completion of at least two courses in feminist philosophy for students who are working toward either the MA or PhD. in philosophy. The UO Philosophy Department is the only graduate program in the US that has such a requirement. Also at the graduate level, the English Department has implemented a new “Structured Emphasis in Ethnic Literary Studies.” The “structured emphasis” allows a doctoral candidate to “pursue an integrated plan of study focused on one or more ethnic American literary traditions, culminating in a field exam that is taken in addition to the regular Ph.D. comprehensive exam.” Student Development: Based on data collected by the Office of Institutional research, about 60% of Humanities majors are women at both the undergraduate and graduate levels. The percentage of White/Non-Hispanic undergraduate majors in the Humanities has increased from a low of 75% in fall 1999 to a nine-year high in fall 2005 (77.8%). At the same time, from 1999, there were decreases in the percentage of international students (from 5.1% to 2.9%), Black/Non-Hispanic (from 1.2% to .6%), and Hispanic (from 4% to 2.6%). Since the College as a whole does not show similar declines in Black and Hispanic students, it appears that roughly the same percentage of students attend but have moved into majors in other divisions or have been slow to declare a major. Still, the overall decrease in the racial ethnic diversity of Humanities majors suggests that additional attention should be paid to undergraduate student development aspects of department efforts. Over the same period, racial/ethnic diversity at the graduate level has gradually increased. The percentage of White/Non-Hispanic students declined from a high of 64.7% in 1998 to its lowest level in fall 2005 (55.1%). When compared with the overall College racial/ethnic diversity, the percentage of White/Non-Hispanic students in the Humanities is consistently about 2% lower. With the exception of a slight drop in the percentage of Asian students and international students, all other 9 categories of racial/ethnic diversity have increased over the period. Efforts by some departments in the Humanities to more effectively recruit graduate students of color may in part be responsible for the steady increase in racial/ethnic diversity. Programs such as the Philosophy Department’s Minority Recruitment Initiative and the English Department’s Malarkey Memorial Fellowship Fund represent successful efforts and potential models for other departments. Both programs, it is important to note, face funding difficulties in the future. The 2001 MRP funds, which were used to support the Philosophy Department initiative, will support one more year of the program, and the Malarkey Fund will be gone at the end of AY 2006-07. Student development efforts in Humanities departments also involve regular interaction with undergraduate and graduate students. In part this process takes place through the usual process of course evaluations. Curricular change is guided in part by the commitments of the faculty and in part by an assessment of how changes work in the classroom. As part of the Philosophy Department’s efforts to expand the multicultural component of its undergraduate offerings, it initiated a new course, Human Nature, in 2003. The course satisfies the Identity, Pluralism and Tolerance category of the Multicultural requirement. In response to student interests and concerns the material considered has been adjusted several times. Other courses, such as the Romance Languages Department general education cultural studies courses, came about in part in response to non-language students’ interest in studying French, Italian and Spanish cultures. In addition to input on course development, most departments also have student organizations that provide routine feedback on student issues to the department faculty. In some cases, students have elected representatives to participate in the process of department governance (e.g. English and Philosophy), and in at least one case, Philosophy, a student diversity committee was established to meet regularly with the Department Head to advise on diversity matters in the department. In general, students in the Humanities share a commitment to fostering diversity, and the departments work to respond to this commitment as they develop new programs and revise existing ones. Community Outreach: Community outreach in the form public lectures and conferences, theatre productions, movie series, poetry and prose readings, and continuing education programs are central to the work of the Humanities Division. Work in a public context is both a crucial part of how Humanities scholars carry out their scholarship and creative projects and of how the wider community benefits from the work of the Division. Recent outreach activities are too numerous to list completely. Representative activities include the following: The Comparative Literature department developed its Community Reading Project during AY 2005-06. The COLT report states that “the Project revolves around a single, given text, pitched to as many readers as possible. [It is designed] to build bridges across disciplinary boundaries and across the town/gown divide.” In its first year, the Project centered on Art Spiegleman’s book, In the Shadow of Two Towers, and included a public address by Spiegleman (off campus), a series of related events on terrorism and its representation, and a showing of Spielgelman’s art at the 10 Schnitzer Gallery. Events both on and off campus were well attended by people from the community. In 2006, the English Department presented a public symposium, “Intersections of Native American Culture, Politics, and Law,” at the Wayne Morse Center. Also in 2006, the Philosophy Department hosted the second Community Philosophy Institute on the topic of “The Good Worker.” The institute brought together 15 local workers (including hourly workers, business owners, and corporate executives) to think about the issue of what makes a good worker. The conference addressed issues of economic diversity and ways of changing practices within businesses to foster meaningful work. The Romance Languages Department ran an NEH summer institute for high-school teachers and faculty on “heritage speakers” of Spanish (students who come from a Spanish-speaking background but have had little or no formal training in the language). The Judaic Studies Program will host this spring a major symposium titled “Witnessing Genocide: Representation and Responsibility,” which will examine representations of the Holocaust and will include a discussion of genocide in the Americas. The Creative Writing Program offers a public series that includes six sessions each year and brings published authors to the community to present readings of their works. Germanic and Scandinavian carry out a number of outreach activities. The department conducts a middle school program, led by advanced students in German, designed to introduce children to German and to the possibilities of learning other languages. The Linguistics Department founded the Northwest Indigenous Languages Institute in 1998. Though NILI is now an Institute under the Vice President for Research, it is staffed almost entirely by members and alumni of the Linguistics department. The primary purpose of NILI is to support the revitalization of indigenous languages by providing instructional support for language teachers and by assisting in documenting “at risk” languages. NILI serves, as the Linguistic report points out, “what are undoubtedly the most dramatically culturally diverse communities in Oregon, and provides opportunities for our students to learn to interact and work effectively with and in these communities.” IV. Resource Statement As is often the case in Humanities departments, basic resources such as faculty time, funding support for initiatives, salary support for hiring faculty from 11 underrepresented groups in a competitive market, and support for graduate students (including students of color) are all extremely limited. Since diversity issues are part of the concern of humanities studies from the start, departments have already taken steps to carry out the strategies mentioned above despite the scarcity of resources. The stated approach to implementing new diversity plans involves seeking commitment in a significant way from the units themselves. As one administrator explained, if diversity is a value, then units should actively implement at least some plans even without outside support. The Humanities departments have already taken steps by investing in faculty and student development, curricular change and community outreach and so may not, in fact, be able to offer many new resources to help with implementation. At the same time, the Humanities have already shown a strong commitment to fostering diversity and so may be ideals targets for further investment. V. Plan Development Process The plan is a product of a three-part process. First, departments and programs were asked to provide information about diversity-related programs, challenges, achievements and opportunities. Second, this information was then integrated into a division-level report by the Interim Associate Dean for Humanities. The result included both an overview of the Division and examples of particular activities, problems and possible initiatives. Third, this preliminary draft was reviewed by the Dean’s Advisory Group and the revised plan, as part of the overall CAS diversity action plan was sent to department heads and program directors for review within the departments by faculty and students. VI. Diversity Value Statement The study of human meaning and value necessarily attends to the diverse ways in which people express and explain their sense of themselves and the world in which they live. For most of the last three centuries in much of the world influenced by European culture, diversity has been understood in part in terms of racial and ethnic difference and in part through differences marked by sex, gender, sexual orientation and religion. These categories, though far from stable in their meanings, have provided a framework for human conflict, cooperation, and change. Humanities departments and programs include the study of languages, literatures, performance in the form of theatre and film, the nature of categories, and conceptions of self, community and the world. Diversity is a value in the work of humanist scholars and teachers. VII. Diversity Defined Diversity is as much a product of changing contexts as it is of antecedent definition in terms of which a report can be researched and written. In general, it is helpful to think about diversity in terms that are common both within and outside the university and which can provide visible guidelines in terms of which diversity action plans can 12 be evaluated. From this perspective, diversity understood in terms of self-reported racial/ethnic and gender categories provides a preliminary framework for our efforts. Other sorts of diversity are less easy to trace in part due to a lack of good data (for example, about the number of gay, lesbian, and transgender students in particular majors) and in part because some categories are even more difficult to define than race and ethnicity (socioeconomic group, for example). As a result, some aspects of the strategic action plan propose activities intended to address concerns about certain kinds of diversity that can only be evaluated generally and anecdotally. At the same time, international diversity is also important to the Humanities Division, although it is not a primary concern of the 2006 University Diversity Report. Efforts to foster international diversity are nevertheless ongoing and though not explicitly a part of our action plan, are an integral aspect of Humanities Division work. In general, the University Diversity Plan provides a very broad notion of diversity. While this report focuses on some aspects more than others, it does not imply that efforts will not change over time or that those aspects of diversity not explicitly addressed might become important as efforts and resources expand. Part II Areas of Emphasis In the following section, we set out a series of goals roughly organized in relation to the six points specified in the University Diversity Plan. Since data from the environmental scan is incorporated in the discussion of current efforts in Part I, the following section will focus on giving specific actions, a brief rationale, specification of responsibility, indication of the unit responsible for funding the action, and a timeline including goals. In general, activities are of two sorts: activities for the Division as a whole and activities proposed by individual departments. Since the six points often overlap, actions are listed in the category that seems the best fit overall. The section concludes with two comprehensive proposals that involve all three categories. Points 1 & 2: Developing a Culturally Responsive Community and Improving Campus Climate. 1. Support for GTF Diversity Training a. Action: Provide diversity training support for Humanities Departments each fall. Training support will include supplying materials on conflict resolution resources, student support services, harassment policies, and confidentiality issues. b. Rationale: While there are a variety of support and training structures in place for new faculty as a whole, GTF training is less standardized and in some cases more infrequent. Providing support to departments for training purposes will allow departments with well-developed processes to augment their programs if there are gaps and will allow departments with less well-developed training processes to have a more thorough model with which to start. 13 c. Responsibility: Associate Dean for Humanities, Department Heads d. Cost: CAS e. Timeline: Training materials and suggestions should be available through CASWeb by Spring 2008. 2. Course Development, Germanic and Scandinavian a. Action: Develop one or more additional courses examining cultural meeting points between German and/or Scandinavian culture and other non-European cultures. b. Rationale: Questions of diversity are not limited to the US and approaches to diversity in other parts of the world have the potential to shed light on the meaning and problems of diversity. c. Responsibility: Department Head. d. Cost: Germanic and Scandinavian e. Timeline: At least one course submitted to the College Curriculum Committee by the spring 2008 round of review. 3. Course Development, Religious Studies a. Action: Develop a course on religions of the Indian sub-continent. b. Rationale: Interactions between India and the US are increasing. Understanding a people is closely connected with understanding their religious traditions and history. At present, the department has no courses focused on the religions of India. c. Responsibility: Department Head d. Cost: Religious Studies e. Timeline: A course submitted to the College Curriculum Committee by the spring 2008 round of review. 4. Course Development, English a. Action: Regularize one or more of the experimental courses related to issues of diversity currently being taught by new faculty. These include ENG 119, Race and Ethnicity in Film; FLR 399, Folklore and Sexuality; FLR 399, African Folklore; FLR 399, Folklore and Gender; ENG 410/510, Survey of Irish Literature; HC 424, British Slavery; ENG 481, Theories of the Moving Image: Music Television. b. Rationale: these courses all focus on or contain significant content on issues related to diversity. c. Responsibility: Department Head d. Cost: English e. Timeline: At least one course submitted to the College Curriculum Committee by the spring 2008 round of review. 5. Program Development, Theatre Arts a. Action: Review current curriculum and production plans to incorporate the cultural/ethnic diversity of dramatic forms and practices. 14 b. Rationale: Theatre offers a unique way to study cultural diversity and the department is seeking to add new faculty who will bring expertise in diverse theatrical forms to the program. c. Responsibility: Department Head d. Cost: Theatre Arts e. Timeline: Contingent on completing successful searches in AY 2006- 07. Assuming additional faculty begin in fall 2007, the department will begin its program review in 2007-08 with a preliminary report due in spring 2008. 6. Program Development, Romance Languages a. Action: Review program to develop offerings for heritage speakers. This will involve (1) determining the profiles and needs of heritage speakers at the UO, (2) propose appropriate coursework and support, and (3) locate funding for the proposed program. b. Rationale: Heritage speakers are most often American students who have strong backgrounds in languages other than English. These students bring an important cultural diversity to the UO which could be strengthened by providing opportunities for these students to study their “home” languages more formally. c. Responsibility: Department Head d. Cost: Costs of the study, Romance Languages. External funding required for new course development and teaching. 7. Course Development, Philosophy a. Action: Reinstitute Phil 216, Philosophy and Cultural Diversity b. Rationale: This introductory course helped to provide an introduction to philosophy in terms of diversity issues and helped to increase the number of students of color who continued in advanced philosophy courses. The course has not been taught during the regular academic year since 2003. c. Responsibility: Department Head d. Cost: Philosophy e. Timeline: The course should be redesigned and taught again in Fall 2008. 8. Course Development, Classics a. Action: Develop at least one new course devoted to cultural identity and pluralism in the ancient world. b. Rationale: Such courses demonstrate the department’s commitment to cross-cultural study and comparisons that examine the concept of diversity as a value that can profitably be embraced through study of the past as well as the present. c. Responsibility: Department Head d. Cost: Classics 15 e. Timeline: A course submitted to the College Curriculum Committee by the spring 2008 round of review. 9. Program Development, East Asian Languages and Literatures a. Action: Devise activities and/or course offerings that will make majors in EALL more diverse in racial/ethnic terms. A variety of activities (e.g. a film festival, outreach activities in local schools, weekend introductory language for high school students) are possible. The department will determine which seem most useful and implement one or more. b. Rationale: While the major has a higher than average percentage of Asian students, enrollment of African American and Hispanic students is very low. Special effort is needed to attract larger numbers. c. Responsibility: Department Head d. Cost: EALL for the study; additional funding sources may be necessary for events. e. Timeline: The department will aim to implement one or more activities during 2008-09. Success standards will be determined in light of the activities selected for implementation. Point 3: Building Critical Mass In general, the Humanities Division is committed to increasing the number of students of color in Humanities majors. The difficulty with this commitment is that if increases come only at the expense of students majoring in the social sciences and sciences, then there is no overall gain in diversity (in racial/ethnic diversity in particular). Therefore, we propose (1) to continue and enhance pre-college outreach programs (see Point 4), (2) to encourage improved advising for students of color who enter Humanities major in order to foster better retention, and (3) to actively recruit graduate students of color (see Point 4). In the data and narratives they presented to CAS, Humanities departments called for an increase in the availability of targeted financial aid for undergraduate and graduate students interested in pursuing study. While active recruitment, advising, and access to courses can make some difference, the primary reason students leave college before they finish is financial according to a report presented to the Retention Subcommittee of the Enrollment Management Council (fall 2006). If the University is serious about building a critical mass of students from underrepresented groups, it must commit sufficient financial assistance to make attendance until graduation a real possibility. The effort to build a critical mass of faculty of color is well underway. Departments already engage in a full range of best practices (see Part I). The primary need remains financial. If the Division is to be more successful in recruitment and retention, it will require additional salary and research support provided centrally. 16 1. Advising. a. Action: (1) Develop diversity-related curricular information for distribution to undergraduate students. Departments will be encouraged to develop a description of their diversity-related courses, faculty interests, related careers and fields of study. This material would be formatted for inclusion in the department website. (2) Departments that have developed diversity-related materials will meet with the staff of the Office of Multicultural Academic Support to talk about their programs. b. Rationale: Recent work by the Enrollment Management Retention Subcommittee suggests that retention rates for undergraduate students (including students of color) are lower as students enter their third and fourth years of study. Since the retention issue emerges at the point in their studies when student declare majors, one way to promote retention is to improve advising within majors. Diversity (as the University Plan makes clear) is not just a matter of enrolling or targeting more students of color. Students from all backgrounds may find that diversity issues are crucial to their college success, especially as they select and pursue a major field of study. This action plan will provide overt support to all students interested in aspects of diversity (which could include students interested LGBT issues, race and ethnic issues, issues of socio-economic class and so on). Many Humanities departments are well-suited to provide both curricular content and advising to students with interest in diversity related issues. This approach would require that the Associate Dean work with departments to encourage the development of materials, advisers and contacts, but would not require each and every department to have the same level of involvement. c. Responsibility: Department Heads/Program Directors, Associate Dean d. Cost: Departments with additional support provided by discretionary funds in available; website staffing support (provided by the CAS Web Coordinator). e. Timeline: During 2007-08, at least 2 Humanities Departments or Programs will develop web content and meet with OMAS. During 2008-09, at least 2 more Humanities Departments or Programs will develop advising materials, etc. Point 4: Expanding and Filling the Pipeline 1. Outreach Programs a. Action: Establish (or reestablish) pre-college outreach programs. Such programs would be developed and administered by departments. b. Rationale: Since increased diversity in the Humanities will rely in significant part on increasing the number of students in underrepresented groups entering the College, outreach programs directly affect the issue of critical mass. The English department 17 (from 1997 to 2002) developed a Native American Bridge Program. Germanic and Scandinavian currently run a language outreach program. EALL would like to offer weekend introductory classes to help students become more interested in learning an Asian language. With reasonable funding support such programs could increase the potential pool of UO students representing and interested in diversity. c. Responsibility: Various departments d. Cost: Outreach programs presume a commitment of time from department faculty and staff. If the Associate Dean of Humanities has available discretionary funds, some support should be provided. e. Timeline: Programs would be initiated competitively and could apply to the Associate Dean of Humanities for discretionary funds to match departmental support. The goal for 2007-08 is to approve two outreach programs that would be carried out the following 2008-09. 2. Graduate Student Recruitment a. Action: Carry out two Minority Recruitment Initiative conferences each year. These conferences (modeled on the successful Philosophy Department model) would be conducted by two Humanities Departments each year (with no department having more than one such conference in two years). b. Rationale: A critical mass of students from underrepresented groups in the graduate program makes a significant contribution to encouraging undergraduate enrollment and to changing the diversity of the disciplines. As a result, effective graduate student recruiting is a high priority. This approach provides information and support, but no special access to the graduate program. It provides a service to the discipline by encouraging promising students to learn more about graduate study and, whether they attend UO or not, may encourage more students from underrepresented groups to enter the academy. c. Responsibility: Various departments, especially those with MRP funding. If OIED funding is available, departments should apply directly for support. d. Cost: Programs of this sort can be run for less than $9000 each. e. Timeline: Assuming funding is available, two MRI conferences would be held in the fall 2008. Point 5: Developing and Strengthening Community Linkages The process of developing and strengthening community linkages is ongoing in the Humanities as suggested above. Several departments have programs in place, and others are currently seeking funding for such programs. While we have no specific proposals here, we would recommend that OIED establish a fund and review process so that departments interested in developing outreach programs (including conferences, community classes, workshops, even theatre performances) could apply for funding. Some support could be gained through the CAS program development 18 grants, direct fund raising by departments and the College to serve as matching funds with those available through OIED. Point 6: Developing and Reinforcing Diversity Infrastructure. Infrastructure, from the perspective of the Humanities Division, relates to support for faculty hiring, providing scholarly resources to support research in areas related to diversity, student financial aid, adequate classrooms, office space for advising and teaching assistants, and so on. It is our hope that efforts to address diversity do not neglect these larger issues. Creation of new programs requires space. The desire to enroll more economically underprivileged students requires more financial aid. The creation of a more diverse public persona requires computer resources and staffing. Comprehensive Proposals Additional Faculty. The Humanities Division, in light of its diversity-related efforts and its broad interest in diversity as it relates to research and curriculum, is a prime target for investment that will address faculty diversity, climate, curriculum, and graduate enrollment at once. We therefore propose that the University fund two new faculty positions in the Humanities. Latin American Studies Humanities joint position. This would be a joint position between two appropriate disciplines in Latin American Studies in the Humanities (e.g. Comparative Literature, English, Philosophy, Romance Languages,). Latin American studies is rapidly growing and is especially well suited to the particular diversity of Oregon. Arabic Language and Literature. The World Language Academy’s first year Arabic courses are oversubscribed and we expect that the demand for Arabic language courses will increase. While instructors can sustain basic language instruction, advanced study in language and literature will require the addition of a specialist with an appropriate research agenda. With the addition of a literature specialist, combined with the current work done in Religious Studies, we could begin to establish a major in Islamic Studies. Over the next decades, the importance of Islamic studies will increase as will student demand. Further, an increasing number of US citizens and recent immigrants are Muslim, and in order to respond to this new diversity, a flourishing Islamic Studies program is essential. Since the College has no resources for funding new positions and the Humanities Departments, among the lowest paid in the University, have few resources, we ask that the University provide support for these positions. Should these resources be provided, the Humanities Division would reserve on Knight Professorship in order to attempt to recruit a senior scholar for one of these positions. 19 Diversity Report and Strategic Action Plan CAS – Natural Sciences I. Structure and Mission of the Division of Natural Sciences The Natural Sciences Division within the College of Arts and Sciences consists of eight departments: ƒ Biology ƒ Chemistry ƒ Computer and Information Science ƒ Geological Sciences ƒ Human Physiology ƒ Mathematics ƒ Physics ƒ Psychology and one program: ƒ General Science The division contributes to the fundamental mission of the College of Arts and Sciences to supply a broad and general education by offering a large variety of courses that train students in quantitative, analytic, and communication skills. Another key mission of the division is to foster fundamental research in the natural sciences and mathematics, and to train future generations of researchers, efforts that are crucial to the further development and the very survival of our technology-based society. The division realizes that in order to achieve these goals it is crucial to reach out to all talented individuals, and to actively break down existing barriers. The departments and the program within the division report to the Associate Dean of Natural Sciences, but operate with a substantial degree of autonomy in their day-to- day business. The individual departments’ policies and practices are quite different in detail, which reflects the diverse cultures, interests, and purposes served by the various departments. They are unified by CAS policies and by the overarching mission that is common to all of them. II. Diversity Report and Plan for the Natural Sciences Division The University of Oregon Diversity Plan calls for each unit to develop a strategic plan that addresses six main points: • Developing a culturally responsive community • Improving campus climate 20 • Building a critical mass • Expanding and filling the pipeline • Developing and strengthening community linkages • Developing and reinforcing diversity infrastructure The Division of Natural Sciences recognizes and appreciates the importance of the goals laid out in the University’s Diversity Plan. We are committed to ensuring that all groups represented in society at large are given the opportunity to be adequately represented, and to participate, in the activities of the Natural Sciences Division. Apart from being the right thing to do on general philosophical and moral grounds, this is necessary to ensure that all available talent is tapped to accomplish our mission. The Division of Natural Sciences has an impressive record in some of the thrust areas described in the University Plan, and is committed to additional efforts and further progress in all of them. As is the case for all other aspects of academic life and business, the specific diversity issues, as well as realistic and attainable goals with respect to diversity, differ substantially from department to department even within the division. While the plan outlined below addresses all of the six main points, the relative emphases vary from department to department, as will be apparent from the plan outlined below. We will address each of the points separately and explain our accomplishments, current status, and future plans by using efforts in various departments as examples. The responsibility for implementation of the diversity-related plans described below will primarily lie within the individual departments and programs, as is the case with all other missions of the Natural Sciences Division. That is, department heads and program directors will be expected to implement the plan as appropriate for their units, subject to oversight from the College of Arts and Sciences. This responsibility will include the allocation of appropriate resources, and balancing resource allocations in this area against all others. If appropriate and desirable, the Associate Dean for Natural Sciences will supplement funding for projects from his or her discretionary funds. Any funds made available by the Central Administration will be passed on to departments and programs according to established procedures and policies. 1.) Developing a culturally responsive community, and building a critical mass In our view, the two issues of a culturally responsive community and building a critical mass are closely related. This is because in the absence of an adequate, by some reasonable measure, representation of people from both genders, different racial and ethnical backgrounds, etc., that is, without a “critical mass”, it would be very hard to achieve a truly culturally responsive community, even if all community members acted in the best faith possible, since too homogeneous a community would lack the feedback and interactions necessary to achieve true cultural responsiveness. For this reason we consider both of these issues under a single heading. 21 The Natural Sciences Division is committed to hiring the best faculty available worldwide within any given field of specialization. This policy has by necessity led to a culturally diverse faculty, as faculty with vastly different ethnic and cultural backgrounds from all over the world have joined our ranks. As an example, of 31 instructional faculty in the Department of Mathematics 19 are from foreign countries including the former Soviet Union, China, Britain, Israel, Poland, and Iran. The cultural diversity represented by these individuals is something we value very highly, and it has practical benefits in addition to being desirable for intellectual and philosophical reasons. By tapping the cultural expertise of their faculty, this diversity allows the natural science departments to effectively respond to cultural issues ranging from judging applications from international students to personal problems encountered by resident graduate students or junior members of the faculty. We plan to continue the existing policy of recruiting globally with an overriding emphasis on excellence, which has served us very well, and to build on this strength by using our faculty’s national and international connections for even broader recruitment efforts for both faculty and students. The situation is more difficult with respect to the more narrowly defined concept of diversity that refers to U.S. nationals who are members of underrepresented minority groups or, in some disciplines, gender. In many areas in the natural sciences the pool of such individuals is very small, which results in a very competitive hiring market. This becomes apparent from surveys such as one conducted by the Council of Chemical Research in 2005/2006. Out of 34.2 faculty in an average chemistry department that ranks in the first quartile of the most recent National Research Council ranking (our Department of Chemistry belongs to this group) just 1.1, or 3.2%, are African-American, Hispanic, or Native American. Our Department of Chemistry thus was at the national average, with one Hispanic faculty member, until he left for UC Berkeley a few years ago, a move that reportedly almost doubled his salary. Similarly, out of 26 PhD degrees awarded, only 2.1, or 8.1%, go to members of these underrepresented groups. (See also the section on filling the pipeline below.) In other science disciplines, the corresponding numbers are even smaller. For instance, out of 3,252 faculty in the top 100 physics departments ranked by R&D expenditures, just 87, or 2.6%, are African-American, Hispanic, or Native American. Consistent with these numbers, according to the University of Oregon Affirmative Action Plan from January 1, 2006, minorities are not underrepresented among faculty in the natural sciences; women, however, are (see p. 25 of the Affirmative Action Plan). This raises the question how to successfully compete in a very competitive market for female science faculty, and at the same time make further progress with respect to minority recruitment. Apart from the obvious need to improve faculty salaries, one promising strategy we plan to pursue is to conduct broader searches that are not restricted to a particular subdiscipline. Such broad searches maximize the pool of applicants and thereby maximize the chances that qualified members of underrepresented groups will apply. For instance, a broad search conducted by the Department of Physics several years ago resulted in the hiring of the first female faculty member in Physics. We will actively encourage such broad searches in the future as part of our overall diversity efforts and our desire to achieve a critical mass. 22 In addition, we will continue and expand our support for efforts such as Geraldine Richmond’s (Chemistry) COACh (Committee on the Advancement of Women Chemists) workshops to increase the number of, and support for, women in the sciences. (See also Sec. II.3 for a related program UO postdocs and graduate students will attend at Rice University.) One such activity already in the planning stages is a Women in Science Forum to be organized by the Development Office of the College of Arts and Sciences. This event will engage women on the UO science faculty, female high school students exploring a career path in science, and potential donors with an interest in the advancement of women in science. The first step will be a panel discussion led by members of the science faculty, which is planned for Fall 2007. Another specific goal is for the Physics Department to participate, starting in AY 2007/08, in the Travel Grants for Women Speakers program sponsored by the Committee on the Status of Women in Physics within the American Physical Society. The goal of the program is to increase the recognition of women physicists by expanding the opportunity for physics departments to invite women colloquium speakers. Having more female colloquium speakers will provide our female graduate students with role models, and it will build a contact network that will be important and useful for encouraging female applicants to apply for future faculty searches. Another important aspect of cultural responsiveness relates to the student body. It is our policy to foster mutual respect and understanding among the students by providing common spaces to both undergraduate and graduate students, and to encourage social activities such as annual picnics and other events. For example, most of the natural science departments have both undergraduate and graduate lounges (examples are the Hilbert Space in Mathematics, and the Binney Lounge in Physics) that offer access to computers in addition to a socially and intellectually stimulating environment, and many of these are supported by generous donations from alumni. Arguably as a result of these supportive and inclusive efforts, problems related to cultural differences among students are rare in the natural sciences. When such problems do occur, they are effectively dealt with by the department heads, with help from faculty members knowledgeable in the cultural area in question. We consider this an area where our existing policies and procedures work well, and we plan to continue them. Consistent with this perception, an internal survey conducted within the Department of Psychology (see the appendix) showed that graduate students in this field rated the departmental climate with respect to responsiveness to students from diverse backgrounds 7 on a scale of 1 to 10. However, while 7 out of 10 is encouraging, it is not a perfect score, and the rate of participation was low (40% for faculty and about 20% for students). We will encourage departments to develop surveys that draw a higher response rate, which will raise awareness and help address lingering departmental climate problems or problems that have not been identified in the past. 23 The Department of Psychology has developed additional means to increase awareness of cultural diversity and improve cultural responsiveness. Within the department there is a Cultural Laboratory that conducts research on diversity issues and other laboratories help diverse students acclimate to the department. There are occasional colloquia on diversity issues and the department also sponsors the biennial “Sundberg Conference on Cultural and Community Psychology”, at which a monetary award is presented to a graduate student studying cultural and/or community psychology Such activities will serve as examples that other departments can follow and adapt to their own situations, and the College will encourage and support them in doing so. With respect to non-academic staff, the same policies of inclusiveness and responsiveness as for students apply. The main difference is that the absolute numbers of non-academic staff in the natural sciences are small, and the composition of this group is therefore characterized by very large fluctuations. As in the case of the student body, cultural problems in this area are rare events in the natural sciences. 2.) Improving campus climate The College of Arts and Sciences constitutes almost two thirds of the University, in terms of faculty and student numbers, which makes the climate within the College a very important part of the overall campus climate. We believe that the best way for the College to help improve the campus climate is to start in our own departments and divisions, following the motto “think globally, act locally”, and we are pleased to report that the climate within the Natural Sciences Division is very good. This judgment is based mostly on anecdotal evidence, and on the absence of major problems that would be brought to the attention of the administration, and it is consistent with the internal Psychology survey mentioned in point 1.) above. In addition to actively working on maintaining and further improving this state of affairs, members of the College will continue to serve on university-wide committees and task forces such as the Diversity Advisory Committee, which has a distinctive record of service by members of the College of Arts and Sciences. 3.) Expanding and filling the pipeline The small number of both faculty and Ph.D. recipients in the natural sciences who belong to groups of underrepresented minorities mentioned under point 1.) above points to a structural problem that needs to be addressed much earlier than at the stage of hiring faculty. In recognition of this, the Natural Science Division is active in a substantial number of initiatives that are designed to encourage minority students, from grade school through college, to consider careers in the sciences. One example of such an initiative is the UO Summer Program for Undergraduate Research (SPUR) that has been run by the Department of Biology for the past 10 years. While the SPUR is open to both minority and non-minority students, under the leadership of its current director the program has put particular emphasis on recruiting minority students by establishing contacts with institutions that have large minority 24 student populations, such as UNBC, the University of Hawaii, and the University of New Mexico. This approach has been very successful. A tracking survey conducted by SPUR has shown that of 70 participants who were members of underrepresented minority groups, 44 are pursuing or have completed a graduate degree in a science discipline, 11 pursued careers in medicine, and 5 work in science education. In order to capitalize on the success of this program, we will provide professional development opportunities for faculty in other areas of the sciences. The current director has agreed to conduct a workshop in AY 2007/2008 that will inform other sciences departments about the SPUR program and discuss how to successfully develop similar initiatives in their areas. Another SPUR program is run by the Department of Psychology and has been equally successful. In addition, a senior Psychology Professor secured NIMH funding over three years (2002-2005) to conduct a summer research training program for ethnic minority students. Three students from that program have been admitted as graduate students in clinical psychology. In addition, the College of Arts and Sciences provided funds to recruit six additional graduate students who enhanced diversity in the department’s student population. For the near future, the department plans outreach efforts to specifically target high schools and middle schools with diverse student populations, and to participate in the Oregon Young Scholars Program, which has a similar goal. Another example is a program initiated by the Department of Economics (in the Social Sciences Division) to bring disadvantaged middle-school students from the local community to campus for a week in the summer, with the goal of making them feel welcome at the UO and make them aware of the educational opportunities open to them. The focus of this program is on students from low socio-economic backgrounds, and this target group contains a large percentage of minority students. Some programs and departments in the Natural Sciences have noticed the success of this program and taken it as a model for future initiatives. The Department of Psychology is already participating in this initiative and will continue to do so, and the Department of Geological Sciences plans to join in these efforts this coming summer. The Departments of Chemistry and Physics conduct an annual Science Open House that is targeted at high school students all over the State of Oregon. Feedback received from students and teachers alike shows that this is a very popular and successful event that opens many students’ eyes with respect to the opportunities a career in the sciences can offer. Due to its broad scope, this event is guaranteed to reach a proportion of minority students equal to their representation in the general population. Such initiatives require substantial resources, both in terms of faculty time and direct expenses, which are borne by the departments. These efforts demonstrate the commitment on the part of our science departments to the overall effort to bring 25 diversity to their fields. While they do little to improve the diversity on campus in the short run, they are crucial for expanding the pool of qualified minorities in the long run, and help ensure that talented individuals from all segments of the population get the opportunity to enter a science career if they wish to do so, which in turn is crucial for the long-term health of the disciplines. The College of Arts and Sciences is committed to further encouraging and supporting these efforts. A definitive plan for the near future is the UO UCORE (Undergraduate Catalytic Outreach and Research Experience) program that will be run this summer by the Departments of Chemistry, Geological Sciences, and Physics. It will bring 24 community college students to the UO for an 8-week research experience. UOCORE is a $1.6 Million 4-year program supported by the National Science Foundation. The primary goal of this program is to introduce strong community college students to the possibility of a career in the physical sciences, and to increase the diversity of students majoring in the physical sciences. Substantial resources in the form of faculty time have been expended by the participating departments while writing the grant proposal, and many more will be committed to run this program. Another initiative aimed at increasing the number of female faculty in the sciences are plans for female UO postdoctoral fellows and senior graduate students to attend a Workshop for Women in Science and Engineering at Rice University this coming fall. This workshop provides a unique opportunity for prospective women faculty to learn from faculty leaders across all science and engineering disciplines, and its goal is to help increase the number of female faculty in these areas. The College of Arts and Sciences has disseminated this information to its science departments, who are actively encouraging interested female post docs and graduate students to attend this workshop. Their experiences, together with the experience gained through the planned UO Women in Science Forum described in Sec. II.1, will be used to use to plan further activities of this type. 4.) Developing and strengthening community linkages The Natural Science Division has a strong record of building and maintaining community linkages, both locally and globally. In the global arena, a senior Professor in Biology has developed several contacts in Africa and has taught a nine-day school for graduate students and post docs in Cape Town, South Africa. In addition to establishing contacts with the global community, these activities help attract international students to the UO and thus contribute to a more diverse student population on campus. The Department of Human Physiology runs an annual Human Performance Camp that attracts a large number of local high school students with an interest in sport, dance, and other areas where human performance and physical activity are at the heart of the endeavor. The department has plans for a weekend or summer program 26 along similar lines that will specifically target high school science students from underrepresented minority groups. The Departments of Chemistry and Physics conduct a large number of outreach activities that also have an undergraduate recruitment component. They include the very popular Science Circus program that is regularly performed at local high schools as well as at community events. While not specifically targeted at underrepresented minorities, the shear breadth of these activities ensures that they expose a large number of minority students to the challenges and opportunities offered by a science education. The College of Arts and Sciences actively encourages and supports these and other activities conducted by the various science departments. They play an important role in the mission of a public university, and they are important for student recruitment, both overall and with respect to minorities in particular. They have substantially increased in numbers and scope over the past two decades, and the College will continue to encourage and support this expansion. 5.) Developing and reinforcing diversity infrastructure The College of Arts and Sciences considers it good management policy to keep diversity-related infrastructure at an institutional level, where it exists in the form of the Office of Institutional Equity and Diversity. It would make little sense to duplicate such a structure at the departmental level, or even at the college level. Instead, we believe it is more efficient to work with the OIED on a case-by-case basis as needed, and to handle most diversity related issues through our existing committee structure. The current planning effort, and in particular the departmental considerations that have become part of this college-wide document, have made sure that all faculty and students who are involved in the existing infrastructure are aware of the pertinent issues and will make addressing them part of the routine business their committees conduct. The Natural Sciences have a long tradition of soliciting input from students in any decisions that are relevant for the educational mission of the university. Student input is routinely sought and taken into account for curricular decisions, and many departments routinely have student representatives on faculty search committees. The extent to which students, and what level of students, are involved depends on the topic under consideration. Obviously, recruiting undergraduate freshmen to serve on a faculty search committee makes less sense than soliciting advice from advanced graduate students, whereas undergraduate input on lower-division curricular matters may be very useful. For the purpose of the diversity planning process, the science departments have followed the same procedures, which have proven very useful in these other contexts. To give a few examples, the Psychology Department has formed a diversity committee with student representation. The Department of Chemistry plans to create 27 a new committee with broad representation to deal with diversity issues, and this representation will include students. Chemistry also plans to form additional student support groups modeled after the existing Women in Chemistry Graduate Student Group or the existing American Chemical Society student affiliate chapter. In the future, these will constitute a second conduit for student input. The Biology Department had students involved in the planning and development of their SPUR program that is highlighted elsewhere in the current plan, and will do the same for its broader diversity efforts as they unfold over the next several years. 28 Appendix: Diversity Survey Conducted by the Department of Psychology Faculty Diversity Questionnaire Name (optional): ______________________________________________________ I. Defining Diversity 1. How do you personally define diversity? 2. What do you consider to be the department's priority needs in terms of diversity? (i.e., what aspects of diversity)? 3. What do you think are the hallmarks of an organization that promotes “diversity” in the workplace? 4. Do you think our department embodies your vision of a diverse workplace? Please explain. • In what areas do you think our department has been effective in promoting diversity in the workplace? • What areas do you think need improvement? II. Performing Diversity 1. Do you integrate diversity issues into the content of your research and/or teaching? (If so, please give examples. We recognize that different areas of research and teaching lend themselves differently to diversity issues). 2. Have you/are you currently doing anything to make the classroom climate, department climate, or both welcoming to faculty and students of diverse backgrounds? (If so, please give examples). 3. Describe your interest in or engagement with community outreach that might help expand and fill the pipeline of diverse students. • Do you think the Psychology Department should provide opportunities and rewards for such activities? III. Further questions 1. Do you think that areas of diversity (course content, classroom climate, or both) should be included on course evaluations or faculty evaluations? If so, how? 29 2. Do you think the department should provide opportunities for faculty/staff/graduate student trainings or workshops in diversity? Would you attend such workshops? 3. What awareness, knowledge, and/or skills would you like to acquire from participating in training or a workshop related to diversity? 4. On a scale of 1-10 (10 being the highest), how concerned are you with issues of diversity in the psychology department? ______ 5. On the same scale (10 being the best), how would you rate the psychology department’s current commitment to diversity? Please include department climate, training opportunities, and personal experiences in your rating. ________ 6. Please list factors that contributed to your ratings in questions #4 and #5. 30 Student Diversity Questionnaire Name (optional): ______________________________________________________ I. Defining Diversity 1. How do you personally define diversity? 2. What do you consider to be the department's priority needs in terms of diversity? (i.e., what aspects of diversity)? 3. In what areas do you think our department has been effective in promoting diversity? 4. What areas do you think need improvement? II. Performing Diversity 1. How well has the department integrated diversity issues into the courses you have taken? Please explain. 2. Do you integrate diversity issues into your own research and/or teaching? If so, in what ways? 3. In your opinion, how welcoming is the department climate to students from diverse background on a scale of 1-10 (10 being the most welcoming)? ______. Please explain. 4. Are you involved in community organizations that promote diversity? If so, please list them. III. Further questions 1. What awareness, knowledge, and/or skills would you like to acquire from participating in a training or workshop related to diversity? 2. On a scale of 1-10 (10 being the highest), how concerned are you with issues of diversity in the psychology department? ______ 3. On the same scale (10 being the best), how would you rate the psychology department’s current commitment to diversity? Please include department climate, training opportunities, and personal experiences in your rating. ________ 31 Diversity Report and Plan CAS – Social Sciences Part I Diversity in the Social Sciences I. Overview of the Social Sciences Social sciences provide an analytical and historical approach to society – in particular, societal problems. As a result, faculty and students in the social sciences often focus on issues that are controversial – i.e. racism, international conflict and war, ethnic strife. The scientific inquiry into societal problems is often difficult, as such topics are not easily assimilated into a laboratory or controlled experiment, or even measurable by a survey question. Often, social scientists are intrigued by truly elusive phenomena – things that don’t happen – such as nonvoting or treaty noncompliance. The student majoring in the social sciences emerges with the ability to assess different viewpoints on controversial issues, to provide and analyze information on these issues, and to arrive at a constructive solution to a policy dilemma. These abilities allow students to “make a difference” in whatever career they choose and become responsible, informed citizens as well. The importance of diversity to the social sciences can best be expressed in the words of Lee Bollinger, current president of Columbia University and U of O political science graduate: “The experience of arriving on campus to live and study with classmates from a diverse range of backgrounds is essential to students’ training for this new world, nurturing in them an instinct to reach out instead of clinging to the comforts of what seems natural or familiar. We know that connecting with people very—or even slightly—different from ourselves stimulates the imagination; and when we learn we see the world through a multiplicity of eyes, we only make ourselves more nimble in mastering—and integrating—the diverse fields of knowledge awaiting us.” (“Why Diversity Matters,” The Chronicle of Higher Education, June 1, 2007) II. Organizational Structure The division of social sciences within the College of Arts and Sciences consists of 6 departments and 6 interdisciplinary programs, each led by a Department Head or Program Director who is responsible for the budget, course scheduling, faculty review, and compliance with CAS and University policies. The social sciences 32 division also includes the Social Science Instructional Laboratory and Social Science Data Services which assist faculty and students throughout the University. Using 2004-2005 ORM data, this division encompasses 104 tenure-related faculty (17.7% of UO), 2,571 majors (19.9% of UO), and confers 1,170 degrees annually (29.7% of UO). In addition to their work in their department or program, faculty members participate in a number of centers and institutes, such the Center for Asian and Pacific Studies (CAPS), the Institute for Cognitive and Decision Sciences, the Center for the Study of Women in Society (CSWS), and the proposed Center for Race, Ethnicity, and Sexuality (CRESS). Many faculty members also participate in degree programs outside the division (e.g. Russian and East European Studies). Social Science Departments: Anthropology History Economics Political Science Geography Sociology Social Science Programs: Asian Studies International Studies Environmental Studies Latin American Studies Ethnic Studies Women’s & Gender Studies European Studies III. History of Diversity Efforts Faculty Development: Departments and programs in the social sciences have worked to develop a more diverse faculty, and much progress has been made. At present, 82% of the tenure-related faculty members in the social sciences are White/Non-Hispanic, compared with 80% of the faculty of the College as a whole. Of the faculty who do not report themselves as White/Non-Hispanic, 4% identify themselves as Asian, 5% indicate that they are Hispanic, 1% indicate that they are African American, and 4% indicate one of the other racial/ethnic categories. Five percent of faculty declined to respond. Thirty-five percent of social science faculty members are female, compared with the overall College faculty, which has 33% female members. Despite this seeming low number of minority faculty, the University of Oregon’s “Affirmative Action Plan,” effective January 1, 2006 (http://aaeo.uoregon.edu/2006AAP.pdf), on page 37, states, for that minorities and women for tenure-track faculty in the social sciences, “no goal was established because there was no under-representation.” For fixed term faculty, this same 33 evaluation was applied to minorities, although for women a goal of 28.0% was established and was then exceeded by actual hires of 46.67%. Efforts in the social sciences to recruit and retain faculty of color is ongoing. This effort typically involves three components. First, in conjunction with curricular developments, departments have often opened positions that contribute to fostering diversity within academic programs and a more diverse faculty. As a recent example, the Department of Political Science and the Ethnic Studies program committed in 2006 to a joint search in “Racial Politics,” and this search resulted in the successful hire of a person of color this year. Second, departments and programs have advertised positions widely and followed the affirmative action guidelines to maximize the diversity of search pools and to make sure that all qualified applicants are carefully considered. Third, departments have also worked to offer the competitive salaries and research support to candidates selected for positions. Such searches often rely on the Minority Recruitment Program funds provided by the Provost’s Office. These funds have made a significant impact on the ability of social science departments and programs to successfully recruit faculty of color. Retention of these faculty members remains a serious difficulty. For example, the History Department has hired two persons of color to teach African-American history over the last decade, but both of these faculty members have been recruited away by larger universities. The Ethnic Studies program has had an even greater turnover of faculty of color. While reasons for such departures are complex1, three significant factors are: 1) limited diversity in the Eugene community (See Appendix I for recent Register-Guard articles on exodus of minority faculty from the Eugene-Springfield area.); 2) the relatively low salaries and limited research support provided to faculty after the first several years at the University (see below); and, 3) limited opportunities for dual career hiring at the university and in the wider Eugene-Springfield area. The social sciences, in general, have a difficult time recruiting and retaining minority faculty because of noncompetitive salaries. For example, the average salary for a Sociology professor is only 74% of that of our AAU Peers (University of Oregon 2005-2006 AAU Peer Faculty Salary Comparisons) A most distressing example is that of a minority faculty member in the social sciences who recently received an outside salary offer (from a college in an area with a similar cost-of-living) that was $40,000 higher than his/her current U of O salary As a further challenge, the social sciences have a very high teaching burden. The 2006 University of Oregon Performance Indicators show that the overall SCH per total Instructional FTE is 601 for the university overall, 595 for CAS, but 753 for the 1 As to individual minority faculty who have recently left the U of O, it would be a violation of confidentiality to quote from their letters of resignation, but perhaps OIED could conduct an survey of such faculty in order to ascertain their personal explanations for leaving the U of O. 34 social sciences. For some social science department, this figure is even higher, as in 892 for Economics and 895 for Political Science. Curricular Development: Social science departments and programs have made greater effort to include courses and course content that center on questions of diversity. All but three offer courses that satisfy the Multicultural Requirement. Courses in the social sciences constitute a large portion of all such university courses that satisfy this requirement: Social sciences courses make up 55% of all courses that satisfy the “American Cultures” category, 48% of all courses that satisfy the “Identity, Plurality, and Tolerance” category, and 3), and 46% of all courses that satisfy the “International Cultures” category. Two interdisciplinary programs, Ethnic Studies, Women’s & Gender Studies have been created and expanded within the social sciences division of the College of Arts and Sciences: The Ethnic Studies Program examines the construction and context of ethnicity in the United States with a primary focus on Americans of African, Asian, Latino, and Native American descent. As an element of American identity that cuts across disciplinary categories, ethnicity requires a mode of study that draws on the humanities and the social sciences as well as interdisciplinary sources such as cultural studies. Ethnicity also must be addressed historically and comparatively, paying attention to the five centuries of experience of underrepresented communities in North America and the perspectives of other societies-such as Mexico, Brazil, and Peru-where cognate experiences have had their own cultural and political expressions. In that spirit, the participating faculty of the program is an open roster of scholars committed to giving students a wide array of approaches to this challenging topic. Many courses, including the introductory sequence, are interdisciplinary. Above all, the program seeks to convey knowledge and understanding of ethnicity in the United States and to help students learn about the opportunities and responsibilities they have as citizens in an increasingly multicultural nation. The Women's and Gender Studies Program offers students an interdisciplinary curriculum that focuses on the diverse experiences of women in both national and international contexts. The program also examines the meaning of gender as a socially constructed category that shapes personal identities, beliefs, opportunities, and behaviors. The wide range of classes explores the intersections of gender, race, class, and sexuality; the institutional structures that have an impact on women's and men's lives; and the broad range of feminist theory that seeks to explain and influence women's status in society. Among the areas of emphasis in the Women's and Gender Studies program are gender and sexuality, third world feminism, cultural representation and literature, women and labor, feminist theory, critical race feminism, immigration and citizenship, and social activism. 35 Part II Plans and Future Activities The following plan outlines the ongoing and future activities of these units, directed at meeting the University’s diversity mission. Given the size and variety of departments and programs in the social sciences, this plan will provide representative examples of the types of current or planned initiatives. I. Developing a Culturally Responsive Community Sociology: This department plans to set aside $1000 a year to fund speakers (a speakers’ series) in the area of race/ethnicity, gender, and inequality. Some of these speakers should appeal to our undergraduates. In addition to setting aside money for speakers, certain courses could require undergraduate students to attend or give extra credit to those who attend and write a short report on these lectures. Asian Studies: This program is committed to expanding the offerings of its new course titled “What is Asia?” This course introduces new aspects of the variety of perceptions of Asia in different disciplines and different locations of the globe and was created to strengthen the theoretical basis for the analysis of current academic discussions on topics such as the challenges of globalization, changes in historiography, regional politics, and transnational exchange. Women’s and Gender Studies: This interdisciplinary program has proposed a new minor in Queer Studies, which will undergo curricular review during the 2007-08 year. The College of Arts and Sciences has committed $20,000 at start-up funds for this new minor. This program also plans to establish a track of study in WGS that centers the intersection of gender with race/ethnicity and transnational studies. In addition, the program is in conversation with Ethnic Studies about developing a joint Master’s program in intersections of race, gender, sexuality, and class, a program of study that would also contribute substantially to further enhancing the intellectual climate with graduate students and pull two very dynamic scholarly units together. The joint Master’s program would bring in more students who might come from underrepresented groups, and therefore contribute to expanding and filling the pipeline; it would develop stronger campus infrastructure for students of color; it would attract more faculty applicants from underrepresented groups who might be interested in teaching in such a program and thus build critical mass at UO; it would demand the creation of new classes that might contribute to developing a culturally responsive community and to improving campus climate. This MA program would require a commitment of resources that would be directed at the specific goals of the diversity plan to recruit and retain faculty from underrepresented groups—we would expect more faculty lines be committed to this program. 36 II. Improving Campus Climate History: This department recently sponsored two one-year visiting assistant professorships in African-American history, funded jointly by History and the Office of Institutional Equity and Diversity. These junior scholars enabled the department to maintain the diversity of its curriculum, and their presence on campus has contributed to the critical mass that is central to the diversity plan’s goals. At the same time, the department's support for the professional development of these junior scholars has contributed to filling the pipeline for minority scholars in academia at large. History proposes converting this two-year experiment with visiting assistant professors in African-American history into an ongoing postdoctoral fellowship. This would be a cost-effective, high-impact way to help recruit future UO faculty members. It would demonstrate the university’s seriousness about mentoring and hiring faculty of color in a nationally visible way. Sociology: The department will maintain and further develop its numerous courses that directly relate to diversity (race/class/gender). Social Inequality (Soc 207); America’s People (Soc 305); Race, Class, and Ethnic Groups (Soc 345); Sociology of Women (Soc 355); Sociology of Race Relations (Soc 445/545); Social Stratification (Soc 451/551); Issues in the Sociology of Gender (Soc 455/555); Feminist Theory (Soc 456/556); and several topics classes at the graduate level. III. Building Critical Mass The following departments have made recent advances in the minority hiring or anticipate such a hire in the near future: Sociology: In terms of racial/ethnic diversity, two faculty members are Asian Americans and one is Hispanic American. Therefore, at the present time 22% of Sociology’s faculty members are in the protected classification of minorities, whereas 78% of its faculty is white non-Hispanic. The American Sociological Association website lists data for faculty in graduate departments by race for the 2000-2001 academic year. For faculty at such universities, 84% of the faculty members are white and less than one percent is not classified. Political Science: During the 2006-07 academic year, Political Science has hired three persons of color, in the fields of Latin American Politics, Asian Politics, and Racial Politics. The latter is a joint appointment with the Ethnic Studies Program. Although this department has made numerous offers to applicants of color in the past, these new faculty are the first faculty of color to join the department in over a decade. Ethnic Studies and Women's & Gender Studies, with assistance from the CAS Dean's Office, successfully pooled their resources in 2006 to fund a new joint position for the partner of a recent hire - a successful use of the university's new Dual 37 Career policy, which secured two new faculty of color in the College of Arts and Sciences. In addition, two interdisciplinary programs, (Ethnic Studies and International Studies) are currently seeking departmental status. One of the primary reasons for this change in status is the resultant ability to make personnel decisions entirely within the interdisciplinary field; that is, the tenure home for faculty would be in Ethnic Studies or International Studies, rather than in a regular department, as is currently the case. This departmentalization requires a sufficient number of tenured faculty in order to make the appropriate decisions on tenure and promotion, and we are slowly building in these areas. The process of departmentalization is a gradual process, and requires an initial stage of identifying “core faculty” within the University who can assist the program in personnel decisions. International Studies has had a core faculty for several years, and Ethnic Studies will do so for the next academic year. New Cluster Hire The College of Arts and Sciences proposed to the Office of Academic Affairs an “African Diaspora” Cluster Hire involving five social science departments and programs, using existing CAS resources to fund four of these positions, including one senior position. (See Appendix II.) This initiative could serve to both retain and recruit faculty of color in CAS. IV. Expanding & Filling the Pipeline Economics: In the past summer, the Economics department began a week-long day camp program for local low-income 9th graders. The goal was to give local low SES middle school students a taste of college life, and some information about how to prepare and pay for college. Springfield Middle School, the lowest SES middle school in the local area, helped to identify bright kids from low SES families who they thought were not on track for college, but who could succeed with some encouragement. A significant fraction of the Economics faculty participated by volunteering to teach hour-long sessions on various topics. The department was assisted graduate and undergraduate students in teaching, supervising and mentoring. A camp website is can be found at http://economics.uoregon.edu/summer/. The department plans to continue this program into the future and is in the process of helping other departments to start up similar programs. In particular, they have had conversations with people from Psychology, Math, Environmental Studies, PPPM, and Physics about jointly hosting a similar week-long program. The department has coordinated with these departments and has tentatively planned to have 10th grade students who enrolled in its program last year to sign up for the programs of other departments in the coming summer. In the meantime, Economics plans to host a new group of 9th graders for the Economics summer camp. The CAS Dean’s Office has already committed $3,000 to this effort. 38 Women’s & Gender Studies: The Future for Minority Studies Project-Junior Scholars Caucus began this year, providing both graduate student Research Grants and Travel Grants for graduate students. The CAS Dean’s Office has contributed $6,000 to this program. Sociology: The department plans encourages students who do internships to participate in placements that focused on diversity or diversity type initiatives. For example, ASPIRE (Access to Student Assistance Programs in Reach of Everyone): "The ASPIRE volunteer advisor program assists high school counselors to help students overcome barriers to education beyond high school. The program trains volunteers to work one-on-one with students who need encouragement, information, and technical assistance to reach their post-high school goals. Activities include academic preparation, scholarship search and application, career exploration, and college selection." For more info, see http://www.ocf1.org/grant_programs/special_aspire.html . International Studies Program: Explore Diversity Scholarships Funded by Summer Session Dividends: One of the key structural barriers to diversity is the cost of gaining international experience in the form of study abroad, or more ideally, internship work. These are expensive undertakings. The financial, opportunity, and other costs can preclude participation by students of color and those from economically disadvantaged backgrounds. Internships in the international arena, arguably the best way to break the Catch-22 of needing international work experience in order to gain international employment, are usually unpaid, and because of the cost of travel and sustaining oneself in a city on another continent, are de facto the domain of a cultural and economic elite (on this point, see the January 2007 David Graeber article in Harper's, "Army of Altruists"). As a unit, ISP seeks to address this inequity by exploring the possibility of devoting a regular fraction of summer session dividends (2 to 5%, to be determined) to fund one or more scholarships to help students from disadvantaged backgrounds undertake international study or internship. ISP will explore the appropriate size and number of these scholarships; affordability, or how to maximize the benefits of summer session funds; how we will define "disadvantage" (in terms of ethno-racial or other cultural identity, in terms of socio- economic status, in terms of first-generation in family to attend college, other or some combination of these criteria). The program hopes to have these explorations completed and a draft program in place by summer 2007. Anthropology: Undergraduate Education Recruitment With the goal of attracting more majors and students from underrepresented groups, especially from the local Native American and Latino communities, this department will develop a plan for visiting selected high schools and college fairs, and presenting at meetings for college-bound seniors and for freshman from underrepresented groups. They will coordinate this with other appropriate departments and with Admissions (while exploring funding options). The department plans to participate in UO Foreign Language and International Studies Day and build active institutional 39 links with the Office of Minority Affairs, CODAC, Office of Undergraduate Admissions, and Future of Minority Studies (FMS, a national consortium). V. Developing and Strengthening Community Linkages Geography: Recruitment of students for the summer geographic education program for K-12 teachers will continue to target educators from diverse school districts by using the extensive network of teachers who have completed or are enrolled in the Advanced Placement Human Geography course, the EDGE website, program brochures and personal letters to principals, and school visits. The department will continue to play a leading role in the community, region, and state’s annual Geography Awareness Week activities. These activities include faculty and student presentations in middle and high schools in our area that are culturally diverse and helping coordinate National Geography Bees at local middle schools. Schools with low socio-economic indicators are specially targeted for these activities. Anthropology: With the goal of increasing the visibility of faculty research foci, many of which encompass diversity, the department will publicize their colloquia series in a more timely manner and to wider audiences where appropriate, e.g., list serves such as Ethnic Studies, Folklore, CSWS, Center for Race, Ethnicity and Sexuality, area studies programs, Inside Oregon, Humanities Center Newsletter, plus off campus via the Eugene Weekly, Register Guard, and radio shows. The department also plans to make better use of the Museum of Natural and Cultural History as an interface between the department, the university, and the community. VI. Developing and Reinforcing Diversity Infrastructure Geography: If funding can be secured, the InfoGraphics Lab will create, publish, and disseminate a campus map showing the locations of support services and other information for disabled students. One of the Assistant Professors in Geography has research interests in developing maps and geospatial tools for the blind and currently has an NSF-funded project to develop such maps. The UO campus and downtown Eugene are being used as test sites for this project. In the future, the department hopes to build on this work to develop functional maps for blind students and disseminate them widely on campus and in the community. International Studies: Online Journal as Venue to Highlight Diversity Issues: ISP is currently playing a leading role in the development of a new online journal for international and areas studies scholarship, with two ISP core faculty serving as Co- Managing Editors of InterNationality: A Journal of Global and Area Studies. The inaugural issue of this journal (funded by a CAS Program Grant), expected in Spring 2007, will focus on citizenship, immigration and identity issues. In all issues, InterNationality will draw national and international attention to the UO as a node for cross-cultural and interdisciplinary scholarship, much of which will enhance our reputation as an intellectual community that takes issues of diversity seriously. InterNationality will work closely with colleagues and units across campus, 40 welcoming future special issues that highlight issues of diversity in global and cross- cultural perspective (for example, the department would welcome submission of the results of the best research funded by CODAC scholarships). The CAS Dean’s Office already has committed $5,000 to this effort. International Studies: Assist Center for Indigenous Cultural Survival (CICS) in Transition to New Leadership: CICS, long closely associated with our program, is undergoing an unfortunate and unexpected transition to new leadership. This Center has been an important focal point for students of Native American background, as well as for students of international indigenous heritage. ISP will continue to work with the Graduate School and others to ensure a successful transition to new leadership of CICS. ISP hopes that this will result in steadying, and invigorating, a locus of support and intellectual community for recruiting students of indigenous origin from the US and globally, who will continue to enrich the intellectual community of International Studies. 41 APPENDIX I Register Guard Articles on Exit of Minority Professionals from Eugene-Springfield Area “Principal's exit list grows over years “ The Register - Guard - Eugene, Or. Author: The Register-Guard Date: Feb 20, 2005 Start Page: A.1 Document Types: General News Text Word Count: 907 Document Text (Copyright 2005 The Register-Guard. All rights reserved.) More than 10 years ago, Anselmo Villanueva began an exodus record of minority professionals The "eXit Files" - do they really exist? Anselmo Villanueva says the e-mail list got its start more than 10 years ago when he and Donna Albro, then affirmative action director at Lane Community College, met for coffee and began talking about all the minority professionals they knew who'd left the Eugene- Springfield area. Villanueva jotted the names - more than 30 - down on a napkin. Then he went home and put them in a computer file, which he later dubbed the eXit Files. Before long, he added Albro's name to the list. She resigned in October 1995, citing frustrations with LCC's commitment to affirmative action issues. Villanueva, who today is principal at Adams Elementary and Hillside Alternative schools, says he eventually stopped compiling the list after it grew to more than 150 names. In between job changes and computer upgrades, he says he misplaced or lost the master list. But as recently as July 2003, he sent an e-mail to Adrian Rodriguez, who was leaving the area after working at both LCC and the University of Oregon. "As you know, one of the honors that comes with 'moving on' is to be named to the 'eXit Files.' You will be number 139," Villanueva wrote. Villanueva notes that most of those on the list work in the public sector - government and schools - because that's his professional circle. Similarly, it does not reflect local minorities who hold blue-collar jobs or work in the service and retail industries. 42 Most everyone on the list, he says, cites similar reasons for leaving - workplace hostility, a "glass ceiling" that blocks job advancement, an expectation that they'll take on diversity work in addition to their regular duties, and a "cultural void" brought on by the community's lack of ethnic diversity. Villanueva was born and raised in Santa Barbara, Calif., to a German-English mother and Filipino father. "I'm as much white as brown, but people would never accept me as a white person," he says. He and his wife, Rose Mary, were public school teachers who first moved to Eugene in 1979. Villanueva says they were drawn here because it seemed a good place to raise a family. "We saw lots of families outside, dads in the parks with their kids," he says. His first job in Eugene was as a reading specialist at Willakenzie Elementary School. He served an earlier stint at Adams Elementary, for five years in the '80s, as a school counselor. For 11 years he was the school district's minority community liaison, working from the Education Center. His first principalship, from 2000 to 2002, was at O'Hara Catholic School in Eugene. Villanueva, 55, has also earned his doctoral degree in education from the UO, and served on multiple community boards. He says he's often asked why he stays, especially as he catalogs the names of so many others who've gone. "I left once already - I left Southern California - and I don't have the energy to leave again," he says. "And you've got to take your stand somewhere. As kids today say, 'What the hey, just stay.' ' - Jeff Wright THE eXit FILES A sampler of minority professionals who've left Eugene Donna Albro: Director of peer education in human relations program, Hobart and William Smith Colleges, Geneva, N.Y. Resigned as Lane Community College affirmative action director in 1995. Jacquelyn Belcher: President, Georgia Perimeter College. Served as vice president of instruction at LCC, left in 1990 after unsuccessful bid for presidency. 43 Jon Cawthorne: Associate university librarian for information and collections, San Diego State University. Previously served as reference and outreach librarian at University of Oregon Knight Library. Randy Choy: Program officer for education and special funds, Oregon Community Foundation, Portland. Previously served as associate director of UO multicultural affairs office. Allison Davis-White Eyes: Indian Education coordinator, Oregon State University. Previously served as assistant director of admissions at UO. Left Eugene in January 2000. Matt Garcia: Associate professor of American civilization and ethnic studies at Brown University, Providence, R.I. Taught ethnic studies and history at UO from 2000 to '03. Robert Jimeenez: Education professor, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tenn. Taught at UO between 1990 and '94. Martin Dale Montoya: Assistant professor of sociology, University of North Carolina at Pembroke. Earned doctoral degree from UO, taught at LCC, OSU, Southern Oregon University, Linn-Benton Community College. Left Eugene in 2004. Adrian Rodriguez: Counselor at Portland Community College. Left LCC in 2003 after working as diversity coordinator and counselor. Sho Shigeoka: Counselor, Westview High School, Beaverton. Previously served as director of UO Women's Center. Left Eugene in November 1997. Bettie Sing Luke: Office manager and program coordinator, Organization of Chinese- Americans of Greater Seattle. Worked as multicultural trainer/equity specialist at Eugene School District until half-time position eliminated in August 2003. Clarence Spigner: Associate professor, social and behavioral science, University of Washington, Seattle. Previously taught public health, anthropology and ethnic studies at UO. Left Eugene in 1994. Bert Suarez: Bilingual project specialist, State University of New York at Oneonta. Joined Eugene Police Department as police officer in 1992. Left Eugene after 20 years residency in 1997. Quintard Taylor: Professor of American history, University of Washington, Seattle. Former chairman of UO history department. Left Eugene in 1999. 44 Donna Wong: Associate director, Office of Multicultural Programs and Services, Emory University, Atlanta. Earned doctoral degree, managed Educational Opportunities Program at UO. Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction or distribution is prohibited without permission. Abstract (Document Summary) [Anselmo Villanueva] says the e-mail list got its start more than 10 years ago when he and Donna Albro, then affirmative action director at Lane Community College, met for coffee and began talking about all the minority professionals they knew who'd left the Eugene- Springfield area. His first job in Eugene was as a reading specialist at Willakenzie Elementary School. He served an earlier stint at Adams Elementary, for five years in the '80s, as a school counselor. For 11 years he was the school district's minority community liaison, working from the Education Center. His first principalship, from 2000 to 2002, was at O'Hara Catholic School in Eugene. Martin Dale Montoya: Assistant professor of sociology, University of North Carolina at Pembroke. Earned doctoral degree from UO, taught at LCC, OSU, Southern Oregon University, Linn-Benton Community College. Left Eugene in 2004. Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction or distribution is prohibited without permission. 45 The eXit Files The Register - Guard - Eugene, Or. Author: Jeff Wright The Register-Guard Date: Feb 20, 2005 Start Page: A.1 Document Types: General News Text Word Count: 1719 Document Text (Copyright 2005 The Register-Guard. All rights reserved.) An informal roster of minority professionals exiting Eugene reveals the psychological defeat that racism has imposed Robin Morris Collin says she had to flee Eugene's racist ways - and so she did. But she didn't have to go far. Collin is in her second year as a law professor at Willamette University in Salem - after spending 10 years teaching at the University of Oregon School of Law. She says her new job is a lateral move, and that she left Eugene strictly because of the racial attitudes she encountered on and off the job. "There were no other reasons," she says. "I would have stayed. It was perplexing." In leaving, Collin found her name added to the "eXit Files," an informal list of minority professionals who've come to Eugene with high hopes, only to leave dispirited and dismayed. One of the latest entries is Marilyn Mays, until recently the diversity coordinator for the city of Eugene and president of the Eugene-Springfield chapter of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People. Mays resigned her city job last month, announcing her plans to return to San Diego, where she previously worked in recreation services. She intends to leave Eugene at the end of the month, after fulfilling her duties as coach of a YMCA youth basketball team. Mays, 38, said community denial around issues of racism, and the fallout from an allegation of racial profiling made by her nephew, Cortez Jordan, contributed to her decision to leave. "I'm really just part of that list," she said last month, referring to the so- called eXit Files. In recent interviews with eight others on the list, all but two said racist attitudes played a major role in their decision to leave Eugene. Most said they felt psychologically defeated, and several said they suffered physical health effects. None said they regret leaving Eugene, though two said they would consider moving back. 46 Collin, who's lived in Louisiana, Kentucky and California, said she never encountered such a combination of "shallow friendliness" and social discomfort among white acquaintances until moving to Eugene. "It's as if people don't have a place in their minds for black people of accomplishment or means," she said. "They'd either not know how to respond, or offer a superficial welcome, or just plain didn't like it." Collin said four years ago she was showering at the Downtown Athletic Club, where she was a member, when another woman began muttering about "niggers" being "allowed" on the premises - in a voice loud enough for Collin and others to easily hear. When the woman approached her, Collin said she asked her name, told her that her comments were inappropriate, and advised her to take any concerns about club membership rules up with the manager. Beyond her fear that things could escalate, Collin said she was dismayed that several other women in the room who heard and saw the exchange refused to speak up or intervene - including one who initially resisted Collin's plea to go get the locker room attendant for help. "They were in denial - ready to protect her instead of me," she said. On campus, Collin believes she was denied advancement opportunities because of her race. She said there's a "silencing effect" in which professionals of color learn to go along to get along. "If you stand up, go public, do not shut up, the response is, 'We will crush you.' ' Can it really be so different 60 miles up the interstate at Willamette? Collin says yes - and not merely because the law school president at Willamette is a black man. The difference, she said, "is equal treatment - you are treated equal to everyone else. And if you do something of value, you are actually supported and embraced." One example: When she announced to UO faculty that she and others had received an award from then-Vice President Al Gore for creating an environmental law curriculum, Collin claims she was "greeted with snickers. But here at Willamette, they put it on their Web site." Collin said she's not a quitter, which is why she remained in Eugene for so long. The indignities, she said, were affecting her physical and mental health. "I finally realized that, at the end of the day, it wasn't going to get any better. And I can't stop being black." Collin, 50, said she still encounters racist assumptions and comments in Salem, but not as frequently or powerfully as when she lived in Eugene. She's not sure why. 47 "All I know is, my mental posture here is different. I don't feel threatened or suspect all the time. I'm happier here." Kelly Johnson says the same about Portland, where she works as a deputy district attorney for Multnomah County - after serving in a similar position with the Lane County district attorney's office for 5 1/2 years. A "persistent bias in the professional community in Eugene" is what she says sent her to Portland. "I had every reason to stay," said Johnson, whose husband, Edwin Coleman III, grew up in Eugene. "But it reached the point where I was just loathing it. I saw no opportunity as an African-American so long as the standard I was being held to was, 'Does she fit? Does she have the face we want to be presenting?' ' One of the hard things about being a minority professional in Eugene, she said, is that you "have to be your own advocate and cheerleader and support network. Generally, you're in situations where you are the first. There are no role models." Johnson has her own horror stories about life in Eugene. She says she was pregnant and sitting in a booth at a Eugene restaurant when a man she'd recently prosecuted in court suddenly accosted her, yelling, cursing and flailing his arms as if to hit her. Johnson said the restaurant manager quickly came over to investigate the commotion - and asked her why she was causing trouble. Johnson previously lived in Northern California when she attended Humboldt State University. "If Eugene is white, Humboldt County is stark white," she said. "But I never experienced that kind of thing, in terms of being singled out or accused or confronted, before I came to Eugene." But others on the eXit Files list say their experiences were different, and that they didn't leave because of perceived racism. Roy Brown was a captain in the Eugene Police Department, lured to the job in 1996 by Leonard Cooke, the city's first black police chief. Brown said perceptions of racial profiling - including two police stops involving black UO music professor John Gainer - dogged the department during his tenure. But he said he did not find much racism directed toward him personally, and that he and his wife so enjoyed Eugene that they think about returning after retirement. Brown, 58, is police chief in Claremont, Calif., a city of 35,000 near Los Angeles. He said he left Eugene when it became clear that higher-ups in the city did not think he had the qualifications for police chief, the position he coveted. "I didn't leave because of anything to do with race; I left when I was told I wasn't qualified," he said. "I thought, 'Well, I'll have to go show them that I am qualified,' and I did. I've been down here (as chief) for almost five years now." 48 Marshall Sauceda, now an associate dean of ethnic and cultural services at Loyola Marymount University in Los Angeles, says he, too, misses Eugene - and has the UO Ducks license plate frames on his car to prove it. Sauceda, 50 and Latino, worked in the UO's Office of Multicultural Affairs for 10 years, seven as director. While racism was not a primary factor in leaving Eugene, he says he remains disappointed by the community's "one step forward, one step backward" approach to dealing with the issue. "I applaud all that's been done, but I also have to ask the hard question: Why haven't we made greater progress, given the amount of time and effort involved?" he said. "I think it comes down to leadership." Sauceda predicts professionals of color will continue to leave Eugene - a notion seconded by Tina Napier, a black woman who left last year after working for the city of Eugene for 10 years. Napier, who now lives in Sacramento, says Eugene's lack of diversity makes it especially hard for single people such as herself to connect socially. "I have friends there who say, 'I'm not dying in Eugene,' ' she said. "People are staying there just long enough to raise their kids or retire, and after that they're packing up and moving." Danielle Torres, a Mexican-American, says she was the only one among her friends of color who stayed in Eugene after graduating with her doctoral degree in counseling psychology from the UO in 2003. "Everyone else came and left," said Torres, 31. "No one ever had the idea they were going to stay." Torres stayed to accept a teaching job at Pacific University's Eugene campus. But she, too, has since left - to Portland, where she is now a professor at Lewis & Clark College. She said she admires but also worries for Eugene's cadre of racism-fighting activists. "I've seen how frustrated they can be, feeling they're banging their heads against the wall and nothing ever coming easily," she said. Last month, at a professional conference in Los Angeles, Torres said she met an older black man who identified himself as a fellow UO alum. The man, she said, sympathized when Torres said she'd lived in Eugene for six years. "He asked, 'How did you cope?' and was very serious and sincere," she said. "I think that's just sad - that the reputation of what it's like to live in Eugene hasn't really changed in 25 or 30 years." [Illustration] 49 Caption: Law professor Robin Morris Collin now teaches at Willamette University in Salem after spending 10 years teaching at the University of Oregon School of Law. The difference, she said, "is equal treatment - you are treated equal to everyone else." "It's as if people don't have a place in their minds for black people of accomplishment or means." ROBIN MORRIS COLLIN FORMER EUGENE RESIDENT AND UO LAW PROFESSOR Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction or distribution is prohibited without permission. 50 51 Appendix II Proposed “African Diaspora” Cluster Hire in the College of Arts and Science The Department of English, the Department of History, and the Ethnic Studies Program propose to further the University’s commitment to diversity, interdisciplinarity, and internationalization by coordinating hiring across disciplines in African and African American Studies: • History has two vacancies that it plans to fill with junior hires in African History and African American History. • English has an unfilled senior endowed professorship (the Horn Professorship) designated as a position in African American Literature. • Ethnic Studies will have one of three "senior premiums" in the College next year, with which it plans to target an associate-level hire in African American Studies. These initiatives, all within CAS, follow previous sustained endeavors, such as CAS’s creation of 4.0 FTE in Ethnic Studies through internal reallocation of resources during the late 1990s and early 2000s. These most recent resource commitments by units across the humanities and social sciences come at a time when Romance Languages and Ethnic Studies are facing difficult retention issues. CAS is therefore requesting an allocation of recurring funds from the Provost's Office toward the creation of a new, tenure-track assistant professorship to be located in Ethnic Studies. This new position will contribute to the organic cluster of positions that has emerged at the initiative of English, Ethnic Studies, History, Romance Languages, and the College of Arts & Sciences. The College plans to advertise all five new faculty positions simultaneously and to promote them as a coordinated effort at diversifying its faculty and curriculum. Furthermore, the faculty members in this cluster will contribute significantly to strength in the University’s research centers (including CSWS, CRESS, and the proposed Center for Latino and Latin American Studies). Given that the bulk of this cluster is coming from commitments by the Departments (including both senior positions), the contribution from the Provost's Office, while essential, will be comparatively small. The potential payoff, however, is six faculty members at all levels of seniority across four units, giving the University a new profile and vitality in this important field of study. 1 Lundquist College of Business Strategic Diversity Plan June 15, 2007 Lundquist College of Business Vision/Mission Vision The Charles H. Lundquist College of Business will be internationally renowned for excellence in business education and research drawing strength from its links to Pacific Rim neighbors and distinctive qualities of Oregon culture: innovation, sustainability, active lifestyles, financial stewardship, and respect for individuality and diversity within an increasingly global community. Mission The College is an integral part of the state’s flagship AAU university, which is a liberal arts, public, research institution. The College’s mission is to: 1. Provide outstanding undergraduate education that combines a strong foundation in the liberal arts, excellence in traditional business disciplines and experiential opportunities drawing on the strength of Oregon’s distinctive qualities. 2. Support economic development by offering master’s programs associated with signature centers derived from Oregon’s distinctive qualities, and by providing expert services to the Oregon community and beyond. 3. Contribute to the advancement of business knowledge through scholarship and doctoral programs in accordance with the research mission of the university. Organizational Structure We implement this mission via disciplinary research and education in accounting, decision sciences, finance, management, and marketing combined with experiential education and interdisciplinary research in our signature themes of entrepreneurship/innovation, securities analysis, sports business, and sustainable supply chain management. Transition from disciplinary to experiential education is supported by leadership education focused on communication, teamwork, ethics, and personal leadership development. The disciplines are organized by departments and governed by an academic council. The signature themes and leadership are organized by centers and governed by a professional council. The college has two associate deans: academic affairs and professional affairs; and four assistant deans: external affairs, operations, undergraduate programs and graduate programs. Each department has a head and each center has an academic director and a managing director. The department heads, associate dean for academic affairs, associate dean for professional affairs and assistant deans for undergraduate and graduate programs form the Academic Council. The center academic and managing directors plus the director of career services are joined by the two associate deans and assistant dean for external affairs on the Professional Council. 2 College Diversity Snapshot 1. Students: The undergraduate program participates in a number of outreach recruiting events with prospects from underrepresented groups and attempts to influence who matriculates into the College. We have the ability to improve the diversity of our admitted student population by focusing our efforts on freshmen and sophomores. However, the College is ultimately constrained in its efforts to impact the diversity of admitted students at the junior level by the overall makeup of the undergraduate population. At the graduate level, we recruit students for the Ph.D., MBA and MAcc programs. Historically, we have had mixed success in attracting women and international students in these programs. We have had little success in attracting students from underrepresented ethnic groups. 2. Faculty: We currently count 17 women, five Latino/Latinas and one African- American among our faculty of 66. Further, faculty from these groups have held leadership positions including department heads, associate deans and dean. 3. Officers of Administration: We have 22 OA’s, of whom 12 are women, one is Asian, and one is Latina. 4. Staff: We have 21 classified staff, 17 of whom are women. Diversity Value Statement and Definition We value diversity because we value the fundamental right of each student, faculty and staff member to work in an environment that allows her/him to attain her/his potential, free from harassment, and because we recognize that a focus on diversity enhances excellence in our education and research programs. The ways in which we value diversity ultimately help us define diversity. On one hand, creating an environment in which all of our members can thrive means we must define diversity in terms of groups that have typically been underrepresented and marginalized – groups defined by race, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, disability. (This list is not meant to be exhaustive.) Focusing on these areas also supports the second value stated above – that of enhancing our excellence in education and research programs. That second value also requires that we expand our definition of diversity. Enhancing excellence in education and research programs means cultivating diversity of thought in the College. Diversity of thought does flow from the diverse groups described above but it also comes from other groups not so easily defined. We must challenge ourselves to identify those other groups. For instance, how could we encourage students who might not normally major in business – students who major in Philosophy, Journalism, English, etc. – to participate in business discussions? Are there ways to characterize these students and target them more strategically? How could we attract more non-traditional students, older students who have been in the work force? These are examples of two 3 “groups” who might not fit the traditional definition, or even get us “credit” for diversity building, but who would truly represent our stated value of excellence in education. Diversity is a critical component of excellence in business education. Our graduates will enter an increasingly diverse work place where they will be asked to lead teams consisting of people of many nationalities, ethnic backgrounds, and genders. Each person will bring her/his unique critical thinking style, work style, leadership style and value system. These differences will be the potential strength of the team and a challenge for the leader. Our students will be competing with graduates from schools such as USC and Michigan that have extensive experience with diverse teams. Our learning environment must provide each of our students the tools and experiences necessary to compete effectively during their careers. A diverse cohort of faculty and students also contributes to the research agenda. Researchers from different backgrounds bring different perspectives to research discussions. For example, one might hypothesize that consumer behavior would be different in white, Latino and African-American communities. Even in a technical area such as operations research or finance, we would expect researchers from different backgrounds to approach problems differently. Hence teams that are diverse have more problem solving tools from which to draw. Initial Diversity Planning Committee Helen Gernon, Associate Dean for Professional Affairs (Chair) Adrian Michael Ades, undergraduate student Heather Bottorff, Academic Advisor, Undergraduate Programs Ron Bramhall, Instructor, Leadership and Communications Ben Cannon, undergraduate student Lynn Kahle, Ehrman Giustina Professor of Marketing Rebekah Lambert, former Administrative Manager, Accounting Department Andrew Verner, Assistant Dean of Graduate Programs Point 6 of this Plan calls for creating a permanent committee or other body with overall responsibility for diversity efforts in the College. This committee is the “committee” frequently referred to as the Responsible Entity for implementation of Plan Goals and Action Items. This Committee is to be created by November 2007. Diversity Strengths and Challenges The College has several strengths relative to diversity: diverse faculty, strong and improving gender diversity, good relationships with minority supporting organizations within the community, and a relatively benign climate. The faculty has 66 faculty members. Of that group there are 49 men and 17 women, six members of underrepresented groups, and eight international faculty. Each search committee is designed to be diverse and each pool is reviewed for its diversity before invitations to interview are issued. Of the five faculty members hired in FY06, two were international and two were female. 4 Roughly one quarter of all international alumni of the university are Lundquist graduates. We are far less than one quarter of the overall alumni base. According to the College Annual Scorecard, the entering undergraduate student body is 34% female and the entering graduate student body is 45% female. Our entering class of MBA students is 40% female. In 2004-05, we started a Women in Business Club that has grown in membership each year. We have strong relationships with CentroLatino Americano in Lane County and the Hispanic Metro Chamber in Portland. We have done student and faculty work for both organizations. We are starting our second year of working with CentroLatino. Our Leadership in Action Practicum, operated through the College’s Leadership and Communication Center, will place a team of students on a continuation project for the organization based on the recommendations from last year’s student team. The executive director, Jorge Navarro, wants the students to explore ways to make the organization more financially stable. The faculty of the Leadership and Communication Center conducted a one-day workshop for the Hispanic Metro Chamber in Portland on Leadership Styles and How to be a Leader of Change. The faculty will return in the spring to work with the participants on presentation skills and how to create effective, persuasive presentations. Since 2005, the lead instructor for the Oregon Young Scholars Program (OYSP) has been from the College. He has been instrumental in the success of this program, a summer program for high school students of color. Due in part to the College’s contribution, the university was able to bring in a new class of 10 students in 2006 in addition to the returning class of 16 from 2005. The College organized the activities and designed the integrative piece that resulted in an exceptional experience for these students. A Ropes course and community service day were added to the curriculum. Student and parent comments indicate this program has been a life-changing experience for many of these students. We have had little distress over climate issues. We believe this can be attributed to the willingness of faculty and administrators to address issues when they arise. While we understand that it would be unwise to conclude from this relatively benign climate that we have no climate issues, we feel it is a positive factor for the College. Diversity challenges in the College include low ethnic diversity in students entering the College and enrolling in graduate programs, declining numbers of international students in both undergraduate and graduate programs, and relatively low numbers of women in the undergraduate program. Addressing these challenges will require additional resources. While our External Affairs Office already has made great strides in identifying donors for diversity-related student scholarships, additional efforts will be required to fund some of the action items listed below. The College will also work with the Office of Institutional Equity and Diversity to identify possibilities for cost sharing with other departments and schools. 5 The College will annually review the plan laid out below and make adjustments in the goals and action items as determined by progress to date, existing resources, and changes in the environment. Point 1: Developing a Culturally Responsive Community A. Define what this focal area means to your specific unit. A culturally responsive community recognizes that students, faculty, and staff come from a variety of cultural backgrounds and that these cultures are reflected in how we view and experience the world. It works to understand the commonalities that exist between people of different backgrounds and also recognizes and celebrates their differences. A culturally responsive community ensures that all individuals have full opportunity to participate and succeed. B. What have you learned about this focal area from your environmental scan? While a deeper environmental scan is needed, the College has done some work in this area: • The College Professional Code of Conduct emphasizes the “dignity of all people” and “mutual respect.” • The Women in Business Club was established in 2004 to provide “support, encouragement, and guidance to female students within the settings of business and academia.” A similar club for business students of color was started a few years ago, but did not take hold. • The International Business and Economics Club provides “students with the opportunity to actively explore the world in its growing interdependent state.” • The Undergraduate Program employs two Support Services Mentors who work with students from underrepresented groups, including students of color. This program has been very effective. • The Dean’s Undergraduate Student Advisory Council discussed at length the issue of diversity within the College. Students of color shared their feelings and perspectives and an important discussion took place. These discussions will be resumed in 2007-08. Many College courses do not include the explicit study of issues related to diversity. Indeed, some diversity issues are seen as “taboo” and discussions tend to go around them, rather than engage them. The College needs to enable faculty with the tools necessary for them to feel comfortable discussing these topics. However, all Marketing and International Business courses touch on diversity in some way. There are examples, as well, of courses in which some diversity issues are directly addressed, including the core undergraduate courses BA 352 (Leadership and Communication) and MGMT 321 (Managing Organizations), and the required MAcc course ACTG 610 (Developing the Business Professional). Other courses that touch on some diversity issues include BA 351 (Cross Cultural Business Communication), BA 365 (Cross Cultural Negotiations), MGMT 415 (Human Resource Management) and MGMT 6 623 (Negotiations). However, the diversity topics discussed in all of these courses tend to be focused on issues of international, rather than domestic, diversity. There are no formal mechanisms in place for dealing with issues of bias or exclusion that may arise (See Point 6 of this plan). C. Identify your unit’s strengths and challenges in this area. Strengths • Existing course content dealing with international diversity issues is strong, ex. BA 352. • Willingness of faculty to respond to diversity issues when raised. • Less distress over diversity issues than other units within the university. Challenges • Some diversity issues seen as “taboo,” particularly domestic ones. • No mechanisms in place for dealing with issues of bias or exclusion. • Some faculty members unsure of how to address and incorporate diversity issues in course development. • Some faculty depend exclusively upon one or two students of color to speak up whenever a diversity issue is raised. • Additional resources needed to implement the goals and action items in this plan. Goals/Action Items Measures of progress Responsible entity/ Accountability Timeline for implementation GOAL #1: Promote a culturally responsive community by ensuring that all College materials affirm the College’s vision for, and commitment to, diversity and the challenges and opportunities that such diversity brings to our community ACTION: Develop methods to ascertain whether a faculty member effectively engages students from diverse backgrounds and experiences whenever feasible Documented changes Dean/Academic Council Fall 2008 7 ACTION: Review and revise (as needed) College vision, mission, and code of conduct to ensure that they reflect a culturally responsive community Note: ACTION item related to putting a mechanism in place for dealing with issues of bias or exclusion is addressed in Point 6 Documented changes Dean/Committee Spring 2008 GOAL #2: Improve LCB faculty’s, students’, and staff’s knowledge of issues related to diversity ACTION: Provide teaching effectiveness workshops on issues of diversity to faculty 1. # of workshops provided to faculty 2. # of faculty participating in workshops Dean/Committee will determine how such workshops will be promoted in order to ensue attendance Provide workshops as needed in the 2007-08 academic year ACTION: Provide workshops on issues of diversity to all students, using established student clubs and groups to help market the workshops 1. # of workshops provided to student clubs and groups 2. # of students participating in workshops Dean/Committee Provide workshops as needed in the 2007-08 academic year Point 2: Improving Campus Climate A. Define what this focal area means to your specific unit. One key goal of this plan is to improve the College climate for diversity. In particular, efforts by faculty, students, OAs, and staff to enhance their abilities to work and learn in a diverse community should make the College a more welcoming and productive place for all of us. Building a critical mass and expanding and filling the pipeline will also improve the climate by increasing diversity within the College. B. What have you learned about this focal area from your environmental scan? The College Code of Conduct is distributed to every class at the start of each term. This document appears to increase sensitivity to diversity among many people in our community. 8 In keeping with President Frohnmayer’s China Initiative and with financing from a US Department of Education grant, the College and the Center for Asian-Pacific Studies launched its Engaging China program in 2006. Following a spring-term lecture series, which was open to the local community, and summer readings assignments, a group of about 20 MBA students plus faculty traveled to China in Summer 2006 to study sports marketing. This year, a similar group will travel to China to study entrepreneurship and sustainable supply-chain management. The Warsaw Sports Marketing Center hopes to make such a trip an annual feature for MBA students in Sports Business. These study tours and other efforts by the college to promote international travel and study abroad enhance awareness of and appreciation for the diversity among people. In 2006-07, the College has undertaken a series of initiatives designed to enhance the diversity climate: • The Oregon Young Scholars Program has been funded again for summer 2007. • Leadership in Action is in development phase for Spring 2007. • The College made a day-long presentation on Leadership Styles and Leadership Practices to the Hispanic Metro Chamber Leadership Program. • The College contributed $2,500 support to the national Ph.D. Project. • The Women in Business Club has 74 members. Forty to forty-five members regularly attend meetings (as compared to 35 last year). • Speakers from underrepresented groups have been invited to the College to give talks. The Accounting Department alone has invited three African-Americans to present academic seminars. Other areas have invited Asian, Indian, and South African speakers. The majority of invited speakers are female. C. Identify your unit’s strengths and challenges in this area. Strengths • Few open complaints about climate. • Distribution of the Code of Conduct does seem to set tone for the College. Challenges • Absence of open complaints may mask persistence of problems. • Need to clarify dispute prevention actions and dispute resolution process for when controversies arise (See Point 6 of this plan). • Need to receive recognition for efforts accomplished. • Additional resources needed to implement the goals and action items in this plan. Goals/Action Items Measures of progress Responsible entity/ Accountability Timeline for implementation GOAL #1: Improve community awareness about diversity efforts ACTION: Collect and distribute information about diversity efforts Information distributed. Dean/Committee Spring 2008 9 GOAL #2: Build a College environment that is knowledgeable of and receptive to diversity initiatives ACTION: Assess current environment through self survey Completed survey. Dean/Committee Spring 2008 ACTION: Discuss and share results, identify areas for improvement Responding to benchmarks. Dean/Committee Fall 2008 Point 3: Building Critical Mass A. Define what this focal area means to your specific unit. The College embraces the UO definition of critical mass. We would like to increase the critical mass of underrepresented groups in all categories (faculty, instructors, OAs, staff, and both undergraduate and graduate students). This objective is in line with the College vision statement. B. What have you learned about this focal area from your environmental scan? Undergraduate Students In 2004, we experienced a drop in the number of women entering business programs. The College’s relatively new Women in Business Club (started in 2004-05 to reverse the decline) appears to have helped produce an increase in undergraduate women enrollment figures and may have helped improve the number of women entering the Master of Accounting Program (see chart below). Measuring the success of the Women in Business Club may help in deciding if the program could/should be replicated for other underrepresented groups. In 2006, the number of minority students entering the undergraduate program is 16%, six percentage points down from the 2000 level of 22% and two percentage points up from the 2005 level. We are working on maintaining this increase. The Undergraduate Program employs two Support Services Mentors who work with students from underrepresented groups, including students of color. This program has been very effective. Students report that they welcome the support they receive from the mentors through the process of applying to the College. The Undergraduate Program needs to continue to work closely with INROADS, an organization which works to increase ethnically diverse employees in corporate management in the U.S. and helps to change the way these candidates gain access into the business world. By supporting and promoting the INROADS program, our students of color gain access to summer internships, business mentoring, and permanent employment. 10 % of women students entering 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 Undergraduate 42.0% 46.0% 42.0% 43.0% 36.0% 39.0% 34.0% Masters 39.0% 35.0% 41.0% 31.0% 29.0% 38.0% 45.0% Ph.D. 25.0% 32.0% 31.0% 20.0% 22.0% 50.0% 45.0% % of minority students entering 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 Undergraduate 22.0% 20.0% 17.0% 20.0% 14.0% 14.0% 16.0% Masters 5.9% 8.9% 7.5% 5.0% 12.0% 13.0% 15.0% Ph.D. 0.0% 0.0% 12.5% 0.0% 0.0% 0.0% 11.0% % of international students entering 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 Undergraduate 14.0% 13.0% 15.0% 19.0% 14.0% 8.0% 8.0% Masters 26.8% 32.5% 31.0% 27.0% 22.0% 20.0% 15.0% Ph.D. 75.0% 62.5% 62.5% 40.0% 25.0% 30.0% 56.0% Graduate Students In terms of the three underrepresented groups of students for which Building Critical Mass is a focus (ethnicity, race and gender), the College has seen improvements in terms of women entering the MBA, MAcc, and Ph.D. programs. To stem the drop in international MBA students from East Asia, the Assistant Dean for Graduate Programs attended MBA recruiting fairs last fall in Tokyo, Seoul, Beijing, Shanghai, and Taiwan. He intends to visit the Asian recruiting fairs again in fall 2007 and may expand our international recruiting efforts, as they appear to have helped increase the number of international MBA applicants. He is also working with the UO International Admissions Advisors by providing fact sheets and brochures to take on recruiting trips. We have done the following to attract Latino MBA students: • One of the four students profiled on our MBA website is Mexican-American. • This student was featured in a series of three ads that ran two years ago over an 8-week period in The Oregonian, Willamette Weekly, and Portland Mercury. • Ads have been placed in the Oregon Quarterly (UO alumni publication). • The program has advertised in Hispanic Outlook in Higher Education. • At a meeting with the Executive Director of the Hispanic Metropolitan Chamber, ways of channeling more Latino students into our undergraduate and graduate programs were discussed. • The Oregon MBA is represented in The Hispanic Students' Guide 2006, put out by Hobson's in collaboration with the National Society of Hispanic MBAs (NSHMBA), with a one-page program profile and a one-page student profile. 11 The MBA program just concluded an agreement with a Seattle area donor for two MBA diversity scholarships of $5,000 each, to be awarded annually for the next five years in conjunction with merit scholarships for recruiting purposes. In addition, the MBA Program will initiate contacts with the Portland and Seattle chapters of the National Societies of Black and Hispanic MBAs to explore ways of channeling more minority students into our program. Given limited resources and the non-existent return on investment thus far, options are limited. It's a Catch 22; you need a critical mass to attract more students, and you have to attract more students to build a critical mass. There is a consortium of MBA programs that recruits minority students collectively and offers generous scholarships, but that has been closed to newcomers for many years. The 2006-07 MAcc class demographics are as follows: 50% women, 17% International students and 9% Hispanic. Future plans include strengthening the MAcc program’s visibility to UO undergraduates through participating in program’s such as Duck Days that target freshman and sophomores and programs that target minorities. The purpose of this participation is to educate these students about the accounting profession and the UO program. In addition, ties with schools such as Southern Oregon University will be strengthened to encourage their faculty to identify minority candidates for the MAcc. Since Fall 2005, the College has participated in the Ph.D. Project (funded by and in partnership with KPMG) that has been important for building critical mass of minority students at the doctorate level. This project attracts and nurtures students from target populations to business Ph.D. programs. The College completed a mailing to some 25 potential students who listed the northwest as a region of interest. The College talked with more than twenty potential applicants and sent follow-up messages to those candidates. Two applied; one failed to meet our admission standards, and the other is still being considered. Faculty Participation in the Ph.D. Project should eventually lead to greater diversity among tenure-track position candidates. The Project is helping to attract more top quality minority students to doctoral programs. The number of minority candidates in applicant pools should increase once these students graduate from Ph.D. programs. The College may want to consider hiring our own doctoral students to fill tenure track positions. % of women 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 Tenure-track faculty and instructors 16.0% 16.0% 20.0% 18.0% 21.0% 26.0% 28.0% Invited to campus on recruiting trips 0.0% 44.0% 15.0% 58.0% 44.0% 27.0% 54.5% % of minorities 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 12 Tenure-track faculty and instructors 16.0% 14.0% 14.0% 12.0% 14.0% 15.0% 15.0% Invited to campus on recruiting trips 20.0% 44.0% 31.0% 31.0% 31.0% 18.0% 31.8% C. Identify your unit’s strengths and challenges in this area. Strengths • Recruitment and retention of women graduate students and faculty. • Creation of Women in Business Club (program for undergraduate students) in response to fewer women entering the UG program. Challenges • Demographics of Eugene and Oregon. • Demographics of the candidates from which the College has to choose for tenure- track faculty. The number of qualified faculty from underrepresented groups available to be hired is extremely small. • Good quality MBA graduates are hard to recruit into the Ph.D. program because of opportunity cost (Minority MBA’s command high salaries in private sector). • Perception that math requirement is a barrier to enter undergraduate program. • Difficulties in transferring from undergraduate minor to major degree program. • Additional resources are needed to implement the goals and action items in this plan. Goals/Action Items Measures of progress Responsible entity/ Accountability Timeline for implementation GOAL #1: Increase efforts to recruit and retain faculty, OAs and staff of color ACTION: Identify barriers to recruiting and retaining faculty, OAs and staff of color Written report Dean/ Committee Fall 2008 ACTION: Ensure that job postings are going out to diverse outlets. Work with the University (HR, Affirmative Action, OIED) about places to advertise and how the job advertisements are written Pre-/post- comparison about placements of ads, diversity of pool, diversity of candidates hired. Dean/Committee Fall 2009 GOAL #2: Increase efforts to recruit and retain students of color 13 ACTION: Identify barriers to recruiting and retaining students of color Written report Program Directors Fall 2008 ACTION: Develop a plan to reach out to students of color using information gathered from the report on identifying barriers Completed plan Assistant Dean of Undergraduate Programs Fall 2008 ACTION: Develop a plan to reach out in more significant ways to pre-business majors and minors (for instance, address perceptions of math requirement) Completed plan Assistant Dean of Undergraduate Programs Fall 2008 ACTION: Develop relationships with Portland & Seattle chapters of Hispanic & Black MBA Societies Contact made; meetings held Assistant Dean of Graduate Programs Fall 2007 Point 4: Expanding and Filling the Pipeline A. Define what this focal area means to your specific unit. The College has chosen to use the University’s definition for this point. The excerpt below was especially relevant and will be kept in mind as goals are formulated for this point. Academic preparation, community support, and encouragement towards higher education are not equally distributed throughout the youth population in Oregon. This structural inequality is a core source of the persistence of diversity challenges at the University. Outreach, support, and encouragement of underrepresented and underprivileged students at the K-12 level is a practical necessity in order for the University to reach its goals Please note that the definition used for this point focuses on an undergraduate pipeline. Any recruitment goals for graduate and Ph.D. programs are covered in Critical Mass (Point 3). B. What have you learned about this focal area from your environmental scan? The College has participated in multiple University sponsored K-12 programs such as Connections, ONE Day and Embracing the Future for the past several years. We hope to 14 continue our association with these activities in years ahead with increased contributions from faculty. In addition to our involvement in admissions sponsored K-12 events, the College has taken part in the Oregon Young Scholars Program during the summers. Due in part to the College’s contribution, the University was able to bring in a new class of 10 students in 2006 in addition to the returning class of 16 from 2005. The College organized the activities for the students and designed the integrative piece that resulted in an exceptional experience (as reported by students and parents) for these students. The College forged a relationship with the Hispanic Metro Chamber. This relationship presents multiple benefits to both parties, including attracting students associated with this organization to the College. Special consideration for our Community Excellence Award is given to students receiving scholarships from the Hispanic Metro Chamber. These awards range from $1200 to $1500. While there have been no recent formal environmental scans conducted in this particular area, we have had informal conversations with students through advisors and mentors about perceived roadblocks to entering the business school. We have received consistent feedback indicating that the current math requirement is perceived as such a barrier. Also, the structure of the minor program discourages interested students from switching to the major because they could lose coursework in the process. C. Identify your unit’s strengths and challenges in this area. Strengths • Current involvement in several admissions events such as Connections, ONE Day and Embracing the Future. • Successful participation in the OYSP for the past two summers. • Relationship with Hispanic Metro Chamber of Portland. Challenges • Perception of math requirement. • Difficulties in transferring from undergraduate minor to major degree program. • Limited number of high schools to work with – important not to overwhelm them with duplicate requests from individual colleges. • Additional resources needed to implement the goals and action items in this plan. Goals/Action Items Measures of progress Responsible entity/ Accountability Timeline for implementation GOAL #1: Recognize faculty/staff involvement in K-12 activities ACTION: Expand service definition in the evaluations for faculty/staff/OAs to include involvement in K-12 Inclusion of this item in evaluation forms Dean Fall 2008 15 activities on campus or in the community ACTION: Compile and disseminate a list of possible on campus or community volunteer programs List created and disseminated Dean/Committee Fall 2008 GOAL #2: Enhance participation in current programs ACTION: Expand College involvement in OYSP summer program Increased numbers of students involved in program/students returning for consecutive years in program Dean/Committee Summer 2007 and 2008 ACTION: Participate in admissions sponsored events such as Connections, ONE Day, and Embracing the Future, highlighting the importance of taking math all the way through high school Participated in at least 3 admissions sponsored events Assistant Dean of Undergraduate Programs Ongoing Point 5: Developing and Strengthening Community Linkages A. Define what this focal area means to your specific unit. Links to the community reflect the values stated in the Diversity Values and Definition Section. As part of a public institution, we aspire to be a responsible and inspirational link to the community. The community should be able to look to us as a valuable resource, and we should, in turn, always be mindful of what we can gain from the community. With regard to diversity, however, we must be more strategic in what we contribute to the community and how we tap into the community to make ourselves stronger. We define the community geographically – the immediate area (UO, Eugene/Springfield, outlying cities) and Portland are our strongest existing links. We also define the community categorically– industries (e.g. Sports Business), nations (e.g. China), partners (e.g. PSU and OSU partners in Oregon Executive MBA), friends (e.g. alumni, donors). Our links to the community should directly support our stated value – ensuring an environment that allows everyone to achieve her/his full potential, and that enhances our excellence in education and research programs. Links to the community should contribute to the goals of the other five points of the diversity plan and to the specific 16 goals of the College. The purpose of this section is to better define the goals of Community Linkages with regard to achieving diversity. B. What have you learned about this focal area from your environmental scan? A cursory environmental scan reveals many potential community links, both internal (e.g. OMAS, CoDaC, Disabilities Services, LGBTQA, BSU, MECHA, NASU, College Clubs) and external (e.g. CentroLatino, Oregon Disabilities Commission Technical Assistance Center). The actual number of community linkages is low, however, and these lack strategic focus. C. Identify your unit’s strengths and challenges in this area. Strengths • Ability to provide timely, relevant value to the organizations we work with. This affords us the opportunity to quickly build community linkages. • Connections with organizations that are valuable resources in diversity building. While these connections are in the early stages and tenuous, needing more cultivation, they are good starting points. o OYSP o Centro Latino o Hispanic Metro Chamber of Portland o HIV Alliance • Links with several departments across campus (Philosophy, PPPM, CIS) that are valuable resources in our diversity building efforts and speak to our ability to reach across campus. Challenges • Human capital in the College is stretched to the limit with multiple major initiatives under way. • Efforts made to link with the community are scattered and lack strategic direction. • Additional resources are needed to implement the goals and action items in this plan. Increased efforts to improve Community Linkages must be strategically linked with both our stated values with regard to diversity building and the overarching goals of the College’s diversity plan. We prefer a targeted approach. As such, the following goals are merely starting points. We recommend that the University identify a community liaison to more effectively and efficiently support campus-wide Community Linkages goals. Goals/Action Items Measures of progress Responsible entity/ Accountability Timeline for implementation GOAL #1: Connect with Community as related to other Points ACTION: Identify groups List of relevant Dean/Committee Spring 2008 17 related to Filling the Pipeline. (e.g. help communicate to potential target students the importance of math) groups ACTION: Identify groups related to Building Critical Mass. (e.g. help recruit and retain more students of color) List of relevant groups Dean/Committee Spring 2008 GOAL #2: Strategically increase the breadth and depth of our Community Linkages ACTION: Deepen existing linkages (OYSP, Centro Latino) to forge more strategic and ongoing relationships Evidence of contacts Dean/Committee Fall 2008 ACTION: Begin dialogue with new Community Groups to better understand their needs List of groups and evidence of contacts Dean/Committee Winter 2008 Point 6: Developing and Reinforcing Diversity Infrastructure A. Define what this focal area means to your specific unit. The vision of the College includes “respect for individuality and diversity within an increasingly global community.” This vision is very much in accord with the University mission of “equality of opportunity and freedom from unfair discrimination for all members of the university community and acceptance of true diversity as an affirmation of true identity within a welcoming community.” This particular focal area entails creating the organizational wherewithal (structure, policies, resources) for protecting members of our community from discriminatory treatment and for facilitating/promoting the other diversity goals and objectives spelled out previously in this document. B. What have you learned about this focal area from your environmental scan? While the College vision explicitly embraces “respect for individuality and diversity,” this goal has not yet been incorporated into its organizational structure and policies. It is unclear who bears direct responsibility for developing diversity initiatives and for dealing with diversity grievances. At the same time, members of the College community are largely unaware of diversity-related resources across campus. C. Identify your unit’s strengths and challenges in this area. Strengths • The College vision statement, adopted in 2006, reflects commitment by the institutional leadership to build structure and implement policies aimed at improving cultural competency throughout. • Paucity of complaints suggests absence of systemic problems. Challenges • Diversity infrastructure within the College is insufficiently developed. 18 • Awareness of campus-wide resources is weak among faculty, staff, and students. • Additional resources are needed to implement the goals and action items in this plan. Goals/Action Items Measures of progress Responsible entity/ Accountability Timeline for implementation GOAL #1: Develop organizational structure for dealing with diversity grievances and initiatives ACTION: Create standing committee or other body with overall responsibility for diversity Faculty approval of appropriate motion Dean Fall 2007 ACTION: Name members of such committee or body List of members announced Dean Winter 2008 GOAL #2: Develop written policies and procedures for considering and resolving diversity-related grievances ACTION: New committee will formulate College- specific rules in accordance with existing campus infrastructure Faculty approval of policies and procedures Dean/Committee Fall 2008 ACTION: Publish policies and procedures on diversity-related grievances Inclusion in course-related materials (e.g. syllabi) and/or student handbook Program Directors/ Associate Dean for Academic Affairs Fall 2009 University of Oregon Strategic Diversity Action Plan For the College of Education May 2007 University of Oregon Strategic Diversity Action Plan For the College of Education Figures 1 COE Leadership Organizational Chart 2 COE Research & Outreach Organizational Chart 3 Proportion of Faculty in Instructional and Non-Instructional Programs FY06 4 FY06 Instructional FTE Composition 5 Graduating Student Exit Survey: Participation Rates by Department and Program 2004-05 6 Graduating Student Exit Survey: Items by Content Sub-scales (Reliabilities) 2004- 05 7 Graduating Student Exit Survey: Participation Rates by Department and Program 2005-06 Tables 1 Faculty Distributions Across Academic Departments 2 Students Educational Status Across Academic Departments 3 Students Residential Status Across Academic Departments 4 Resource Commitments Attachments A COE Diversity Report and List of Committee Members B Fall 2004 Letter from Community to COE Leadership C May 2005 Letter to COE Re: Constituencies’ Concerns/Eight Demands D Dr. Carlos Cortes’ June 8, 2005 Report E Exit Survey Subscales For 2004-05 F Summary of EDAC Activities During 2005-06 School Year G Exit Survey Subscales for 2005-06 H Dr. Carlos Cortes’ June 5, 2006 Report I Lane County Teacher Pathways Project Summary J Teacher Education Reorganization Summary K Graduate Follow-Up Survey L Questions for the Diversity Report for the 2006-07 School Year Strategic Diversity Action Plan ~ College of Education (May 2007) University of Oregon Strategic Diversity Action Plan For the College of Education This Strategic Diversity Action Plan (SAP) is the result of three years of work (2004-07), during which the College of Education (COE) received intense, external review and criticism regarding diversity issues. As a result of this close inspection, over the past three years, the COE has engaged in a comprehensive process of internal examination and change—including significant administrative, organizational, curricular, and cultural changes—to address the challenges and opportunities offered by addressing those diversity issues. One of the major outcomes of that recent work is the COE’s Diversity Report (adopted February, 3, 2006). That Report was developed, refined, and finalized through input, discussion, and regular guidance from (a) two nationally recognized, outside consultants, (b) undergraduate and graduate students from COE, (c) community members (including teachers, school administrators, advocates), and (d) the entire administrative staff of the College (Attachment A presents the members of that committee and the final version of the Report). At the outset, we should note that the SAP is grounded in the Report, coupled with a developing College-wide evaluation system. The system includes (a) quantitative surveys of graduating students and graduated former students, (b) data from extant databases, and (c) qualitative input from students, community members, faculty, and staff. These data sources provided the foundation for planning the diversity-related work that we as a College have undertaken during the 2006-07 school year. As we will discuss in this SAP, we will use a similar process in planning our diversity-related activities for the 2007-08 school year. This document first offers a description of the COE and its structural composition. The complicated nature of the College must be understood as a precursor to our discussion of diversity. The latter sections of the SAP focus on diversity activities and plans. I. Description of the Units Mission/Guiding Principals The mission of the COE is to “make educational and social systems work for all.” Specifically, the goal of the COE is to (a) train educators and social service providers, and (b) conduct research and scholarship relative to contemporary issues facing the educational and social service systems. This mission carries unique implications for the COE as the “laboratory” in which we work (i.e., the focus of our instructional programs and research) are the public school systems and various social service systems (e.g., juvenile corrections, child welfare, and mental health) that exist in our society. Strategic Diversity Action Plan ~ College of Education (May 2007) - 1 - Relative to this mission, we as a College worked to develop and adopt the following diversity vision statement. The College of Education will be an inclusive community where students, faculty, and staff of all backgrounds are provided a welcoming and safe environment (a) in which to engage in their instructional, administrative, research, and scholarship activities and (b) have active, serious, and respectful discussions associated with the opportunities and challenges of diversity. Through open exchanges of ideas, the College will provide its students with the skills, knowledge, and understanding needed to educate and support children, youth, adults, and families representing all of society. The COE’s instructional and research and scholarship mission is fully consistent of the UO’s mission to “develop and disseminate knowledge.” Our unique association with the public school and social service systems also is consistent with the University’s stated goals of providing the highest quality educational experience to students, seeking international experiences for students and faculty, expanding the diversity of our students and faculty, and engaging the community in which the University is based to the maximum extent possible. Specific to our instructional programs, many of our students will enter the teaching or related services fields (e.g., school psychology, speech pathology); thus, to become prepared to succeed in these careers, it is incumbent that they receive structured experiences in schools and agencies as the basis of their professional training. Specific to our research and scholarship programs, we must work closely with those systems, the professionals in those systems, and the children, youth, and families using the systems. As the leading research college of education in the state and nation, and as the second largest trainer of teachers and administrators in the state, it is then imperative that we are responsive to the needs of the educational and social service systems—needs which are dictated by the children, youth, and families served by those systems. Indeed, comments from various professional and alumni organizations stress that as a college of education we must train our students to teach and work effectively with diverse learners in settings in which there will be children and youth with a broad array of learning, cultural, and linguistic characteristics. In this regard, it is important to recognize that the cultural and ethnic demographics of the local, state, and national educational and social systems have changed dramatically in recent years. Currently, in Oregon, about 24% of the school-age population is from minority groups, compared to less than 10% just more than 15 years ago. In some parts of the state the representation of “minority” groups is such that those students actually are the “majority” group in their respective community and educational or social system. Further, the number of different cultural and ethnic groups has multiplied greatly, creating school and social service contexts with an array of different languages and cultures. Strategic Diversity Action Plan ~ College of Education (May 2007) - 2 - There are, of course, other intrapersonal personal characteristics that can affect an individual’s success in learning and/or adjustment and that carry implications for the COE’s instructional and scholarship mission. Among these factors are disability (about 11% of all students in the public schools receive special education services), socioeconomic status, and sexual orientation. Individuals with these characteristics also should be viewed as diverse and require special attention within the public education and social service systems. A growing systemic factor with implications for the work of the College relates to internationalization. There is no question that our economy is becoming more diverse along with our population. Currently, 1 in 4 jobs in Oregon are tied to foreign businesses and it is likely that this proportion will increase in the coming years. This reality will dictate how our state and nation’s children and youth should be educated. That is, if children and youth are to become employed successfully in the near future, it is probable that they must be taught languages, cultures, and customs that are consistent with those of the businesses in which they will work and that will increasingly affect our society. It follows, that COE students—as future educators, social service providers, researchers, and academicians, who will teach, serve, and work with those young people—must also be trained to address these emerging needs. II. Organization Structure The COE is comprised of two major components: (a) an instructional program that prepares teachers and a wide variety of educators and support professionals to address the educational and social service needs of citizens in the country; and (b) an elaborate program of externally funded research projects that support COE instructional programs, and provide national and international leadership in the areas that are represented by the externally funded projects. Figure 1 shows the basic organization of the COE. Strategic Diversity Action Plan ~ College of Education (May 2007) - 3 - ASSOCIATE DEAN FOR CURRICULUM AND ACADEMIC PROGRAMS ASSISTANT DEAN FOR ADMINISTRATION AND MANAGEMENT ASSOCIATE DEAN FOR RESEARCH AND OUTREACH DEAN LEADERSHIP ORGANIZATIONAL CHART University of Oregon College of Education ASSISTANT DEAN FOR EXTERNAL AFFAIRS AND DEVELOPMENT TECHNOLOGY DIRECTOR DIRECTOR FOR POLICY IMPLEMENTATION AND MARKETING DIRECTOR, STUDENT ACADEMIC AND PROGRAM SERVICES STUDENT ACADEMIC SERVICES DIVERSITY COORDINATOR BUSINESS MANAGERS ACADEMIC PROGRAMS (SEE ACADEMIC PROGRAMS ORG CHART) RESEARCH ANDOUTREACH UNITS (SEE R & O ORG CHART-SEE) COMMUNICATIONS DIRECTOR FEDERAL POLICY & GRANTS SPECIALIST = Positions included in funding proposal COMMUNITY DIVERSITY ADVISORY BOARD (CDAB) FIGURE 1 Description of the Academic Departments This section describes the four academic departments in the COE. It should be noted that in the 2006-07 school year, the COE established the Community Diversity Advisory Board, which interacts directly with the Dean and the College’s Diversity Coordinator and has input on the academic programs. We discuss this committee later in this document. Educational Leadership. The Educational Leadership department offers programs in Initial and Continuing Administrative Licensure, both on campus as well as through distance education in its metro program for educational leaders in the Portland area. Additionally, the Educational Leadership department is affiliated with several key research and development centers that have successfully developed and sustained externally funded projects on large scale assessment systems, preparation for post-school education, progress monitoring in public schools, and assessment modifications in public schools. Counseling Psychology and Human Services: The Counseling Psychology and Human Services (CPHS) department includes nationally recognized and vital academic programs at the bachelor's, master's, and doctoral level that prepare individuals to provide counseling, therapy, and social services to individuals, families, and communities. All three academic programs have statements about their diversity commitments in their student handbooks, which provide advance notice to entering students about the program's commitments and expectations about diversity. The curriculum includes diversity-focused coursework in all three academic programs as well as the infusion of diversity topics into all courses offered in the department. Faculty research and scholarship address diversity topics. Several members of the CPHS faculty are working regularly in other countries (i.e., Ukraine, Chile, Cambodia, China) to develop collaborative research and service projects with human services, counseling, and therapy training programs. A strong component of the education and training associated with the bachelor's degree in the Family and Human Services program includes field placements in over 100 different agencies in our community during students' junior and senior years in the program. Students have an opportunity to work with clients and families from a wide diversity of backgrounds. Similarly, the Marriage and Family Therapy (MFT) program provides training opportunities for its master's students in the Center for Family Therapy, which provides over 4, 000 therapy contact hours on a sliding-scale fee basis for members of our local community. The Center does broad outreach to advertise its affordable therapy services to diverse populations in our community. The MFT program is currently working with the Beijing Normal University to extend its training model to China. The Counseling Psychology program offers doctoral practicum training at the Center, a center dedicated to understanding and promoting mental health and resilience in families from all cultural backgrounds. Strategic Diversity Action Plan ~ College of Education (May 2007) - 5 - Teacher Education. Teacher Education faculty has developed an innovative curriculum to support the development of teachers for Oregon’s schools who are competent pedagogically and culturally to serve the needs of Oregon’s increasingly diverse student population. This curriculum emphasizes strong preparation in subject matter content areas, with a special emphasis on areas of high need in Oregon—currently mathematics and science education. It also makes a commitment to serving Oregon’s increasingly linguistically diverse student population by imbedding an ESOL Endorsement in its certification program. This new curriculum improves on what preceded it by increasing the disciplinary diversity of its course offerings. From the undergraduate to the Ph.D. level, students will receive a genuinely interdisciplinary education that examines the psychological, social, cultural, and ideological foundations of teaching and schooling. Teacher Education faculty has successfully secured external funding to study innovative professional development for mathematics and science teachers. Also, Teacher Education faculty members, in partnership with nine federally recognized tribes from the state of Oregon, have developed the Sapsik’walá Project, aimed at increasing the number of Native teachers and teachers to work with Native students. Special Education and Clinical Sciences. The Department of Special Education and Clinical Sciences includes the Communication Disorders and Sciences, School Psychology, and Special Education majors. Each of these majors has doctoral and masters programs, and CDS also includes an undergraduate major. The Special Education graduate programs have long been nationally acclaimed, including a number 3 ranking in the 2007 U.S. News and World Report ratings of graduate programs, making it the highest nationally ranked graduate program at UO, and possibly within the Oregon University System. The programs within the department are known for cutting-edge research and innovation that has a strong applied focus, especially for children and youth with disabilities, or who are considered to be disadvantaged or at-risk for negative outcomes. Many of the research and outreach efforts of the department are making a strong positive impact in school settings that serve students with diverse backgrounds, both nationally and internationally. Description of the Research and Outreach Units In the 2006-07 school year, the COE accounted for $42 million dollars in external funds. In a very real sense these units operate as independent businesses, responding to opportunities for specific products or work and/or developing expertise in particular areas that promote success in funding. The funding priorities and resource availability are dictated by agencies outside of the College and University. A reality, then, is that the (a) vast majority of the faculty and staff in these units are not tenure-track faculty, (b) those faculty are dependent upon success in extramural funding to maintain their employment at the university, and (c) the work conducted by these different units is dictated by their respective funding agreements. Strategic Diversity Action Plan ~ College of Education (May 2007) - 6 - Figure 2 presents the Research and Outreach structure of the COE. Brief summaries of those Research and Outreach units are provided below. COE Research. UO College of Education is home to an alliance of nationally prominent centers, institutes, and affiliated research and outreach units. The following research units foster fundamental and applied research. Faculty members integrate their research findings and scholarship into the college's curriculum. An emphasis on evidence-based practice creates practicum and field based learning opportunities and practice sites for students and school/community partners. Behavioral Research and Teaching (BRT). BRT combines applied behavior analysis with effective measurement and teaching practices to develop, study, and disseminate empirically based educational programs for students who are at risk of failure in school and in the community. Research and professional development activities and projects focus on (a) academic assessment from teacher-driven classroom practices to large-scale state accountability systems; (b) educating students with learning disabilities; (c) systems change and school reform; and (d) behavioral and instructional consultation. Opportunities for research and personnel preparation are available for graduate students. Center for Educational Policy Research (CEPR). CEPR, a team of researchers, graduate students, and administrative staff members, carries out state- and federal-level educational policy analysis. Staff members seek to help policymakers and policy implementers do a better job of using educational policy as a tool to improve schooling and student learning. The center's mission is to develop policy tools that help organizations understand complex issues, analyze trends, and nurture new policy ideas. Center on Human Development (CHD). The CHD is part of a national network of 61 University Centers of Excellence (UCE) in Developmental Disabilities. The CHD's nine units support, assist, and empower people with disabilities and their families in ways that enhance their quality of life. Funds from the annual core grant are administered for these units to support the center's priorities: (a) the interdisciplinary training of professionals; (b) the development of exemplary services and proven models of intervention; (c) technical assistance and dissemination of best practices and knowledge about innovations; and (d) applied research and evaluation. Center on Teaching and Learning (CTL). The CTL conducts, translates, and disseminates research that offers solutions to problems faced by schools. Faculty members seek to advance understanding and use of evidence-based practices to prevent and intercept academic difficulties in school-aged children. One emphasis is the role of curriculum, instruction, and assessment in models of academic reform for schools. Research and outreach include school-based experimental research, model demonstration projects, and large-scale professional development and technical assistance. Strategic Diversity Action Plan ~ College of Education (May 2007) - 7 - DEAN EDUCATIONAL AND COMMUNITY SUPPORTS ECS CENTER ON TEACHING AND LEARNING CTL CENTER FOR EDUCATIONAL POLICY AND RESEARCH CEPR SECONDARY SPECIAL ED AND TRANSITION PROG SSET BEHAVIORAL RESEARCH AND TEACHING BRT EARLY INTERVENTION EI RESEARCH UNITS CENTER FOR ELECTRONIC STUDYING CES CENTER ON HUMAN DEVELOPMENT CHD INSTITUTE ON VIOLENCE AND DESTRUCTIVE BEHAVIOR IVDB OUTREACH UNITS HIGH SCHOOL EQUIVALENCY PROGRAM HEP INTOCAREERS IC TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE AND CONSULTING SERVICES WESTERN REGIONAL RESOURCE CENTER TACS/WRRC EARLY CHILDHOOD COORDINATION AGENCY FOR REFERRALS, EVALUATIONS AND SERVICES EC CARES YOUTH ENRICHMENT/ TALENTED AND GIFTED YE/TAG OREGON WRITING PROJECT OWP CAREER INFORMATION SYSTEM CIS EDUCATIONAL RESOURCES INFORMATION CENTER ERIC CHILD AND FAMILY CENTER HUMDEV ASSISTANT DEAN FOR ADMINISTRATION AND MANAGEMENT ASSOCIATE DEAN FOR CURRICULUM AND ACADEMIC PROGRAMS DIVERSITY COORDINATOR EXTERNAL AFFAIRS & DEV OFFICER COMMUNICATIONS DIRECTOR ASSOCIATE DEAN FOR RESEARCH AND OUTREACH BUSINESS MANAGERS FEDERAL POLICY & GRANTS SPECIALIST DIRECTOR, STUDENT ACADEMIC AND PROGRAM SERVICES RESEARCH & OUTREACH ORGANIZATIONAL CHART University of Oregon College of Education COMMUNITY DIVERSITY ADVISORY BOARD (CDAB) FIGURE 2 Early Intervention Program (EIP). Faculty and staff members, training efforts, and products of the EIP have had a major impact on the field of early intervention, early childhood special education, and early childhood education. The program's goal is to expand and improve educational and therapeutic services for infants and young children who are at risk and disabled and for their families. Underlying this purpose is the assumption that improving and expanding services that help children and their families become independent and productive benefits not only the individual but society as a whole. Educational and Community Supports (ECS). Since it was established in 1972, ECS has focused on the development and implementation of practices that result in positive, durable, and scientifically substantiated change in the lives of individuals with disabilities and their families. Federal- and state-funded projects support research, teaching, dissemination, and technical assistance. Research groups affiliated with ECS address positive behavior support, inclusive schools, transition, and adult services. Institute on Violence and Destructive Behavior (IVDB). The mission of the IVDB is to help schools and social service agencies address violence and destructive behavior in schools and beyond their boundaries. The goal is to ensure safety and facilitate the academic achievement and healthy social development of children and youth. Faculty members conduct original research, provide staff training, disseminate knowledge and best practices, and integrate research findings into College of Education academic courses. They also consult with agencies concerned with public safety and youth violence prevention. The institute has developed evidence-based assessment tools and interventions to address factors associated with violence, school dropout, and delinquency. These tools are used by professionals in schools, mental health facilities, and correctional settings. The institute was approved as a center of excellence by the Oregon State Board of Higher Education in 1995 and receives support for its activities through competitively awarded federal grants. Secondary Special Education and Transition Programs (SSET). Research, model development, and outreach focus on practices to help transition-age youth develop knowledge and skills to succeed in their desired adult roles: meaningful employment, completion of postsecondary education or training programs, and living independently in the community. Federal- and state-funded projects support research, development, dissemination, evaluation, and technical assistance. Areas of interest include school-to- work transition programs, self-determination, gender equity, alternative education, adjudicated youth, entry and success in postsecondary settings, standards-based reform, and contextual teaching and learning. Outreach Units. The college's outreach units provide schools and community agencies access to faculty research and expertise, and provide field-based opportunities for students to participate in the implementation and use of cutting-edge, scientific Strategic Diversity Action Plan ~ College of Education (May 2007) - 9 - research-based knowledge to improve the effectiveness of services, practices, and policies. Career Information System (CIS). The CIS is a self-supporting, fee-based consortium organization delivering comprehensive information about occupations and industries, postsecondary programs and schools, financial aid, and career exploration tools and planning systems. CIS staff provides training to professionals involved in career development state-wide. Early Childhood Coordination Agency for Referrals, Evaluations, and Services (EC CARES). EC CARES provides early intervention and early childhood special education services to eligible children in Lane County. These services may include a combination of specially designed instruction in community or specialized preschools, parent consultation and education, speech therapy, physical and occupational therapy, vision and hearing services, and consultation for autism or challenging behaviors. High School Equivalency Program (HEP). The HEP program at the University of Oregon is federally funded under the U.S. Department of Education, and designed to provide assistance to individuals from migrant or seasonal farm worker backgrounds in obtaining the General Educational Development (GED) certificate. IntoCareers (IC). This national system provides multimedia and Internet access to career information and software to help with resume writing and job search processes. IC products help to locate information about local labor market and state or regional training opportunities. Oregon Writing Project (OWP). In intensive OWP summer workshops, teachers learn new instruction strategies, improve their own writing, and develop ways to introduce new school-wide methods for writing instruction. This collaborative effort by Oregon schools, colleges, and private foundations aims to improve the teaching of writing and literacy at all grade levels throughout the state. Technical Assistance and Consulting Services (TACS). TACS provides technical assistance to State Education Agencies and Part C Lead Agencies. Specifically, the objective of TACS is to assist and support these agencies in systemic improvement of policies, procedures and practices, which will result in quality programs and services for children with disabilities and their families. TACS offers consultation, technical assistance, training, product development, and information services that provide state and local agencies access to current special education policy, technology, and best practices research. TACS includes three important programs: • Western Regional Resource Center (WRRC): Provides technical assistance to the Special Education Agencies and Part C Lead Agencies in Region 6 (Alaska, American Samoa, California, Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, Federated States of Micronesia, Guam, Hawaii, Idaho, Nevada, Oregon, Republic of the Marshall Islands, Republic of Palau, and Washington). Strategic Diversity Action Plan ~ College of Education (May 2007) - 10 - • National Post-School Outcomes Center (PSO): Supports states in collecting and using data on postsecondary education and employment status of youth with disabilities. • SIGnetwork (SIGnetwork): This state improvement grant and personnel development grant network is used to reform and improve early intervention, educational, and transitional services systems for children with disabilities. SIGnetwork addresses this reform through improving systems of professional development, technical assistance, and/or dissemination of knowledge about best practices. Youth Enrichment/Talented and Gifted (YE/TAG). YE/TAG programs and services provide challenging summer, Saturday, and after school learning experiences for children and youth to support, extend, and enhance their regular K-12 program. Faculty Understanding the administrative and faculty structure and composition in the COE provides further understanding of the College and our diversity work. Our administrative structure is lean. The Dean is .7 FTE in the role, the Associate Dean for Curriculum and Academic Programs is .5 FTE, the Associate Dean for Research and Outreach is .1 FTE, and the Diversity Coordinator—a new position in COE—is .5 FTE. The four Department Heads each receive a two-course release (.33 FTE) for serving in their respective roles. In the 2007-08 school year, two of the Department Heads will be on sabbatical and two interim Department heads will assume those roles. Despite the growth in the research and outreach components of the COE over the years, this growth has not been paralleled within the instructional programs. Figure 3 illustrates this imbalance, indicating that approximately three-quarters of all COE unclassified personnel currently are assigned to the research and outreach components of the College. Strategic Diversity Action Plan ~ College of Education (May 2007) - 11 - Figure 3 Proportion of Faculty in Instructional and Non-Instructional Programs FY06 28% 72% Instructional Non-Instructional Strategic Diversity Action Plan ~ College of Education (May 2007) - 12 - Another way of examining this imbalance is to look at the proportion of tenure-track and non-tenure track faculty positions assigned to the College. This proportion is illustrated in Figure 4, which indicates the proportion of tenure-track FTE in comparison with only academic personnel who are involved in the instructional programs in the COE. Clearly, the majority of the instructional faculty are outside of the tenure-track and the proportion of instructional tenure-track faculty to non-tenure track instructional faculty and GTFs is small. Finally, Table 1 presents the distribution of tenure-track and non-tenure track , 2 Table 1. Faculty Distributions Across Academic Departments Educational Counseling Psychology and Special Education Teacher Education Figure 4 FY06 Instructional FTE Composition 26% 36% 38% Tenure-Related Non Tenure-Related GTF faculty in the four academic departments for the 2006-07 school year. Of these faculty are from minority ethnic or cultural groups. Leadership Human Services Tenure-track 6 13 5 5 Non-tenure- Track 2 6 9 1 TOTAL 8 11 22 6 In sum, these representations identify a major issue for the COE. We have few tenure-track or full-time non-tenure track faculty. We also rely upon too many adjunct Strategic Diversity Action Plan ~ College of Education (May 2007) - 13 - instruct e COE typically will have a total enrollment of about 1,700 students. For the 2006-07 school year, our total enrollment is 1,745. Tables 2, 3, and 4 demonstrate how ic Departments Leadership Psychology and Education er Education ors to fill instructional needs. This situation means that it is difficult to include entire instructional groups in planning and/or training endeavors. Also, we have far too few faculty from minority ethnic or cultural groups. Students Th the students are distributed across academic departments by educational status, residence, and ethnicity. These data were taken from extant databases maintained by the University, which are based on self-report data from students. Table 2. Students Educational Status Across Academ Educational Counseling Special Teach Human Services Undergraduate Students 0 103 543 131 Masters or Licensure 38 Students 8 48 156 179 Doctoral Students 84 81 30 0 TOTAL 472 260 289 722 Table 3. Stud esidential S Across Aca c Departmen Leadership Psychology and Education her Education ents R tatus demi ts Educational Counseling Special Teac Human Services Oregon Resident 343 217 614 168 Out-of-State 85 84 59 98 International 44 8 13 10 TOTAL 472 260 289 722 Strategic Diversity Action Plan ~ College of Education (May 2007) - 14 - The tables indicate the following: • 45% of all students are undergraduates, • 77% of all students are Oregon residents, and • 22% of all students self-identify as non-white. III. History of Diversity Efforts in the COE There is a lengthy history of dissatisfaction with the COE regarding diversity issues. Various documents from the past 20 years expressing these concerns are available through the Office of the Dean for review. Those documents consistently identify a lack of (a) diversity among faculty, staff, and students and (b) attention to the skills and instruction necessary to teach students from diverse backgrounds in public school settings. These concerns were exacerbated further when Measure 5, a state-wide budget cutting bill, was passed in a referendum vote in the early 1990s. To respond to these mandated budget reductions, the University chose to eliminate tenure-line positions in the COE which were occupied by non-tenured faculty. These actions cut almost half of the existing tenure lines from the College and resulted in the complete elimination of certain programs. Perhaps most damaging were the faculty cuts that occurred in Teacher Education and the elimination of programs that did train teachers to teach diverse learners effectively. Since Measure 5, a constant effort by the COE has been to rebuild itself through the new student-credit-hour budget model, which has not funded the College sufficiently. Consequently, academic departments have too few tenure-track positions and rely heavily upon non-tenure track and adjunct instructors. To illustrate but one consequence of this rebuilding effort, Teacher Education was reconstituted in the mid-1990s to address the pressing need to educate the next generation of teachers and generate funds through increased student credit hours. Because of the lack of resources within the COE, this program developed largely without tenure-track faculty, which resulted in variable instructional quality. During the late 1990s, two student groups were formed that deserve mention. The Ethnic Diversity Affairs Committee (EDAC), a “grass roots” organization for students from diverse backgrounds within the COE, was formed. In 2000 the COE funded a GTF to work with EDAC in scheduling meetings and, more importantly, conducting college-wide, and in some cases university- and community-wide, events on diversity. Another group, the Student Advisory Board, was formed to advise the COE, specifically the Dean and Associate Deans, on critical matters for students within the College. Strategic Diversity Action Plan ~ College of Education (May 2007) - 15 - In the years following 2000, the continuing dissatisfaction related to diversity issues within the COE came to a head. The remainder of this section summarizes the history of diversity within the COE for three years: 2004-05, 2005-06, and 2006-07, as these three years form the current diversity context for the College. 2004-05 School Year In the fall of 2004 various constituencies (i.e., students, university faculty, and community members) called for a meeting with University administrators regarding diversity issues within the COE and calling for immediate action (Attachment B presents a letter from that meeting). These concerns festered throughout the school year, boiling over in two public demonstrations (Attachment C presents a letter from the spring of that year). A consequence of these events was the large number of incidents reported to the Bias Response Team. Specifically, for the school year 20 such incidents were reported. Both the College and the University initiated actions to address the situation. The COE hired Dr. Rich Biffle, a national consultant on organizational diversity issues, to work with the COE to identify critical problems and corresponding corrective actions. His work involved several committees and resulted in a list of potential short- and long- term objectives and activities for the College to implement. At this same time, the COE formed the work group of faculty, staff, students, and community members that began the initial work on the COE Diversity Report (Attachment A presents a list of those individuals). The University hired Dr. Carlos Cortes, a nationally recognized organizational diversity consultant, to review and analyze the situation within the COE. Dr. Cortes’ report from the spring of 2005 (see Attachment D) identifies a number of clear problems and suggests several corrective actions, such as hiring a College Diversity Coordinator and conducting college-wide training for faculty and staff. As part of year-long efforts, three other events took place. First, at the end of the year, two new tenure-track faculty were hired in Teacher Education and one of the tenure-track faculty in the department was promoted and tenured. Second, all syllabi included statements regarding contact information for the Bias Response Team and Ombudsmen. The syllabi were checked by office staff and then approved by each department head. This practice has been repeated yearly since that initial time. Third, a Graduating Student Exit Survey was implemented just prior to spring term graduation and completed with the majority (n = 438, more than 80%) of the graduating students for the year. Figure 5 presents a summary of the 438 respondents to the survey by academic department and program. Strategic Diversity Action Plan ~ College of Education (May 2007) - 16 - Figure 6 presents the questions asked on the survey form. In the figure, the items asked on the survey that required a response on a 4-point Likert scale, are placed together in conceptually and mathematically inter-related content areas, or sub-scales. Those results provide a broad-brush view of graduating students’ perspectives of their cumulative experience in the COE. The content sub-scales also map against the major areas comprising COE’s Continuous Improvement Plan and so have implications for program planning and improvement. Strategic Diversity Action Plan ~ College of Education (May 2007) - 17 - Figure 5 Special Education N = 92 (21%) Educational Leadership N = 40 (9%) Teacher Education N = 237 (54%) Participation Rates by Department and Program N % Administrative Licensure 39 98 Policy, Management, Organization 1 2 Counseling and Human Services N = 47 (11%) N % Educational Foundations 27 11 Graduate Elementary Teaching 42 18 Middle / Secondary 66 28 ESOL 14 6 ESOL /Bilingual 1 <1 Integrated Teaching 87 37 N % Communications Disorders and Sciences 46 50 Early Intervention 13 14 Special Education 9 10 Early Childhood Elementary 14 15 Middle / Secondary Transition 10 11 N % Counseling Psychology 1 2 Family and Human Services 30 64 Marriage and Family Therapy 16 34 Notes. Twenty-two (5%) of those surveyed chose not to report area or program. Non-reporters were statistically more likely to be male. Strategic Diversity Action Plan ~ College of Education (May 2007) - 18 - Figure 6 Items by Content Sub-scales (Reliabilities) Scale (Alpha) Diversity (.91) 14. How well do you think diversity issues addressed in your program? 15. How safe was your program to discuss diversity issues? 16. How well were relevant examples to diversity used as teaching tools in your program? 17. How well do you think the content of the classes in your program represent diverse perspectives? 18. How would you rate faculty and staff in their ability to present a wide range of perspectives related to diversity? 20. To what degree did students in program treat you with respect? Course Work (.79) 6. How satisfied are you with the course work in your program? 7. How demanding was the coursework in your program? 8. How helpful were out-of-class assignments in your program to professional development? 9. How rate out-of-class assignments in your program in terms of work it took to complete? 10. How would you rate the way grades were assigned in your program? Faculty / Staff (.82) 3. How well did program faculty delivered clear information about program requirements, policies, and procedures? 4. How well did program faculty mentor and support you to make informed academic/professional decisions? 5. How well did program faculty provide appropriate support that facilitated your academic progress? 19. To what degree did faculty and staff in your program treat you with respect? Setting (.61) 1. How would you rate the community-based field experience/practicum placements offered through your programs? 2. How would you rate the field experience/practicum supervision offered through your program? 12. How would you rate the accessibility and quality of the classroom facilities used by your program? 13. How would you rate the technological resources available to you within your program? Overall Satisfaction (.74) 11. How would you rate the instructional skill of the faculty an staff in your program? 21. How would you rate your overall experience in your academic program? Notes. Alpha for all 21 items is .91; Scales ranged from 1 (low) to 4 (high) for each item. Strategic Diversity Action Plan ~ College of Education (May 2007) - 19 - Attachment E presents slides on the Diversity and Overall Satisfaction Sub-scales. Selected results from those slides are listed below. • Respondents from Teacher Education and those who choose not to specify their program affiliation, rated items lower than the college mean on the Diversity sub-scale. • Statistically significant differences were found on the Diversity subscale between undergraduates and graduate students, students who identified as White and as students of color, and between students who identified as LBGTQ and those students who did not so identify. • Overall satisfaction student’s experience in the COE was relatively high (average rating above 3.0), but slightly lower for Teacher Education. 2005-06 School Year Just before the beginning of the school year an interim dean for COE was named. Work in this year focused on a number of academic and research issues. The following are highlights of the diversity work conducted in the 2005-06 school year. • Diversity Coordinator – We conducted an extensive search to find a Diversity Coordinator for the COE. Ultimately the search was unsuccessful, but the evaluation and interview process helped greatly to define the responsibilities of this new position. • External Consultant, Dr. Carlos Cortes – Dr. Cortes was retained for the entire year to serve as a consultant and deliver training on diversity issues for faculty and staff. Dr. Cortes was instrumental in leading administrative discussions at the fall back-to-school retreat, in completing the Diversity Report, leading discussions around the Diversity, and giving college-wide trainings for faculty and staff. • Teacher Education – From the demonstrations of the previous year and the results of the previous year’s survey, it was clear that departmental reorganization was necessary. A new department head was named and extensive work was conducted to examine the structure and course offerings within the department. At mid-year faculty directed the planning process with the intent to complete a major revision of the department policies, procedures, and classes. • Large Group Faculty and Staff Training – From the experiences of the previous years and from both consultants’ reports, it was clear that an extensive program of faculty and staff training was necessary. To include all of the instructional faculty and staff and as many of the research faculty and staff as possible, the COE was closed for selected periods of time and/or trainings were offered at different times to accommodate different schedules. The following large group trainings were offered. Each training was two hours in length and included in total more than 300 faculty and staff. Strategic Diversity Action Plan ~ College of Education (May 2007) - 20 - ► During the fall back-to-school meetings, Dr. Cortes led a discussion regarding diversity and its implications for our work. The format included a lecture and then small group work regarding diversity and its meaning for each participant. ► The second faculty and staff training was conducted late in the fall term by representatives of the Teacher Effectiveness Program relating to language and terms to use when discussing diversity and diverse people. ► The third faculty and staff training was conducted by Dr. Cortes late in the winter term regarding stereotypes – both apparent and hidden – and the way those stereotypes contribute to the privilege exercised by the dominant majority over diverse, minority groups. • Small Group Faculty and Staff Training – Because COE leadership felt that there (a) were lingering and unresolved issues related to the demonstrations of the previous school year and these issues were fracturing communication within the COE, we worked with CoDaC to develop a training for a relatively small group of the COE administrative group. With CoDaC, we worked to identify 16 individuals in various leadership roles to participate in the 12-hour (3 4-hour sessions) training. CoDaC staff interviewed each participant regarding their goals for their training. The content of the training was then tailored to the needs of the group. This training was delivered to all 16 participants in the spring term focusing on communication, each person’s interpretation of diversity and its meaning to their jobs and the College, identifying critical systemic deficits in the COE, and generating plans for future such trainings. Indicative of the reception of the training by the faculty and staff, there was unanimous agreement among participants to schedule an additional training session in the next school year. • Faculty and Staff Recognition – To engender a more positive working environment and recognize those faculty and staff who provided exemplary teaching and service, a college-wide awards committee and a nomination process for faculty and teaching awards was established and initiated. These awards were made in the spring and the faculty with recipients being recognized at the spring COE commencement ceremonies. One of these awards related to outstanding contributions toward diversity for the COE. • EDAC and its Activities – Attachment F presents a summary of the activities EDAC conducted in the school year. These activities involved students from across the College and in many cases included community members. EDAC sponsored and organized several events related to diversity (e.g., Martin Luther King Birthday Celebration, Cinco de Mayo, and a celebration of the American Family) that were for all College students, faculty, and staff. • Graduating Student Exit Survey – We again conducted the Graduating Student Exit Survey at the end of the spring term. Figure 7 presents a summary of the 371 respondents to the survey by department and program. The number of respondents was lower than in the previous year and there were only 4 respondents from Strategic Diversity Action Plan ~ College of Education (May 2007) - 21 - Educational Leadership, limiting interpretability of the results from that department. Only 7 respondents choose to not report their academic affiliation, less than the 22 such respondents from the previous year. Strategic Diversity Action Plan ~ College of Education (May 2007) - 22 - Special Education N = 77 (21%) Educational Leadership N = 4 (1%) Teacher Education N = 245 (67%) Participation Rates by Area and Program N % Administrative Licensure 4 100 Counseling and Human Services N = 45 (12%) N % Educational Foundations 39 16 Graduate Elementary Teaching 27 11 Middle / Secondary 67 27 ESOL 21 9 Integrated Teaching 91 37 N % Communications Disorders and Sciences 33 43 Early Intervention 12 16 Special Education 9 12 Early Childhood Elementary 15 20 Middle / Secondary Transition 8 10 N % Family and Human Services 28 62 Marriage and Family Therapy 17 38 Notes. Seven (2%) of those surveyed chose not to report area or program. Figure 7 Strategic Diversity Action Plan ~ College of Education (May 2007) - 23 - Attachment G presents slides on the Diversity and Overall Satisfaction Sub- scales. Selected results from those slides are listed below. ► Respondents from Teacher Education rated the COE higher on the diversity sub-scale than the previous year. The overall rating for the COE was higher. ► Statistically significant differences were found on the Diversity subscale between students who self identified as nontraditional students and those who did not so identify. ► Overall satisfaction of students’ experiences in the COE was relatively high but decreased slightly from the previous year. Overall satisfaction ratings by students from Teacher Education remained stable and ratings by students from Special Education declined. • Bias Response Team Reported Incidents – No data were available regarding incidents reported in the COE for this year. • End-of-the-Year Evaluation by Carlos Cortes – In follow-up to his evaluation of the previous year, Dr. Cortes was commissioned to complete a second such evaluation regarding progress and remaining problems in the COE. Attachment H presents a copy of the letter. While general progress was noted, a number of issues were identified for remediation. These issues were weighed and considered in formulating objectives for the 2006-07 school year. 2006-07 School Year From the previous year’s evaluation data, we elected to focus on the following diversity-related initiatives in this school year. Some of these activities are not yet completed at this writing. For example, we do not yet have the results of the Graduating Student Exit Survey, the year-end report from EDAC, or the year-end report from the BRT. • Lane County Teacher Pathways Project – This 3-year pilot project was planned and then begun in the 2006-07 school year with the express purpose of recruiting and supporting prospective teachers from minority backgrounds. The project is a joint effort among Lane Community College, Northwest Christian College, Pacific University, University of Oregon, Bethel School District, Eugene School District, Springfield School District, and the Lane Education Service District. Each partner is required to contribute financially to the effort and engage in specific activities relative to the overall goal. Attachment I presents the specifics of this program. The impact of this effort has not yet been evaluated. • Diversity Coordinator – An interim diversity coordinator was named just prior to the start of school. We are going through an affirmative action process to fill the position on a permanent basis. Strategic Diversity Action Plan ~ College of Education (May 2007) - 24 - • Establishment of a Community Diversity Advisory Board – We have established a standing board of community members to advise the COE and Dean regarding the College’s diversity initiatives. Individual meetings were held with all members prior to the first meeting. The board met as a group three times this year. • Teacher Education – The Teacher Education program completed an extensive reorganization and curriculum revision in the winter. The new curriculum emphasizes strong preparation in subject matter content areas, with a special emphasis on areas of high need in Oregon—currently mathematics and science education. It also makes a commitment to serving Oregon’s increasingly linguistically diverse student population by imbedding an ESOL Endorsement in its certification program. This new curriculum improves on what preceded it by increasing the disciplinary diversity of its course offerings. From the undergraduate to the Ph.D. level students will receive a genuinely interdisciplinary education that examines the psychological, social, cultural, and ideological foundations of teaching and schooling. Currently the changes are being reviewed through the University committees and appropriate state level channels. Attachment J presents a summary of the new program. • New Hire – To address the emphasis in the new Teacher Education program for English as a Second Language, a new faculty member skilled in this type of instruction, and who also is a person of color, was hired in a tenure-track position. • CoDaC Administrative Training – In follow-up to the training afforded the 16 members of the COE administrative group, a second such training (1 4-hour session) was conducted by CoDaC. As before, CoDaC staff worked with those participants to identify pressing needs and concerns and then oversaw a structured discussion among participants on those issues. A commitment was made to hold a similar session for the administrative group in the future. • CoDaC Faculty Training - Because of the positive reaction to the CoDaC training, we decided to hold a similar training for all full-time instructional faculty. A total of 31 faculty were identified and then placed in two different training groups. One of these groups will be trained this year and the second will be trained in the fall of 2007. CoDaC staff interviewed each participant regarding their goals for their training. The content of the training will be tailored to the needs of the group and then offered at the end of the spring term. • Revision of Diversity-related Courses – During the winter term, concerns were registered that the courses on diversity taught within the COE did not sufficiently address the broadest range of issues related to diversity correctly. We have begun a review of all courses deigned to address diversity, focusing specifically on the content and quality of those offerings. The goal of the review will be to Strategic Diversity Action Plan ~ College of Education (May 2007) - 25 - establish an inclusive theoretical framework and to identify and address gaps in the curriculum framework. • Faculty and Staff Recognition – These awards will be made in mid-May. One of the awards will relate to outstanding contributions toward diversity for the COE. • Input from the Student Advisory Board – The meetings with the students this year focused on necessary supports at the undergraduate, masters/licensure, and doctoral levels. Across all areas, the importance of providing more instruction on the nuances of securing employment was identified. At the undergraduate level, the importance of providing more experience in educational and/or agency settings was discussed. • Graduating Student Exit Survey – As in previous years, this survey will be completed by the end of spring term. The data will be analyzed and a report finalized by the end of the summer. • Graduate Follow-up Survey – As an extension of our Graduating Student Exit Survey, we conducted a survey of all graduates from the 2005-06 and 2003-04 school years. We achieved a response rate of 42% (414 responses of 995 possible respondents). Attachment K presents a copy of the survey form. It can be seen that questions are asked of students’ impressions of their training in the COE, including the way in which they were trained to address diversity in their respective positions. Analyses of these data will be completed by early summer. • Year-End Evaluation of COE Diversity Efforts – We currently are conducting interviews with key COE administrators, representatives of student groups, and the members of the Community Diversity Advisory Board. The purpose of this effort is to identify progress we have made relative to diversity in this and those areas to be addressed in the coming year. Attachment L presents the questions that will be asked each group. The data collection is being conducted by the interim diversity coordinator and a GTF. These interviews will be completed by the end of the school year and a report summarizing these findings will be finished shortly thereafter. • Bias Response Team Reported Incidents – We will secure and examine the number of incidents reported for this school year when those data are available. • International Efforts – Consistent with our own and the University’s emphasis on developing international programs, two such efforts have been finalized for this year. ►A significant concern of the College relates to addressing the educational achievement gap among Latino students. To foster faculty awareness of this situation and prompt alternate teaching approaches to address this issue, we applied for and received a 2-year, $15,000 grant. With these monies we will Strategic Diversity Action Plan ~ College of Education (May 2007) - 26 - send 6-8 faculty for each of the two years to Mexico to meet with university faculty and K-12 teachers in Oaxaca and Queretaro. Upon returning to the University these faculty will connect with school districts in Oregon with high numbers of Latino students to see how those districts are educating those students. Faculty will be required to (a) submit revised syllabi indicating how they have integrated their experiences into their instruction and (b) conduct a college, or departmental wide training based on their learning and experiences from the visit. ►The COE is in the process of establishing a Marriage and Family Therapy program with the Beijing Normal University in China, and a Family and Human Services program with the Center for Social Sciences and Humanities at the Vietnam National University, Hanoi. We also have been approached by the government of Saudi Arabia to establish a program to train special education teachers. IV. Resource Statement Table 4 presents the resource commitments made from the Dean’s office in the 2006-07 school year to our diversity initiatives and work. Also, at this writing we know that for 2006-07 school year the Department of Counseling Psychology and Human Services has spent $43,150 and the Department of Special Education and Clinical Sciences has spent $56,732 on diversity-related activities. In total, the COE as a group has allocated at least $200,000 to promote our diversity initiatives. Table 4. Resource Commitments* Positions/Activities Cost Diversity Coordinator (.5 FTE) with OPE $40,253.89 (salary and OPE) GTFs • Ethnic Affairs Diversity Committee • Student Accountability • Diversity Coordinator 8,047.20 (salary and OPE) 15,778.40 (salary and OPE) 2,194.69 (salary and OPE) Faculty Training 13,198.13 Donations to Student/Community Groups for Diversity and Education 3,981.24 Lane County Teacher Pathways Project 9,250.00 TOTAL $92,703.55 *Figures do not include tuition, fees, or insurance. Strategic Diversity Action Plan ~ College of Education (May 2007) - 27 - V. Detail process for plan development and describe committee As we have discussed in previous sections of this document, the focused nature of the writing task does not do justice to the number of individuals and groups involved in crafting and implementing the documents and various activities on which the SAP is based. Because of the COE’s current and ongoing work on diversity, we have engaged in an extensive and comprehensive planning and development process involving intense work and input from more than 100 faculty, staff, consultants, students, and community members. For example, the crafting of the COE Diversity Report included more than 40 people, the Student Advisory Board involves more than 14 students each year, and the current Community Diversity Advisory Board includes 20 people. The final version of the SAP was written by the Dean, Diversity Coordinator, and selected faculty. That draft of the SAP was reviewed, critiqued, and approved by the Department Head Council. VI. Diversity value statement Diversity is central to the mission and work of the COE. We discussed this connection in detail in Section I, so we summarize that narrative here. The mission of the COE is to “make educational and social systems work for all.” Specifically, the goal of the COE is to (a) train educators and social service for careers in those systems and (b) conduct research and scholarship relative to contemporary issues facing the educational and social service systems. This mission carries unique implications for the COE as the focus of our instructional programs and research are the public school systems and various social service systems that exist in our society. There is no question that the cultural and ethnic demographics of the local, state, and national educational and social systems have changed dramatically in recent years with increasing numbers of students from diverse backgrounds entering our educational and social service systems. Accordingly, if the COE is to train the next generations of educational and social service professionals and researchers, it is imperative that we recognize the challenge and opportunities relative to diversity and address these opportunities effectively. VII. For the purpose of this strategic plan, define diversity The COE endorses the definition of diversity as stated in the UO Diversity Plan. Specifically, that plan describes diversity as, “Differences based on race and ethnicity, national origin or citizenship, gender, religious affiliation or background, sexual orientation, gender identity, economic class or status, political affiliation or belief, and ability or disability.” Strategic Diversity Action Plan ~ College of Education (May 2007) - 28 - Our Diversity Report (Attachment A) includes the following definition, which we adopted from the University of Oregon website and which we believe is compatible with the above definition. The University of Oregon community is dedicated to the advancement of knowledge and the development of integrity. In order to thrive and excel, this community must preserve the freedom of thought and expression of all its members. The University of Oregon has a long and illustrious history in the area of academic freedom and freedom of speech. A culture of respect that honors the rights, safety, dignity and worth of every individual is essential to preserve such freedom. We affirm our respect for the rights and well-being of all members. We further affirm our commitment to: ► Respect the dignity and essential worth of all individuals. ► Promote a culture of respect throughout the University community. ► Respect the privacy, property, and freedom of others. ► Reject bigotry, discrimination, violence, or intimidation of any kind. ► Practice personal and academic integrity and expect it from others. ► Promote the diversity of opinions, ideas and backgrounds which is the lifeblood of the university. The University of Oregon affirms and actively promotes the right of all individuals to equal opportunity in education and employment at this institution without regard to race, color, sex, national origin, age, religion, marital status, disability, veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression or any other extraneous consideration not directly and substantively related to effective performance. In developing, adopting, and implementing this statement, it is critical to recognize that the concept of diversity encompasses acceptance and respect as well as understanding that each individual is unique.… It is through the exploration of these differences in a safe, positive, and nurturing environment that it is possible to reach greater understanding, moving beyond simple tolerance to embracing and celebrating the rich dimensions of diversity contained within each individual. (taken October 26, 2005, from http://gladstone.uoregon.edu/ ~asuomca/diversityinit/definition.html) Areas of Emphasis Before addressing the six points specified by the UO Diversity Plan, we first summarize our environmental scan (i.e., the qualitative and qualitative data and findings we used and will use in the coming year) in identifying diversity needs and activities. As we discussed in the previous sections (in particular, see Section III on History) we have amassed extensive data on our diversity-related needs, information we used to identify objectives for the 2006-07 school year. Strategic Diversity Action Plan ~ College of Education (May 2007) - 29 - Because we have not as yet finalized the evaluation data sources for the 2006-07 school year, we (a) offer a summary of the process by which we will identify our diversity work for the 2007-08 school year and (b) identify issues that we are fairly certain we will continue and emerging issues we will address in the coming year. Those issues will be operationalized in the following pages. By the end of the 2007 summer we will summarize the quantitative student data sources (the Graduating Student Exit Survey and the Follow-up Survey of Graduates), the year-end evaluation of diversity issues being conducted by the Diversity Coordinator, and other relevant data sources (e.g., narrative complaints from students, Bias Response Team reports, student enrollment records). These data will be reviewed by the Dean and other COE administrators to develop a preliminary plan through which to address diversity issues for the 2007-08 school year. This plan will be reviewed at the COE annual fall retreat (scheduled for September 16 and 17) by the entire group of College administrators. The plan for the 2007-08 school year will include specific activities, those faculty and staff who will be involved in each activity, the intended outcomes of those activities, and the outcome measures for each activity. Two realities will affect the COE in the coming year and will have implications for our diversity work. First, beginning in the fall of 2007, the COE will engage in a massive building project. We will initiate the construction of an entire new building of about 65,000 square feet and the complete renovation of the current COE building – both at the same time. The next year simply will not be “business as usual” as faculty and staff will be moved to “surge space” across the College and University. Additionally, several classrooms within the COE will be closed as they are remodeled. Accordingly, maintaining program cohesiveness and providing effective, efficient, and inclusive instruction to students will be difficult. Second, we are scheduled to begin a search for a new Dean in the 2007-08 school year. This search is critical to the continuing excellence and growth of the College and will demand extensive amounts of faculty and staff time and attention. The specifics of this search are being planned at this time and are as yet unknown, but we are certain the search will be time consuming. In this section we list those continuing activities that we are fairly certain of addressing in the coming year and issues that have come to the fore that we most likely will address. As the evaluation data are finalized for this year, it may be that other issues will become evident and will demand attention. Strategic Diversity Action Plan ~ College of Education (May 2007) - 30 - Points, Goals, and Actions Point 1: Developing a Culturally Responsive Community Point 2: Improving Campus Climate Point 3: Building Critical Mass Point 4: Expanding and Filling the Pipeline Point 5: Developing and Strengthening Community Linkage Point 6: Developing a Culturally Responsive Community Point 1: Developing a Culturally Responsive Community Strategic Diversity Action Plan ~ College of Education (May 2007) 1 Point 1: Developing a Culturally Responsive Community Unit Relevance: The large scale training we conducted in 2005-06 for the great majority of the COE was critical to developing general awareness and college-wide interest in this area. The training we are conducting presently with instructional faculty and our administrative group through CoDaC is tailored to each group’s specific needs and thus seems to address a higher-plane of awareness and is more consistent with our current needs. A. Define what this focal area means to your specific unit. The CoDaC training has been well received by the administrative group and is being delivered this spring and next fall to our instructional faculty. From interviews we are conducting and comments we have received, it is clear that we should provide training to the support staff who work closely and on a day-to-day basis with students and many community members. B. What have you learned about this focal area from your environmental scan? The large scale training was a necessary step, but not focused enough to have a meaningful effect and engage faculty in a manner that would prompt a true exchange of ideas. Accordingly, we have arranged training through CoDaC for smaller groups and for a longer period of time. We have begun this process through the training that has been and is being offered by CoDaC and we need to explore other such offerings. C. Identify your unit’s strengths and challenges in this area. We have already begun the faculty and training process and currently are engaging in more focused training efforts through CoDaC. The challenge with this type of training is coordinating schedules of staff and faculty so they can attend the training and, at the same time, complete their regular responsibilities. Goal #1 Complete the CoDaC training with the second group of instructional faculty. Measures of progress short / long term Responsible entity / Accountability Timeline for implementation Action #1 Complete the 12-hour CoDaC training. A group of 15 instructional faculty has been selected for this training. The training dates are being scheduled. All of the faculty will complete all of the training sessions. We will work with CoDaC to develop an evaluation of the training. The scheduling is being done through the Dean’s office. The Dean and CoDaC representatives will develop the evaluation tool. The training will be completed in the fall term of 2007. Point 1: Developing a Culturally Responsive Community Strategic Diversity Action Plan ~ College of Education (May 2007) 2 Goal #2 Provide focused diversity training to staff Action #1 Identify appropriate training options through CoDaC and university resources for staff We will work with CoDaC and OEID to specify a training model for the COE staff, particularly those with instructional responsibilities who work with students. The Dean and Asst. Dean for Admn. Will explore training options. The final decisions regarding the training will be approved by the Administrative Council. The training options and scheduling will be finalized in the late summer of 2008. Action #2 Conduct training with instructional staff The training will be offered all instructional staff. Post- training evaluations of the training will be gathered through the trainers. The office managers and respective department heads will insure that all instructional staff attend the training. The training will begin in the fall and likely will be completed in the winter of 2008. Goal #3 Plan faculty and/or staff training for the 2008-08 school year. Based upon faculty feedback from the CoDaC training and feedback from staff, we will plan other focused training for the 2008-09 school year. The Dean and administrative council will examine feedback and discuss options with potential trainers. The Dean and the Administrative Council will decide upon future training efforts. The decision regarding training for 2008-09 will be made in the spring term of 2008 with planning for those activities beginning at that same time. Point 2: Improving Campus Climate Strategic Diversity Action Plan ~ College of Education (May 2007) 1 Point 2: Improving Campus Climate Unit Relevance: Given our recent history, input from different groups, and the results of our evaluation system, it is clear that we must take steps to improve the climate of our college for students, faculty, staff, and for community members. A. Define what this focal area means to your specific unit. In order to be conducive to learning and scholarship it is imperative that the climate of the COE be inviting and conducive to instruction that includes open discussion regarding numerous and varied diversity issues. These types of subjects, and the discussions they elicit, can be uncomfortable and inflaming for some. Because our mission is to educate educators and social service providers to work in our current society, such discussions and opportunities to learn this type of content is critical. B. What have you learned about this focal area from your environmental scan? We have learned that there is much for us to do in this area and that we must address both social and academic supports for students. As we mentioned in Point 1, we have initiated and ongoing program of faculty training through CoDaC that are optimistic will help to develop such a context through the interactions of our faculty and staff toward students and the community members with whom we interact. We are pleased with the role EDAC has played for the COE and they have had a major role in strengthening student supports, however not all students are affiliated with that organization. We have undertaken a curriculum review that has resulted in a change of research offerings at the doctoral level. This past year, efforts focused on revising the Teacher Education program. An issue that was raised this spring related to the various diversity classes we teach and concerns regarding the exclusion of disability in those classes. We have established a committee of faculty to address these concerns. That committee has just begun to meet and it is certain their work will continue into next year. The Diversity Coordinator is a logical point of contact for students to express concerns relative to diversity issues. We should develop a standardized way to record the essence of those interactions and, if necessary, what actions were taken to address those concerns. C. Identify your unit’s strengths and challenges in this area. We have an emerging support system that includes EDAC, the challenge for is to take steps to reach out to all students who may not be involved in the organization. The revision of the diversity-related courses has begun this spring, but will not be finalized until next year as the issues which are discussed are multi-faceted and require careful and inclusive discussion. We are fortunate to have a Diversity Coordinator position through which to build such a reporting system. Goal #1 Continue support to EDAC and expand its connections to COE students. Measures of progress short / long term Responsible entity / Accountability Timeline for implementation Action #1 Include CoDaC faculty advisors in the back-to-school retreat in the fall to discuss ways to connect meaningfully with all of the academic departments and their respective students. A plan to promote greater inclusion of students from all of the COE will be developed. The EDAC faculty advisor and the Dean will monitor the implementation of the plan. The Dean will seek input from department The plan will be discussed and approved at the beginning of fall term. Point 2: Improving Campus Climate Strategic Diversity Action Plan ~ College of Education (May 2007) 2 The number of students involved in different activities and their academic affiliations. As we do not have such data currently, this next year will serve to establish a base-line. heads at regular meetings The EDAC advisor and the GTF assigned EDAC will record these data, which will be included in the year-end summary and report. Data will be recorded after each event. The year-end report will be completed by the end of the spring term, 2008. Action #2 EDAC will sponsor and organize various diversity-related events throughout the year. In previous years the number of such events has varied, but we anticipate that they will sponsor four such events in the coming year. We do not know how many individuals take part in these events as some (e.g., a photo exhibit that is available for viewing over several weeks) do not lend themselves to counting the number of participants. For events that will allow counting, the number of participants will be recorded. The schedule and type of events will be developed by the EDAC advisor and the students involved in EDAC. Advertising will be conducted through the Dean’s Office by the Communication staff. Descriptions of the events and the number of participants will be recorded by the GTF and the faculty advisor. Events will be organized and arranged throughout the year. Descriptions f the events will be included in the year-end report. Goal #2 Complete a review and revision of our diversity-related classes. Action #1 Establish a common theoretical framework for teaching diversity within the COE. develop a plan an appropriate support system A committee of faculty who teach diversity classes was established in May of 2007 to address this issue. They will create a common set of guiding principles to guide the structure of these classes and to link classes conceptually. The Associate Dean for Academic Programs will oversee the committee. The committee will be responsible for developing the guiding principles. The guiding principles will be completed by winter of 2008. Point 2: Improving Campus Climate Strategic Diversity Action Plan ~ College of Education (May 2007) 3 Action #2 Develop conceptually linked syllabi for all diversity classes. Using the guiding principles, class syllabi will be revised by faculty responsible for teaching those courses. The syllabi will be reviewed and approved. Faculty who teach the diversity classes will revise the syllabi. Revisions will be reviewed by the Associate Dean and selected faculty to insure compliance with the principles. All diversity-related syllabi will be revised by the end of the 2007-08 school years. Goal #3 Develop and implement a student incident system through the Diversity Coordinator Action #1 Develop a reporting structure that is known to the COE administration and all students A reporting structure to the Diversity Coordinator will be developed, implemented, and disseminated to all students through e-mail, back-to- school orientations, and on syllabi. The Diversity Coordinator will develop the reporting structure. The reporting structure will be reviewed and approved by the Core administrative council. The reporting structure will be disseminated by program faculty and the Dean’s technology specialists. Office managers will insure that the reporting structure is included on 100% of all syllabi at the beginning of each quarter. The reporting structure will be developed in the summer of 2008. The reporting structure will be finalized and adopted at the back-to-school-retreat. Dissemination of the reporting structure will be heaviest in the fall term, but particulars on the structure will be made available every quarter. Monitoring of the syllabi will be conducted every quarter. Point 2: Improving Campus Climate Strategic Diversity Action Plan ~ College of Education (May 2007) 4 Action #2 Compile incidents and act upon those incidents as appropriate. Diversity incidents reported to the Diversity Coordinator will be compiled and reported regularly to the COE Administrative Council as appropriate for resolution. Depending upon the situation, an action plan will be developed to address the issue in question. In some instances it may be necessary to report incidents to the OSIDD. The Diversity Coordinator will be responsible for sharing incidents with the Dean and Administrative Council. As appropriate, different administrative faculty or staff will develop a plan to address the issue. If necessary, incidents will be referred on to appropriate affirmative action and/or grievance channels. The reporting process will begin in the fall of 2008 and continue throughout the year. A summary of the number and type of events will be complied reported to the Dean and, as appropriate, OEID at the end of each year. Point 3: Building Critical Mass Strategic Diversity Action Plan ~ College of Education (May 2007) 1 Point 3: Building Critical Mass Unit Relevance: If we are to provide a meaningful academic experience for our students relative to diversity, we must diversify our faculty and staff. A. Define what this focal area means to your specific unit. As we move to revise our curricula and course offerings to address diversity, we must develop and secure a diverse faculty and support staff. There is no question that we can promote such instruction through our training efforts to our predominantly White faculty, but there will be no substitute for having faculty and staff from minority groups who model that diversity in a personal and inherent manner. We should note that we have chosen to discuss activities relative to recruitment of graduate and undergraduate students under Point #4, Expanding and Filling the Pipeline. B. What have you learned about this focal area from your environmental scan? We have learned that we have far too few faculty from minority cultural and ethnic groups. We do not know how many faculty represent other diverse populations (i.e. disability or sexual orientation) and securing those data will present challenges in terms of confidentiality. We currently have no data on the demographic characteristics of our support staff. Also, we have not developed a hiring plan for our support staff. C. Identify your unit’s strengths and challenges in this area. We are at a unique time as a search for a new dean for the COE will begin this spring and we have conducted considerable work to begin to develop a foundation for our diversity efforts within the College. The greatest challenge we face in hiring faculty in particular relates to a lack of resources. At this point we simply do not have resources to establish many new tenure-track lines and budgets for the coming year have not yet been allocated. We are optimistic that a new dean would bring an infusion of resources. The potential of a new dean being hired in the coming year does present an interesting challenge. That is, if we develop a strategic plan that is inconsistent with the direction the dean will take the College, then that effort will be wasted. At this point, we believe that we must identify (a) identify our most pressing faculty needs and (b) corresponding sources of funds that we could combine into a tenure-track position. Given our experience in accessing the Minority Recruitment Fund this past year in our most recent hire, we believe that the experience has prepared in how to access those funds in future hires. Goal #1 Identify our most pressing faculty needs to guide recruitment. Measures short / long term Responsible entity / Accountability Timeline for implementation Action #1 Identify key faculty needs across the COE. Identify and rank order our most pressing faculty and instructional needs across departments and the COE to focus our planning and recruitment efforts. The Dean will conduct a planning process with the department heads and administrative group to specify the most pressing departmental needs. The Dean will secure feedback from the Administrative Council The prioritization of faculty positions will begin in the summer and conclude in the fall of 2007. Point 3: Building Critical Mass Strategic Diversity Action Plan ~ College of Education (May 2007) 2 to endorse the slate of prioritized positions. Action #2 Identify existing sources of funds to support those positions. A clear mapping of sources of funds will be established to place as many of those prioritized positions as possible. The Dean and department heads will identify available funding sources. It is likely that new funds will be necessary if we are to make appreciable progress in this regard. Funding sources will be finalized in the winter of 2008. Action #3 Prepare job descriptions and work with OEID and Affirmative Action to prepare position announcements. Position announcements will be crafted to attract a broad array of diverse applications. Department heads and business managers will finalize the position announcements. Position announcements will be completed and the advertising for those positions will begin by the end of the 2007-08 school year. Goal #2 Develop and implement a hiring plan for support staff. Action #1 Establish a committee of support staff and faculty to establish a hiring plan for support staff. A committee that will represent the COE will be established to develop a hiring plan for support staff. The Asst. Dean for Adm. will establish and lead the committee. The committee will be convened in the fall of 2007. Action #2 Identify and secure data relative to current support staff. Demographic data relative to existing support staff will be identified and secured for planning purposes. Technology support staff will secure these data. The data will be gathered in the fall of 2007. Action #3 The committee will explore different hiring options available through the university system and establish a hiring plan for support staff. At this point we anticipate the plan being 3-years in duration. A 3-year hiring plan will be developed, reviewed, and finalized. The Asst. Dean for Admn. Will be responsible for finalizing the plan. The plan will be completed in the spring of 2008. Point 4: Expanding and Filling the Pipeline Strategic Diversity Action Plan ~ College of Education (May 2007) 1 Point 4: Expanding and Filling the Pipeline Unit Relevance: We have a strong and enduring commitment to attract the best and brightest students, with a burning commitment to teach or engage in social services, to our College. If we are to further our commitment to train students who will impact society in the most effective manner possible, it will be necessary to recruit a student body that is reflective of that changing society and the students and young people with whom they will work. A. Define what this focal area means to your specific unit. Much as it will be necessary to have a diverse faculty and staff to strengthen our academic efforts, a diverse student body will likewise strengthen that effort and produce uniquely qualified graduates to affect the society in which they will work. Further, because our College budget is based on the student credit-hour model, we must attract and retain students to generate monies for the College. Since the demographics are changing among high school students, we must be effective in attracting those students if we are to continue and expand or academic programs. B. What have you learned about this focal area from your environmental scan? The student data indicate that we are most diverse among specific programs, primarily programs in which we can recruit out- of-state students. The majority of our students are Oregon residents. We have few international students and while we have higher proportions of doctoral students who identify as being from a minority group, there are few of those students relative to the larger College population. C. Identify your unit’s strengths and challenges in this area. We have been successful in recruiting doctoral students from minority groups, students who typically come from out of state. Those students come to nationally ranked programs and we have made use of university recruitment funds to secure applicants. A major challenge we face is that because of our fiscal limitations, we are limited in how many doctoral students we can attract and support. Unless we can identify other funding options for doctoral students (grants, other state money) we will be challenged in expanding the number of doctoral students we can educate. We have had un-even success in recruiting minority students at the undergraduate and master’s levels and most of those students are Oregon residents. As the state probably will remain our primary recruitment base, we must reach into areas in which diverse students live as part of our recruitment efforts. The Lane County Teacher Pathways Program, while only beginning, will recruit minority educators working in aide positions to the College. Recent connections with Mocha, a Latino student group, may also provide a recruitment option. We currently have few international students, but recent connections with Mexico, China, and Saudi Arabia have the potential to develop connections for more students from those countries. As we have discussed these various possibilities, a consensus has been established that we first must identify the guiding principles and priorities which will direct those efforts. Goal #1 Identify funding options to expand doctoral recruitment Measures short / long term Responsible entity / Accountability Timeline for implementation Action #1 Locate and explore possible alternative funding sources for doctoral students through grants and other state monies. Develop a plan for securing additional sources of doctoral support funds. The Dean and department heads will complete this exercise. The effort to identify training monies will continue throughout the school year. State, private, and federal sources will be tracked regularly. Point 4: Expanding and Filling the Pipeline Strategic Diversity Action Plan ~ College of Education (May 2007) 2 Action #2 Based on the success of securing funds, identify ways to expand recruitment fo minority students. Funds likely will be secured specific to particular programs. Programs that do not receive additional monies will explore novel and creative recruitment strategies. Program directors will develop recruitment plans. Plans will be discussed and developed in the fall and winter terms. The plans will be implemented during the winter and spring terms. Goal #2 Establish a plan to recruit undergraduate minority students. Action #1 Establish a committee of faculty who teach undergraduate classes and students. The committee will be composed of faculty with a unique connection to undergraduates and who will be the best at preparing a recruitment plan. The Dean will appoint the committee and a chair who will oversee the effort will be chosen. Fall of 2007 Action #2 Contact Mecha and other local minority student and advocacy groups. Contact at least two local groups to recruit potential students. The Diversity Coordinator and selected faculty will contact the groups and serve as the conduit between the groups and the COE. Throughout the 2007-08 school year. Action #3 The committee will develop a plan to recruit undergraduate minority students. A plan describing a 3-year plan to recruit minority undergraduate students will be established. The plan may include outreach to the pubic schools or an active recruitment among undecided students who are already enrolled in the UO. The committee will develop the plan and present it to the Dean and the department heads. Winter and spring of 2008. Action #4 Decide how to implement the recruitment plan The way in which we will conduct recruitment activities in the 2008-09 school year will be decided. Selected faculty will be identified to oversee the recruitment effort. Spring of 2008. Point 4: Expanding and Filling the Pipeline Strategic Diversity Action Plan ~ College of Education (May 2007) 3 Goal #3 Establish international programs and connections that will increase the number if international students. Action #1 Establish guiding principles and priorities for internationalization efforts Establish an agreed upon list of principles and priorities for the COE’s internationalization efforts. The Dean and Administrative Council will establish the list. The list will be shared with all faculty for additional input. The list will be finalized in the fall of 2007. Action #2 Continue to establish international connections with existing contacts. As we have discussed earlier, we have had positive connections in the past year with university programs in China, Mexico, and Saudi Arabia. We will continue to work on and formalize those. Connections. Our goal will be to establish two formal agreements that will bring international students in the 2008-09 school year. Specific faculty have made the connections with the different programs and will take responsibility for continuing the development fo those relationships. The faculty will report progress to the Diversity Coordinator. At the end of each term or more often as necessary. Action #3 Based upon the adopted principles, continue to accept invitations from international universities and programs to explore cooperative programs. We will explore at least five possibilities and establish formal agreements with two programs. Specific faculty will be assigned the responsibility of connecting with each program by the Dean. Those faculty will report progress to the Diversity Coordinator. At the end of each term or more often as necessary. Point 5: Developing and Strengthening Community Linkages Strategic Diversity Action Plan ~ College of Education (May 2007) 1 Point 5: Developing and Strengthening Community Linkages Unit Relevance: To complete our mission of preparing teachers, social service providers, and academicians to work in public education and social service systems our connection to the community and those services is paramount. A. Define what this focal area means to your specific unit. The mission of the COE is to prepare teachers, service providers, and academicians for careers in the public schools and community-based social service agencies, systems which serve as the “learning laboratory” for our students and research sites for our faculty. B. What have you learned about this focal area from your environmental scan? Our connections with the public schools in the Lane county area was affected through the events of past years. The extent of that impact varies, but within the immediate area there is no question that our image has been damaged among diversity groups and advocates. C. Identify your unit’s strengths and challenges in this area. A major strength of our connection to the community is the Family and Human Services program, which has a strong reputation and working connections and practicum placements with roughly 100 social service agencies in Lane County and the state. We have several other programs with strong community connections on which to build. We have taken steps to address our image on a College-level by establishing the Community Diversity Advisory Board this past year. Admittedly it will take time to repair the damage done to our reputation among the diversity community. Goal #1 Meet four times with the Community Diversity Advisory Board over the course of the 2007-08 school year. Measures of progress short / long term Responsible entity / Accountability Timeline for implementation Action #1 Schedule meetings at the beginning of the school year and then at the end of each term. Meetings will be held and agendas and minutes of the meetings recorded. Dean and the Diversity Coordinator The first meeting will be scheduled in mid-September. Other meetings times will be identified jointly over the course of the year. Action #2 The first meeting will be devoted to reviewing evaluation data from the previous year. The purpose of his review will be to share the planning process and priorities for the coming year. General endorsement of those priorities and/or revisions will be secured. Dean and Diversity Coordinator. At the end of the first meeting. Point 5: Developing and Strengthening Community Linkages Strategic Diversity Action Plan ~ College of Education (May 2007) 2 Goal #2 Support and assist in the HEP 40th anniversary Action #1 Schedule the celebration A 40th anniversary celebration for the HEP program and its almost 3200 graduates will be planned and scheduled. HEP director and community planning committee. The Dean’s office will offer support and help in this process. Scheduled by early fall, 2007. Action #2 Hold the celebration Records of the attendee’s contact information will be entered into a database. Publicity regarding the celebration will be organized and supported. HEP Director and community planning committee Most probably held in the spring 2008. Goal #3 Develop connections with community schools for the new TED program, which will begin in 2008. Action #1 Establish a committee to connect with educational equity activists regarding the new program. A committee of faculty and educational equity activists will be formed to plan ways to connect students and with valuable experiences in local schools. TED department head Fall 2007 Action #2 Finalize a plan to enhance the diversity of student enrollments at all levels in TED A plan will be finalized. TED department head and committee. Winter 2007 Action #3 Implement the plan The plan of contact development will be implemented to promote connections before the program begins the following fall. TED department head and committee. Spring 2008. Point 5: Developing and Strengthening Community Linkages Strategic Diversity Action Plan ~ College of Education (May 2007) 3 Action #4 See new curriculum and program proposals through University and State level review processes. The new curriculum with a greater emphasis on both content specific pedagogy and on issues of cultural diversity must be reviewed and approved by several UO and State Government committees. We will be working to ensure this happens in a timely manner. COE Associate Dean for Academic Affairs and TED department head Spring 2008. Action #5 Revise Departmental structure to be more responsive to student and community concerns about educational equity issues. The TED Department will restructure its internal management structure to clarify lines of responsibility and accountability. TED department head Spring 2008. Point 6: Developing a Culturally Responsive Community Strategic Diversity Action Plan ~ College of Education (May 2007) 1 Point 6: Developing a Culturally Responsive Community Unit Relevance: As we described in the previous sections of the SAP, we have developed a comprehensive evaluation system to address and gauge diversity-related concerns. The various parts of this system includes (a) quantitative surveys of graduating and graduated students, (b) interviews with faculty, staff, students, and community members, (c) regular meetings of a Students Advisory Board, and (d) monitoring of reported diversity- related reports complied by the Bias Response Team. Over the last two years, we have amassed these data and then used the results to specify areas that demand remediation. Four other basic procedures and processes have been used in an isolated manner and need to be integrated into this evaluation system. These processes are as follows. First, the regular (every 2-weeks during the school year) Administrative Council meetings (includes all department heads, associate deans, and business managers) in which concerns brought to the respective administrators are brought to the attention of the COE administrative group and then addressed. Second, in preparing the SAP we were surprised at the breadth of our College’s resources allocations relative to diversity. These allocations were collected only this year and should be monitored more closely. Third, the Student Advisory Board meetings provide a way to connect with students on personal and program-level concerns. Notes are taken during these meetings and should be disseminated to the administrative council. Fourth, EDAC compiles a year-end report that is reviewed as an indicator of diversity events and issues within the College. The faculty advisors fro EDAC meet quarterly with the Dean to discuss concerns and issues. A. Define what this focal area means to your specific unit. As a College we have begun to use the data from the comprehensive evaluation system to identify key issues and challenges to address on a yearly basis. These data provide a firm context from which to formulate actions and responses to particular issues. There is no question these various sources of data must be integrated and considered as a whole to insure that we assign resources and efforts to address the most pressing issues. B. What have you learned about this focal area from your environmental scan? As we discussed in the SAP, the evaluation data we have collected over the past three years suggest that as a whole the COE is rated judged to be doing well in its instructional efforts. Ratings are lower, however, from different minority groups of students, suggesting the importance of revising the way we support and connect with those groups. Additionally, various data pointed to the need to revise Teacher Education, develop student supports, and revise the diversity-related courses we teach to have a common framework and to be inclusive of all diverse groups. C. Identify your unit’s strengths and challenges in this area. Overall we believe that we a strong foundation for a comprehensive evaluation system that addresses the instructional effort as a whole and diversity as a critical part of that overarching effort. A major challenge we face is to establish baseline data from which to judge progress from year to year; for example, what is an acceptable rating and a rating that indicates a critical weakness? A second challenge is to revise and improve the different components of the evaluation system. For example, the year-end interviews that we are completing at this time will yield important information on our progress and weaknesses relative to diversity, but we undoubtedly will learn that the way in which we conduct those interviews or the questions we ask should be revised for clarity and precision. Finally, there are parts of the system that should be regularized. For example, the resource allocations made to diversity from the Dean’s Office and the departments should be compiled regularly. It may be possible to coordinate allocations to have greater impact. Point 6: Developing a Culturally Responsive Community Strategic Diversity Action Plan ~ College of Education (May 2007) 2 Goal #1 Gather Quantitative data on Graduating and Graduated Students regarding their satisfaction with their instructional experiences in the COE specific to diversity. Measures of progress short / long term Responsible entity / Accountability Timeline for implementation Action #1 Conduct a follow-up survey of COE graduates Who have been out of school 1, 3, and 5 years. Achieve a 50% response rate from potential respondents. Examine ratings on each item (in particular diversity) that is at or above the ratings achieved in 2006-07. Compare ratings by demographic group on diversity ratings. The Follow-up Survey of Gradates is managed by the Director of Certification and Licensure Programs and a GTF assigned to collect and analyze student data. The survey will begin in the fall of 2007 and be completed by winter break. Action #2 Conduct an Exit Survey of students graduating in the 2007-08 school year. Achieve an 80% response rate from potential respondents. Examine ratings on each item (in particular diversity) that is at or above the ratings achieved in 2005-06 and 2006-07. Compare ratings by demographic group on diversity ratings. The Exit Survey of Graduates is managed by the Director of Certification and Licensure Programs and a GTF assigned to collect and analyze student data. The survey will begin in the middle of May, 2008 and will be completed by the end of the spring, 2008 school year. Action #3 Analyze and complete a report of the results of each survey. Examine results by academic program and by demographic group. Identify key areas of progress and areas that demand attention. The GTF will analyze the data from each survey. The reports will be written by the GTF, Director of Certification and Licensure, and the Dean. The report on the Graduated students will be completed in the winter term of 2008. The report on Exit Survey will be completed in the summer of 2008. Point 6: Developing a Culturally Responsive Community Strategic Diversity Action Plan ~ College of Education (May 2007) 3 Goal #2 Gather data on diversity-related incidents from BRT reports quarterly and on a yearly basis Action #1 BRT data will be gathered and shared with the administrative council at year’s end. The goal will be to have no incidents reported to the BRT relative to the COE. If an incident is reported, the administrative group will examine the incident and develop and appropriate plan to address the particular incident. BRT data will be gathered by the Dean’s support Staff. The Dean and Diversity Coordinator will share each incident with the administrative council. The administrative council will draft a response to the incident. Records of the actions will be recorded and follow-up by appropriate personnel. These records will be shared in a year- end report. Responses to incidents will be developed and implemented as needed throughout the year. Data for the entire year will be reported at the end of the 2007-08 school year. Goal #3 Gather financial data on resource allocations to diversity from across the COE Action #1 Develop a structured template for gather financial information. A template that is easy to use and includes major resource categories will be developed. The Asst. Dean of Admin. and the Business Managers will complete the template. The template will be completed in early fall of 2007. Action #2 Gather financial data on allocations to diversity work. On a quarterly and yearly basis, financial commitments to diversity will be compiled by the COE and the academic departments. The Asst. Dean of Admin. and the Business Managers will gather these data. The data will be gathered quarterly and reported at the end of each school year. Point 6: Developing a Culturally Responsive Community Strategic Diversity Action Plan ~ College of Education (May 2007) 4 Goal #4 Conduct interviews with key faculty, students, staff, and community members regarding progress relative to diversity and areas needing attention. Action #1 Conduct interviews with key respondents. The year-end interviews conducted in 2007 will be repeated with the same or similar respondents (faculty, student groups, staff and the Community Diversity Advisory Board). The Diversity Coordinator and the GTF assigned to the Coordinator will conduct the interviews. The interviews will begin in the spring of 2008 and will be completed by the end of the spring term. Action #2 Analyze the interview data and complete a year-end report. The interviews will be compiled and key themes will be summarized in a report that will be shred with the COE administrative council, the community Diversity Advisory Board and representatives of student groups. The Diversity Coordinator and the GTF assigned to the Coordinator will write the report. The report will be completed in the summer of 2008. Goal #5 Analyze and identify key issues and themes from all evaluation reports. The key issues and themes from the 2007-08 school year will be identified and used to guide diversity-related work for the 2008-09 school year The Dean and Diversity Coordinator will review the documents and identify key issues. The key issues identified by the Dean and Diversity coordinator will be finalized and reviewed by the Administrative council to specify activities of the 2008-09 school year. The initial list of issues and themes will be finalized by the fall administrative retreat in mid-September, 2008. The COE action plan for the 2008-09 school year will be developed and adopted at the back-to-school retreat held before the beginning of the 2008-08 school year. Strategic Action Diversity Plan School of Architecture and Allied Arts (A&AA) University of Oregon Submitted by Frances Bronet, Dean Doug Blandy, Associate Dean for Academic Affairs The Equity and Diversity Committee June 15, 2007 2 A&AA Mission The School of Architecture and Allied Arts is dedicated to advancing the understanding, value, and quality of visual culture and the built, natural, and social environments through excellent and distinctive teaching, research, and creative endeavors. Grounded in a unique multi-disciplinary structure, AAA is a diverse, collegial learning community of faculty, students and staff. We seek to enhance the lives of individual and communities through endeavors that stem from intellectual curiosity, critical thinking, and broad inquiry, rooted in the inter-relatedness of theory, history, and practice. In support of this mission, AAA affirms the following values: EXCELLENCE Supporting and celebrating a culture that promotes rigor, encourages risk- taking, and challenges standards in creating, composing, and presenting ideas. OPEN DISCOURSE Fostering the open exchange and critique of ideas in an environment that welcomes a diversity of views. INCLUSIVENESS Actively encouraging the presence and participation in the School of individuals with differing backgrounds, experience and world-views. COOPERATION Working together in shared efforts to teach, learn, understand, and create. INTER-DISCIPLINARY EXPERIENCE Engaging multiple disciplines to expand our perspectives and enrich our teaching, research, and creative practice. RESPONSIBILITY 3 Recognizing our accountability for the impact of our actions on environmental, social, and cultural systems. Diversity Value Statement The School of Architecture and Allied Arts promotes and maintains an academic community that values equity and diversity and in which all staff (academic, oa, classified, graduate assistants and work study) and students, regardless of their individual race, gender, sexual orientation, ability, and/or cultural traditions, have an equal opportunity to develop professionally and/or academically. Organizational Structure of A&AA A&AA is comprised of the Departments of Art (ART), Architecture (ARCH), Art History (AH), Landscape Architecture (LA), Planning, Public Policy, and Management (PPPM), and Programs in Arts and Administration (AAD), Historic Preservation (HP), and Interior Architecture (IARCH). In addition to these Departments and Programs support services are provided by Computer Services, Facilities, Accounting, Development, Communications and Outreach, and the office of Professional Outreach and Development for Students. History of Diversity Efforts in A&AA Attention to issues and best practices associated with equity and diversity are not new to A&AA. Significant is the work that takes place in this regard within departments and programs. Exemplary efforts include the large number of study abroad programs associated with the school, the internship programs associated with the Arts and Administration Program and Planning, Public Policy, and Management, the numbers of courses in A&AA offered to undergraduate students to meet the multicultural requirement, and the association of faculty and students with the Museum of Natural and Cultural History. However, in recent years attention to issues and best practices associated with Equity and Diversity have become coordinated at the school level through the Dean’s Office. Initiatives include website development, formation of an Equity and Diversity Committee, and a survey of students, faculty, and staff. Website 4 In the Fall 2004 A&AA hired a web manager to re-design the website associated with A&AA. It was expected that this website be fully accessible and meet nationally recognized requirements of web accessibility. This has been achieved and until the implementation of the new UO website was the most extensive website on campus to achieve this goal. The Equity and Diversity Committee In the Fall 2004 Robert Melnick, Dean of A&AA, established a school wide committee charged with advising the School of Architecture and Allied Arts in promoting and maintaining an environment that values equity and diversity and in which all staff (academic, oa, classified, graduate assistants and work study) and students, regardless of their individual race, gender, sexual orientation, ability, and/or cultural traditions, have an equal opportunity to develop professionally and/or academically. Members of the committee can include faculty, staff, officers of administration, and community members (Note that one of the action items for 2007/2008 is to add student members to the committee). Members of the committee serve a two year term. The committee is expected to proactively educate departments, programs, institutes, and centers about equity and diversity issues. This committee is responsible for facilitating efforts to recruit and retain diverse students and staff in order to expand and enrich the School of Architecture and Allied Arts and its academic programs. In its first year the committee met with representatives of Student Life, Affirmative Action and other campus resources, as well as Greg Vincent and Carla Gary, to determine what resources are available on campus with regards to issues of equity and diversity and how best to education A&AA faculty, students, and staff about these resources. The committee also began to develop a survey to be distributed to faculty, staff and students in Fall 2005 for the purpose of gathering information regarding equity & diversity issues in the School. Survey of Students, Faculty, and Staff In the Fall 2005, the Equity and Diversity Committee surveyed faculty, staff, and students to gauge the current perceptions regarding equity and diversity. Survey participants were asked to respond to the following questions or statements on a 10-point scale of agreement to disagreement. The School of Architecture and Allied Arts is inclusive and welcoming. 5 Have you experienced or witnessed bias based on race, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, ability, or cultural orientation at the UO? I know whom to contact if I experience bias. I feel confident in addressing issues of equity and diversity in the workplace. Faculty, staff and students were also asked to indicate their awareness of the Graduate School Fighting Fund, the Underrepresented Minority Recruitment Plan, Disability Services, Student Life, Affirmative Action, Diversity Education and Support, Conflict Resolution Services, Sexual Violence Prevention, LGBTESSP, the Office of Multicultural Affairs, and the Cultural Forum. Narrative responses were provided for the following questions. What suggestions do you have for meeting the A&AA’s mission to be inclusive and welcoming? Are you interested in assisting the Equity and Diversity Committee with its mission? The results, while indicating there were not any critical issues, showed that members faculty, staff, and student populations felt that the school has not met its goals with regards to inclusiveness. In response to the issues raised in the survey the committee sponsored two “Language and Labels” workshops that were presented by members of the Teaching Effectiveness Program in 2006 and conceptualized a curriculum grant program to motivate faculty to create new or modified courses that attend to issues of equity and diversity. Process of Plan Development Dean Frances Bronet charged the members of the 2006/2007 Equity and Diversity Committee with writing the draft of the Strategic Diversity Action Plan. Associate Dean Doug Blandy chairs this committee. Members of the Committee include Chris Wiesemann (Classified Staff, Computer Services), Ihab Elzeyadi (Assistant Professor, Architecture), Janice Rutherford (Assistant Professor, Arts and Administration), Sana Krusoe, (Associate Professor, Art), Jessica Greene (Assistant Professor, Planning, Public Policy, 6 and Management), Christine Wilson (classified staff, Deans Office), and Daniel Hunter (Landscape Architecture Alum). Committee members were chosen to represent the range of disciplines and fields associated with A&AA; classified and unclassified UO employees; and the community. All of those on the committee are respected within A&AA for their demonstrated on ongoing commitment to equity and diversity. During the Fall and Winter terms this committee has met every other week for the purpose of developing the Strategic Diversity Action Plan. Committee members consulted widely within A&AA, and with outside campus units as appropriate, to complete the environmental scan, develop goals and propose actions. In the Fall 2006 the Equity and Diversity Committee asked, and received, answers to the following questions from all A&AA Departments and Programs. The questions were as follows. 1. What diversity programs/initiatives are currently underway? 2. What is required by your accreditation body or generally perceived as best practices? 3. How effective are the current programs in addressing diversity goals? 4. Where are the gaps in curriculum, initiatives, programs and services? 5. What are the historical conditions that have shaped your unit's responses to diversity issues? 6. What is the internal and external reputation of your unit in terms of its diversity efforts? 7. What concerns about diversity have gone unaddressed in your unit? 8. What is the resource capacity of your unit and unit leadership to address diversity challenges? Response to these questions provided the following information about equity and diversity within A&AA. 7 All departments and programs are actively working on one or more specific goals for related to equity and diversity. PPPM is concentrating on obtaining more scholarships and money to bring in a more diverse group of students. ARCH is working on recruiting a more diverse faculty. AAD and ARH are working on curriculum that satisfies multicultural requirements. ART is working on continuing to keep a diverse group of students as well as students doing projects that show the diversity on the UO campus. ARCH and ART are the two departments in AAA that have an accreditation body. Both departments are working on improving the diversity of their departments with students, curriculum, faculty, and staff. The other departments do not have an accreditation process but all are working towards diversity goals and many are actively involved with committees, professional organizations, or groups to help them achieve their diversity goals. All departments feel like they could be attracting a more diverse group of students but due to money – scholarships, etc. they are losing out to other schools. AAD and ARH feel that their curriculums in this department are meeting their goals. ARH, ARCH, and ART all believe that ARCH needs to add a non- western History of Architecture. The three departments see this as a concern but cannot fix the problem due to not having the monetary resources to hire someone to teach the class nor stretch any faculty member to add any additional classes addressing this to the curriculum. A problem all departments and programs are concerned about is getting a more diverse group of students, having money to bring them to the UO, and bridging the gap in some departments and programs of students being overwhelmingly one gender. Larger departments (ARCH, ART) feel that they have more room to find places for faculty who they think are valuable to their department and can find the resources to entice faculty who are diverse. Smaller departments (HP, ARH) are on the opposite side with no resources or room to address problems their departments have had with diversity. Several departments are trying to break away from the historical trends of their field – ARCH being white males, AAD & IARC being traditionally female. AAD is the only department or program that is well known internally and externally for its diversity efforts in designing a multicultural and socio- 8 political curriculum. The other departments are not sure what their reputation is in this regard. All departments and programs are concerned with the diversity of its current students, recruiting a more diverse group of students, having more diversity in curriculum, and hiring and keeping a more diverse faculty Most departments and programs feel that it’s difficult to address the resource issue for several reasons. Most departments and programs can only address the issue of diversity for faculty when a position becomes available in their department. Most feel like they don’t have the resources to recruit a diverse group of prospects and normally loose potential faculty members to other institutions due to the lack of money they can offer. Most departments feel they can address this only as it comes up in the department when a faculty member leaves or retires. The Strategic Diversity Action Plan Following are the goals and actions adopted for 2007. These goals and actions are based on the 2005 survey of faculty and students, the environmental inventory completed in 2006, and the fact-finding efforts of the Equity and Diversity Committee on UO resources beginning in 2004. It is important to note that this first Strategic Diversity Action Plan is based on what the authors believe can be reasonably initiated and/or accomplished in 2007/2008. The plan does not address all that the survey and inventory suggests. However, the goals and actions associated with this plan will be reviewed and modified each year as appropriate and new actions and goals will be added over time. Developing a Culturally Responsive Community Goal: Introduce, orient, and reinforce faculty and staff attention to issues associated with equity and diversity. Action: The A&AA Administrative Council (Department / Program Heads) and members of the Equity and Diversity Committee will participate with representatives of the Center on Community and Diversity (CODAC) in three four hour seminars on Multicultural Organization with A&AA during the Fall 2007. 9 Action: In the Fall 2007 one graduate student and one undergraduate student will be added to the membership of the A&AA Equity and Diversity Committee. Action: In the Fall 2007, the 2007 Strategic Action Diversity Plan will be presented to the A&AA Student Advisory Committee. Suggestions and recommendations for the 2008 plan will be solicited. Action: The Equity and Diversity will initiate a program to provide funding to motivate faculty to develop new courses or modify existing courses that attend to issues of equity and diversity in 2007/2008. Funding in the amount of $2000.00 has been secured for this purpose. Improving A&AA Climate Goal: Creation of a welcoming environment within A&AA Action: The House Committee with assistance from the Equity and Diversity Committee will be asked by the Dean to conduct an accessibility study of A&AA facilities in relation to faculty, students, and staff with disabilities. Study will result in a plan for implementing appropriate improvements. Action: The House Committee will continue its efforts to plan and develop clear and accessible signage within A&AA facilities. Action: An Equity and Diversity website will be added to the A&AA website. This website will consist of campus and community resources that can inform best practices by faculty, staff, and students associated with the creation of a welcoming environment within A&AA. Action: In the Spring 2008 the Equity and Diversity Committee will re-survey the A&AA community to gauge current perceptions regarding equity and diversity within A&AA. 10 Goal: Development and Implementation of Internal Communication Strategies Action: In Fall 2007 an OA in the Dean’s Office, working in partnership with the AAA web manager will develop and initiate a plan for internal communications among faculty, staff, and students. Building Critical Mass Goal: To Diversify A&AA Faculty Action: The A&AA Dean’s Office will work with the Office of Affirmative Action to provide relevant information to Department and Program Heads related to best practices in recruiting for building a critical mass. Action: A&AA Departments and Programs will be asked by the Dean to assess current recruitment strategies in relationship to building a critical mass within A&AA. Plans for using current or new recruitment strategies will be implemented towards the goal of increasing faculty diversity. Expanding and Filling the Pipeline Goal: Improve awareness of A&AA related educational opportunities among Oregon’s under-represented groups. Action: The Dean’s office in association with the Office of Admissions will provide Department and Program Heads with information regarding developing and implementing strategies for recruiting under-represented students. Action: Departments and Programs will be asked to develop and implement plans for recruiting under-represented students. Developing and Strengthening Community Linkages 11 Goal: Cultivate links between community based organizations and offices with A&AA students. Action: The A&AA Professional Outreach and Development for Students (PODS) office will identify and offer internships to A&AA students in offices and organizations with a stated commitment to equity and diversity. Goal: Cultivate civic engagement by faculty and students within A&AA. Action: Civic leaders will be invited to attend an A&AA Administrative Council meeting to discuss issues of mutual concern and identify possible partnership opportunities. Action: One A&AA all school faculty and staff meeting will be devoted to the topic of civic engagement. Faculty and students will be invited to make formal presentations about their work in the community. Developing and Reinforcing Diversity Infrastructure Goal: Identify achievable infrastructure improvements associated with facilities. Action: The House Committee and the Equity and Diversity Committee will hold a joint meeting to discuss and prioritize infrastructure improvements that are congruent with the mission and values of A&AA in relationship to equity and diversity. Each committee as appropriate to their mission will develop a plan for the implementation of priorities. Goal: Provide faculty and staff with information about the relationship of disability to learning in higher education. Action: The Office of Disability Services will be asked to provide a workshop to faculty on universal design as it applies to classroom instruction. 12 SOJC DIVERSITY PLAN SEPTEMBER 20071 University of Oregon School of Journalism and Communication Diversity Plan 2007-2008 Approved, October 19, 2007 Statement of Purpose Central to the School of Journalism and Communication’s mission is the goal of building greater social, political, cultural, economic, and intellectual diversity among our Allen Hall community. As we do this, it is our direct intent to nurture diversity consistently in our curriculum and public scholarship, and in our service to students, staff, and faculty. We believe this will, in turn, have an effect on the culture in which we live. By achieving this goal, we prepare students to become professional communicators, critical thinkers, and responsible citizens as they grow into the leaders for the 21st century global society. This mission animates the University of Oregon’s definition of diversity: differences based on race and ethnicity, national origin or citizenship, gender, religious affiliation or background, sexual orientation, gender identity, economic class or status, political affiliation or belief, and ability or disability. Therefore, the SOJC mission encourages the intellectual and philosophical characteristics of the ethical, knowledgeable communication leader. Our faculty and teachers – specialists in journalism, advertising, communication studies, public relations, and electronic media – work collaboratively to fulfill this mission for students, the university community, and the culture in which we live. Our officers of administration, with their own expertise in technology, communication, advising and student affairs, development, and management, share in this diversity effort through their support of teaching and learning in the School. We believe and affirm that our students must be mentored and supported in ways that engage their diverse perspectives as they develop meaningful careers and lives. Background The critical importance of achieving greater diversity and creating a learning environment that supports and encourages all members of our community is reflected in the high priority placed on diversity by the University of Oregon and by the Accrediting Council for Education in Journalism and Mass Communication (ACEJMC), our national accrediting body. Because we are a professional school, it is important to note the ongoing efforts and initiatives of our constituent professional organizations. For example, the American Society of Newspaper Editors (ASNE) launched an ongoing diversity initiative in 1978; the American Advertising Federation (AAF), the Radio Television News Directors Association (RTNDA), and the Public Relations Society of America are all on record as recognizing the importance of taking an active and aggressive role in enhancing SOJC DIVERSITY PLAN SEPTEMBER 20072 diversity in the communication professions, and they do so through their external and internal work throughout their respective industries. In the School of Journalism and Communication, the promotion and practice of freedom of expression and intellectual inquiry is an integral part of our long and proud tradition of excellence and of this diversity effort. We strive to build a diverse community defined by free speech, intellectual inquiry, and a climate of respect for all points of views, and have done so for many years. Indeed, this diversity document does not represent the beginning of our efforts to build diversity. The SOJC has a nearly 100-year tradition of excellence in teaching, scholarship, and service. Our existing policies and practices demonstrate broad agreement that our curriculum should address diversity issues, reflect the diversity of our multicultural society, and prepare students to live in a multicultural world. The SOJC faculty adopted a diversity plan in 1993. Many formal and informal diversity efforts exist in our School, including those that preceded the adoption of any formal framework, initiatives that grew from passion and resolve rather than the requirements of a particular document. Therefore, this plan incorporates and builds upon past and current initiatives with great pride, acknowledging the need for a systemic approach to fulfilling this vital part of the university mission. Our environmental assessment of our diversity efforts covers the last decade. Engaged faculty and students regularly discuss how to better represent truth and democracy and bring these perspectives to the classroom. Reporting classes and publications look for timely and diverse topics as areas of investigation. Advertising and public relations classes take on advocacy issues as part of understanding how change is facilitated. Scholarship and fellowship opportunities are found and directed toward appropriate candidates. Our diversity initiatives have long been facilitated by Dean Gleason, Associate Dean Al Stavitsky, and more recently by Kathy Campbell, Coordinator of Undergraduate Studies and a 2007 recipient of the Martin Luther King Jr. Award. Important work on this updated document has also been accomplished by members of the 2005-2007 committees: Kathy Campbell, Coordinator of Undergraduate Studies, chair Leslie Steeves, Professor and Director of Graduate Affairs Scott Maier, Associate Professor Sally Garner, Undergraduate Adviser Carol Ann Bassett, Associate Professor Carl Bybee, Associate Professor Deb Merskin, Associate Professor and SOJC Affirmative Action Officer Deborah Morrison, Chambers Distinguished Professor of Advertising. The 2007-2008 Committee comprises the following members: Deborah Morrison, chair Kathy Campbell SOJC DIVERSITY PLAN SEPTEMBER 20073 Sally Garner David Koranda, Instructor Deb Merskin ex-officio, SOJC Affirmative Action Officer Dean Gleason and Associate Dean Stavitsky and the faculty leaders noted throughout our document, support, encourage, and continue to engage in the diversity plan development process. As new initiatives are undertaken, direct student engagement with the committee is becoming a reality. The SOJC Diversity Plan The SOJC Diversity Plan draws on the University of Oregon’s proposed Five-Year Diversity Plan. It is structured to achieve six diversity goals: 1. Develop a Culturally Responsive Community 2. Improve Campus Climate 3. Build Critical Mass 4. Expand and Fill the Pipeline 5. Develop and Strengthen Community Linkages 6. Develop and Reinforce Diversity Infrastructure In each of these six areas, the plan outlines our strategy, our current and continuing actions, proposed actions, accountability for each of the initiatives, and the resources to help achieve them. Our goal is an authentic and transparent effort to create real change on campus and in the world. We identify a mix of strategies and actions; some already in place, some clearly achievable, and some requiring the School to stretch to find new resources. It also requires that all members of the SOJC community be accountable for the plan’s success as we build our collective ownership of its mission and goals. The initial version of this Diversity Plan was presented to the faculty in Spring 2006 and approved for implementation. Since that time, the SOJC Standing Committee on Diversity has met and discussed methods for further refining the approaches and tactics of the plan. The committee’s recommendations continue to be evaluated by the faculty and implemented only after the faculty has approved these recommendations and formally amended the Plan to incorporate changes. In regular meetings, the committee will discuss further implementation and ideas. On an annual basis, the Dean and the committee will report formally to the faculty on the progress made toward achieving the SOJC’s diversity goals. The schedule and structure of that formal report will be determined, in part, by the requirements of the University’s diversity plan. Throughout this document, we provide action items to be used as planning guides for the SOJC community. Strategy sections show our objectives in the area and how we approach a particular goal. SOJC DIVERSITY PLAN SEPTEMBER 20074 Current and Continuing Actions show what is being done at present to achieve goals. These actions are often ripe for expansion or have actively been developed through the years. Proposed Actions outline what the SOJC believes are promising initiatives that may need extra resources and further discussion but show promising opportunities. Accountability identifies the SOJC community members who lead efforts on various actions and accept responsibility for their success. At some points, the plan offers Evidence to enrich our discussion of what continues to occur and grow within Allen Hall. This is not meant to be an exhaustive listing of SOJC diversity efforts; rather, these notes exemplify some of the successes of which we are proud. SOJC DIVERSITY PLAN SEPTEMBER 20075 Six Diversity Goals and the SOJC Community We believe the following plan is a living document, one that should be read and revisited and made real on a continual basis. Although the Dean and the Standing Committee on Diversity accept the primary responsibility for the plan and its success, the SOJC faculty, staff, and student body as a community must continue to foster a philosophy of inclusion and fairness. This plan builds on our demonstrated strengths, most notably a history of strong commitment to fostering diversity in our research, teaching and professional connections. It also acknowledges that our efforts will benefit from a broader vision of what we can accomplish together with the structure of a specific, goal-directed plan embraced by the faculty and staff. Our goal is to create a simple, elegant plan to guide us as we grow and change. 1. Develop a Culturally Responsive Community This plan defines cultural diversity as a process. Cultural diversity addresses the conditions created by a rapidly changing global society in which people’s experiences, identities, communication styles, and viewpoints have been shaped by the history and culture of the communities in which they live. We continue to develop a community culture in which all students, faculty and staff feel welcomed and where discrimination is not tolerated. Strategy: Continue to increase awareness and sensitivity within the SOJC community concerning issues of diversity and differing perspectives Accountability: Leadership and Faculty Current and Continuing Actions: • Invite creative and thoughtful leaders from the professions who demonstrate dedication to the best practices in diversity and equity Evidence: During the 2006-2007 year, the following speakers were among those who provided a richly diverse experience for the School: - Leonard Pitts Jr. was the 2007 Ruhl Lecturer. Pitts, an African-American, is a Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist at the Miami Herald. He spoke on campus and at the Turnbull Center in Portland about fatherhood and the black experience. - The Richard Ward Executive-in-Residence Program for advertising, now in its sixth year, has included three women (including an African-American and a lesbian), and two professionals from the United Kingdom. The 2008 visitor will be from China. - In October 2006, our PageTurners short course students read The Death of Innocence: The Story of the Hate Crime that Changed America and participated in a weekend seminar with author Christopher Benson of the University of Illinois. Benson wrote the book with Mamie Till-Mobley, the mother of Emmett Till, the 14- SOJC DIVERSITY PLAN SEPTEMBER 20076 year-old murdered in 1955 in a vicious hate crime. In Fall 2007, the reading selection is Gift Children: A Story of Race, Family and Adoption in a Divided America, written by Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Doug Bates of The Oregonian. - The April 2007 Johnston Lecture was given by Adrian Nicole LeBlanc, a 2006 MacArthur Fellow and author of Random Family: Love, Drugs, Trouble and Coming of Age in the Bronx about an impoverished Bronx neighborhood. - Performance artist and UO Department of Creative Writing Lecturer Drea Brown was the featured performer at Ad Night, a celebration of creativity. • Encourage multi-disciplinary attendance at topic-appropriate symposia and guest speaking lectures by students and faculty. • Show visual evidence of approaches to multiple cultures and perspectives in hallway showcases, the SOJC website, and in university publications and student gallery work. • Use faculty and administrative meetings and retreats as opportunities to discuss issues of diversity and fairness. • Use syllabi and course materials to integrate diversity practices into everyday university and classroom life. • Strengthen the School’s mentoring program for new untenured faculty with special attention to the challenges faced by faculty of color, female faculty, and others who may require or benefit from additional support. • Discuss issues of diversity – successes, initiatives, wish lists, and opportunities – at Advisory Board meetings, award ceremonies, and graduation exercises. • Actively engage with Assistant Dean for Student Services Greg Kerber and Undergraduate Adviser Sally Garner concerning student issues in this area during faculty meetings and committee work. • Continue the student/faculty “coffee and conversation” efforts started in 2005. These conversation can provide useful student feedback on how elements of the SOJC are perceived through their respective lenses. Emerging trends can inform policy and even curricular changes. • Show evidence of diversity issues in mission statements and learning objectives. Evidence: The learning objectives for the Public Relations area include the following: mastery of effective cross-cultural communication, and an understanding of global business needs and perspectives. SOJC DIVERSITY PLAN SEPTEMBER 20077 Proposed Actions: • Hold regular meetings of an engaged diversity committee and invite other faculty members and students to attend. Guest speakers and University leaders will also be invited. Accountability: Diversity Committee • Create, produce and host an online humanities collection of Oregon stories called Who We Are. Building on multimedia technologies, writing and reporting skills, and photojournalism and video content provided by SOJC students, the site will use the University’s definition of diversity as its inspiration. To fund the project, we will apply for an NEH Digital Humanities grant in Spring 2008. Accountability: Diversity Committee • Create a Change Agent Award to be given at graduation that represents thinking dedicated to the future and finding solutions to problems of diversity and fairness. Accountability: Leadership and Award Committee • Use fall term meetings for majors and pre-majors to discuss diversity issues and strengthen the SOJC community. • Seek new teaching and learning materials such as The Authentic Voice: Best Reporting on Race and Ethnicity from the Kellogg Foundation at Columbia. Find ways to integrate across curriculum and make available to faculty and students. • Include discussion of diversity in faculty annual reports. Accountability: Leadership • Use more elaborate exit interviews with graduating students to identify unresolved issues of diversity and equity and seek their suggestions for solutions. Accountability: Leadership and Student Services Evidence: With more resources, the current exit survey – which has surpassed the 60 % response rate for the past three years – could be expanded to include focus groups or one-on-one interviews. Resources for Proposed Actions: Existing resources are available to support speakers and visitors, as well as materials and meeting activities to fulfill this Diversity Development Goal. Dean Gleason will seek support to create and maintain the Change Agent Award. SOJC DIVERSITY PLAN SEPTEMBER 20078 2. Improve Campus Climate and Cultural Competence The School of Journalism and Communication is the intellectual meeting place for approximately 1,500 students, at least 40 full- and part-time faculty and lecturers, 20 administrative staff, and more than 100 guest lecturers and guests each year. Beyond that, Allen Hall also houses two classrooms that bring hundreds of students from other University disciplines into the building. This union of people and various ideas suggests possibilities for identifying challenges as well as creative strategies for improving campus climate. Strategy 1: Develop mechanisms for identifying problem areas and adapt protocols and process to solve these issues. Current and Continuing Actions: Accountability: Leadership and Faculty • Develop policy to guide SOJC responses to negative events. Evidence: In a spring 2007 Eugene Weekly column, the author cited a case of ethnic harassment in Allen Hall. Faculty members found the author and interviewed him, discussed the matter with OMAS and undergraduate advisers, and discussed the event in various classes. Though the culprit(s) could not be found and the matter could not be fully substantiated, taking on such issues forcefully and finding solutions helped faculty and staff to combat such behavior. As has been noted (with homage to Ken Kesey): It’s the truth even if it didn’t happen. Our mission is to seed attitudes to combat this behavior and to assure our community we will not tolerate this attitude. In an example from 2006, when a student in a class made an off-hand insensitive remark, the professor discussed the situation and realized the tension this was causing. He brought in a representative from Affirmative Action to discuss the situation with the class, encouraged discussion, and found ways to make the class stronger as a cohort through this action. In April 2007, the faculty acted quickly in the wake of the shootings at Virginia Tech by putting together a symposium in Allen Hall titled “The Multimedia Manifesto of Cho Seung-Hui: Journalism ethics in a time of tragedy.” Our Apple Corps teaching seminar that month was titled “Teaching in a time of tragedy.”Each of these events was well attended and well received. All of these examples reflect the need for ongoing protocols for faculty and students to use in such situations to allow us to react quickly and appropriately not only to the human experience we all share but also to at least salvage a “teachable moments” out of such tragedy and sadness. • Continue to encourage SOJC supervisory personnel to seek out training opportunities. SOJC DIVERSITY PLAN SEPTEMBER 20079 • Invite UO trainers to SOJC to hold sessions for supervisory personnel. • Continue to push the Study Abroad programs available to students. Evidence: In a recent audit, it was determined that SOJC students are second on campus as a UO cohort actively participating in Study Abroad opportunities. We intend to capitalize on this finding and continue to make information and opportunity accessible. • Support and encourage student organizations to participate in discussions about campus climate. Strategy 2: Continue and strengthen the SOJC’s long-held commitment to creating and maintaining a healthy educational environment and a commitment to the wellbeing of all students. In doing so, we will continue to enhance the cultural competence of our community. Current and Continuing Actions Accountability: Leadership, Faculty and Undergraduate Affairs Committee • Explore ways to create a welcoming atmosphere by telling the compelling stories of our diverse community throughout the School. Evidence: Small and significant actions matter here. Showcases of student photo and creative work display a diverse array of people and places in the hallways of Allen Hall. These are changed at least every term, with some on a rotating basis every few weeks. • Explore ways to highlight and improve the place of teaching, advising and outreach in the SOJC and university reward structure. • Continue to support SOJC faculty leadership and participation in efforts to enhance cultural competence on campus. • Continue to include diversity issues in meetings and in teaching seminars to facilitate the culture of “thinking diversity” in routine matters. • Continue to invite provocative, interesting speakers addressing topics of meaning and multiple perspectives. Co-sponsor events to bring in national and international figures. Proposed Actions: Accountability: Faculty and Diversity Committee SOJC DIVERSITY PLAN SEPTEMBER 200710 • Share teaching tips and exercises via e-mail and through teaching symposia. Evidence: Kathy Campbell is compiling and will be sharing diversity tips with faculty and adjuncts. This will become a regular email reminder within the term. Our Apple Corps teaching seminars regularly include discussion of diversity and fairness in the classroom. • Incorporate ASJMC “best practices” into the SOJC cultural competence tactics. • Create forums for broader discussion of cultural competence. These will include informal meetings and gatherings as well as formal publications, hallway display boards, and direct connections with students in email and personal communication. We will encourage students seek out other students to keep the conversation about diversity and inclusivity and unity alive. Accountability: Diversity Committee and student committee • Create a small library of books for the School through resources that reflect diverse themes and new voices. Drive student readership to this area through seminar courses and speakers. See appendix for Proposal 3. Accountability: Diversity Committee Resources for Proposed Actions: Funding for training workshops and meeting supports exists in present budgets. Further “Coffee and Conversation” meetings can be planned by shifting resources. SOJC DIVERSITY PLAN SEPTEMBER 200711 3. Build and Maintain Critical Mass of a Diverse Cohort The SOJC commits itself to an active program of recruitment and retention of students, faculty, and staff from underrepresented groups. This section is structured in two parts: (a) recruit and retain a diverse student body; and (b) recruit and retain a diverse workforce. It has become clear that our greatest recruitment and retention challenges are with students and faculty of color, and with students in socio-economic groups that have little history of college attendance. At the same time, the plan embraces a broad definition of diversity, recognizing that gender and other diversity variables often compound our challenges in these areas. Strategy 1: Recruit and retain a diverse student body. Efforts to attract and retain a diverse student body are woven into the fabric of the SOJC. More can be done to recruit those students into journalism and communication careers, especially via FIGs, TRIGs and seminars dedicated to understanding media, and more important, the opportunities available through the media to effect change. With programs and scholarships in place, with diversity training and sensibilities rising, the School does a credible job of finding ways to support a diverse population. Many faculty and staff take the initiative daily to be inclusive and to remedy past wrongs of cultures and institutions. Current and Continuing Actions: Accountability: SOJC Faculty, Undergraduate Affairs Committee, Advising Staff, Student Leaders • Continue to support the UO chapter of the National Association of Black Journalists with financial and advising assistance and work to better incorporate the chapter in the SOJC. • Continue to develop relationships – formal and informal – at institutions with diverse student and faculty populations (e.g., historically black universities, universities with notable Hispanic populations). • Explore opportunities to increase SOJC involvement in the Office of Multicultural Academic Support (OMAS) and Admissions Office recruiting programs and initiate new SOJC efforts with support of OMAS, Admissions and other university offices. • Create a standing committee for International Studies that supports international scholarship, seeks to attract international graduate students, and supports ongoing initiatives on a global basis. SOJC DIVERSITY PLAN SEPTEMBER 200712 Evidence: The Committee has been named in 2007 (chaired by leslie Steeves, Graduate Adviser) and is actively building an agenda for schoolwide investment and support of global study. • Expand the use of existing scholarship funds to recruit and retain a diverse student body and raise the profile of diversity scholarships in the current Campaign Oregon scholarship initiative. Accountability: Undergraduate Affairs Committee and Advising Staff Evidence: Continuing efforts by lead faculty to identify and support minority students for SOJC, University, and nationally competitive scholarships. . • Continue to support the national AAF (American Advertising Federation) Most Promising Minority Student Conference and national AAAA (American Association of Advertising Agencies) Minority Advertising Internship Program (MAIP) with qualified UO communication and advertising students. Evidence: SOJC students have been included in the rolls of Most Promising Minority students across the country in 2005 and 2006. Over the past five years, SOJC students have been named to MAIP internships five times. • Continue to lead and support major professional organizational initiatives that support graduate researchers of color. Evidence: The PR Division of AEJMC has the Inez Kaiser Awards for grad students of color. We both nominate students for these awards and sponsor them. Additionally, it offers the Roschwalb Award to support a student studying internationally and contributing to international PR research. Endowed Chair in Public Relations Pat Curtin is a major sponsor of this award each year and encourages students to apply. • Continue to support the Ghana and Galapagos summer programs, increase faculty participation and explore the use of scholarships to diversify participation. Evidence: The Ghana Program, led by Professor Leslie Steeves, the SOJC’s Director of Graduate Studies, has experienced strong growth with a cross-section of SOJC students participating in understanding international media and new cultures. Faculty travel and development is supported to study and visit these media outlets in Africa. Development of the Galapagos Program by SOJC Associate Professor Carol Ann Bassett brings students to Ecuador and to study native cultures and environments there. • Continue to participate in university-wide functions to support diversity. Evidence: Faculty and staff participate annually in ONE (Oregon Native Education) Day. SOJC faculty member Kathy Campbell was honored as a 2007 SOJC DIVERSITY PLAN SEPTEMBER 200713 MLK Award recipient. SOJC faculty and staff attend MLK Day Award ceremonies, New Beginnings meetings, and freshmen orientation programs. • Continue to pursue funding for the “Steal this Camera” initiative and other initiatives that allow the SOJC to partner with the Portland School District and other K-12 districts with large underrepresented student populations. Accountability: Associate Dean Al Stavitsky and the Turnbull Center • Continue efforts to support the Minorities in Media workshop, which brings high school students and their mentors to Allen Hall for a one-day workshop each fall. Proposed Actions: Accountability: Diversity Committee • Name a student representative to the Diversity Committee and set protocols for choosing this representative in subsequent academic years. • Host showings of provocative films such as Sut Jhally’s Dreamworlds 3 and/or Beyond Beats & Rhymes from the Media Education Foundation concerning creation/depiction of culture via the media and music, followed by discussions featuring local musicians. • Explore grant opportunities on News and Newsroom Diversity from the Knight Foundation to support student opportunity and faculty research. Accountability: Diversity Committee Chair and Development Staff • Identify authentic diversity work within the School to be commended at faculty meetings and University ceremonies. • Build on existing faculty relationships with universities in other countries (e.g., Peru, Ecuador, Latin America, Ghana, Finland, Netherlands, Denmark, Korea, China, and Singapore) and encourage new relationships. Accountability: Discussions with universities in Singapore, China, Ghana as part of a strategic plan for connecting with other institutions of higher learning and professional organizations. It should be noted that it is not our intent to support governments engaged in human rights violations, but we do actively seek opportunities to teach and model democratic practices in journalism, advertising, public relations, and communication. • Develop partnerships with Portland high schools from our base in the Turnbull Center, using the new facility to build community. Accountability: Al Stavitsky and the Turnbull Center Staff SOJC DIVERSITY PLAN SEPTEMBER 200714 Evidence: Associate Dean Al Stavitsky and Mark Blaine are writing grants and partnering with news organizations to provide high school journalism projects with Portland high schools. • Continue to create more advising and mentoring opportunities for all students to interact with faculty, making use of our proposed student portfolio requirements as a method for noting increased attention to diversity issues. Accountability: Undergraduate Affairs Committee and Advising Staff Resources for Proposed Actions As priorities and clearer focus is established through committee planning, resources can be determined. Strategy 2: Recruit and retain a diverse workforce. Continuing and Current Actions Accountability: Leadership and faculty • Continue to implement best practices recommended by the Office of Affirmative Action and Equal Opportunity and the Office of the Vice Provost for Institutional Equity and Diversity. • Ensure that each search committee includes a member of the School’s Standing Committee on Diversity. Accountability: Leadership and Committee Chairs • Advertise broadly to reach underrepresented scholars of different backgrounds. By using a focused set of communication strategies and professional networks, smarter targeting of candidates can be used. • Continue to find new communication methods to find scholars and applicants that might not have been reached in past searches, i.e., newsletters and online forum dedicated to special groups, different networking possibilities, etc. • Continue successful use of the UO Minority Recruitment Plan to recruit tenure-related faculty and to create new faculty positions. • Continue to seek a diverse pool of adjunct instructors, addressing diversity training for them as well as best teaching practices that lead to more informed coursework. SOJC DIVERSITY PLAN SEPTEMBER 200715 Accountability: Undergraduate Coordinator and Undergraduate Affairs Committee Evidence: Annual and monthly teaching seminars meetings are regularly offered to engage adjunct instructors in discussions of SOJC diversity policies, resources, and perspectives. • Explore developing formal relationships with institutions and organizations with significant diversity populations for the purpose of faculty and professional exchanges and building relationships with potential faculty and graduate students. Proposed Actions: • Develop and implement formal and informal networking strategies to identify, cultivate and recruit diversity candidates, e.g., expand the scope of outreach to professional organizations. • Ask direct questions of new and prospective faculty as to their approaches and policies concerning inclusiveness and diversity. Provide formal training and mentorship in this area. Accountability: Search committees • Evaluate search strategies, including the current committee structure, to maximize ability to develop diverse candidate pools. Resources for Proposed and Continuing Actions: Search budgets are structured to support aggressive recruiting and to support additional visits when appropriate. SOJC DIVERSITY PLAN SEPTEMBER 200716 4. Expand and Fill the Pipeline Filling the pipeline is a challenging task of which our faculty is well aware; our professional industries underscore this need as we do and new strategies are demanded to let students and prospective students and parents understand opportunities in communication and journalism industries. Strategy Continue to use and hold accountable the strong professional organizations in the journalism, advertising, and public relations arena, making best use of their resources and priorities in this area. Current and Continuing Actions Accountability: Leadership and faculty with networks in the professions • Actively seek out opportunities for students within the professions. Evidence: AAF’s Mosaic Center on Multiculturalism and its Mosaic Council have been in place for more than five years; its Most Promising Minority Students program has connected students with potential employers since 1997. RTNDA (the association of electronic journalists) adopted diversity as one of its core values in 1998; its ongoing Newsroom Diversity Project has provided mid- career training as well as student internships, scholarships and fellowships since 1991. In 2000, PRSA revamped its two decades of diversity efforts by forming a National Diversity Committee; PRSA recognizes chapter diversity efforts with annual awards and provides speakers and other resources for chapters committed to those efforts. Proposed Actions • Make best use of a “middle school to profession” vision of career choices for students. By identifying key opportunities and matching those with diverse populations in middle and high schools in the region, in community colleges and in our own SOJC populations, we slowly expand number and fulfill this challenge. Accountability: Leadership and the Diversity Committee Resources for Proposed Actions: Renew the solid commitment to propose and fund student, faculty, and staff travel for student recruiting and outreach. SOJC DIVERSITY PLAN SEPTEMBER 200717 5. Develop and Strengthen Community And Professional Linkages The SOJC commits to actively seeking diverse voices to help evaluate and improve current efforts and develop new efforts to achieving diversity and equity in our educational and public service missions. This section includes strategies to (1) initiate dialogue with diverse voices and (2) create ongoing programs that allow these voices the opportunity to advise us in our work to contribute to diversity and equity goals in scholarship, education, and media employment. Strategy: Provide a strong diverse professional network for faculty and students that will help to frame the standards of best and ethical practices. Continuing and Current Actions: Accountability: Faculty and industry network • Continue to seek a diverse range of speakers for SOJC sponsored lectures. Evidence: As noted throughout this document, the SOJC has a longstanding mission to find a broad array of speakers and perspectives and to invite them into our classrooms. This opportunity reinforces our professional network’s dedication to finding new voices for their workplaces. • Continue funding and inviting a diverse range of visitors to the SOJC, with a stronger effort to ensure that we are maximizing our opportunities. • Continue to encourage and support faculty participation in a wide range of community and university events. • Continue work with the Oregon Humanities Center to seed funding, connection, and diverse perspective. Evidence: SOJC Associate Professor Carol Ann Bassett was a board member for three years and provided a connection to new opportunities for funding and perspective. In 2007, Diversity Chair Deb Morrison was named to the board and will continue this connection. • Work with ONPA, SPJ, OAB, other professional organizations and media in the state to create an Oregon initiative on media diversity. Evidence: The SOJC is partnering with The Oregonian, The Statesman- Journal and the Register-Guard to sponsor an ASNE minority job fair in Fall 2007. SOJC DIVERSITY PLAN SEPTEMBER 200718 • Continue and develop work with professional and academic organizations on diversity and best practices, showing evidence that UO faculty are serious about diversity issues. • Advertise and advise on internship and fellowship opportunities that grow global, multicultural experience. Accountability: Career Services Coordinator Bil Morrill and Undergraduate Affairs Committee • Continue to be a conscience for the industry as discussions of injustice, flawed practices, and the need for new opportunity arise. Evidence: SOJC faculty often serve on Advisory committees and boards for the professional community where such discussions take place. Proposed Actions • Build the Executive-in-Residence 2007 theme around China and its cultural change as advertising and design become part of cultural dialogue there; discuss changing economies and best practices; showcase new approaches and award-winning design from Chinese universities; and build shared internship proposals into plans. Accountability: Advertising faculty and Development Staff • Capitalize on the emerging opportunities now being explored at the Turnbull Portland Center. Accountability: Undergraduate Affairs Committee and Portland Director • Develop a more structured, innovative and strategic plan for recruiting a diverse range of speakers and visitors, e.g., better tracking of speakers and better use of technology. • Make available to the faculty the recently updated local community-based resource list of culturally diverse organizations and speakers and institute reciprocal speaking arrangements in which guests agree to visit SOJC classes and in return, professors and/or students agree to visit the organization of the guest's choosing. Evidence: Through Diversity Committee Member Kathy Campbell’s research and effort, an updated guide was prepared with the help of students in a public relations course taught last spring by Adjunct Professor Kelli Matthews. Students contacted resources, updated and expanded the guide. By including students in this effort, we expanded student appreciation of professional and community resources for diversity action and discussion. • Facilitate the creation of community advisory boards on diversity and equity (these could be at the local, regional or statewide level) to work with SOJC DIVERSITY PLAN SEPTEMBER 200719 interested faculty and staff to facilitate dialogue on related media issues. Such board(s) will create multiple opportunities for classroom visits. • Explore strategies for facilitating participation in SOJC-sponsored lectures and other public events (e.g., SOJC-sponsored child care). Resources for Proposed Actions: Though many of the suggested initiatives in this section require additional staff and funding, it is our intent to evaluate each initiative and determine funding sources. SOJC DIVERSITY PLAN SEPTEMBER 200720 6. Develop and Reinforce University Infrastructure The School commits itself to the creation and maintenance of infrastructure needed to help build diversity and cultural competency into its everyday routines rather than add these elements onto a full agenda of organizational, research and pedagogical demands. Strategy: Continue to build upon University of Oregon strategies for inclusion and expansion of opportunity, while we seek diversity opportunities specific to our SOJC mission. Continuing and Current Actions Accountability: SOJC Faculty, Adjunct Lecturers, Staff, and Advisers, Student Leadership • Continue working on a case-by-case basis with students of color and international students to establish opportunity and grow cohort. Evidence: This deceptively simple and effective outreach effort shows in one-on-one mentorship and support of all students. As we refine curriculum and improve advising for lower division students, this will continue to improve and provide means of support and retention. • Continue the dedicated service and planning opportunities of a standing Diversity Committee. • Continue to develop courses and to integrate diversity content into courses in response to perceived need and individual initiative. Evidence: Dr. Martin Luther King’s “I Have A Dream” speech was used as a prompt for a creativity class writing assignment. • Work with the Teaching Effectiveness Program and other campus resources to develop strategies for SOJC faculty to effectively address the challenges presented by increasingly diverse classrooms. Proposed Actions Accountability: Leadership and Faculty • Evaluate and more clearly define the role of the SOJC affirmative action officer. • Designate the SOJC affirmative action officer or another faculty member to serve as a diversity resource for students. SOJC DIVERSITY PLAN SEPTEMBER 200721 • Develop annual goals and reporting requirements in order to assess progress toward a more diverse SOJC. Evidence: As part of the 2006-07 program review and 2005-06 accreditation self-studies, the SOJC has baseline data for use in developing goals and assessing progress in the area. • Develop and launch a student survey to determine students’ perceived needs and the SOJC’s strengths and weaknesses. • Schedule diversity audits and reports to the faculty on a regular basis. (Note: Audits are designed to provide information, not dictate course content.) • Use curriculum revision as portal for development of new processes, new courses, new approaches for discussing diversity issues. During this time of change, we will seek to increase provocative content in courses and course descriptions, seeking to fill the promise of meaningful discourse about the media and the world. • Create a digital brochure and linked page on recommended courses elsewhere in the university that would be useful in broadening perspective and knowledge about cultures and people. Resources for Proposed Actions Many proposed actions in this section require little new investment but do require revision of priorities and curriculum. As the SOJC continues with curriculum reform, these actions will be prioritized. SOJC DIVERSITY PLAN SEPTEMBER 200722 FINAL APPROVED BY FACULTY APRIL 20, 2007 AND ADOPTED FOR THE 2007-08 ACADEMIC YEAR. Page 1 UNIVERSITY OF OREGON DIVERSITY STRATEGIC ACTION PLAN FOR THE SCHOOL OF LAW Î THE LAW SCHOOL MISSION The Law School encourages and celebrates diversity and affirms the vision set forth in the Diversity Plan for the University of Oregon: “The University is a place where people from different cultures and experiences learn together; understanding and respecting these differences are critical for the University to be a place of open-minded inquiry where, in challenging the boundaries of knowledge, we include and value all members of our community.” The Law School’s Diversity Strategic Action Plan affirms the University Mission Statement. We are dedicated “...to the principles of equality of opportunity and freedom from unfair discrimination for all members of the university community and an acceptance of true diversity as an affirmation of individual identity within a welcoming community.” Î THE LAW SCHOOL DIVERSITY STRATEGIC ACTION PLAN The Law School’s Diversity Strategic Action Plan draws upon the University of Oregon’s Diversity Plan and is structured according to the Six Points set forth in the University Diversity Plan: I. Develop a Culturally Responsive Community II. Improve Campus Climate III. Build a Critical Mass IV. Expand & Fill the Pipeline V. Develop and Strengthen Community Linkages VI. Develop and Reinforce Diversity Infrastructure The University’s Diversity Plan uses a broad definition of diversity and states that it “includes, but is not limited to, differences based on race, ethnicity, national origin or citizenship, gender, religious affiliation or background, sexual orientation, gender identity, economic class or status, political affiliation or belief, and ability or disability.” The Law School uses this definition in its Diversity Strategic Action Plan. With respect to each of the Six Points, the Law School Diversity Strategic Action Plan identifies goals and key strategies to reach those goals, describes current initiatives (most of which are continuing initiatives), and proposes initiatives to strengthen the Law School’s ability to meet the identified goals. FINAL APPROVED BY FACULTY APRIL 20, 2007 AND ADOPTED FOR THE 2007-08 ACADEMIC YEAR. Page 2 DRAFT UO Law Diversity Strategic Action Plan – Draft: March 20, 2007 The Six Points: I. Point One: Develop a Culturally Responsive Community The Law School is committed to the fair and just treatment of every person at the law school. We value diversity and the individual differences that enrich the law school community. We strive to build a diverse community defined by free speech, intellectual inquiry and respect for all points of view. A culturally responsive community requires recognition of cultural differences as realities both in and outside the classroom and guarantees that such differences will be treated with respect. A. Goal: Increase awareness and sensitivity of all members of the law school community to issues of diversity ¾ Strategy 1: Provide professional development training and other opportunities for faculty, staff and students regarding diversity issues o Current and Continuing Initiatives • Staff hold retreats and meetings to work on communication skills, teamwork, and ways to address diversity issues. o Potential Initiatives • Present final Strategic Action Plan to faculty, students, and staff. • Hold a workshop (e.g., through University Human Resources, by hiring Greg Bell, or through the Office of Institutional Equity and Diversity) for students, leaders, faculty and staff. • Encourage attendance at workshops held on campus. • Include the law school’s statement on diversity in orientation materials and include a discussion of diversity issues as part of orientation for all students. • Continue discussions of diversity by holding town hall diversity discussions at least twice per term. ¾ Strategy 2: Include assessments of the ability to work, learn, and interact with all members of the law school community on faculty and staff performance reviews o Potential Initiatives • Have each faculty member include in his or her annual report to the Dean a description of how the faculty member incorporates diversity issues into his or her courses and a list of the training sessions on teaching effectiveness or developing cultural competence that the faculty member has attended during the prior. • Create a Diversity Award for one or more faculty, staff or students who have shown support for students of color, differently-abled students, and other students from diverse backgrounds and experiences. The Award will consist of a plaque to be kept at the law school and recognition at graduation. The Minority Law Student Association will make the award. • Confirm that someone has conducted exit interviews with faculty and staff who leave the law school. Compile information that relates to diversity issues. • Lawyers have an ethical duty to serve all clients, regardless of race, disability or other differences. Consider ways to include teaching about this ethical duty and other diversity issues related to the profession in the curriculum. Consider including in Legal Profession. ¾ Strategy 3: Work with Dean candidates to emphasize the importance of diversity issues at this law school FINAL APPROVED BY FACULTY APRIL 20, 2007 AND ADOPTED FOR THE 2007-08 ACADEMIC YEAR. Page 3 o New Initiatives • Have each candidate for law school Dean meet with the Vice Provost for Institutional Equity and Diversity as part of the on-campus interview process. B. Goal: Enhance law curriculum to better address issues of diversity ¾ Strategy 1: Encourage faculty to continue to integrate issues of diversity into existing courses o Potential Initiatives • Have a faculty discussion about ways to incorporate diversity issues when the books do not include adequate materials. • Encourage faculty to bring in outside speakers from the community who can add diverse perspectives to courses. (At this time, no allocation of staff time – faculty will be encouraged to identify speakers on their own.) ¾ Strategy 2: Offer more courses specifically focused on issues of diversity o Current and Continuing Initiatives • An effort to create an interdisciplinary Law, Education, and Disability course in conjunction with the College of Education is underway. o Potential Initiatives • Develop externships with Indian tribes in Oregon. ¾ Strategy 3: Develop more robust set of guest speakers, lectures and scholars focused on diversity issues o Current and Continuing Initiatives • Theory workshops and guest speakers have addressed issues of discrimination and race. ¾ Strategy 4: Emphasize courses and connections to native communities. o Current and Continuing Initiatives • Create the Oregon Tribes Chair (fundraising is underway). o Potential Initiatives • Develop externships with Indian tribes in Oregon C. Goal: Inclusive classroom experiences ¾ Strategy 1: Work on effective teaching, to reach and include all students. o Current and Continuing Initiatives • Teaching effectiveness sessions conducted by law faculty. • Provide information to faculty about University teaching effectiveness programs. o Potential Initiatives • Have a faculty discussion about classroom issues involving diversity, including tensions among students and student complaints about faculty behavior. • Work with faculty members to use the classroom to draw on diverse views but remind faculty not to address questions of race to the students of color, questions of disability to differently-abled students, etc. • Develop safe ways for students to raise concerns about classroom conduct by faculty or by other students. Develop clear guidelines and communicate these to the students. (See Point II, Strategy 2) II. Point Two: Improve Campus Climate The Law School is committed to building and maintaining a law school climate that is inclusive, safe, and respectful of all people. All interaction between persons should be respectful and safe, and the Law School in its outreach program should incorporate recognition of and sensitivity to the experiences of all groups. FINAL APPROVED BY FACULTY APRIL 20, 2007 AND ADOPTED FOR THE 2007-08 ACADEMIC YEAR. Page 4 A. Goal: Develop law school services, practices, and policies that support diverse members of the law school community ¾ Strategy 1: Provide broad range of services at the law school to help support students, faculty and staff from diverse backgrounds o Current and Continuing Initiatives • Assistant Dean of Student Affairs taught a noncredit Bar Prep Class to help ethnically diverse students pass the Bar exam. • ACE program provides tutors for 1Ls, with an emphasis on underrepresented students. • The law school recently created two unisex/family restrooms. • Federal law has pressured the law school into violating its non-discrimination policy by allowing military recruiters (who recruit for military services that discriminate based on sexual orientation) to recruit on campus. Career Services has provided amelioration activities in response to military recruiting on campus. Career Services held a session for students and discussed appropriate responses. Students engaged in protests while recruiters were on campus. o Potential Initiatives • Investigate ways to improve bar passage, including whether to offer a Bar Prep Course. • Continue to evaluate and improve ACE program. • Survey students using surveymon.com. Ask questions about services that work well, areas for improvement, why students stay at UO. • Create signs to place outside gender-specific restrooms to indicate location of unisex restrooms. • Add an automatically opening door to another restroom on the first floor. • Create an information sheet describing accessibility at the law school for differently- abled people. The information sheet should be a guide to accessible restrooms, access issues, automatic doors and how long they stay open, etc. Make this information sheet available at both entrances to the building. • Make sure all newcomers to the law school (faculty, students, or staff) with access needs have a tour of the building and information about access. This should occur during orientation for students and on arrival for newly hired faculty or staff. • Hold a program for staff to explain issues related to military recruiting and amelioration efforts undertaken by the law school. • During orientation hold a meeting for first-generation law students and others with socio-economic concerns. Ellen Adler has volunteered to help with this. Include a session on access to funding, debt pitfalls, taxes, etc. ¾ Strategy 2: Communicate information about the processes available for anyone with a concern, complaint, or grievance. o Current and Continuing Initiatives • The Assistant Dean of Student Affairs is available for student complaints and works with students to resolve issues. • The Associate Dean for Academic Affairs is available for student complaints involving faculty and works with students and faculty to resolve issues. • The University’s Bias Response Team and Conflict Resolution Office can assist with complaints and disputes. • The office of Affirmative Action can respond to grievances based on race or other protected categories. o Potential Initiatives • Ask Affirmative Action to lead a workshop that would educate staff about how to address concerns about harassment. FINAL APPROVED BY FACULTY APRIL 20, 2007 AND ADOPTED FOR THE 2007-08 ACADEMIC YEAR. Page 5 • Create an information sheet identifying the steps a student should take for various types of complaints. Provide this information at orientation and post it on a student bulletin board. • Create an information sheet for classified staff. • Create an information sheet for Office Administrators and faculty. ¾ Strategy 3: Increase student, faculty and staff awareness of campus and state resources available to support students from diverse backgrounds o Current and Continuing Initiatives • Affirmative Action Program of the Oregon State Bar (AAP/OSB) The admissions office works with the AAP to communicate the state bar’s interest in attracting students of color to Oregon. The Assistant Dean of Admissions and the Assistant Dean of Student Affairs attend AAP meetings and actively promote the “Opportunities for Law in Oregon” (OLIO) program, which is designed for incoming first-year students who will be attending the three Oregon law schools. An annual packet of information about the program is sent out to new students by AAP through the admissions office. ¾ Strategy 4: Increase support for student groups and student initiatives focused on diversity issues o Current and Continuing Initiatives • Law student groups include Asian Pacific American Law Student Association, Black Law Students Association, Coalition Against Environmental Racism, International Law Students Association, Jewish Law Students Association, Latino/Latina Law Student Association, Lesbian & Gay Law Student Association, Middle Eastern Law Student Association, Minority Law Students Association, Native American Law Students Association, U.S.-Mexico Bar Association, Women’s Law Forum. Like other student groups, many of these organizations receive some funding each semester from the Dean’s Fund for Students. o Potential Initiatives • Create a Student Leadership Fund to support student attendance at conferences held by regional or national groups that focus on diversity issues (e.g., BALSA, Lavender Law). Solicit donations from alumni. There is no expectation that this fund will receive much donor support in the first year, but if the fund is in place it becomes an option for donors. • Evaluate the support the Dean’s Fund can provide for student attendance at conferences. Set guidelines and let student groups know about the options. Consider providing matching funds. Have students who attend conferences participate in a panel discussion for students and faculty, reporting on what they learned and suggestions for the law school community. ¾ Strategy 5: Implement policies, practices, and processes that identify issues/barriers to success for diverse members of the law community and address those issues o Current and Continuing Initiatives • Faculty meetings, DFAC, DSAC provide venues to raise concerns about climate. • Enhance system for generating feedback from students, faculty and staff about the law school climate. • Dean hosts annual event at her house for students of color. III. Point Three: Build a Critical Mass FINAL APPROVED BY FACULTY APRIL 20, 2007 AND ADOPTED FOR THE 2007-08 ACADEMIC YEAR. Page 6 The Law School is committed to ensuring access, opportunity and greater representation and retention of students, faculty, officers of admission and classified staff from underrepresented groups. The Law School is committed to enhancing diversity in all aspects of the school’s structure, pedagogy and operations. A. Goal: Recruit and Retain a Diverse Student Body ¾ Strategy 1: Increase diversity of student applicant pool o Current and Continuing Initiatives: • LSAC Recruiting Forums: Attend law school recruiting forums in metropolitan areas with large minority populations (occasionally with a minority law student attending as well) − Washington D.C. − Atlanta − Boston − Chicago − Dallas − Houston − Los Angeles − New York (sometimes) • Application Fee Waivers Recruit students from all groups to apply, and waive fee for promising applicants for whom a fee could be a barrier. − Fee waivers also granted in person at recruiting events to promising potential applicants • Vault Law School Diversity Guide The admissions office volunteered to be included in the first Vault Law School Diversity Guide publication. This new guide book will provide data and information from law schools that would be of interest to students of color and others seeking a law school environment committed to diversity. The publication is due out in 2007. • Targeted Mailings Send law school marketing materials highlighting activities focused on diversity issues to potential applicants from diverse backgrounds − LSAC CRS mailing to Hispanic prospects was sent announcing the soft-cover publication of Steve Bender’s book, “Greasers and Gringos” • Diversity Brochure Created by the law school student affairs office, the diversity brochure was used by the admissions office in fall 2006 to recruit underrepresented students to the law school. • National Black Pre-Law Admissions and Preparation Conference For the last two years, the admissions office has sent a member of the UO Black Law Students Association (BLSA) and the Assistant Dean of Student Affairs to represent the law school at this conference. The conference, which has been held in Texas, has included a law school information fair. • Pre-Law Summer Institute for American Indians and Alaskan Natives (PLSI) For the last two years, the admissions office has sent a representative to recruit at this annual summer workshop which is held at the University of New Mexico. We have enrolled two students from PLSI, thus far. • UO Law School Blog University of Oregon School of Law Website (law.uoregon.edu). The admissions office introduced a blog this year that features five bloggers including an Asian American student and an African American student. A photo and a brief biography introduce each blogger, describing their backgrounds and interests. • Law School & Graduate School Fairs Attend (non-forum) law school fairs and graduate school fairs in major metropolitan areas or at universities with sizeable populations of students of color − USC FINAL APPROVED BY FACULTY APRIL 20, 2007 AND ADOPTED FOR THE 2007-08 ACADEMIC YEAR. Page 7 − UCLA − UC Berkeley − UC Irvine − Washington − Texas-Austin − Texas-El Paso − Arizona − Arizona State − Alaska & Hawaii: every other year we join a dozen schools that recruit in these states where there are large native populations and limited law school choices • Oregon State Bar Affirmative Action Program Current students work through this program to recruit students. • The Assistant Dean of Student Affairs contacted each admitted student of color and facilitated connections between admitted students and current students. o Potential Initiatives: • Visit historically black colleges during recruiting trips. ¾ Strategy 2: Ensure that contribution to diversity of student body is important criteria in admissions process o Current and Continuing Initiatives • Annual Training Meeting for Admissions Committee Each year, the first meeting of the Admissions Committee is always a training meeting. All Committee members, whether new or returning are required to participate. In this meeting, which is led by the Assistant Dean for Admissions, the mechanics of file reading and the admissions process is discussed. A considerable amount of time of this meeting is devoted to discussing the importance of using a comprehensive, holistic approach to reading files. In particular, the Assistant Dean discusses the risks of relying too heavily on the LSAT score. Committee members are directed to give ample consideration to all factors in the applicant’s file, including the contribution that the applicant would make to the diversity of the law school community. A discussion also takes place about the law school’s mission statement which identifies “diversity” as part of its goal. o Potential Initiatives • Review the law school application each year to determine whether additional questions could be useful (e.g., “Are you a first-generation college student?”) Consider permitting an additional essay (e.g. “Discuss your background and what you would bring to the law school and the student body.”) Consider an appropriate second essay for majority students (e.g., “Answer one of the following two questions…”) ¾ Strategy 3: Increase conversion rate of matriculated / admitted students from a diverse background o Current and Continuing Initiatives • Scholarships The admissions office awards scholarships to students from diverse backgrounds. • Multicultural Student Organizations Involvement in Recruiting The admissions office has a liaison relationship with the law schools multicultural student organizations. When students are admitted to the law school, volunteers from the organizations contact them to encourage them to enroll. • "Fly-In” Program The office of admissions pays the airfare for a select group of admitted students (including students of color) to visit the law school. Working in FINAL APPROVED BY FACULTY APRIL 20, 2007 AND ADOPTED FOR THE 2007-08 ACADEMIC YEAR. Page 8 conjunction with our multicultural student organizations, these visitors are housed by current students, attend class, meet faculty, and are introduced to Eugene and Oregon. • New Admitted Student Webpage This year, we will introduce a new “admitted student” webpage that will link to our online forum for newly admitted first year students. The admitted student webpage will contain a number of links to other important law school sites including “Policies,” a page for current students in which “diversity” is prominently featured with links to related sites. (Ex: Oregon State Bar, Diversity Building Scholarships, etc.) ¾ Strategy 4: Create infrastructure and environment to support students from diverse backgrounds once they are on campus o Current and Continuing Initiatives: See initiatives listed under Points One & Two o Potential Initiatives: See initiatives listed under Points One & Two B. Goal: Recruit and Retain a Diverse Faculty ¾ Strategy 1: Increase diversity of faculty applicant pool o Current and Continuing Initiatives • Broad Advertisement of Open Faculty Positions The law school advertises open faculty positions through a broad range of communication vehicles, including some that specifically target diverse populations. These include: − AALS Bulletin − The Chronicle of Higher Education (web ads) − HigherEdjobs.com (includes directed e-mails to all people of color for an additional fee) − Hispanic-jobs.com − Asian-jobs.com − Multnomah Lawyer (for adjunct positions) − Oregonian Newspaper − High Country News (for environmental positions) − National Law Journal − Oregon State Bar Bulletin o Potential Initiatives • Advertise on list serves for faculty of color (e.g. Latinolawprof) ¾ Strategy 2: Ensure that evidence of a candidate’s knowledge, experience, interest and potential ability concerning diversity issues, including but not limited to cultural, ethnic, social, racial, gender, sexual orientation, disability, and other differences as they relate to law and law teaching, the challenges faced by students from diverse backgrounds, the integration of issues of diversity into research and curricula, effective dialogue regarding such individual differences as they relate to the law, and service as a mentor to students from diverse backgrounds are important criterion in faculty search process o Current and Continuing Initiatives • This information was considered criteria for the searches conducted in 2006 and will continue to be important criteria in faculty searches. ¾ Strategy 3: Increase recruiting efforts to “land” diverse faculty candidates once they have been offered a faculty position o Current and Continuing Initiatives • Recruiting includes personal contacts from as many law faculty as possible. o Potential Initiatives • Arrange for contacts by persons from around campus who may be able to address questions related to the candidates’ interests, backgrounds, or personal situation. FINAL APPROVED BY FACULTY APRIL 20, 2007 AND ADOPTED FOR THE 2007-08 ACADEMIC YEAR. Page 9 ¾ Strategy 4: Increase efforts to attract faculty from diverse background to campus for visits and lectures o Current and Continuing Initiatives • Efforts have been made to expand the pool to include more applicants of color. C. Goal: Recruit and Retain a Diverse Administrative Staff (both OA & Classified) ¾ Strategy 1: Increase diversity of staff applicant pools o Current and Continuing Initiatives • Broad Advertisement of Open Staff Positions The law school advertises open staff positions through a broad range of communication vehicles, including some that specifically target diverse populations. These include: − Eugenejobs.net − Oregonian Newspaper − Register Guard − HigherEdjobs.com (includes directed e-mails to all people of color for an additional fee) o Potential Initiatives • Continue to look for effective ways to use advertising dollars to attract diverse candidates. For staff the pool is local; for OAs the pool is national. ¾ Strategy 2: Ensure that an individual’s ability to work effectively with a broad and diverse community is an important criteria in all searches o Current and Continuing Initiatives • Job ads include as a requirement the “ability to work effectively with a broad and diverse community.” Often interview questions, both written and oral, focus on this topic. ¾ Strategy 3: Increase recruiting efforts to “land” diverse OA candidates once they have been offered a position ¾ Strategy 4: Create infrastructure and environment to support staff from diverse backgrounds once they are on campus o Current and Continuing Initiatives • Supervisors work to create a “community” environment in which everyone feels safe, respected and valued. They set a standard of expectations/behavior and quickly address issues that may surface, educate the community to improve communication and team building, and encourage the exchange of ideas. • Supervisors work to create an environment which promotes open communication about issues such as sexual harassment, discrimination, lack of communication, etc. Supervisors hold annual reviews, have an open-door policy, and have regular staff meetings. IV. Point Four: Expand & Fill the Pipeline The Law School is committed to developing recruitment strategies aimed at high school and undergraduate students with diverse backgrounds. A. Goal: Support programs for K-12 and undergraduate students that introduce them to legal concepts and make it more likely that they will consider entering the legal profession after college FINAL APPROVED BY FACULTY APRIL 20, 2007 AND ADOPTED FOR THE 2007-08 ACADEMIC YEAR. Page 10 ¾ Strategy 1: Encourage K-12 students from diverse backgrounds to participate in programs that increase their exposure to and knowledge of the law o Current and Continuing Initiatives • Minority Law Day Each year, the law school hosts an open house for students of color to introduce them to the legal profession and to law school. The program is sponsored by LSAC, who encourages its member schools to create programs which are targeted to community college, high school-aged, or younger students. • Law Students/Lane Schools (LS/LS) LS/LS is an outreach program developed by the admissions office to develop relationships between local Lane County schools and the law school. Some of the participating law students attended these local schools. One of the goals of the program is to build an interest in the legal profession among disadvantaged youth. • Latinos and the Law Prof. Bender has taught this course to undergraduates. • Law students have contacted teachers and guidance counselors and have gone to area schools to talk with students. • Street Law Street Law programs reach underserved communities, including diverse communities. • Reach for Success The Assistant Dean for Admissions participates in Reach for Success, a program sponsored by OMAS for middle school students. o Potential Initiatives • Work with Portland City Schools to design a pipeline project focused on Jefferson and Roosevelt High Schools. • High School Mentoring Project Law Students with Diversity Building Scholarships will create and coordinate programs for students in local high schools on Street Law topics, financial aid, law school and lawyers, etc. ¾ Strategy 2: Encourage undergraduate students from a diverse background to participate in programs that increase their exposure to and knowledge of the law o Current and Continuing Initiatives • University of Oregon Office of Multicultural Academic Support (OMAS) The admissions office has developed a liaison relationship with OMAS to help provide a channel for University of Oregon students of color to learn more about law school and the legal profession. Activities have included informational meetings with current students and alumni (who are people of color) and meetings with academic advisors. The admissions office also participates in a joint panel with the two other Oregon law schools in an annual information session sponsored by the university’s pre-law advisor. • Council on Legal Educational Opportunity (CLEO) The law school is a CLEO “Member School” and through its financial contribution to the organization helps sponsor outreach programs to undergraduate students of color. V. Point Five: Develop & Strengthen Community Linkages The Law School is committed to developing and strengthening community links at the campus, regional, state and national levels to promote diversity and equity development in our curriculum, activities, organization and outreach. We are committed to seeking diverse voices to help evaluate and improve current efforts and develop new efforts to achieve diversity and equity in our educational and public service missions. A. Goal: Increase interaction between law faculty, students and staff and members of diverse communities ¾ Strategy 1: Bring a diverse range of community leaders to the law school to interact with students, faculty, and staff FINAL APPROVED BY FACULTY APRIL 20, 2007 AND ADOPTED FOR THE 2007-08 ACADEMIC YEAR. Page 11 o Potential Initiatives • Develop a list of local organizations that could provide speakers for classes or events. A student will coordinate responses to an email requesting suggestions and contacts (and will not research speakers on his/her own). • Create a mentoring program pairing students with alumni, if possible pairing each student with an alum who shares some of the same diverse identities. ¾ Strategy 2: Support student, faculty, and staff participation in a wide range of local, regional, and national events, conferences, and committees focused on issues of diversity o Current and Continuing Initiatives • LSAC Board of Trustees Minority Affairs Committee The Assistant Dean for Admissions for the law school is currently serving as a trustee of LSAC, the national organization that administers the LSAT exam. His current liaison role is to the organization’s Minority Affairs Committee, charged with developing and supporting projects which encourage underrepresented groups to pursue legal education and helping increase the enrollment and success of minority students in law school. • Wingspread Consortium The Assistant Dean for Admissions attended the Wingspread VI Conference this past year. Wingspread meetings involve a consortium of P-20 educators, the bench, and the bar committed to working across the educational continuum to improve participation, persistence and success of diverse students in high school and college, with the goal of enhancing their aspirations and capacity to move into positions in the legal profession and leadership of the nation. • State Bar Organizations Focused on Issues of Diversity Law school representatives work on Oregon State Bar committees that focus on diversity issues, including the Affirmative Action Committee. • Law school sponsors tables at functions held by Bar organizations such as the National Bar Association (African American lawyers), the Oregon Women Lawyers, and the Hispanic Bar Association. Faculty, administrators, and students from the law school attend these events. VI. Point Six: Develop & Reinforce Diversity Infrastructure The Law School (and all of its members) share in the responsibility of creating and maintaining a learning and working environment that recognizes the value of diversity. The Law School is committed to the creation of the infrastructure needed to help build diversity and cultural competency. Cultural competence is an active and ongoing process of learning to recognize that our statements, convictions, and reactions are inflected by the culture we live in, and developing the skills we need to participate most effectively in a culturally diverse university, state, country, and world. A. Goal: Build necessary infrastructure to ensure that the law school is able to support efforts outlined in diversity plan ¾ Strategy 1: Make structural changes to emphasize the importance of diversity at the law school. o Current and Continuing Initiatives • The job description of the Assistant Dean of Student Affairs includes coordinating diversity issues, helping to recruit diverse students, and developing services to support diverse students. o Potential Initiatives • Consider changing the title of the Assistant Dean of Student Affairs to reflect the role that Assistant Dean plays in coordinating diversity issues. (e.g., Assistant Dean of Diversity and Students, Assistant Dean of Student Affairs and Director of Diversity) FINAL APPROVED BY FACULTY APRIL 20, 2007 AND ADOPTED FOR THE 2007-08 ACADEMIC YEAR. Page 12 • Create Diversity Coordinator Position as a GTF position. Request full funding from the UO for the position. The Coordinator would work with the Assistant Dean of Student Affairs. ¾ Strategy 2: Increase funding for diversity initiatives outlined in plan o Potential Initiatives • Allocate law school funds to new initiatives. ¾ Strategy 3: Allocate responsibility for diversity initiatives outline in plan o Potential Initiatives • See attached chart indicating responsibility for individual initiatives. The Assistant Dean of Student Affairs will monitor the initiatives during the year. ¾ Strategy 4: Establish annual review process for initiatives outlined in plan o Potential Initiatives • Diversity Committee Structure Create a Diversity Committee to monitor and evaluate the initiatives. The Diversity Committee will consist of two to three each of students, faculty, community members and staff or OAs. The student, faculty and community members will be appointed by the Student Bar Association (SBA) in consultation with the Dean. The SBA will seek input from all students. The Director of Alumni Relations will assist the SBA in identifying community members willing to volunteer for the committee. The Dean will request volunteers from the staff and OAs and will appoint the staff and OA members. Service on this committee will be considered service on a law school committee for faculty members. • Annual Review Process Each year in early February the Assistant Dean of Student Affairs will report to the Diversity Committee on the status of the initiatives begun in that academic year and on the status of ongoing initiatives. The Diversity Committee will then hold discussion sessions with faculty, students, staff, OAs and community members to report on current efforts and to hear suggestions for future efforts. The Diversity Committee will prepare a report to the faculty of status on current initiatives and its proposal for additional new initiatives. The faculty will consider, amend if appropriate, and approve the annual report to be submitted to the Office of Institutional Equity and Diversity in May. 9/7/07 University of Oregon Strategic Diversity Action Plan SCHOOL OF MUSIC AND DANCE I. Description of the unit’s mission / guiding principals The School of Music and Dance is dedicated to the enrichment of the human mind and spirit through the professional and intellectual development of artists, teachers, and scholars in a supportive and challenging environment. II. Organizational structure / Unit organizational chart Dean of School of Music and Dance, Associate Dean of Graduate Studies in Music, Associate Dean of Undergraduate Studies in Music, 65 full and part-time music faculty, 21 full and part-time music staff, about 425 music majors; Chair of Department of Dance, 13 full and part- time dance faculty, 1 full-time dance staff member, about 60 dance majors. III. History of diversity efforts in unit School-wide diversity plans and/or reports were developed in 1990 and again in 2000. Efforts to increase faculty and student diversity in the recent past have been ineffective in part due to a lack of financial and human resources, and possibly due to an inability to remain focused on diversity-related issues. IV. Resource Statement The School of Music and Dance struggles with a lack of adequate financial and human resources. Faculty salaries are among the lowest on campus and the School’s General Fund budget is not sufficient to fund all faculty and staff salaries and OPE. Thus, the School regularly operates on soft money including student fees, UO Foundation interest earnings, and private gifts. The flexibility to operate and expand beyond the current status quo is unlikely. V. Detailed process for plan development and planning committee description The School of Music and Dance Faculty Advisory Committee (elected annually by the programmatic subgroups within the School) will coordinate and develop the Strategic Diversity Plan. Regular input and advice will also be sought from the Dean’s Student Advisory Council and the entire support staff through their monthly meetings. Climate and Culture Surveys were utilized as a means of gathering input from faculty, staff, and students. Drafts of the report will be reviewed by the faculty and staff as well as the Student Advisory Council, and discussed in faculty and staff meetings to gather feedback and suggestions. VI. Diversity value statement It is important that students, faculty, and staff live and work in a collaborative, supportive, and nurturing environment. Living and working in the 21st century requires that we all have as complete as possible an understanding and awareness of our global society and diverse cultures and traditions. Well-trained dancers and musicians must be fully aware of the traditions of our disciplines in a wide range of 1 9/7/07 School of Music and Dance Diversity Plan cultural backgrounds that are as comprehensive in nature as possible so they will be adequately prepared for their future careers in music and dance. VII. For the purpose of this strategic plan, define diversity The UO Diversity Plan describes diversity as, “Differences based on race and ethnicity, national origin or citizenship, gender, religious affiliation or background, sexual orientation, gender identity, economic class or status, political affiliation or belief, and ability or disability.” The School of Music and Dance would also add to that list the category of “age.” Point 1: Developing a Culturally Responsive Community Point 2: Improving Campus Climate Point 3: Building Critical Mass Point 4: Expanding & Filling the pipeline Point 5: Developing and Strengthening Community Linkages Point 6: Developing and Reinforcing Diversity Infrastructure Point 1: Developing a Culturally Responsive Community A. What this focal area means to our specific unit. The School of Music and Dance understands a focus on “developing a culturally responsive community” to involve the experience of all individuals in their interactions within and through the School of Music and Dance. These individuals include faculty, staff, and students. A culturally responsive community includes clearly delineated channels for such individuals to express grievances, as well as mechanisms for the recognition of and response to such grievances. A culturally responsive community requires the recognition of cultural differences as realities both in and outside the classroom, and the guarantee that such differences will not be marginalized, but rather treated with respect. B. What we have learned about developing a culturally sensitive community from the SOMD review. The environmental scan conducted by the School’s Faculty Advisory Committee uncovered a mixed record in regard to this focus area. Proactive measures will be taken and implemented to inform students, faculty, and staff about existing options, such as the Bias Response Team, through which they might make their voices heard if abuse has occurred. In cases where grievances have been formally registered, the School has not had any systematic procedure for dealing with these grievances except to refer them to the Dean’s office, which then directed individuals to other campus offices such as the Office of Affirmative Action or the Provost. This has led to inconsistent responses. We plan to clarify this process. 2 9/7/07 School of Music and Dance Diversity Plan C. Our unit’s strengths and challenges in this area. Based on the above, a major challenge in addressing this target area is to connect members of the School of Music and Dance community with existing campus services, as well as to design a consistent protocol for dealing with relevant grievances. Strengths include a strong record among the School’s faculty in willingness to respond to diversity issues when raised, as well as a conscious attempt by many faculty to incorporate multiple perspectives in course materials connected to culturally sensitive topics. Goal #1 Increase the diversity sensitivity within the School of Music and Dance community. Measures of progress short / long term Responsible entity / Accountability Timeline for implementation Action #1 Include Bias Response Team contact information on all course syllabi. Move to 100% of syllabi in compliance with this directive each term over the next academic year. A copy of all syllabi will be submitted by instructors to the dean’s office for music, and to the department head’s office for dance, who will review them for compliance. All syllabi must include this information by fall term 2008. Action #2 Include Bias Response Team contact information on flyers and posters to be placed throughout the Frohnmayer Music Building and Gerlinger Annex. Posters are created during summer 2007 and displayed over the next academic year. The Dean’s office and Chair of Dance will have posters displayed at beginning of fall term 2007. Posters remain displayed over the course of each academic year with annual updates each fall term. Point 2: Improving Campus Climate A. What this focal area means to our specific unit. The School of Music and Dance, as a member of the University Community, is a site of interaction for thousands of faculty, staff, students, and community members each year. Further, the school sponsors numerous programs annually that extend far beyond the immediate members of the school. Thus, all members of our School can and should strive to “improve their abilities to work and learn respectfully and effectively in a diverse community” (UO Diversity Plan, 26). Not only must all interaction between persons be respectful and safe, but the School of Music and Dance can strive, in its programmatic outreach to the campus at large, to incorporate recognition of and sensitivity to the experiences of all groups. 3 9/7/07 School of Music and Dance Diversity Plan B. What we have learned about developing a culturally sensitive community from the SOMD review. The environmental scan suggests a number of initiatives that could be developed in current School of Music and Dance diversity efforts relevant to campus climate. For example, the School has not actively sought collaboration with organizations such as the ASUO Multicultural Club in designing events to reach underrepresented groups. Further, room for improvement exists in the selection of speakers and guest lecturers invited to campus by the School. It is clear that certain members of the School’s community believe there to be biases and discrimination that could in part be alleviated through more enhanced educational opportunities including presentations by guest speakers that specifically address certain diversity related topics. Further, while the School recognizes that campus climate involves a range of interrelated factors, many of those factors, such as critical mass, will be discussed at the appropriate place below. C. Our unit’s strengths and challenges in this area. Many of the issues revealed by the environmental scan suggest challenges similar to those related to point 1 above. The School of Music and Dance must improve awareness of existing processes for individuals who wish to file grievances regarding campus climate issues, and the procedure for recognition of and response to these issues must also be strengthened. Additionally, a review of existing School programs reveals opportunity for tapping existing campus resources and incorporating diversity consideration in future planning. Goal #1 Increase faculty, staff, and student awareness of diversity issues. Measures short / long term Responsible entity / Accountability Timeline for implementation Action #1 Annually, host a school-wide guest who will speak on relevant diversity issues to faculty, staff, and students. The dean’s office will work with faculty, staff, and student leaders to plan and schedule an annual guest speaker/presenter who will address relevant diversity topics. The dean’s office will coordinate this action item with the school’s calendar at least once annually. Create a timeline to plan for one guest speaker beginning with the 2007-08 academic year. Action #2 Distribute the recently completed summary results of the Culture and Climate Survey to faculty and staff to enhance their awareness of the attitudes and concerns expressed. The dean’s office will distribute the summary results during winter term 2007. The dean’s office will coordinate this action following the completion of the survey. This action will be completed at the end of winter term 2007. Action #3 Add questions to the year-end exit interviews that will facilitate the collection of data related to student perceptions and concerns about diversity throughout the School. The dean’s office will develop questions related to diversity to add to the year- end graduating student exit The dean’s office, with assistance from the associate deans and chair of dance, will develop New exit interview questions and diversity- related topics to be developed by spring 4 9/7/07 School of Music and Dance Diversity Plan interviews. diversity related questions. 2007. Action #4 The School of Music and Dance will encourage the University Senate or Academic Affairs division to explore the possibility of adding questions to the Student Evaluation instruments that will enable students to reflect and comment upon issues related to diversity in the classroom. The School’s Diversity Planning Committee will determine the correct agency to work with regarding implementing this action. The Planning Committee and the Dean will be responsible for pursuing this action. Action to be explored during the 2007 calendar year with the University Senate leadership and Academic Affairs. Action #5 Develop a five-year cycle for redistributing a Climate and Culture Survey throughout the School to reassess the School’s progress in addressing diversity. Reviewing, updating, and distributing the Culture and Climate Survey with some regularity will be an important method of measuring progress. The School’s FAC or Planning Committee and Dean’s Office will be responsible for follow-up in 2011-12. Development of a five- year cycle, Winter 2007 to Winter 2012. Point 3: Building Critical Mass A. What this focal area means to our specific unit. The School recognizes the need, as outlined in the UO Diversity Plan, to “develop a critical mass of persons from underrepresented groups…to cultivate and maintain a campus environment that embraces diversity.” In the case of the School of Music and Dance, this refers specifically to the levels of underrepresented individuals among faculty, students and staff. B. What we have learned about developing a culturally sensitive community from the SOMD review. Our environmental scan reveals the need for the School of Music and Dance to continue making progress towards diversifying the ranks of faculty and staff. The faculty/staff data from fall 2005 reflects the following percentages for gender and underrepresented groups: 91% white, 4% unknown or undeclared. The remaining 5% includes the following: 2% Hispanic, 1% each with Asian, African- American, and Native American backgrounds. Gender data reflects 54.8% male and 45.2% female. We have also become aware of the percentage of students from underrepresented groups majoring in our programs. Current Fall 2006 enrollments reveal that 75.8% of students are white and 6.8% of students are unknown or undeclared. The remaining 17.4% includes the following breakdown: 6% International students, 5% students of Asian descent, nearly 2% each of students with either Hispanic, African-American, or multi-ethnic backgrounds, and less than 1% of Native American descent. The student body consists of 50.5% female and 49.5% male individuals. 5 9/7/07 School of Music and Dance Diversity Plan C. Our unit’s strengths and challenges in this area. Challenges include increasing diversity among the School’s faculty given the constraints of a limited school-wide budget and a competitive national applicant pool. In addition, salary equity could become an issue as higher salaries are often needed to attract top- quality applicants of color. Goal #1 Encourage larger number of applicants for faculty and staff searches, especially from people of color. Measures short / long term Responsible entity / Accountability Timeline for implementation Action #1 Increase the potential for a greater number of applicants from underrepresented groups through enhanced advertising of position vacancies with historically Black, Hispanic, and Native American institutions of higher education. Dean’s Office will identify a list of targeted institutions and begin sending vacancy notices to them. Dean’s Office and Search Committees. Plan implemented in Fall 2005 and it has become ongoing. Action #2 Increase the number of personal contacts and invitations to potential applicants from faculty and staff. Dean’s Office in consultation with Search Committees will develop lists of potential personal contacts. Dean’s Office will oversee and coordinate these efforts. Personal contacts and invitation strategy implemented in Fall 2005. Goal #2 Increase the diversity of prospective student applicant pools within the School within the next five years. Action #1 Implement the Recruitment Committee’s targeted recruiting plan that includes regular interaction with arts programs in Oregon High Schools with the largest minority populations. Recruitment committee develops a plan following the review of appropriate school populations. Recruitment Committee and Dean work to implement the plan. Recruitment plan is implemented through reallocation of travel dollars beginning in Fall 2006 and continuing for three academic years. Action #2 Increase significant personal contacts by working with larger numbers of prospective students including students of color. Work with faculty and Recruitment Committee to identify and target schools and students. Recruitment Committee will coordinate in consultation with the Dean’s Office. Develop and outline a five-year plan to implement this action. 6 9/7/07 School of Music and Dance Diversity Plan Goal #3 Increase the diversity of the School within the next five years through the hire of at least one new faculty member. Action #1 Request funding for one new faculty position to provide teaching in culturally diverse areas of music and/or dance that are presently not possible. (e.g. a faculty member with expertise in an area such as Asian, Hispanic/Latino, African, or Native American music or dance.) FAC and Dean’s Office develops a proposal to the Provost requesting this kind of allocation. Dean’s Office presents proposal to Provost’s Office. Proposal sent to Provost by end of 2007. Point 4: Expanding and Filling the Pipeline A. What this focal area means to our specific unit. The School of Music and Dance, like the University as a whole, is dedicated “to the principles of equality of opportunity and freedom from unfair discrimination for all members of the university community and an acceptance of true diversity as an affirmation of individual identity within a welcoming community” (UO Mission Statement). Thus, expanding and filling the pipeline means ensuring that members of underrepresented groups have access to an education within the School. Access comes in the form of affordability, preparedness, knowledge and motivation. Another of the UO’s goals is to develop “a faculty and student body that is capable of participating effectively in a global society” (UO Mission Statement). The School of Music and Dance is committed to this goal and is working to increase international-education opportunities for students, staff, and faculty through study, internship, teaching, and research opportunities abroad. The School understands that not all students, staff, and faculty have the time, capacity, or desire to explore the world abroad; nevertheless, we will work to ensure that everyone has access to international opportunities on campus. A crucial component of this is increasing international student and scholar enrollment. International students and scholars bring critical, national, and cultural diversity to campus. B. What we have learned about developing a culturally sensitive community from the SOMD review. Through the environmental scan, the School of Music and Dance assessed strengths, weaknesses, and opportunities within the area of expanding and filling the pipeline. Although there have not been in-depth outreach efforts by the School towards underrepresented groups in Oregon’s K-12 schools, or to international institutions with whom the UO has a relationship, several of the School’s faculty members have established connections in these areas. In addition, several free community and campus resources are available that can help establish and promote linkages. Importantly, the environmental scan reinforced our belief that the School’s reputation with the 7 9/7/07 School of Music and Dance Diversity Plan community is strong and the K-12 schools and non-profit organizations would be excited to work with us on any new initiatives. There is a fear, however, that initiating new outreach efforts will take away from staff and faculty time needed for current students. To alleviate this potential challenge, we will enlist the help of students and volunteers as much as possible. C. Our unit’s strengths and challenges in this area. Limited financial and human resources will limit the School’s ability to add new initiatives that would take resources away from current programmatic expenditures of time and money. The School will need to find creative ways to combine pipeline-filling mechanisms with current or existing program areas. Goal #1 Build greater awareness of the School of Music and Dance among underrepresented populations in Oregon. Measures short / long term Responsible entity / Accountability Timeline for implementation Action #1 Explore the possibility of creating a means to provide accessibility scholarships to a diverse population of students to the School’s summer camp offerings for high-school-age students in band and jazz and for elementary age students in Suzuki strings. Discuss with camp directors the possibility of creating this program. Summer camp directors will need to set-up and monitor the program. Explore putting this opportunity in place by summer 2008. Goal #2 Increase the percentage of international student applicants to the School of Music and Dance in the next five years. Action #1 Support the development and growth of the winter and summer, International Music/English Camp in cooperation with the American Children’s Music Institute (ACMI), China Center for International Educational Exchange (CCIEE), and Oregon Music Teachers Association that introduces Chinese children to the school. Creation and continuation of International Music/English camps. Dean’s Office will work with officials from ACMI and CCIEE to coordinate these programs. First camps were held in Winter and Summer 2006 and are continuing into 2007. Action #2 The dean of SOMD will meet each term with the Vice Provost of International Affairs and Outreach to improve access to the School’s classes by international exchange students and to develop stronger relationships with the International Affairs Successful completion of the stipulated meetings each term over the next two years. Dean’s Office will coordinate this action. The first meetings were held in spring and summer 2006. 8 9/7/07 School of Music and Dance Diversity Plan staff. Point 5: Developing and Strengthening Community Linkages A. What this focal area means to our specific unit. As a public institution, the University’s primary responsibility is to serve the public. The University should be seen as a resource and should provide opportunities for the greater community. The School of Music and Dance believes that by working side-by-side with civic organizations, the public schools, governmental units, and individual community members, everyone will benefit from broader networks. B. What we have learned about developing a culturally sensitive community from the SOMD review. Through the environmental scan, the School of Music and Dance prepared a list of active community linkages that have supported students, staff and faculty as well as the greater community. The list reveals that the School has extensive networks within the Eugene- Springfield Arts Community with regular collaborations and interactions with the Eugene Symphony, Eugene Opera, Eugene Concert Choir, Oregon Mozart Players, the Eugene Ballet, DanceAbility, the Eugene Ballet School, the Eugene Symphonic Band, the Arts Umbrella, the Oregon Bach Festival, Oregon Music Educators Association, and the Oregon Music Teachers Association. There are additionally numerous linkages in place with public school music programs across the state of Oregon. C. Our unit’s strengths and challenges in this area. The School presently does a good job in making community connections and providing outreach opportunities across the state of Oregon. The challenge comes with trying to increase outreach linkages with limited financial and human resources. More creative and innovative measures will need to be developed with local arts agencies and school districts to provide financial assistance to facilitate expansion efforts. In addition, the School will need to enlist the help of more faculty and students so the workload and time commitments can be spread more evenly. Goal #1 Establish partnerships and joint programming with new community organizations. Measures short / long term Responsible entity / Accountability Timeline for implementation Action #1 Identify additional community groups such as DanceAbility with whom partnerships could be explored. Identify organizations and initiate contacts. Chair of Dance and/or Dean of SOMD will coordinate these efforts to initiate contacts. Connections will be made with such organizations beginning winter 2008. 9 9/7/07 School of Music and Dance Diversity Plan Goal #2 Establish a partnership with a high school in Oregon that has a high percentage of underrepresented groups. Action #1 Draft a proposal for establishing a “sister city” style relationship with a high school that enrolls a high portion of underrepresented minorities. Proposal developed and submitted to the Planning Committee by Winter 2008. Dean and Planning Committee coordinates proposal development with appropriate faculty members. Proposed program implemented in Fall 2008. Point 6: Developing and Reinforcing Diversity Infrastructure A. Define what this focal area means to your specific unit. The School of Music and Dance is dedicated “to the principles of equality of opportunity and freedom from unfair discrimination for all members of the university community and acceptance of true diversity as an affirmation of individual identity within a welcoming community” (UO Mission Statement). Thus, developing and reinforcing infrastructure for diversity efforts and initiatives is instrumental. To the School, this diversity goal entails developing policies and procedures that enable and empower students, staff, and faculty to have the capacity, resources and support from the School’s administration to proceed with initiatives that will lead to improved levels of cultural competency with the university. B. What we have learned about developing a culturally sensitive community from the SOMD review. The environmental scan reveals that the faculty, staff, and students could be more aware of existing mechanisms for dealing with diversity related issues. (See under point one, goal one, action items 1 and 2 above). C. Our unit’s strengths and challenges in this area. (See B. above, as well as point one, goal one above.) Goal #1 Ensure that all new students, staff, and faculty are aware of internal policies, procedures and protocols relating to Measures short / long term Responsible entity / Accountability Timeline for implementation 10 9/7/07 School of Music and Dance Diversity Plan diversity issues. Action #1 Include diversity language as well as inclusive language in admissions materials as well as student, staff, and faculty orientation packets. Documented changes made to previous literature in the next publication issued. Dean’s Office and Chair of Dance. This action to be implemented in the next publication of the documents enumerated here. Action #2 Seek assistance from OIED in developing a document describing diversity infrastructure for distribution in SOMD. Contact Office of Institutional Equity and Diversity in Fall 2007. Dean’s Office and Chair of Dance. This action to be completed during 2007. 11 Associated Students of the University of Oregon (ASUO) Diversity Plan June 15, 2007 Prepared by the ASUO Diversity Committee: Minhae Choi Jeremy Coombs Alison Fox Nate Gulley Juliana Guzmán Natalie Judah Emma Kallaway Sophie Kamesar Kane Kim Lorena Landeros Jiin Park Shalan Ryan Liora Sponko Justin Tandingan Kendall Tylee ASUO Diversity Plan 2006-2007 ASUO Organization The ASUO is known as the Associated Students of the University of Oregon and is a non-profit organization funded by the University of Oregon. Its purpose is to provide for the social, cultural, educational and physical development of its members, and for the advancement of their individual and collective interests both within and without the University. The ASUO is the student government and is run by students for students and works on campus, city, state, and federal-level campaigns. Membership consists of all students at the University of Oregon, Eugene, Oregon, who have paid the current term or semester student incidental fee. Executive The ASUO Executive’s focus is to represent and advocate for all students, through the protection and promotion of the physical, cultural and educational development of the University. The ASUO Executive works to protect, allocate, and manage the student incidental fees. Through this fee we provide services to students and student organizations, create a marketplace of ideas on campus, and act as liaison between students, administration, and the Eugene community. The ASUO Executive runs campus, statewide, and national campaigns to: 1. Increase access to higher education for all 2. Increase participation in student incidental fee funded programs 3. Bridge the gap between the University of Oregon and the Eugene community. 4. Protect the incidental fee. Student Senate The ASUO Student Senate is committed to the belief that student government is an integral part of the educational experience at the University of Oregon. Because the Associated Students have an inherent interest in the operation and affairs of their University, the Senate has a duty to represent the interests of the ASUO before the staff, faculty, administration and State Board of Higher Education. To that end, Senate shall endeavor to represent the students professionally, ethically and in a manner deserving of the respect of the ASUO and the staff, faculty, administration and State Board of Higher Education. The ASUO Student Senate shall act on matters relating to the allocation and appropriation of incidental fees. The Senate shall also represent the collective and constituent interest of students in all matters considered and/or any matters coming before a shared governance body of the University including departmental administrative channels relating to student personnel services, University administered housing, campus design, and University budgeting, except as otherwise provided for in the ASUO Constitution. Constitution Court The Constitution Court, appointed by the ASUO President and confirmed by the Student Senate, serves as the Court of Appeals for the ASUO. All rules, regulations and policies established by the ASUO Executive, the EMU Board and the Student Senate must be reviewed and approved by the Court as complying with the ASUO Constitution. The five-member Court has the authority to rule on any question arising under the ASUO Constitution or any rule promulgated under it. This review power covers almost any action by ASUO government bodies, programs, and in special cases such as elections, actions by individual students within programs. The Court has broad powers to impose sanctions in order to compel compliance with its rulings. Court appointees serve as long as they remain students at the University of Oregon. History of Diversity Efforts in ASUO Currently the ASUO is gathering a formalized and complete list of records of the history of diversity efforts within our offices. There are numerous programs and organizations within the ASUO's existence, each with their own personal and specific efforts in creating diversity to help students within the ASUO and the UO campus and community that it is difficult to trace all efforts for all programs. Creating diversity is an on-going project it cannot be measured in only one program, event or occasion. Resources The success of the Diversity Plan will depend on both finding new resources and on the creative and strategic reallocation of existing resources. The ASUO currently allocates roughly $11 million of student incidental fees to programs, departments and contracts for the fulfillment of their program’s goals. Many programs use this funding to plan events that educate the campus community about their cultures and lived experiences. The ASUO plans to create a line item in their budget to strictly enforce Diversity Initiatives within the ASUO, their programs and organizations. The ASUO will review existing resources devoted to diversity matters to determine whether those resources are being used in the most effective way possible. The ASUO will ask pertinent offices and departments to evaluate any funding for sufficiency and effectiveness. The Plan will be implemented with the full financial transparency appropriate to the ASUO. The ASUO will create more resources available to the programs, organizations and affiliates of the ASUO. The resources within the ASUO include phones with access to long distance, computers with internet and printing capabilities. The ASUO also provides workshops and trainings in recruitment and retention, leadership development, coalition building and other workshops and trainings available to programs and organizations upon request. All of these are available with the hopes that students will become more involved within programs of the ASUO. Committee The ASUO Diversity Plan committee was formed to allow all students to have a voice in the creation of the plan. The ASUO Executive sent out a massive email to all University of Oregon students during fall term of 2006. Those interested student and parties were then invited to an informational meeting put on by the ASUO Executive about the formation of the Diversity Plan and the reason of creating a committee. From those interested students and parties, schedules were compared and an appropriate meeting time was set up to allow the majority of interested students to meet as a committee. During twice a week meetings students of the committee discussed the different points within the Diversity Plan and split up the points within individuals and pairs. These points were then brought back to the full committee and discussed amongst the group. The ASUO Vice President would then compile all of the points together before turning the ASUO Diversity Plan into the Office of Institutional Equity and Diversity. Diversity Statement “Diversity” can be defined as differences based on, but not limited to the following: race and ethnicity, national origin or citizenship, gender, age, religious affiliation or background, sexual orientation, gender identity, economic class or status, political affiliation or belief, veteran or professional status, ability or disability, or other social status. Vision of the University The University is a place where people from different cultures and experiences learn together; understanding and respecting these differences are critical for the University to be a place of open-minded inquiry where, in challenging the boundaries of knowledge, we include and value all members of our community. As the University Mission Statement says, we live in a global society. We therefore affirm that we should develop “international awareness and understanding.” And we affirm that we should, in all we do, work collectively to create and promote “a caring, supportive atmosphere on campus and the wise exercise of civic responsibilities and individual judgment throughout life.” Mission of ASUO Diversity Plan Members of the University community. The ASUO should develop strategies to improve students’ abilities to learn and interact respectfully and effectively with diverse members of the University community. Student organizations. The ASUO should work with student organizations to encourage their members to participate in activities, programs, and courses that assist the students in living, working, and studying in a diverse community. Student working with students. The ASUO should create ways for students to engage one another on issues of diversity. This includes student involvement in the ASUO itself. Need for an ASUO Diversity Plan The ASUO continues and will continue to be an ever-evolving unit. With the turnover of leadership within the ASUO, its programs and organizations every year, different students, ideals and beliefs come into the offices. With these changes within leadership comes a diverse climate that needs to be recognized every year. Scope of the ASUO Diversity Plan This Diversity Plan for the ASUO provides guidance for the ASUO, the programs and organizations within the ASUO and it's affiliates. It purposely identifies strategic directions that should be taken by the ASUO, sets the boundaries for the types of activities that should be undertaken, and empowers individual programs and organizations to follow with specific prescriptive actions. The Diversity Plan reflects the ASUO's and University’s strongly held belief in the importance of creating and maintaining an inclusive learning and working environment and in the benefits gained by all members of the ASUO and University community from learning and working with people who come from a variety of backgrounds and perspectives. The Diversity Plan recognizes that problems and conflicts related to diversity exist on our campus and that changing demographics will present future challenges for the ASUO. The Diversity Plan should be viewed as a call to action, one that requires attention at all levels and hard work by all members of the ASUO community and of the external community. Perhaps the most important directive embodied in the Diversity Plan is the expectation that each unit undertake strategic planning focused on diversity issues. The Diversity Plan provides guidance on issues that those unit-developed Strategic Action Plans should address. The ASUO Diversity Plan will guide the ASUO in reaching our goals. In addition to the plan, the ASUO Diversity Committee demands that the University take the following actions to improve diversity efforts on campus. 1. Provide accessible cultural responsiveness trainings to all faculty and staff on campus. 2. Provide cultural responsiveness trainings during orientation of new staff and faculty. 3. Increase faculty communication with students. 4. Increase scholarships targeted to reach underrepresented students. 5. Take a positive stance on increasing diversity among faculty. Create more tenured positions to retain faculty. 6. Increase the diversity in academic subjects and in all courses. 7. Increase the recruitment and retention of underrepresented students. 8. Increase funding support for multicultural programming in departments and across campus. 9. Strengthen community linkages on issues of equity, access, recruitment, retention and campus climate. 10. Increase the promotion of community and district-wide organizations and events that promote the inclusive and educational foundation of diversity. 1. Point 1: Developing a Culturally Responsive Community The University of Oregon Diversity Plan states: In this Diversity Plan, diversity refers to the differences of variations of people based on their different backgrounds and experiences related to identification with particular groups or communities. Such identification influences but does not determine individuals’ lives. At times, we might not recognize how our group memberships affect our own worldviews or how others will regard or treat us. The University is an ideal setting to develop consciousness of these differences and use them to promote knowledge and cultural understanding.…We are committed to the fair and just treatment of every person on campus. The definition of Cultural Competence from the UO Diversity Plan applies as follows: Cultural Competence is an active and ongoing process of self-reflection, learning, skill development, and adaptation, practiced individually and collectively, that enables us to engage effectively in a culturally diverse community and world. Within the context of cultural competency, we stress the importance of remaining conscious of the challenges that define coexistence between individuals whose values of diversity are not necessarily shared. It is important that all University groups receive equal representation and an adequate voice within the ASUO even if their individual doctrine does not specifically reflect the goals of the ASUO Diversity Plan. In the end, better understanding and a sense of common purpose will emerge as we move beyond discussion of terminology to deeper, honest conversation, listening and learning to achieve the goals articulated in the University’s Mission Statement. The definition of cultural competency and the identification of diversity are ever changing. By enacting the following goals, the ASUO stresses the importance of an evolving education, which perpetuates the ideals of the University of Oregon Diversity Plan. 1. Preparing Students for a Global Society The University of Oregon Diversity Plan expresses that: “The University is a place where people from different cultures and experiences learn together; understanding and respecting these differences are critical for the University to be a place of open-minded inquiry where, in challenging the boundaries of knowledge, we include and value all members of our community.” a. Improving cross-cultural education In an effort to promote active interest in campus diversity, the ASUO will endorse the prioritization of multicultural graduation requirements in all student curriculums. The ASUO shall promote general student body diversity education by improving advertisement of relevant courses through the ASUO website. Furthermore, the ASUO demands the administration become more proactive in the advancement of course listings and educational opportunities. b. Training of student leaders The ASUO intends to provide more opportunities for the ongoing training and education of student leaders, specifically new Executive, Senate, Programs Finance Committee (PFC), Receptionists and Controllers, in order to help facilitate growth and training in other programs. These preparations intend to expand definitions of cultural competency and an encouragement of broader social awareness. 2. Encouraging Participation & Student Dialogue The ASUO Executive and programs will promote awareness and encourage attendance to events focused on a society that is constantly changing, progressing and challenging students to seek out opportunities that develop a sense of critical understanding and a place to express their personal worldviews. a. Proactive publicity and outreach The ASUO Executive shall promote the advertisement of campus events and provide resources for greater campus community involvement. Through broader exposure to readily available resources, such as the ASUO website and events calendar, and increased access to all diversity-oriented events, a greater incorporation of cultural responsiveness can and will occur in all campus communities. Participation rates and new programming will be measures taken to address compliance of this action. In doing so, it is important to distinguish between the successes of older, more established programs and new or developing diversity-oriented events. b. Freshman and new student orientation In order to expose and educate freshman and new students to the ever-evolving definition of diversity and its many manifestations on campus the ASUO shall provide multilateral events and information. By working in close partnership with the Multicultural Center and other campus organizations, the ASUO intends to integrate Duck Days, Week of Welcome, and the initiation to university life as a means of incorporating diversity at the outset. Furthermore, ASUO executive shall create a more informative atmosphere within Residence Halls to familiarize freshman and new students to campus assets regarding diversity. 3. Enhancing Communication among Student Organizations and Individuals a. Collaboration across programming The ASUO shall support programming which unilaterally incorporates common goals stated in the University of Oregon Diversity Plan. Students stand to benefit from cooperation among individual programs. The pooling of their resources, as well the collaboration of their perspectives will expand students understanding and access to diversity on campus. b. Building networks to provide safe and responsive support The ASUO believes that student communication is a vital component of the promotion of and exposure to campus diversity. By engaging students in existing organizations, such as the Bias Response Team, and cooperating with potential outlets, such as the Diversity Committee, the ASUO will work to be more responsive to cross-cultural conflicts. Point 2: Improving Campus Climate The University Diversity Plan states: Improve the climates of both the academic and social environments within the context of the University of Oregon, and more specifically, the ASUO. Within the academic environment, the ASUO must promote an open system of communication between faculty and student organizations within the ASUO thus being able to assist the faculty in better understanding the needs and concerns of the diverse demographic of the University as represented by the student body. Within the social environment, the ASUO will promote the open exchange of numerous ideas and opinions that are found within the student body to facilitate an environment that is unbiased but more importantly assist in the educational process of all students. This section outlines specific actions that the ASUO will take to improve campus climate. Due to the fact that the social and political landscape of America, Oregon and the University of Oregon is constantly changing, it was deemed important by the ASUO to undertake a process which involves a constant evaluation of the environment and making the necessary changes when important. 1. Re-evaluation of the current campus climate a. Student organizations Reach out to the various organizations within the ASUO. All students must be involved for an accurate reflection of the current campus climate. The ASUO Diversity Committee will accomplish this by utilizing the following methods: i. Sending a representative to the various organizations within the ASUO to have informal discussions about campus climate ii. Issue a questionnaire to all organizations within the ASUO on a yearly basis through Programs Council Meetings. iii. Target freshman interest groups and other organizations that target incoming students b. Utilize campus information There are several campus organizations structured to receive and respond to discrimination and other issues of diversity, which can be utilized to acquire facts and figures about discrimination. This will allow us to evaluate the climate on a different and much larger scope. Such programs include, but are limited to the Women’s Center, Men’s Center, Bias Response Team, Multicultural Center, the Office of Multicultural Academic Support, and Disability Services. 2. Promotion of Diversity Programs and Resources a. Co-sponsorship Promote and sponsor events that educate the general public on issues as defined within the ASUO Diversity Plan. The ASUO will also serve as a vital tool for inter-organization cooperation to promote such events b. Resources The ASUO will promote resources to both students and faculty when a situation involving discrimination arises. This will be accomplished through a more widespread advertisement of the departments that deal directly with issues concerning discrimination, such as the Bias Response Team and Conflict Resolution Services. 3. New Programs The ASUO will involve a broad representation of students in the design and implementation of programs focused on awareness and engagement in diversity building activities on campus. Additionally, the ASUO will involve broad representation of students in campaigns, initiatives and committees. Point 3: Building Critical Mass The University Diversity Plan states: The development of a critical mass of persons from underrepresented groups is critical to cultivate and maintain a campus environment that embraces diversity and to provide our students with the tools to become global citizens. Increasing the diversity of our faculty is important to provide our students with role models and to secure the scholarly and intellectual benefits that a diverse faculty will bring to the University. Equally important is the recruitment and retention of undergraduate and graduate students from diverse backgrounds and experiences. This section outlines specific goals that the ASUO will take to build critical mass. 1. Retention of Students a. Voter registration: The ASUO will continue to strengthen voter registration efforts in order to show legislators the importance of postsecondary education issues. Comparing current year's registration to past years' will show whether or not this increase occurs. Voter registration efforts will continue to specifically take place during fall and spring election periods. The legislative team of the ASUO Executive will continue to manage voter registration drives. b. Communication between students and legislators: The ASUO will continue to increase communication between students and legislators in order to increase funding for postsecondary education and other programs that benefit students. OSA is an important resource in achieving these goals. It is essential that the student voice be heard on these matters. c. Increase involvement in programs: As the University Diversity Plan states, "active, involved students are more likely to persist and thrive at the university." With this in mind, the ASUO will strive to increase opportunities for students to be involved within the campus community. The ASUO Diversity Committee as well as the ASUO Advocates will be responsible for the creation and advertisement of these events. d. ASUO sponsored events: The ASUO will organize a large event focused on building understanding of diversity each term. These events will be similar to the already established Weaving New Beginnings event. Measures of the success of these events will take the form on post-event assessment. i. Support student groups. The ASUO will encourage and support student group efforts to create programs that foster the understanding of diversity. ii. Increase event turn-out. The ASUO will strive to increase turn out at all events and programs through the strengthening of all advertising techniques. This will include, but is not limited to, improvement in content and accessibility of the ASUO website and calendar. 2. Retention of Faculty As university students, the quality of our education rests in the quality of our faculty. Currently, funding for faculty salaries is inadequate to provide incentives for the retention of faculty. Thus, the ASUO will continue and increase communication between students and legislators, in order to increase funding for faculty salaries. The ASUO will develop and/or support campaigns to address faculty retention. 3. Diversification of the ASUO Staff a. Awareness of ASUO elected staff positions. The ASUO will increase the awareness of ASUO elections and staff positions available to students. By increasing information about the elections, a more diverse pool of candidates will be available for students to elect from. Success of these efforts can be measured by the number of applicants for elected positions. An increase in information about these elections will be led by the ASUO Elections Board. Part of the effort to increase awareness of ASUO leadership opportunities is to increase the recruitment of students for the ASUO internship program as these interns often go on to run for elected ASUO positions. b. ASUO advocates: Currently, it is not required that the ASUO Executive include Advocates on the Executive staff. With this diversity plan, we mandate that the ASUO Executive hire (at least) three advocates to work on campus diversity issues which can include, but not limited to, the Multicultural Advocate, Gender and Sexual Diversity Advocate, Nontraditional Student Advocate, and International Student Advocate. These positions should be filled by qualified candidates representing diverse backgrounds. They will ensure that issues of diversity are addressed in all ASUO matters. c. Constitutional Court: As the Constitutional Court consists of appointed positions, the ASUO Executive should take an active role in ensuring that these positions represent a diverse body of students. The ASUO will improve publicity and outreach for these positions to include a pool of students with diverse backgrounds. d. ASUO Diversity Committee: The ASUO will create a diversity committee that will consist of elected and appointed positions and will be a part of the ASUO Executive. This body will ensure that there is follow through on the goals outlined in this diversity plan. As this document is a living document, the ASUO Diversity Committee will be in charge of assessing the success of this diversity plan as well as updating and making improvements to its content. 4. Improve Campus Climate As the University Diversity Plan states, "Improvements in Campus Climate (see Point 2) will make recruiting and retaining high-quality students easier. A university that demonstrates its commitment to diversity is attractive to diverse students." The goals described in Point 2 correlate significantly with the efforts to build critical mass in the university community. Point 4: Expanding and Filling the Pipe Line Definition of Filling the Pipe Line: Expanding and Filling the Pipeline of students from diverse backgrounds, identities, and cultures should be an ongoing mission with the ASUO. The ASUO, like the University of Oregon as a whole is dedicated "to the principles of equality of opportunity and freedom from unfair discrimination for all members of the university community and an acceptance of true diversity as an affirmation of individual identity within a welcoming community." With those guiding principles in mind the ASUO will encourage support and representation of underrepresented groups within all the programs and groups of students the ASUO supports. 1. Increase retention of under represented freshman by helping first year students find smaller communities they feel represent them, and in turn encourage them to assist in ASUO diversity program involvement. a. Retention: Advertise ASUO student unions and programs at freshman focused events in which focus in recruitment such as but not limit to: IntroDUCKtion, the Residence Halls, Leadership of 21st Century Class, Clark Honors College and Intermingle. Work with intermingle to create programming in which high schools student can interact with college students as a form of recruitment. 2. Build upon what the ASUO already supports on campus and recruit within the community for better support of under represented groups on campus. a. Early Recruitment: Focus on younger demographics by assisting in programs that reach out to elementary and middle school students within the greater Eugene/Springfield. Current efforts include, but are not limited to Reach for Success sponsored by Office of Multicultural Academic Support and GANAS, sponsored by Movimiento Estudiantil Chicano de Aztlán (MEChA). b. Recruitment of High Schools: Measure the success of high school recruitment within surrounding counties by expanding on programs that bring high school students to the University of Oregon campus. Such programs developed by ASUO student unions include, but are not limited to, Bridges to Higher Education sponsored by the Multicultural Center with, Higher Learning Day, sponsored by Black Women of Achievement, and the University-sponsored High School Equivalency Program. c. Outreach: ASUO Executive or designee shall speak to high school classes, student groups and student clubs to inform students of color and other underrepresented students about educational opportunities in higher education. The ASUO Executive or designee shall also promote resources at the University of Oregon including financial aid packages, housing, and campus life. Point 5: Developing and Strengthening Community Linkages The University Diversity Plan states: As a public institution, the University of Oregon is a community resource that must serve as an active participant in the Eugene/ Springfield area as well as the State of Oregon. The University, the Eugene/ Springfield community, and the state will all benefit from developing and strengthening these connections. This section outlines specific goals that the ASUO will take to develop and strengthen community linkages. However, in addition to the goals stated below, there are actions necessary for developing and strengthening community linkages that are beyond the capabilities of the ASUO. 1. Creating and Expanding Linkages between the University and Community Organizations a. Mentoring programs: The ASUO will reach out to Eugene/ Springfield community organizations and utilize existing programs to recruit volunteers to become mentors. Programs include Leadership Education Adventure Development (LEAD) Eugene, a low income at risk youth center and High school Equivalency Programs (HEP), a support program which helps ages between 16 and 30 get a high school degree. University students will mentor and encourage students to visit the University campus. Establish on-campus events and programs so high school students can be invited to become familiar with college students and college life. b. Internship programs: The ASUO will promote the service-based programs by educating university students about service opportunities Formally the "Community Internship Program," the Service Learning Program (SLP) offers a student the opportunity to earn credit while interning in the Eugene and Springfield community in the Human Services, Public Schools, Leadership Training, Mentorship, Building Blocks and Outdoor School divisions. Alpha Phi Omega (APO) is a coed national service fraternity that is a campus based service organization. c. Co-sponsorships: The ASUO will continue to co-sponsor events with local organizations. Many ASUO programs currently work with local non-profit organizations. For example, the Women’s Center, Womenspace, and Sexual Assault Support Services partner in events such as Take Back the Night. d. Fundraising. The ASUO will continue to fundraise for local organizations. Many ASUO programs coordinate events in which fundraising through ticket sales are donated to approved charitable organizations. The Vietnamese Student Association, for example, donated proceeds from a break dancing tournament to a hospital. 2. Promoting Community Organizations and Events a. Volunteer fair and non-profit tabling: The ASUO will expand on existing outreach organizations and events on campus. For example, Alpha Phi Omega (APO) is a non-Greek volunteer organization on campus. b. Advertise campus events: The ASUO and Eugene/Springfield community will mutually expand advertisements of events. The UO campus will advertise campus events to the Eugene/Springfield community and the Eugene/Springfield community will advertise cultural, educational, and social community events to the UO campus. The advertisement will be done through the ASUO websites. c. Advertise national events: The ASUO will strengthen partnership and community involvement, by promoting awareness and current events through national organizations such as CAUSA, PCUN, Q Center and HIV Alliance. The ASUO will work with national programs such as CAUSA and PCUN (Pineros y Campesinos Unidos del Noroeste: Northwest Treeplanters and Fannworkers United) to defend and advance immigrant rights. The ASUO will further partnership with HIV Alliance to provide community education, outreach information and services to empower University of Oregon individuals to make healthy choices. 3. Strengthening Connection with the Eugene/Springfield Districts and Fellow Colleges a. Encourage student success in the K-12 levels: The ASUO will continue to send UO students and representatives to educate students in the K-12 levels and especially those in high school. The ASUO will help college bound students on the college application process, tuition payments options and ways to prepare for college b. Strengthen ties with Lane Community College (LCC) student body and student unions: The ASUO will mutually promote and support student issues, activism, and events. This is already seen in the events the Black Student Union (BSU) of the University of Oregon has done with the BSU of LCC. 4. Strengthening Relationships with Eugene and Springfield Governmental Units a. Ensure Political linkage and communication between university and community representatives: The ASUO will increase communication with the City Hall by ensuring that the Community Outreach member attends City Council meetings and continuing to invite the mayor to campus events. 5. Creating Linkage between UO and National Organizations a. Utilize Existing United States Student Association (USSA), Oregon Student Association (OSA), and Oregon Students o Color Coalition (OSCC) organizations: The ASUO will utilize existing USSA, OSA, and OSCC organizations to promote student issues and participation. It will seek programs and conferences and encourage student participation. b. Encourage student union participation: The ASUO will help and encourage student unions to make connections between UO and existing national conferences and organizations such as the USSA, OSA, and OSCC. It will begin by evaluating how much contact student union groups have already made with national organizations. It will also encourage on campus recruitment by the USSA, OSA, and OSCC. Point 6: Developing and Reinforcing Diversity Infrastructure Developing and reinforcing diversity infrastructure is an important yet challenging part of the ASUO Diversity Plan. Since most of the ASUO leaders are in their positions for one year, it becomes difficult to ensure that the same programs and initiatives continue through different leadership goals and agendas. 1. ASUO Diversity Committee (ASUODC) In order to address this challenge, the ASUO Executive created the ASUO Diversity Committee (ASUODC). This committee prepared the ASUO Diversity Plan and will work to ensure that issues of social justice are a permanent fixture to the ASUO agenda and mission. The goals of the ASUO Diversity Committee are as outlined below: a. Oversight. The ASUO Diversity Plan is a dynamic doctrine that will shift to reflect changes to the political and social landscape of the ASUO, University and Oregon. ASUODC will oversee the ASUO Diversity Plan and make changes when necessary. b. Accountability and program support. Each year ASUODC will outline the priorities of the year. ASUODC will work with the ASUO Executive, Senate, Constitution Court and ASUO Programs to help them fulfill the priority actions as outline in the plan. ASUODC will additional provide support to all of the ASUO entities as needed. This would include helping to find facilitators for trainings and helping to promote initiatives and programs that are outlined in the plan. c. Act as a liaison. ASUODC will act as a liaison with the ASUO Executive, ASUO programs, OIED, University departments, and the student body. These efforts will include the following: i. Help make the diversity plan more accessible to students and student groups ii. Gather information from programs on their initiatives and challenges in relation to the plan; communicate students’ concerns and issues to the ASUO iii. Collect information about campus climate through surveys and other mechanisms. iv. Serve as a liaison with various departments on campus related to diversity and social justice v. Advise the Vice Provost for the Office of Institutional Equity and Diversity (OIED) about the student’s perspective on the progress of the University’s Diversity Plan vi. Gather information about the diversity initiatives of other University departments and communicate this to the ASUO and greater student population d. Recruit members. During spring and fall term of each year, ASUODC will work to recruit new members to the committee to include broad student representation. The membership of this committee can include, but is not limited to, student representatives from ASUO Executive (to include at least two advocates), ASUO Senate, and ASUO Programs, Housing, Greek Life and students at large. The ASUO would like to include two elected At-large positions during spring elections. The committee will be open to any students who are interested in joining. The ASUO will also work to include permanent staff on the committee, including, but not limited to ASUO Programs Coordinator, Women’s Center Director and Multicultural Center Advisor. These staff members will work to provide historical information and help with the transition of committee members. e. Outreach. The ASUODC will work to promote the ASUO Diversity Plan through discussions with students and program leaders and having the plan available in the ASUO Office and on the ASUO website. f. Timeline. Beginning in Fall 2007, ASUODC will prioritize two of the six goals of the ASUO Diversity Plan. These goals will be the focus of the committee’s work for Fall term and subsequent terms until significant progress has been made in those areas. At that point, the committee will choose two more points and continue this rotation through the years. g. Evaluate progress. During the spring term of each year, ASUODC will evaluate progress of the priority action plans of the year. In addition to utilizing the measures of progress that are already outlined in the plan, ASUODC will utilize surveys and informal discussions from key players to learn of the plan’s successes and challenges. ASUODC will provide a yearly report about the ASUO’s progress to the ASUO Executive and OIED. 2. Role of ASUO Support Staff While the turnover for ASUO student staff is high, the ASUO employs three professional support staff that can help the ASUO develop and reinforce diversity infrastructure. The three professional support staff includes ASUO Programs Coordinator, Accountant, and Office Coordinator. These staff members can help provide new ASUO leaders with historical information about diversity building efforts and the ASUO Diversity Plan’s successes and challenges over time. Appendix: ASUO Feedback Survey ASUODC has started to gather information from ASUO Programs through a survey that conducted at Programs Council Meeting in which leaders from 120 student programs attended. Next year, ASUODC will address this feedback into the ASUO Diversity Plan. Below are the questions and results of the survey. 1. In what ways have your programs been effective in addressing the need to increase diversity awareness on campus? Where do you see room for improvement? Comments: People write what they want. We publish it. Our events promotes cross cultural interactions and conversations. I don’t understand the question. Increase students awareness of how much/how little diversity there is on campus? I dunno. Our group has no diversity, so we have been trying to reach out to people from diverse organizations for new members and to partner with other groups. We would love suggestions! I appreciate seeing the various programs hold all their events- diversity, multicultural, all that. Continually increasing the diversity of the student body is the way to go! The flourishing programs should keep doing that. School/Public events/High school student panels/RECRUITMENT! My student group was not active for two years and working with these are really new for me. Many ways we are a diverse group and we speak up, we need more people to stand up. That’s the first place where we need improvement. More support and action. Our participants are able to propose anything they are interested in so we are very open to hosting diverse events. We bring education and representation to campus, but due to lack of support from university and administration, it makes it very difficult. Education is necessary for the whole campus. Cultural awareness. We have opened an AIM account to attempt to open our program’s service to the hearing impaired and ESL folks. We’ve been able to provide awareness concerning sexual rights for people of all backgrounds and creeds. Our programming is diversity focused but reaching out to campus. Some people don’t know what ASUO is or where the office is. We are an international organization; we reach diverse backgrounds and organizations (from BSU to ICSP). We have hopefully created more visibility and awareness around LGBTQ issues, through our programs. This year we went to the JSO. Through this, we met lots of international students and through friends, our members have increased!! Also, we are trying to create more new events. Our group is focused on environmental issues and many times the focus is solely on hotbed issues. We have tried to address various environmental issues in the journal by accepting diverse article submissions. We are an animal rights group and have had no issues come up. Our group is open to any and everyone that would like to participate. As far as accessibility, we hold meetings on campus or offer carpools to reach meetings. None and none. We are a culture group so we help promote diversity. Funding for such groups may help. 2. In your observation what concerns about diversity have gone unaddressed in your organization or on campus? Comments: Well, we have all students who come in our office for help fill out a survey, but we ask no questions about background and have no sense of the demographics of our students. Specifically pertaining to my group, we do not have concerns. Can’t think of any right now. N/A. So far, we are doing fine. There is a lack of intersectional organizing and support in our office. For example, how do we talk about racism in a predominately white space? We need more resources and support from the ASUO. None. Diverse leadership in groups that aren’t necessarily dedicated to diversity. Probably the hearing impaired is the largest community we’ve seen ignored on campus. Safety and cultural insensitivity. The need to understand awareness is an ongoing commitment to educate yourself more than a few times- recognize assumptions. Concerns about bringing down programs when most of these programs are for diverse groups. Diversity issues and organizations have been under attack by the senate. I feel that the senate is really racist at times. Senators don’t care about programs! Our program could do more with talking with other student groups- collaborating on events. Our campus is only 13% diverse, and many people don’t even realize its an issue. Groups should be better educated on how to incorporate diversity into their organization. I think we do an okay job ☺. 3. How can your organization immediately measure progress being made to improve upon diversity awareness? Comments: Diversity is not an issue for us. I’m not sure. We help students find internships with non-profits and many work with disadvantaged populations. Continue to expand readership of the journal and diversify copies of the symposium. Participate in more of the school activities. I don’t understand this question. Members from different backgrounds. Leadership, membership, programming. More $. In the budget allocation and communication. Program budget being cut every year is not a sign of ASUO supporting programs. Possibly by attendance at events with self reported positive reviews, shows a wide range of people feel welcomed and safe. The type of event our participants approach us to do. We already are. Events! Allies accessibility. Create an initiative. It can’t. Department of Intercollegiate Athletic Diversity Action Plan Point 1: Developing a Culturally Responsive Community Intercollegiate Athletics understands a focus on “developing a culturally responsive community” to involve the experience of individuals from underrepresented groups in their interactions within and through athletics and the university community. These individuals include administration, coaches, staff, and students-athletes. A culturally responsive community includes clearly delineated channels for such individuals to express grievances, as well as mechanisms for the recognition and response to such grievances. It is a community that seeks to understand the commonalities among culturally different groups and embraces and celebrates the differences. Guiding Principles The mission of the Department of Intercollegiate Athletics is to promote the academic and personal development of the student-athlete. The opportunities athletics offers to the individual through training, practice and competition within a culturally diverse team contributes in a unique way to the development and tolerance of the individual. Senior staff of the Department of Intercollegiate Athletics -- the Director of Athletics, Senior Associate Directors, selected associate directors, and the Personnel Director -- meet on a weekly basis to review and discuss issues that affect the department, its employees and the university’s student-athletes. Included among issues considered by that group are issues involving the demography of the student and employee populations within Athletics and the fair and equitable treatment of all students and employees. That group regularly addresses any specific concerns regarding the Athletics program raised by any member of the Athletics or broader university community, including specifically any minority equity concerns. As part of their review, senior staff consider what notice to and/or assistance from other campus units, such as the Office of Multicultural Academic Support or the Office of Affirmative Action & Equal Opportunity, may be necessary or appropriate in addressing any particular issues. Strengths: Currently, our programs support the student-athletes in this goal. We have many offerings in place to meet the student’s needs and direct them to the support services within the athletic department and on campus. We always improve our efforts, continuing our focus on the freshmen but continuing the programs through their senior year. Challenges: In the past we did not give the same support to the employees of the department that we do with the student-athletes. After a hire, we assumed that the employees will get support on their own when needed, but we do not take an active role in offering programs to help educate them as to what is available. We have new leadership that feels the development of all employees is important and critical to our success. 1 Current Actions Senior staff meet with the Intercollegiate Athletic Committee (IAC) on a monthly basis and review issues that IAC has identified as being of particular interest or on which IAC review and input is necessary or appropriate. IAC members have consistently taken a strong interest in the welfare of all student athletes, including student-athletes of color. In addition to the above, the following additional staff and governing bodies are in place to assure that student-athlete welfare, including specifically the welfare of UO student-athletes of color, is monitored, evaluated and addressed on a continuing basis. 1. The present exit interview process is conducted annually having student-athletes who have exhausted their eligibility, leave the team, or transfer to complete a confidential survey. The survey is administered by the Assistant Athletic Director for Student Services following the end of the student-athlete’s competitive season. Student-athletes are encouraged to have a personal interview with the Assistant Athletic Director of Student Services if they have suggestions, concerns or other information beyond that solicited by the survey. If the survey responses suggest the possibility of an issue based on race or ethnicity, the issue is brought to the attention of the Senior Associate Athletic Director, who then takes the information to senior staff for discussion. Most issues, regardless of nature, are resolved immediately. Issues that are more complex are taken to the IAC with a plan for implementing change. Athletics staff have found that by making improvements to the exit survey content, process and review, they are better able to identify and respond to issues, including any involving potential minority equity issues, in a timely manner as they arise. The Assistant Athletic Director for Student Services is responsible for monitoring and evaluating the welfare of student-athletes. Season-Ending Summaries are completed by every athlete on a team at the end of their sport season. These anonymous reports are compiled by the Assistant Athletic Director for Student Services and shared with the Head Coach, the Associate Athletic Director who oversees the team, and the Director of Athletics. 2. As a pilot program for the NCAA CHAMPS/Life Skills, our SOAR program was established to implement programs to address student-athletes’ health and welfare. Our SOAR program was a pilot program in 1991. We were recognized in 2002 as a “Program of Excellence” by the Division 1A Athletic Directors Association. It was one of 27 programs of distinction at that time. 3. The Student-Athlete Advisory Council (SAAC) meets bimonthly. This governing body is made up of a minimum of two student-athletes per sport and brings to the front issues of fairness, team concerns, NCAA legislation and policy changes within the department. A member of SAAC serves on the IAC. Goal 1: The goal is to create a culture in which each person, regardless of their differences and commonalities is seen as unique and feels like he or she is a viable and valued part of the 2 university, athletic department and intercollegiate athletics. Increase the awareness and sensitivity regarding cultural differences, cohesion, and marginalizing through a variety of activities and workshops for athletic department coaches, administration, and staff. Provide programming for the student-athletes to increase their sensitivity to diversity issues. Student-Athletes • Require all incoming student-athletes to take EDLD 199 –Issues in Intercollegiate Athletics. This course addresses all of the transition issues, as well as diversity sensitivity. • Include campus resources in the student-athletes handbook • Continue to partner with the Career Center and the Office of Multi-Cultural Affairs for the Connections Dinner. • Female Student-Athlete Fall Forum o Requirement of all female student-athletes o Small group discussions of the following issues: sexual wellness, eating disorders, sexual assault, alcohol & drug use and abuse, stereotyping and diversity of female athletes. • Male Student-Athlete Fall Forum o Requirement of all male student-athletes. o Small group discussions of the following issues: sexual wellness, sport nutrition, sexual assault, alcohol & drug use and abuse, stereotyping and diversity of male athletes, anger management. NCAA Programs for Diversity o Gender Equity and Issues Forum o NCAA Postgraduate Scholarship Action Plan • Develop and administer an assessment survey to capture the perceptions and attitudes of the department in regards to diversity, cultural competency and campus climate. • Utilize the information obtained in the survey to create an annual comprehensive departmental plan to address topics of diversity and inclusion. • Create an annual comprehensive departmental plan to address topics of diversity and inclusion. • Include campus, community and athletic leaders to administer the plan. • Include formal and informal trainings, workshops, etc. • Develop a library of training videos and critical information for all staff to utilize as needed. Coaches & Staff • Require two continuing educational training sessions per year. Establish a menu of topics which rotate every three years so that each topic will be presented over the three years rotation. 3 • Develop a new employees’ orientation program to include cultural responsiveness training and awareness of grievance procedures. • NCAA Programs for Diversity: o Diversity Education (Diversity Training Workshops) – NCAA provides facilitator and materials, four hour session for administration, coaches, student-athletes, faculty and staff. Guaranteeing not less than 20 and no more than 40 participants per session. Provide lodging for the facilitator (if necessary). A meeting location. Audiovisual equipment. A snack or meal during each requested session. o Fellows Leadership Development Program o Leadership Institute o Matching Grants for Minority Women Coaches o NCAA Women Coaches Academy Student-Athletes • Increase referrals and encourage participation of underrepresented groups to the appropriate campus organizations (e.g. Office of Multicultural Affairs, LGBTQ center) for additional support and community outside of the athletic department. • Increase involvement of campus organizations in programming and direction of the Life Skills Programs. • Male Student-Athlete Fall Forum: o Develop a program similar to that of the Female Forum starting in the fall of 2007. o Address issues of men’s health, sexual assault and prevention, diversity issues in sport and college, alcohol and drug use and abuse, etc. • Team Educational Workshops o Two workshops per year dealing with a menu of topics to be covered over a four year program. • NCAA Diversity Programs: o Ethnic Minority Enhancement Postgraduate Scholarship o NCAA Internship Program o NCAA Men's Coaches Academy o Woman of the Year o Women's Enhancement Program Postgraduate Scholarship Program Administration/Implementation: The Senior Woman Administrator and the Assistant Athletic Director for Student-Services will oversee an implement the program. Workshops and appropriate speakers will be scheduled and a record of attendance will be kept. Program Evaluation: 4 • Evaluate the results of the program survey and the orientations to determine if the goals are being met. • Evaluations from the workshops and presentations will be reviewed and changes in the programming will be based on outcome goal which will be established. • Attendance will be taken. Attendance at mandatory student-athlete programs will be reported to the coaches. For staff programming, attendance will be reported to the Director of Athletes. Point 2: Improving Campus Climate The Athletics Department’s physical location across the river from the campus can create isolation from the campus community. It is important that the Athletics Department strive to foster a climate of cohesion with the faculty, staff, alumni and the community. The Athletics Department will help in the campus efforts to make the university a more open and inviting place for all students, faculty, staff, alumni and community members. The Athletics Department will collaborate with the campus community in committee work, events, and university organizations to promote awareness and understanding of issues. Guiding Principles The Department of Intercollegiate Athletics strives for diversity in the administration, coaching staffs and with the recruitment of student-athletes. It is important that we partner with the campus and the community to promote and support a welcoming environment for all persons regardless of race, gender, age, sexual orientation, religion, ethnicity, national origin, ability or socio-economic background. Through our sports competitions, we will promote sportsmanship and the tolerance of individuals. Athletics Department administrators are committed to appropriately involving SAAC in decisions that affect student athletes and in listening to their assessment of student-athletes’ needs and concerns. All members of the Athletics Department staff are encouraged and expected to contribute to the success of Athletics Department programs and the well-being of all student- athletes. Through that contribution, all staff have the opportunity for involvement in departmental governance and decision making. That opportunity is available to all staff, regardless of race or ethnicity. Strengths We have a population of people within the Athletics Department who are diverse in background and high profile in our community. We have an opportunity to promote and model best practices in a diversity plan. We have numerous requests from the university and the community for our coaches and student-athletes to speak or participate at events, schools, and celebrations. Challenges With the limited time available for coaches, student-athletes and administrators out-side of their sport and other obligations; it is difficult to demand more of their time. We see a high level of burnout and stress created by the current demands we put on the people within this department. 5 Goal 1: Continue to participate with the Office of Student Life and develop a working relationship with the Office of Institutional Equity and Diversity to help us foster a climate that nurtures diversity and promotes a safe and welcoming environment. Current Actions: • Have Athletic Department representation at monthly meetings of the Substance Abuse Prevention Team (SAPT), Student Affairs Council (SAC), Alliance for Sexual Assault Prevention Committee.(ASAP), Intercollegiate Athletic Committee (IAC), Faculty Senate and other committee meetings. • We are expanding the community service program for 2007. Each team will select a service project that they will participate in during the year. In addition, we will continue organize and participate in our major annual community outreach programs. These include: Quackin Action, Incredible Kids Day Letters, Duckling Fund Raising, Toys for Tots, Read Across America, and Put the Civil Back in Civil War. Action Plan: • Promote upcoming events, workshops, and brown bag gatherings on campus that our Athletics Department personnel may not be aware of. • Expand the collaboration with student organizations for events, such as the Career Connection Dinner with the Student-Athletes and the Multi-Cultural Career Alliance. • Encourage administrators, coaches and student-athletes to continue to support the requests for guest speakers for campus and community organizations. • Offer Diversity Sensitivity Training for staff lead by the appropriate groups on campus or from the community. Goal 2: Make the athletic venues open and welcoming to all students, faculty, fans, and community members by furthering the promotion of appropriate and respectful conduct at games and sporting events. Current Actions: • Continue the ConDUCKT and SportsDUCKship programs to promote appropriate behaviors at games to foster a welcoming and safe environment for all students and fans. • Continue the work in partnership with the United Way promoting “Together We Do What Matters” volunteerism program. Program Administration/Implementation: The Director of Athletics and the Associate Athletic Directors are ultimately responsible for overseeing and encouraging the participation in these programs. 6 Program Evaluation: Annually review the Exit Summaries completed by the student athletes after finishing their eligibility. Evaluate the department employees’ satisfaction with the services available and the programs to meet their individual needs. Point 3: Building Critical Mass The Department of Intercollegiate Athletics strives to promote diversity in its hiring and recruiting practices. The NCAA has in place a monitoring system to certify that the department is in compliance with the NCAA and the Office of Civil Rights. The representation of people of color on the UO Athletics coaching staff has increased significantly in the last ten years and is comparable to availability. The representation of people of color in non-coaching positions has not experienced comparable growth. However, the representation of people of color among Other Professionals is slightly higher than the representation of people of color among similar positions campus-wide, and slightly lower than the representation of people of color among Senior Administrators campus-wide. Our mission is to provide the best support to meet the needs of each individual. Our department is represented by the largest numbers of underrepresented students proportionately at the university. It is important that we have programs in place and competent individuals to guide our student-athletes and new hires through the adjustment periods. The representation of people of color among Athletics Department personnel has remained steady over the three year period studied for the NCAA Certification. Overall, the representation of people of color within Athletics is higher than it is among staff campus-wide. Of particular note, the number and percentage representation of people of color among the UO Athletics’ coaching staff has more than doubled since the first cycle certification review. People of color are represented among Athletics coaches at a rate that is comparable to availability. Guiding Principles It is vitally important that the department create an environment in which students-athletes and underrepresented staff feel comfortable and “at home”. We have services and programs in place to serve as a safety-net of support. It is our goal to recruit coaches, staff and administrators who are representative of the ratio of student-athletes of color in our department. Strengths Because athletics seems to draw from a more diverse population, we are likely to have a higher percentage of underrepresented people applying for jobs. But, like all other departments, we are limited by of the pool of applicants when making hiring decisions. Along these same lines, many of our student-athletes are recruited from metropolitan cities with large diversity populations, creating a larger multi-cultural population of students in our department. 7 Challenges Our challenge is to help our student-athletes, coaches and staffs feel at home and comfortable at the University of Oregon and in the Eugene/Springfield community. Goal 1: Continue to recruit underrepresented coaches, staff and student-athletes. Provide a safe and welcoming environment to foster their growth and development. Current Action: • Continue to recruit staff and coaches who may possess similar experience or backgrounds of our student-athletes from underrepresented groups. • List resource information and campus organizations with descriptions in the Student- Athlete Handbook. Action Plan: • Promote involvement in campus organizations. • Establish an Orientation/Mentor program for new department staff members to help them adjust to Eugene, the University of Oregon and the Athletic Department. Provide a mentor for new staff to answer questions, help with resources, and provide support. Goal 2: Provide a network of support for student-athletes to identify and meet their individual needs. Current Action: • Continue to offer topics in the EDLD 199 class to help student-athletes learn coping skills which will help with the transition to the university setting. Action Plan: • Networking between the coaches, academic advisors, athletic trainers, and sport counselor to identify struggling student-athletes. Provide those student-athletes with resources or referrals to meet their needs. • Increase involvement of campus organizations in programming and direction of the Life Skills Programs. • Increase the participation of students from underrepresented groups in the Student- Athlete Advisory Committee, and the IAC. Program Administration/Implementation: The Director of Athletics and the Associate Athletic Directors are ultimately responsible for the hiring of the coaches and staff. The NCAA, University and Oregon have diversity requirements which must be followed. The Assistant Athletic Director for Student-Services is responsible for the programming to meet the needs for the student-athletes. 8 Program Evaluation: The Exit Summaries are a tool used to evaluate the student-athletes’ satisfaction of their experience at the University of Oregon. This is reviewed annually to better the programs or establish new programs for the student-athletes. An evaluation tool similar to the Exit Summary needs to be used with coaches and staff. Point 4: Expanding and Filling the Pipeline The Department of Intercollegiate Athletics strives to support the personal, academic, athletic, career and character development of the student-athletes. We have in place people, policies and programs to provide guidance and a safety-net of support for the student-athlete transitioning into and out of the university setting, competing academically and athletically at the level required in a Division 1A institution, and learning and incorporating appropriate social and ethical behaviors to become productive and distinguished citizens in the future. Guiding Principles The diversity within the student-athlete population is a mirror of our society and we honor the exchange of ideas, experiences and cultures. Expanding the pipeline of students from diverse backgrounds, identities, and cultures may be an easier task for the Athletics Department than it is for the university as a whole. Student-athletes are recruited because of their athletic abilities, not their ethnicity or intellectual scores, although these factor play into the recruiting process. The populations of better athletes come from diverse populations. For example, of the fifteen tennis players at the University of Oregon, twelve are international students. Strengths We have one of the most diverse student, staff, and coach populations on campus. The educational experiences that our student-athletes, staff and coaches can give to one another are invaluable. Different cultures and backgrounds of the student-athletes are also an asset to the University and the entire student population. The connection of these groups will be beneficial to all parties involved. Challenges One of the challenges we face with student-athletes is the time commitment required by their respective sport and academics studies leaves little time for activities with groups on campus or in the community. Also, with the more concentrated numbers of diverse individuals within the department, the common interest of sport competition and the similar time commitment, it seems to produce a community and a comfort level which student-athletes do not seem to venture out of to explore campus groups and activities. Although our population of student-athletes is only 400, we are expected to be major financial supporters of all of the student events and activities on campus. Goal 1: Encourage staff and student-athlete’s participation in campus groups, activities and events. Current Action: 9 • Publicize the campus activities and events by Duckvoice, SAAC meetings and emails to coaches. Action Plan: • Encourage athletes to find groups, activities or events that they would enjoy participating in. • Athletics administration should encourage coaches’ and staff’s involvement in programs, committees and events on campus Program Administration/Implementation: The athletic administrators are responsible for bridging the gap between the Athletic Department and the campus community by their participation and the encouraged participation of the coaches, staff and student-athletes. Program Evaluation: The IAC, campus groups, and University Administration can give us feedback on the perceived participation in the campus activities. Point 5: Developing and Strengthening Community Linkages The Department of Intercollegiate Athletics is often the “front porch” for the University as a whole to the Eugene-Springfield community. Our department strives to represent the University in a positive & productive way by inviting the Eugene community to be involved with our rich athletic tradition. The diversity of our student-athlete, staff, and coaches is another important reason why we should continue to improve and expand our relationships with the Eugene- Springfield community. Guiding Principles The Department of Intercollegiate Athletics will continue to establish working relationships with the Eugene-Springfield community to enhance the opportunities for our student-athletes, staff and coaches. We are dedicated to the experience of our diverse population while they are apart of the Eugene-Springfield community. We cherish the experiences and learning opportunities that the community has to offer our University and Department. Strengths The Department of Intercollegiate Athletics continues to develop strong relationships in the surrounding community through service. Most student-athletes while attending the University participate at least one community service project. Relationships in the community continue to be built through the participation on such committees as Alliance for Sexual Assault Prevention and the Substance Abuse Prevention Team in which community members and organizations are apart. We strive to integrate out student-athletes and staff into the Eugene-Springfield community, creating a positive environment on and off of the field. The willingness of our coaches and staff to encourage community participation increases the positive image of the University and Athletics. Challenges 10 Although we continue to strive to integrate our student-athletes into our community we continually struggle with our minority student-athletes. Even though proportionately we have a large number of diverse student-athletes they are rarely involved with campus groups/organizations and community groups/organizations. Some of these student-athletes are at risk and feel very out of touch with the Eugene-Springfield community. Although we act as a safety net we improve our work in prevention and education. Goal 1: Increase community involvement and awareness of athletic department diversity programs and outreach. Current Actions • Continue our Athletes Living as Role Models (A.L.A.R.M.) Program. Increasing student-athletes and coaches’ community outreach through service. • Continue the work in partnership with the United Way promoting “Together We Do What Matters” volunteerism program. • Promote and encourage attendance at community events. Action Plan • Develop relationships with community leaders, organizations and businesses/ corporations to help integrate staff and students into the Eugene community. • Develop a career mentorship program with local community members, student-athlete alumni and current student-athletes. Program Administration/Implementation: The Senior Woman Administrator and the Assistant Athletics Director for Student-Services will oversee and implement all programs. Participation and evaluation of all events will be recorded and assessed. Program Evaluation: • Attendance will be recorded at all community outreach events and given to administration at the end of each year for review of student-athlete, team, and coach participation. • Records of the mentorship program shall be kept and reviewed by administration and compliance on term by term basis. Point 6: Developing and Restoring Diversity Infrastructure 11 The infrastructure of our department is based on the clearly defined vision and goals of the University and Athletic administration. Leadership and continued support for the athletics diversity plan is paramount in achieving our goal of an unparallel experience for all student- athletes coaches and staff. The Office of Affirmative Action & Equal Opportunity has continued to monitor recruitment and hiring in the Department of Intercollegiate Athletics, consistent with its charge of monitoring recruitment and hiring of unclassified personnel in all departments on campus. Promotions into or involving unclassified positions, including those in Intercollegiate Athletics, are regularly reviewed by the Office of Affirmative Action for compliance with applicable university policy. Since the time of the last NCAA self-study, the representation of people of color among the athletic coaching staff, (head coaches and assistant coaches combined) has increased considerably, from an average of 7.69% in 1992-94 to an average of 16.32% in 2002-04. The representation of people of color has also increased considerably among other professionals employed in Athletics, from an average of 2.75 % in 1992-1994 to an average of 9.54% in 2002- 2004. The Office of Affirmative Action & Equal Opportunity maintains regular contact with the Intercollegiate Athletics, specifically with the Senior Associate Athletic Director/Senior Women’s Administrator and the Personnel Director. Through that regular contact, questions or concerns related to equity issues have been resolved on an ongoing basis. In addition, the Office of Affirmative Action conducted a salary equity review based on data in the EADA Gender Equity Survey for 1999-2000. As part of that review, the Office of Affirmative Action reviewed similar data from each of the other nine Pac-10 institutions. Based on that review, the Director of Affirmative Action affirmed that in all cases, Intercollegiate Athletics provided legitimate, non-discriminatory justification for any identified discrepancies. On an annual basis, the Director of Athletics and senior staff of the Department of Intercollegiate Athletics conduct a thorough review of salaries for all administrative staff, including coaches. That review takes into consideration merit and market considerations, equity in salary levels both internally and externally. It forms the basis for any proposed salary adjustments. Proposed salary adjustments are reviewed and require appropriate administrative approval (through June 30, 2005, by the Vice President for Administration; starting July 1, 2005, by the President or his designee). As a result, the issue of salary equity is subject to regular, ongoing review. Guiding Principles Senior staff of the Department of Intercollegiate Athletics -- the director, senior associate director, selected associate directors, and the personnel director -- meet on a weekly basis to review and discuss issues that affect the department, its employees and the university’s student- athletes. Included among issues considered by that group are issues involving the fair and equitable treatment of all student-athletes and employees. That group regularly addresses any specific concerns regarding the Athletics program raised by any member of the Athletics or broader university communities, including specifically any minority equity concerns. As part of 12 their review, senior staff consider what notice to and/or assistance from other campus units, such as the Office of Multicultural Academic Support or the Office of Affirmative Action & Equal Opportunity, may be necessary or appropriate in addressing any particular issues. Senior staff meet with the Intercollegiate Athletic Committee (IAC) on a monthly basis and review issues that IAC has identified as being of particular interest or on which IAC review and input is necessary or appropriate. IAC members have consistently taken a strong interest in the welfare of student athletes, including the welfare of student athletes of color. The Student Services unit of the Athletic department is responsible for providing programming and resources to increase cultural awareness. It is up to the athletic administration to provide the resources, encouragement and a sense of responsibility to each of the departments and teams. Strengths The Department of Intercollegiate Athletics administration excels at providing opportunities and leadership for continuing our work with diversity. They realize the importance not only to the student-athletes but staff, coaches and the community. An adequate budget is in place for the Assistant Athletics Director for Student Services which is supplemented by the NCAA Student- Athlete Opportunity fund to develop programming and education for the SOAR program. Data regarding the representation of women and people of color in the university workforce is regularly compiled in connection with the university’s affirmative action program. Employment opportunities in the Athletics Department are posted and announced in venues designed to reach and attract a broad and diverse pool of qualified applicants. The results of those efforts are reflected in the significant increase in the number and percentage of people of color represented on the Athletics coaching staff. The above structures have provided an effective means for review and resolution of concerns, including any minority equity concerns, on a regular, ongoing basis. Challenges Although we have strong leadership and resources, information and education of coaches and staff regarding diversity and student-development programs could be improved. Encouragement by administration both within athletics and on campus, towards staff and coaches to improve cultural awareness programs would improve the overall effectiveness of the diversity plan. Goal 1: Insure adequate resources and leadership for cultural awareness enhancement. Current Actions • Assign resources to teams and departments to meet the goals of the athletics diversity plan • Continue to develop strategies to recruit and maintain staff and coaches who are as diverse as the student-athlete population. 13 Action Plan • Providing professional development opportunities to coaches and staff in areas of diversity. • Athletics administration should encourage involvement in programs and events provided by the community and the athletic department to increase cultural awareness. Program Administration/Implementation: The Director of Athletics and Senior Staff will be responsible for providing a clear direction for continued improvements in cultural awareness and diversity. Program Evaluation: • Evaluations of staff and coach diversity should be completed on an annual basis. • Continuous records of coaches and staff professional development and educational activities should be kept and review as a whole on an annual basis. • The institution regularly reviews statistics regarding various student populations, including student-athletes, in order to identify trends to guide recruitment, retention and graduation. The UO regularly reviews employment data to identify areas for positive outreach and retention efforts. OIED and OMAS review data, services to students, and other factors that affect the success of students of color, including student-athletes, at the UO. 14 15 16 University of Oregon Libraries Library Diversity Plan September 7, 2007 Prepared by the Library Diversity Committee in consultation with Library Administration (Compiled by Laine Stambaugh) Members of the Library Diversity Committee who contributed to this plan: Current Committee: Erin O‟Meara (chair), Elizabeth Breakstone (past chair), Faye Chadwell, Paul Harvey, Melissa Logan, Sara Brownmiller, Xiaotong Wang, Mark Watson (ex officio), and Laine Stambaugh (ex officio); past committee members: Jennifer Rowan, James Fox (past chair), Christy Carmichael, Tracy Scharn, Kaiping Zhang. Library Administration: Deborah Carver, Dean of Libraries; Mark Watson, Associate University Librarian for Collections and Access; Andrew Bonamici, Associate University Librarian for Instructional Services. 2 Table of Contents Introduction .................................................................................................................... 3 Current Climate .............................................................................................................. 4 Assessment ..................................................................................................................... 4 Resources and Support ................................................................................................... 5 Collections and Access .................................................................................................. 6 Outreach and Instruction ................................................................................................ 9 Employee Training and Development ......................................................................... 13 Recruitment and Retention .......................................................................................... 17 Appendix A Current Snapshot of Library Workforce ................................................. 24 Appendix B History of Diversity at the UO Libraries: A Summary ........................... 26 Appendix C .................................................................................................................. 28 Appendix E: Draft administrative plan of a residency program (LDC, 1998) ............ 31 Appendix F: Timeline .................................................................................................. 33 3 Introduction The research library is the intellectual core of the academy – the centerpiece of scholarly inquiry, collaboration, and community. Students and faculty from across the disciplines naturally gravitate to the library for its resources, services, programs, and extended hours. Given its broad mission, the library works closely with the schools, colleges, and support units across campus. Because of these relationships and its high visibility, the library is well positioned to make meaningful contributions to the campus climate in ways that promote the university‟s diversity goals. The library is prepared to play a leadership role in promoting cultural understanding and diversity 1 awareness across campus. We see a close alignment between the university‟s diversity goals and the library‟s mission to “enrich the student learning experience, encourage exploration and research at all levels, and contribute to advancements in access to scholarly resources.” The library plan mirrors the University Diversity Plan which is based on a philosophy that: “The University is a place where people from different cultures and experiences learn together; understanding and respecting these differences are critical for the University to be a place of open-minded inquiry where, in challenging the boundaries of knowledge, we include and value all members of our community.” While the library has a unique set of strengths and challenges, it is important that it works within the framework of the university community. The Library Diversity Plan (LDP), therefore, is constructed so that the library can contribute towards the fulfillment of the six major areas of the University Diversity Plan: 1. Developing a culturally responsive community 2. Improving campus climate 3. Building a critical mass 4. Expanding and filling the pipeline 5. Developing and strengthening community linkages 6. Developing and reinforcing diversity infrastructure Because many of the library‟s goals touch on more than one aspect of the UO Diversity Plan, explicit connections to the relevant points are drawn at the end of each major section within the LDP. 1 For purposes of discussion in this document, the library‟s definition of diversity reflects the University‟s definition: a broad meaning that includes, but is not limited to, differences based on race, ethnicity, national origin or citizenship, gender, religious affiliation or background, sexual orientation, gender identity, economic class or status, political affiliation or belief, and ability or disability. 4 The library has identified four core areas of focus. These four focus areas encompass the library‟s service to the university and to the larger community. They are:  Collections and Access  Outreach and Instruction  Employee Training and Development  Recruitment and Retention The Library Diversity Plan was developed by the Library Diversity Committee in consultation with the Office of Institutional Equity and Diversity. Initial data gathering was done with the assistance of the Library Assessment Team, which organized an internal environmental scan in spring 2006. Each section of the diversity plan was written with assistance from key stakeholders in departments across the library. The Library Diversity Committee presented an early draft of the plan at an all- staff meeting and will continue to solicit feedback through email, informal meetings and other venues over time. Current Climate The library needs to be a place where all members of the University of Oregon community are valued, welcomed and respected. We are committed to building collections and providing services that are physically accessible to all, and that provide a broad spectrum of perspectives and experiences. Much has been accomplished in the last thirteen years since the beginning of diversity awareness conversations in the library (see Appendix B for a more complete history of the Library Diversity Committee‟s activities). We have made the most progress in “developing a culturally responsive community.” More attention needs to be paid to the other themes of the university‟s plan, particularly “building a critical mass.” Progress will require a firm commitment of resources, time, energy, and creative thinking. Assessment The Library‟s Diversity Plan is a changing document. As established goals are reached, others will be developed. Assessment is an essential component of this process. The Library Diversity Committee will conduct a yearly assessment of the plan, making appropriate updates. Per the university‟s diversity plan, the library will submit a yearly activity report to the Vice Provost for Institutional Equity and Diversity and to the Provost. The Vice Provost and Provost will review this plan every five years and assess progress towards the library‟s goals. Each core area in the diversity plan includes outcome measures to help gauge success. In examining its efforts, the library will pay particular attention to participation. Diversity is not merely the responsibility of the Library Diversity Committee; rather, all library employees must be engaged in the process. The library will work with the Office of Affirmative Action, the Office of Institutional Equity and Diversity, and the Office of Resource Management to determine appropriate measures of success. For example, the Office of Affirmative Action tracks information regarding candidate applications 5 and hires. These offices can also help the library to contextualize its progress by providing information on the University of Oregon community as a whole. In addition to consultation with outside departments, the library will seek the input of students and community members to further refine and develop the plan over time. The Library Assessment Team will also continue to include diversity as a component within its assessment plan. Additionally, when the library engages in user assessment, a diversity component will be included. Resources and Support The ultimate success of the plan depends upon the active engagement of all employees and units of the library. Involving library employees in the creation, implementation, and assessment of the plan will ensure this broad commitment. Library-wide participation is integrated into several goals, outcome measures and action items. Library Administration and Library Council (department heads) are ultimately responsible for implementing and monitoring progress and for supporting the Library Diversity Committee in its efforts. The Library Diversity Committee (LDC) will continue to function as a conduit of information to and from campus sources, library employees, and members of Library Administration and Council. The LDC is typically composed of three library faculty members and three library classified staff members, with the Director of Library Human Resources (DLHR) and an Associate University Librarian serving as ex officio members. The chair of the Library Diversity Committee will serve as the liaison between the library and the University of Oregon Diversity Group. The chair of the LDC (or designee) will meet quarterly with the Dean of Libraries to keep her apprised of current issues and events and to consult with her about the direction of the committee. The LDC will continue to offer diversity-related programming and will work with organizations across campus to develop and promote events. Our diversity plan is of strategic importance, and the plan‟s activities and initiatives will receive priority funding. We will actively seek donor support for diversity initiatives, and will also look to external granting agencies such as the Institute of Museum and Library Services and the American Library Association for diversity-related grants and fellowships. 6 Collections and Access The UO Library system consists of the Knight, Law, Science, Math, Portland Architecture, Oregon Institute of Marine Biology, Architecture & Allied Arts Libraries. They hold nearly 2.7 million volumes, over 2 million of which are housed in the Knight Library. The library maintains approximately 18,000 current subscriptions, including many full-text electronic journals. In addition to the circulating collections, Special Collections and University Archives contains more than one million items that represent a very diverse perspective, ranging from medieval codices and rare books to literary and historical manuscripts, university archives, original art, photographs, architectural drawings, and ephemera. As the only Association of Research Libraries (ARL) member in Oregon, the UO Libraries serves as an important research facility for scholars throughout the Northwest. A collections budget of nearly $6 million supports the acquisition of scholarly materials that are as diverse as the disciplines taught and researched at the UO. Successes:  In an effort to reach out to the broader community, the University of Oregon Libraries offers free borrowing to Oregon residents over the age of sixteen through the Oregon Card Program.  In 1993, the UO Libraries was a founding member of the Orbis Library Consortium. Orbis merged with the Cascade Alliance, a Washington State library consortium, in 2002, to create the highly successful Orbis Cascade Alliance, a consortium of 33 colleges and universities in Oregon and Washington. Students and faculty at any member institution can easily request materials from other members via Summit, the shared consortial catalog, and the materials will be delivered typically within two days.  The library has begun creating and showcasing digital collections from among its rich multicultural holdings. Examples include the Moorhouse collection of Native American photos, the e-Asia digital library and Picturing the Cayuse. Previously, most people in Oregon and across the country were unaware of these collections.  The library joins forces with the UO Bookstore and UO faculty members each term to make hundreds of costly textbooks available through course reserves to students who could otherwise not afford them.  Several collections not owned by the UO Libraries have been linked to the library catalog, including the collection of the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Education and Support Services Program, providing richer access to experiences of the broader community.  In the fall of 2006, the library expanded a laptop loan service for UO students to increase their access to software for word processing, spreadsheets, presentations, and full Internet connectivity. This facilitates laptop availability for students who might not otherwise have access to these resources.  The Oregon Newspaper Project microfilms a diverse number of ethnic, community and non- traditional newspaper titles, including the Portland Scanner, Jewish Review, Noticias Latinas, Smoke Signals, and Just Out.  Library services to aid patrons support by the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) include paging/photocopying materials from any service desk, document delivery, and access for proxies for patrons who have difficulty coming to the libraries. 7 Challenges:  Augments to the library budget have not kept pace with the cost of materials, limiting our capacity to expand new areas of the collections.  Campus initiatives to establish area studies programs, especially those requiring non-English language materials, require that the library identifies personnel with appropriate language skills, and/or outsource the means for obtaining and providing access to materials.  Culturally diverse materials and international publications are often harder for the library to identify and purchase.  Building layout and height/width of bookshelves can be a challenge for patrons with physical limitations. GOAL 1: The Library will improve the campus climate for diversity by diversifying its holdings and broadening access to library materials. Outcome Measures:  By 2007-08, the library will annually set aside $5,000 of unrestricted gift monies to be used for acquiring non-English language and area studies materials across a variety of disciplines.  By 2010, the library will pursue a collaborative digitization project with a group representing a minority or underrepresented population or culture.  By 2010, the library will demonstrably enhance its holdings of diverse and unique materials available to library users through digital resources, traditional acquisitions, solicitation of collection donations, and cooperative purchases.  By 2012, the Library Development Office will increase the numbers of gift or grant funds that directly support the purchase of materials focusing on minority communities and diverse viewpoints. Action Items: a. The AUL for Collections and Access will work with subject specialists to identify areas studies or geographic regions where holdings need to be bolstered (i.e., African Studies) and define and assign collecting responsibilities to library faculty. b. The AUL will establish and implement measurements for identifying diverse holding as a regular component of the library's contribution to program reviews, accreditation reports, and/or proposals for new campus programs. c. Using standard collection analysis tools, the AUL will work with subject specialists to compare holdings to appropriate comparator groups (i.e., ARL), and respond to gaps by purchasing items from specialized publishers and titles that focus on minority communities and diverse viewpoints. d. Subject specialists will expand digital audio and video collections that serve ethnic studies and other area studies programs. e. Subject specialists will explore opportunities for collaborating with UO faculty, community members, and other libraries to facilitate the selection, acquisitions, and cataloging of materials in Hebrew, Arabic, and Thai. 8 GOAL 2: The Library will strive to create barrier free access to its collections by enhancing both intellectual and physical accessibility for all communities. Outcome Measures:  By 2007-08, the UO Libraries will implement the Unicode storage option for the library‟s online catalog to improve the display of vernacular script.  By 2010, the UO Libraries will create and maintain a portal to holdings within the library‟s digital collections that focuses on multicultural materials.  By 2010, the UO Libraries will create an initiative to digitize Oregon's ethnic newspapers.  By 2010, the UO Libraries will have made significant progress implementing the recommendations put forth by James Bailey, Adaptive Technology Advisor. Action Items: a. Library Administration and Library Systems will improve virtual and physical access for disabled library users to the library's collections and facilities. b. Subject specialists will identify ways to highlight the library‟s diverse collections and make them more accessible to users at any location. c. The library will expand sharing unique resources with consortial partners. d. The library will participate in cooperative collection building efforts, such as shared approval plans or collaborative digital projects like Western Waters or the Moorhouse digital photo collection, to increase user access to unique and diverse materials. e. The library will develop a collaborative relationship with other libraries across the state to improve collections created by underrepresented groups. University Diversity Plan Connection: Point 1: Developing a Culturally Responsive Community Point 2: Improving Campus Climate Point 5: Developing and Strengthening Community Linkages Justification: Broadening access to multicultural materials and diverse viewpoints supports the development of cultural awareness and understanding both at the University and throughout the state. This broader access helps to prepare faculty, students, and staff to engage in a society that is increasingly more diverse and globally interactive. The library recognizes that enhanced access to collections and facilities not only makes materials more readily available to underrepresented groups but also underscores the important place these diverse groups have had in the development of U.S. society. By collaborating with other campus units, consortial partners, and community members or organizations, the library can strengthen networks between the University and external communities. 9 Outreach and Instruction Librarians at the UO teach several hundred instruction sessions each year, reaching thousands of students at the university. These programs offer significant opportunities for incorporating diverse perspectives into the classroom experience, and emphasizing the diverse collections in the UO Libraries. Successes:  The library coordinates instruction sessions for all Freshman Interest Groups at the beginning of the school year, providing opportunities for library subject specialists to incorporate diverse/multicultural perspectives into the program for incoming students.  The library participates in instruction and orientation sessions for students in American English Institute (AEI) courses and new international students.  The library collaborates with Disability Services, University Planning, and Facilities Services to ensure that information content, web sites, library services, and physical facilities (including campus classrooms) are accessible to everyone.  The library‟s Center for Educational Technologies provides additional instructional support for teaching faculty. This support provides numerous opportunities for CET staff and library subject specialists to consider inclusion of diverse/multicultural perspectives in course development projects.  The library plays an important collaborative role in facilitating the UO Housing‟s series, called Community Conversations, on topics of special interest to UO community members. Whether the discussion topic is cults, racial profiling or genocide, UO librarians prepare material for use at the sessions, including exhibits and displays, visual and textual resources, and bibliographic guides. These conversations have been recorded and cablecast throughout Lane County by the library‟s Media Services Department.  Media Services works with departments across campus to produce programming about, and for, diverse populations. Challenges:  There are many programs that draw new students into the library, but there is currently no requirement that all students receive a basic library orientation. This makes it difficult to ensure that all students are exposed to diverse library content or perspectives, not to mention the basic library skills necessary to academic success and lifelong learning that students will gain.  The library needs to articulate its diversity efforts with those of schools, colleges, departments, and the campus as a whole. GOAL 1: The library will ensure that students who receive library instruction are taught how to research and evaluate materials to explore diverse perspectives. 10 Outcome Measures:  By 2008, the library will mount at least one exhibit per year that specifically showcases library collections promoting cultural diversity.  The library will develop a library credit course that addresses the issues of researching diversity-related topics by 2009-2010.  The library will adopt a system of best practices for librarians interested in incorporating cultural diversity perspectives in their instruction. Action Items: a. The LDC chair (or designee) will meet regularly with Instructional Department Heads to discuss needs, problems, and new approaches related to diversity and instruction. b. A member of the LDC (or designee) will be assigned as a liaison to the Exhibits Committee to promote our collections, strengths and faculty research in the area of diversity. c. Subject specialists will work with faculty to provide library instruction for undergraduate courses that meet the multicultural requirements. d. In its instructional activities and materials, the library will review and actively incorporate research examples that showcase diversity-related issues. e. The LDC will work with the Assessment Team to measure outcomes and impact of these efforts. f. The Library faculty will review its guides, handouts and examples to determine the use of diverse perspectives. GOAL 2: The library will collaborate with schools, colleges, departments, and other organizations on campus to build a culturally responsive and aware community. Outcome Measures:  By fall 2007, the LDC will expand its website to include timely publication of meeting minutes and other information that will allow for consistent access to library and campus-wide developments.  By January 2008, subject specialists will review diversity plans from their respective schools, colleges, and departments and address ways the library can support the units' goals through collaborative programming or services.  By January 2008, subject specialists will solicit course descriptions and/or syllabi for all multicultural group-satisfying courses offered by their respective schools, colleges, and departments, and identify at least one opportunity for integration of library content.  By 2008, we will have involved university students and community members with our planning process. 11 Action Items: a. LDC will develop or co-sponsor events with a diversity theme such as showing a film or a speaker with organizations such as CoDaC, international student groups and other student associations such as ASUO. b. Subject specialists and service units will provide outreach to academic departments and other campus programs in regard to support of diversity goals. c. Library Systems will provide a place on the library website where the public can give feedback to, and ask questions of, the LDC beyond the general feedback mechanism on the home page. d. The LDC or subject specialists will identify departments outside the library that maintain diverse video and print collections in order to maximize accessibility with library collections. e. The director of communications will develop a system for communicating with community members and students regarding diversity in our collection, accessibility of our materials and services, and the ways in which the LDP addresses both. GOAL 3: The library will develop outreach programs for university student populations, keeping in mind historically underserved populations. Outcome Measures:  By fall 2008, the library will have increased its outreach programs to historically underserved populations. Action Items: a. The assessment team will determine potential survey or market research strategies for identifying student sub-populations currently underserved by library programs. b. The library will use these findings to revise current programs and/or develop new programs as needed to reach these populations. c. The library will extend our existing outreach programs to student groups and non- academic groups. Collaborate with them to draw new students into the library. d. The construction coordinator will collaborate with the High School Equivalency Program (HEP), a program for migrant farm workers to earn their GED in 10 weeks, to support their students and the program (library guides, library tours/orientations, English instruction materials, recreational reading in Spanish). e. The Library will collaborate with campus organizations such as the International Student Organization and the American English Institute to provide library guides, brochures and instructional materials in languages other than English, e.g. Korean, Japanese or Spanish. f. The Library Assessment Team will work with Instructional Services to determine effectiveness of outreach programming to the university and external community with an eye towards increasing library orientation. 12 University Diversity Plan Connection: Point 1: Developing a culturally responsive community Point 2: Improving campus climate Point 5: Developing and strengthening community linkages Point 6: Developing and reinforcing diversity infrastructure Justification: Participation in the university group will ensure that the library is on target with its plan and will help strengthen diversity at the University level. Connection with CoDaC will strengthen our efforts in the library and help develop a consistent flow of information to staff and students. The library will contribute to improving campus climate by providing information literacy training to a diverse student population. 13 Employee Training and Development Employee training and development is a critical component of the UO Libraries. The information technology landscape is changing rapidly, and there is constant need for learning new procedures, policies, tools, and resources. The library has always emphasized a continuous learning environment and offers opportunities for upgrading skills so employees can be successful and assume new and more challenging responsibilities. The Library Staff Development Committee was formed in early 2003. This committee is made up of classified staff members and the Director, Library Human Resources, who serves ex officio. Its charge is to “provide funding and other program opportunities for professional development and skills training for library classified staff.” These funds contribute to a culture of learning and organizational development that values and fosters the creativity, expertise and outstanding performance of all library employees. Each library classified staff member is encouraged to participate in any and all skills training and professional growth activities that may enhance career development. In order to fulfill this vision, all supervisors are encouraged to support the university's release time policy. For faculty, participating in professional organizations is expected and supported. Because the library profession has been so focused on diversity for two decades or longer, library faculty have ample opportunities to engage with these issues. All new permanent library employees are required to attend the campus-wide sexual harassment awareness workshop within their first year of employment. Beyond that, there is currently no diversity-specific training required for new employees. Successes:  LDC workshops have been held on gender identity, serving students with disabilities, and working across cultures. (See Appendix B for a more complete list of offerings over the past few years.)  The LDC has shown educational videos from the library collections that highlight specific cultures (e.g., Islam: Empire of Faith and Mi Familia).  LDC has partnered with the Library Staff Association to include diversity-related articles in its monthly newsletter (e.g., an article about a library employee‟s experience coaching at the Special Olympics). Challenges:  There is no general, library-wide training for all new employees. Individual departments conduct orientation training according to their needs. As a result, information employees receive at orientation has not always been consistent with library-wide or campus policies.  The library employs approximately 365 student assistants. Students represent the largest and most transient segment of the library workforce and most variable in terms of turnover. The 14 constant turnover among student employees requires that supervisors be vigilant just to cover library orientation and to prepare students to assume basic duties.  While employees are generally encouraged by their supervisors and Library Administration to attend workshops and special diversity-related activities, scheduling is always a factor. Due to staff levels in some units, along with particular workloads during the term, not all employees have had an equal opportunity to participate.  We employ students, classified staff and faculty. There are a huge range of perspectives, people and positions in the library. We need to consider all of them as we devise and implement our diversity plan.  The university is currently lacking an underlying infrastructure in supporting diversity training (not enough trainers or program offerings). GOAL 1: The library will develop a training program for all new hires, including students, which includes the discrimination grievance process and creating a supportive work environment. (Cultural understanding and diversity awareness will be covered in Goal 3 below, separately.) Outcome Measures:  By summer 2008, all library employees will be trained in the various discrimination grievance processes that are available to them. These processes will be posted in an easily accessible format on Iris (staff intranet).  By summer 2008, all employees will recognize their role in creating a supportive work environment. Action Items: a. Library Administration, with input from Library Council, will assign a task force to develop an engaging training program; its implementation will be library-wide, and will include student assistants. b. Make use of other existing campus orientation resources. Develop an orientation packet of information, resources, web page, general library policies, glossary of terminology, etc. c. The assessment team will conduct an assessment survey in spring 2009 to determine the effectiveness of the program. GOAL 2: The library will review current programming, training events, and staff publications to ensure diversity is integrated into all regular employee activities.. Outcome Measures:  By spring 2008, there will be more opportunities to integrate diversity into regular (not just LDC) employee program offerings and to incorporate diversity topics into staff publications (including regular article submissions from any employee to the Library Staff Association Newsletter and other appropriate venues). 15  More library employees will have taken advantage of programs and opportunities that highlight cultural and diversity awareness, so will have more connection to this major library effort. Action Items: a. The DLHR (and/or designee) will investigate and make available training opportunities on how employees might contribute to diversity in the library. b. The LDC will submit (or solicit from any employee who is interested) diversity-related articles for the Library Staff Newsletter on a regular basis (5-10 articles per year). c. The LDC will solicit feedback on the above through a new feedback link that will be created on the LDC web site. d. The LDC will explore ways to highlight existing diversity in the library and publish the annual report that tracks successes as well as challenges on the LDC website. GOAL 3: The library will collaborate with the Center on Diversity and Community (CoDaC) to co-sponsor a program in the library for all employees on the meaning of a culturally responsive community. New hires will be required to attend this training when it is offered. Outcome Measures:  By the end of 2007, the majority of library employees will have participated in a program on a culturally responsive community and will have provided useful feedback for future programming. Action Items: a. The LDC will arrange with CoDaC to organize and sponsor a program for all library employees that defines the meaning of a „culturally responsive community‟. b. Library department heads and supervisors will be strongly encouraged by the LDC and Library Administration to attend the campus workshop “Hiring for Cultural Competency” each term that it is offered and will be asked to record this attendance in individual goal statements each year. This should help us all explore how we hire and should contribute to the section on Recruitment and Retention. c. Following the 2007 program, no later than early winter 2008, an employee survey should provide details on how useful the training was, and if there is a need for any particular follow-up on the topic of cultural awareness. d. By 2008, student supervisors will have reviewed the current plan with library student employees and will involve them in the development of new employee diversity training. GOAL 4: Develop guidelines for how library employees integrate cultural and diversity awareness into individual goals planning. 16 Outcome Measures:  By the end of 2008, library employees will use a standard set of guidelines for developing individual diversity-related goals. Action Items: a. The DLHR (and/or designee) will meet with Council to include diversity-related activities in annual classified employee performance appraisals. The library will work with the union to ensure compliance with the collective bargaining agreement. b. Supervisors will work with employees to implement goals related to some aspect of the Library Diversity Plan. Supervisors will report these specific goals to the chair of the LDC on an annual basis. c. Follow-up to the (above) training may include a written document that guides supervisors and employees in developing and revisiting those goals. d. Library faculty will develop guidelines on how to include goals that relate to the Library Diversity Plan in their annual goals statements. These discussions will include what this would look like, how it would be implemented, and how it could be measured. University Diversity Plan Connection: Point 1: Developing a culturally responsive community Point 2: Improving campus climate Justification: Developing a comprehensive training program creates an inclusive environment. Augmenting existing programs will provide a functional approach to infuse the organizational activities with a thoughtful approach to incorporating diversity issues and topics, and will integrate more with campus groups and activities. 17 Recruitment and Retention The library can draw on several professional organizations to assist with recruitment and retention, including the American Library Association (ALA) and the Association of Research Libraries (ARL). Both of these organizations have made a strong commitment to diversity within the profession. Both organizations have created initiatives, task forces, caucuses and committees to tackle the issue of recruitment for diversity and the charge of actively adding more members from underrepresented groups to the pipeline of librarianship. In October 2006, the very first Joint Conference on Librarians of Color was held in Dallas, Texas, which the Director, Library Human Resources attended. In 2008, we can look forward to the National Diversity in Libraries Conference to be held in Lexington, Kentucky. The ARL‟s Initiative to Recruit a Diverse Workforce, which is funded by the Institute of Museum and Library Services and ARL member libraries (including the UO), offers stipends of up to $10,000 to attract students from underrepresented groups to careers in academic and research libraries. The UO Dean of Libraries hosted one of these mentees, Veronica Reyes, during 2005. She has since chosen a career in academic librarianship with a focus on special collections. ARL‟s Leadership & Career Development Program (LCDP) is an 18-month program to prepare mid-career librarians from underrepresented racial and ethnic groups to take on increasingly demanding leadership roles in ARL libraries. These are prime opportunities to make personal connections and learn more about diversity in a focused setting from the people who have participated in these national programs. Despite all of these initiatives, recent data from the (ALA-affiliated) Association for Library and Information Science Education (ALISE) indicates that the numbers of racial and ethnic minorities graduating from library and information science programs are dropping. In addition to fewer graduates of color overall, MLS students from underrepresented backgrounds are choosing careers in special and public libraries more often than academic and research libraries. While national efforts are making some difference, the University of Oregon has yet to benefit from these pipeline programs. Between 2000 and 2006, the library had 916 applicants for 26 faculty positions. Of those 916, only 54 self-identified as minority candidates (about 5% of the total pool). Seventy candidates were interviewed by phone or in person, including 11 minority applicants (16%). Of these 11 applicants, five were offered positions. One accepted. The small number of graduates, demographics in the Pacific Northwest, and current salaries at the UO create significant market challenges. Although the UO Libraries has been reasonably successful in interviewing candidates from underrepresented groups, our success in actually hiring a more diverse workforce has been limited. Our success with hiring more classified staff members from underrepresented groups has been somewhat more successful, but there remains room for innovation and improvement. Successes:  Previous years‟ (prior to 2000) hiring searches included hiring one African-American 18 librarian and three Asian/Pacific-American librarians.  The LDC created the original version of the Eugene-Springfield Multicultural Resources Guide (known as the MRG, now maintained by CoDaC at http://www.uoregon.edu/~codac/info.shtml) as a recruiting tool to show potential applicants that we do indeed have some diversity in our local community (perhaps more than they might expect to see).  Recently hired library faculty have returned to their graduate schools to talk to students about opportunities at the UO.  All search committee reports/recommendations now address diversity as a broad concept, e.g., what each candidate would contribute to our diversity goals. Challenges:  The library needs to increase the number of candidates from underrepresented groups in faculty searches, which should generate stronger pools overall and lead to more offers. Different tactics or approaches to a hiring package will be necessary, given the relatively small number of graduates in the field.  Increasing the number of acceptances of faculty hires (only one in five faculty offers has led to a hire) is a major challenge. The library has not routinely had the benefit of using central opportunity funds to strengthen the offers.  Besides salary, candidates often have other requirements and expectations, i.e. spousal employment.  The Eugene-Springfield area has a reputation of being less diverse than many other cities.  The UO Office of Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity Employment makes hiring data readily available for classified or faculty applicants who have chosen to self-identify at the point of application, but finding the data for student employees has been a continuing challenge since it is not collected and/or reported centrally, nor necessarily available after-the-fact. GOAL 1: The UO Library Diversity Committee will coordinate a three-to-five year hiring plan for the Library. The plan will articulate what the Library should look like in five years and describe specific steps to be taken in order to achieve the Library’s goals. Outcome Measures:  By spring 2008, the hiring plan will be complete.  By 2011, the library will see an increased number of applicants from underrepresented groups as well as an increase in the number of job offers extended and accepted by these groups. Action Items: a. The DLHR and LDC will review the library‟s recruitment policies and procedures for all new hires in classified and unclassified positions. b. The DLHR and LDC will work with search committees and supervisors to develop hiring methods in diversifying candidate pools, including attendance of “Hiring for Cultural Competence” workshops for all supervisors. 19 c. Recruit UO student assistants from underrepresented groups for classified staff positions. d. Recruit diversity candidates at schools of library and information science for vacant library positions. GOAL 2: Explore options for obtaining better funding for some positions, and/or creating incentives in the form of a hiring package that may lead to more successful recruitment and retention from underrepresented groups. Outcome Measures:  By 2010, more offers will be accepted by diversity candidates.  Secure additional support from the campus to augment library salaries or to offer other incentives to diversity candidates. Action Items: a. The DLHR and/or LDC designee will explore and identify central funding sources to augment library salaries. (Library salaries generally require smaller increments than other faculty positions to make us competitive.) Some of these sources may include: the UO Minority Recruitment and Retention Fund (MRFF), the UO Visiting Scholars Program (for residencies or short-term positions), and/or the Emerging Scholars Program. b. The DLHR and LDC will determine what factors are most important to candidates. Develop a list of incentives that will help the library recruit and retain employees. c. Determine why candidates turned down our offers (what influenced their decision). d. The DLHR or designee will explore the feasibility of cluster hires for the library, which would create a „cohort‟ for new faculty members. e. The DLHR, LDC and/or designee will explore new options for hiring students who contribute to a more diverse workforce. GOAL 3: Establish a more active, creative, and accountable hiring process for all library positions. Outcome Measures:  Beginning immediately, the faculty search process will incorporate active approaches to diversifying candidate pools.  All employees will receive a better orientation and guidance throughout the hiring process so that they may contribute to the recruitment process. Action Items: a. The DLHR, Library Administration, Council members, and/or designees will develop a “Best Hiring Practices” document. 20 b. Hiring supervisors will share candidates for other pools, making referrals where appropriate to the DLHR or other search chair/supervisor to initiate contact or extend an invitation to apply. c. Hiring supervisors will provide an activity report to the DLHR for each search, demonstrating special efforts to diversify pools. d. The DLHR will track those (above) contacts in the form of a Diversity Applicant Pool to monitor future progress, and may refer candidates to other search chairs/supervisors. e. The library will make arrangements for the campus workshop, “Hiring for Cultural Competency,” to be held for all staff in 2007 or 2008. f. The library will consider having a standard question (to be specifically tailored by different search committees) regarding diversity in application materials that candidates/applicants can supply in the search/hiring process. g. Provide more information in job announcements that go out to e-mails lists. GOAL 4: The library will identify funding opportunities to create a Residency Librarian position to introduce a recent graduate to academic librarianship. The purpose of the Residency Program is to attract entry-level librarians who are members of the historically underrepresented groups to professional learning and service at the University of Oregon Libraries and, ultimately, to a career in academic librarianship. Outcome Measures:  By 2009, the library will identify methods for funding this position, which may include private funds, general funds, or grant funds. Action Items: a. The DLHR and/or designees will consult other academic libraries and/or consortia with similar positions and explore guidelines, procedures, and relevant components of a successful program. (There are many examples of current programs around the country that have been in place for several years; one example is provided as Appendix D.) b. The DLHR and LDC will develop a proposal and position announcement for Library Development, Library Administration, and other appropriate designees for a Residency Librarian position. c. The LDC or DLHR will work with the Director, Library Communications about exploring grant-funding opportunities for such a position. d. The DLHR and department heads will develop contacts in specific library programs targeting underrepresented librarians (ALA Spectrum Scholars, ARL‟s Leadership & Career Development Program, University of Arizona‟s Knowledge River Program, University of Texas‟ Honoring Generations Program, etc.). GOAL 5: The library will make job openings more visible and attractive. 21 Outcome Measures:  By 2009, the library will see an increased number of applicants from underrepresented groups due to new recruitment practices. Action Items: a. The LDC will work with internal resources (Director, Library Communications, Media Services, Image Services, etc.) to produce a recruitment brochure that includes pictures of the library, campus and employees, as well as facts about diversity, and an insert of what job might currently be open. b. The LDC, DLHR, and/or designee will determine the feasibility of creating a streaming video that will enhance our current “Prospective Employees” website, visually showing what it would look like to live and work in Oregon. For a working example at another academic library, see: http://www.lib.uiowa.edu/about/employment/recruiting.html. c. Identify more library faculty who can revisit their graduate library schools and talk to students about opportunities at the UO Libraries. d. Determine what conferences are coming up that we can use as recruitment opportunities. e. At least one library employee will be present at the October 1-4, 2008 National Diversity in Libraries Conference in Lexington, KY, to make personal connections and introduce potential applicants to someone from Oregon who will talk about job opportunities. GOAL 6: The library will develop an outreach program for UO undergraduate and high school students from underrepresented groups with the aim of informing them about the possibility of a career in libraries or librarianship. Outcome Measures:  By 2010-2011, we will see more regional students in graduate library school programs, performing internships in the UO Libraries, and appearing in our faculty job pools. Action Items: a. The DLHR or designee and LDC will consult with campus Career Services about developing a "Library Career Day" to attract undergraduate, high school, and middle school students to the profession as future classified staff members or professionals. The library will sponsor active programs to put UO Libraries staff into schools doing presentations on local resources. b. Library Administration will invite representatives from library school programs to speak to prospective students about courses and financial aid. c. Announce the Fair to the Career Center, ethnic student groups, library employees and student assistants, and to the greater campus (if open to campus students) so people from all types of backgrounds may attend. d. Supervisors will encourage current UO students to apply for library staff positions and/or to consider getting a Master‟s Degree in Library and Information Science. 22 Connect them to specific people at library schools and/or those involved with scholarship programs. e. LDC will make personal connections within the Lane County community: school counselors, advisors, local minority groups, such as NAACP and CentroLatinoAmericano, and ethnic student groups on campus that may be interested in serving as mentors, etc. f. LDC or Library Administration will identify librarians to go out to campuses or speak to groups of these prospective students or make arrangements for them to come to the UO campus. g. The DLHR, LDC and/or designee will collaborate with Library Personnel Services on finding easier access to library student data (there is an internal database in development as of March 2007). h. LDC, Library Development, the Director of Library Communications and/or designees will identify philanthropic groups, consortia (such as Orbis Cascade Alliance), IMLS grants, and/or donors who might fund scholarships for these students to be admitted to the UO and/or graduate library school programs. i. The DLHR (or designee) will identify library schools that may be willing to partner with our efforts (University of Washington, San Jose State University, University of Arizona, University of Texas). j. Mentors or designees in the library will be prepared to assist students with the admissions process and refer them to funding opportunities, personal contacts, etc. GOAL 7: The library will develop retention strategies for all levels of employees. Outcome Measures:  Library Administration and department heads will have a clearer understanding of our retention rates, past successes, and on-going challenges.  The library will be in a position to improve retention rates if necessary. Action Items: a. The library will collect and analyze data on employee retention. b. The library will develop an employee retention plan, paying particular attention to challenges facing underrepresented groups. c. The Dean of Libraries or AUL will continue to conduct exit interviews with faculty who are resigning. These conversations will be confidential and used for future planning purposes only. d. Library Administration will conduct more informal one-on-one opportunities (coffee, cohort brown-bags, breakfasts, lunches) to meet with early career librarians to discover what motivates them to stay in the workplace before they go out on the job market. e. Library Administration and the DLHR will research what types of incentives we may offer to employees to show our appreciation and recognition of their efforts. f. The DLHR will develop a resource clearinghouse of (above) ideas and link to the staff intranet. There will be a feedback link for suggestions from library employees at any time. 23 g. The library will administer exit interviews for all staff. h. Provide broad support for new professionals and those with radical changes to their job descriptions. Support attendance at conferences other than ALA without committee structure. i. The library will consider having a standard question (to be specifically tailored by different search committees) regarding diversity in application materials that candidates/applicants can supply in the search/hiring process. University Diversity Plan Connection: Point 3: Building a critical mass. Point 4: Expanding and filling the pipeline. Point 5: Developing and strengthening community linkages. Justification: In order to interest librarians of color in coming to Oregon, we need to create an environment where we have made a firm commitment, and introduce them to our local campus and greater community to see the rich cultural heritage we already have in place and how they can contribute and be a part of this. Developing community connections through mentorship and outreach provides an additional component to professional development and potential recruitment into the profession. Appendix A Current Snapshot of Library Workforce The following data was provided by the UO Office of Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity for those employees who chose to self-identify. This data does not account for individuals who fit into multiple categories: I. *Library Personnel Services is currently developing a database to track student assistant demographics II. 25 III. IV. National Availability of Academic Librarians (provided from Association of Research Libraries Statistics, 2005-2006): 26 Appendix B History of Diversity at the UO Libraries: A Summary The UO Libraries began discussing the issue of diversity in 1993. In November of that year, under the general direction of then University Librarian George Shipman, we brought in our first diversity consultant from the Association of Research Libraries. The intent was to educate and prepare staff members about diversity issues in general, and to understand the importance of and need for the creation of a new librarian position dedicated to multicultural topics and outreach to diverse groups on campus who might not typically enter the library. After more consultation and staff surveys, a Library Diversity Task Force was appointed in 1996, with the express goal of promoting learning and understanding and keeping diversity at the forefront of regular library-wide activities. This was the first attempt to integrate diversity into everyday life within the library. In June 1998, the LDTF was re-named the Library Diversity Advisory Group, and was given the new two-part charge: 1) recruit/retain employees of color, and 2) enhance our understanding of gender, ethnicity, cultural and social issues as a means of improving our services. This new charge related directly to the recommendations on diversity in the University‟s Process for Change. In 1999, a mission statement was added: “It is the mission of the Library Diversity Advisory Group to enhance the quality of the University of Oregon Libraries‟ workplace and provision of its services by facilitating the development of an inclusive environment that benefits from diversity. To that end, LDAG is charged with two fundamental goals” (already named above). As of 2000, LDAG was forging new connections and making important new allies on campus. In recognition of these changes and its ongoing commitment to diversity, the name was changed to the Library Diversity Committee. One of the Committee‟s efforts resulted in the publication of the Eugene-Springfield Multicultural Resources Guide (http://www.uoregon.edu/~codac/info.shtml), now maintained and administered online by the Center on Diversity and Community (http://www.uoregon.edu/~codac/). The LDC was awarded the UO Martin Luther King, Jr. Award for this effort in early 2001. This award “recognizes university faculty and staff whose various abilities and achievements uphold and exemplify the ideals supported by Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.” The Library Diversity Committee launched an official website, http://libweb.uoregon.edu/diversity/, which further established our awareness on campus. This resulted in our sponsorship of the “After September 11 Teach-In” web site for the Concerned Faculty for Peace and Justice. In an effort to promote the library‟s rich cultural resources and collections, the LDC prepared formal exhibits in Knight Library which were held in 2002, “Welcome to the University of Oregon Libraries: Connecting Diverse Resources with a Diverse Community” and in 2005, “The Many Faces of Oregon Workers, circa 1900-1940.” The UO Libraries is uniquely positioned to house rich 27 and diverse photograph and print material collections, as well as films and sound recordings, all of which were a special highlight for our users during those exhibits. This was a tangible reminder that there is more diversity in Oregon than we may realize at first glance. Over the years, valuable programs have been held for staff members, increasing our awareness of diverse groups of people in an effort to help us better serve our users. These activities have enriched our lives in a variety of ways, helping us to gain a clearer view of the global society around us. To help students become more aware of this same issue as they conduct their research, a Research from a Diversity Perspective guide was prepared by members of the LDC, and is now available online: http://libweb.uoregon.edu/guides/diversity/. 28 Appendix C November 13, 2006 Library Diversity Committee Notes from Conversation with James Bailey, Adaptive Technology Access Advisor, UO Disability Services RE: Adaptive Technology Issues for the Library The library is the best place for the adaptive technologies lab because it‟s open often and is close to research materials. Also, because we‟re open to all UO students, it‟s nice to have an adaptive technology person on site. Critical issues: it is expensive to create a welcoming environment for people with disabilities (e.g., the restrooms on the first floor of the library are not wheelchair accessible and need to be redesigned). Our immediate goal should be to make sure that all patrons feel well served  Do we need more training for public service librarians?  Awareness of what adaptive technology can do  Understanding of how patron requests can be filled, what the protocol is, etc. What was the event and what is the best solution?  We need to get the students‟ perspective instead of guessing what they think.  Collections Assessment: work with focus groups of students with disabilities to identify issues instead of speculating (e.g., blind or low vision, mobility, hearing, etc.).  Make sure videos and DVDs are close-captioned. If it‟s not available, get them captioned. Outreach and instruction  We have accessible web design – could we do in-service and workshops for other units on campus?  Meet with groups to talk about students and transition to college from high school, which can be very difficult for students with disabilities. Create orientation program through Disability Services, website, handout, etc. Staff training  Have periodic training and review 29 Appendix D S A M P L E THE UNIVERSITY OF IOWA LIBRARIES IOWA CITY, IOWA Position Vacancy RESIDENCY PROGRAM REFERENCE LIBRARIAN Program Purpose: The purpose of the University of Iowa Libraries' Residency Program is to interest entry- level librarians who are members of historically underrepresented groups in professional learning and service at the University of Iowa Libraries and, ultimately, in a career in academic librarianship. The program began more than fourteen years ago and is a keystone of the Libraries‟ long-standing commitment to diversity. It is designed around an assignment in a professional position that is challenging, offers a solid foundation for a career in research librarianship, and provides significant opportunities for professional development and mentoring. Please visit our Recruiting Librarians http://www.lib.uiowa.edu/about/employment/recruting.html) website for information about working at the UI Libraries and living in the diverse community of Iowa City. Position Description: The Libraries seeks an entry-level, two-year Residency Program Librarian to serve in its Reference and Library Instruction Department. Each participant in the program has an appointment providing reference and instructional services in the Libraries and receives solid experience in a range of professional responsibilities. In addition, participants learn about other departments in the Libraries, have an assignment in collection development, and work on special projects or assignments of individual interest (involving, for example, archives‟ processing, digital initiatives, or cataloging), serve on committees in the library system, and initiate a program of professional development and contribution. Placement assistance is provided and program participants are eligible and encouraged to apply for regular professional positions that may arise in the Libraries. This position reports to the Head, Reference and Library Instruction, and requires some evening and weekend commitment. Mentoring: The department head, along with the Director, Human Resources and Diversity Programs, serve as mentors for participants. Regular meetings are arranged with the University Librarian and the appropriate Associate University Librarian, as well, and peer mentoring is also made available. Professional Development: Professional development is a strong component of the Residency Program. Participants are encouraged to give presentations, attend national and regional conferences, and/or write for professional publications. The Libraries provides significant financial support for attendance at conferences and professional meetings. In addition, if accepted by the programs, residents will receive support to participate in the Minnesota Institute for Early Career Librarians from Traditionally Underrepresented Groups and ACRL's Institute for Information Literacy Immersion Program (or similar opportunity). Required Qualifications: A graduate degree from an ALA-accredited program in Library and Information Science; general knowledge of traditional and electronic information resources; general knowledge of information literacy and instruction principles; demonstrated commitment to diversity in the workplace or community; ability to work in a team environment; excellent written and oral communication skills; and a demonstrated interest in professional development and contribution. 30 Salary and Appointment: The two-year appointment will be made at the Librarian I level with an annual salary of $40,000. The University of Iowa offers an attractive package of benefits including 24 days of paid vacation per year, TIAA/CREF retirement, and a flexible selection of medical, life, and dental insurance, childcare credit, and additional options. Residents are also provided with an allowance for moving expenses. The University of Iowa Libraries: The University of Iowa library system consists of the Main Library, the Hardin Library for the Health Sciences and 10 branch libraries (Art, Music, Business, and the sciences). With more than 4 million volumes, the Libraries ranks 31 out of 114 among the Association of Research Libraries for size of collections. InfoHawk, the Libraries‟ integrated online system, uses ExLibris‟ Aleph 500 software. The Libraries has been innovative in the development of services related to digital technologies with the creation of such units as the Information Arcade and Information Commons. The University Libraries is an active member of the Online Computer Library Center (OCLC), the Committee on Institutional Cooperation (CIC), the Center for Research Libraries (CRL), the Association of Research Libraries (ARL), the Coalition for Networked Information (CNI), and the ARL SPARC Project. The Libraries provides a program of support for professional development activities and its staff members are actively engaged in national cooperative efforts. The University and Iowa City: A major research and teaching institution, the University of Iowa offers internationally recognized programs in a diverse array of academic, medical, and artistic disciplines, from otolaryngology to fiction writing, printmaking to space science, hydraulic engineering to dance. The University consists of a faculty of 2,000 and a permanent staff of 15,000 serving 29,000 students, close to 10,000 of whom are registered in graduate and professional degree programs. Approximately 8% of the University‟s workforce is minority faculty and staff, 9% of the student body are members of minority groups, and 7% are international students. Iowa City is a community of some 63,000 people with excellent educational, recreational, and cultural advantages and is consistently cited in the national media as a city with an excellent quality of life. The community is growing in its diversity; within the Iowa City Community School District, 13.4% of the students are African American, 7.2% are Asian American, 6.6% are Latino, and .5% are Native American. The Latino population is increasing at a rate of .5% per year. The city is readily accessible via interstate highways and a major airport only 30 minutes away. Application Procedure: To apply for this position, please visit the University of Iowa Jobs@UIOWA website at http://jobs.uiowa.edu. To help facilitate your application process, note the requisition number -- 53653. Applications must be received by March 9, 2007. Please, in your cover letter, include a substantial paragraph describing what in your background has helped you develop the skills that enable you to serve clientele of diverse backgrounds. THE UNIVERSITY OF IOWA IS AN EQUAL OPPORTUNITY/AFFIRMATIVE ACTION EMPLOYER. WOMEN AND MINORITIES ARE ENCOURAGED TO APPLY. For more information about the University of Iowa Libraries and community, please see http://www.lib.uiowa.edu/ and http://www.lib.uiowa.edu/about/employment/recruiting.html Appendix E: Draft administrative plan of a residency program (LDC, 1998) Successful implementation of the residency program will hinge on a coordinated effort by all participating staff. The majority of the coordination, guidance, and training will fall upon the Program Coordinator, Area Supervisors, and a Mentor. The Program Coordinator will handle logistical details for the resident and will be responsible for the resident‟s final performance evaluation. The Area Supervisors will coordinate and manage the content of the training and work for their area. The Mentor provides underlying consistency for the resident as he/she rotates through departments and a variety of experiences. The Library Diversity Advisory Group (LDAG, now LDC) will be another important point of contact for the resident and involved staff. LDC will review residency program changes during and after the residency, and will be the body that addresses any problems or issues that are raised during the residency. The responsibilities for each of these are further described below. The goal of this arrangement is to compartmentalize the responsibilities for the residency so that no staff members and resources are overtaxed. Program Coordinator [Personnel Officer or AUL? Release time given?] The Program Coordinator will be responsible for:  Preparing and submitting institutional paperwork for resident. This includes the final performance evaluation for the resident.  Scheduling all components of the residency (orientation sessions, department rotations, workshops, training, site visits, etc.). Coordinator will be the contact person for staff involved with the residency regarding scheduling issues.  Communicating the schedule, and subsequent changes, to the resident. This includes alerting the resident to training and professional development opportunities as they arise.  Providing advice and assistance to the resident in seeking post-residency employment (recommended in ALISE Guidelines). This assistance should begin no later than eight months into the residency.  Bringing any issues or problems to the attention of the LDC for resolution.  Scheduling and facilitating an exit interview at the end of the residency. 32 Area Supervisors [Department Heads or other staff? Assigned or voluntary? Release time given?] The Area Supervisors will be responsible for:  Adhering to their portion of the resident‟s schedule and communicating with the Coordinator regarding any schedule changes and with LDAG regarding content changes.  Providing an orientation to their area.  Creating assignments designed to train a new librarian for work in their area.  Supervising resident‟s work and having weekly meetings with resident to discuss progress.  Organizing at least one session (brownbag?), open to all staff, on the major trends and issues facing their area.  Preparing an evaluation of resident‟s work and submitting it to the Coordinator.  Bringing any issues or problems to the attention of the LDAG for resolution.  Preparing their own evaluation of the residency program and submitting it to the LDAG. Mentor [Interested volunteers only. Release time will be given.] The Mentor will be responsible for:  Ongoing communication with the resident regarding progress, sharing insights, reviewing assignments, providing constructive feedback and evaluation (adapted from ALISE Guidelines).  Bringing any issues or problems to the attention of the LDAG for resolution.  Preparing an evaluation of resident‟s work and submitting it to the Coordinator.  Preparing their own evaluation of the residency program and submitting it to the LDAG. Library Diversity Committee (LDC) [Entire group or sub-steering committee?] The LDC will be responsible for:  Acting in an advisory capacity to all involved staff (Coordinator, Area Supervisors, Mentors, etc.) regarding content of residency and any major changes made to content.  Acting as an independent intermediary to handle any problems that arise for the residents or staff/coordinators. Anonymity will be respected by LDAG regarding issues and complaints.  Reviewing evaluations of residency program and proposing modifications to the program.  Preparing an annual summary of residency program for Library Administration and staff Appendix F: Timeline Action Items: 2007  2007-08, the library will annually set aside $5,000 of unrestricted gift monies to be used for acquiring non-English language and area studies materials across a variety of disciplines. (Collections)  2007 fall, the LDC will expand its website to include timely publication of meeting minutes and other information that will allow for consistent access to library and campus-wide developments. (Outreach)  2007, winter · Beginning immediately, the faculty search process will incorporate active approaches to diversifying candidate pools. (Recruitment)  2007 end of, a significant number of library employees will have participated in a program* on a culturally responsive community and will have provided useful feedback for future programming. (Training) 2008  2008 January, subject specialists will review diversity plans from their respective schools, colleges, and departments and address ways the library can support the units‟ goals through collaborative programming or services. (Outreach)  2008 January, subject specialists will solicit course descriptions and/or syllabi for all multicultural group-satisfying courses offered by their respective schools, colleges, and departments, and identify at least one opportunity for integration of library content. (Outreach)  2008 spring, diversity-related topics will be integrated into internal meetings, programs, and publications. (Training)  2008 spring, the three-to-five year hiring plan will be complete. The plan will articulate what the Library should look like in five years and describe specific steps to be taken in order to achieve the library‟s goals. (Recruitment)  2008 summer, all employees will recognize their role in creating a supportive work environment. (Training)  2008 summer, all library employees will be trained in the various discrimination grievance processes that are available to them. These processes will be posted in an easily accessible format (available on Iris). (Training)  2008 October 1-4, At least one library employee will be present at the National Diversity in Libraries Conference in Lexington, KY, to make personal connections and introduce potential applicants to someone from Oregon who will talk about job opportunities. (Recruitment) 34  2008 fall; the library will have increased its outreach programs to historically underserved populations. (Outreach)  2008 Following the 2007 program, no later than early winter, an employee survey should provide details on how useful the training was, and if there is a need for any particular follow-up on the topic of cultural awareness. (Training)  2008 by the end of, library employees will use a standard set of guidelines for developing individual diversity-related goals. (Training)  2008, the library will mount at least one exhibit per year that specifically showcases library collections promoting cultural diversity. (Outreach)  2008, we will have involved university students and community members with our planning process. (Outreach)  2008 or 2007 The library will make arrangements for the campus workshop, “Hiring for Cultural Competency,” to be held for all employees (Recruitment)  2008, 2007 the UO Libraries will implement the Unicode storage option for the library‟s online catalog to improve the display of vernacular script. (Collections) 2009  2009, the library will identify methods for funding the Residency Librarian position, which may include private funds, general funds, or grant funds. (Recruitment)  2009, the library will see an increased number of applicants from underrepresented groups due to new recruitment practices. (Recruitment) 2010  2010-2009, the library will develop a library credit course that addresses the issues of researching diversity-related topics (Outreach)  2010, diversity candidates will accept more offers. (Recruitment)  2010, the library will demonstrably enhance its holdings of diverse and unique materials available to library users through digital resources, traditional acquisitions, solicitation of collection donations, and cooperative purchases. (Collections)  2010, the library will pursue a collaborative digitization project that focuses on a diverse community within the region. (Collections)  2010, the UO Libraries will create an initiative to digitize Oregon‟s ethnic newspapers. (Collections)  2010, the UO Libraries will create and maintain a portal to holdings within the library‟s digital collections that focuses on multicultural materials (Collections)  2010, the UO Libraries will have made significant progress implementing the recommendations put forth by James Bailey, (Adaptive Technology Advisor) 2011 35  2011, 2010, we will see more regional students in graduate library school programs, performing internships in the UO Libraries, and appearing in our faculty job pools. (Recruitment)  2011, the library will see an increased number of applicants from underrepresented groups as well as an increase in the number of job offers extended and accepted by these groups. (Recruitment) 2012  2012, the Library Development Office will increase the numbers of gift or grant funds that directly support the purchase of materials focusing on minority communities and diverse viewpoints. Cycles: Quarterly: LDC will meet with the Dean of Libraries (p.5 The chair of the LDC (or designee) will meet quarterly with the Dean of Libraries to keep her apprised of current issues and events and to consult with her about the direction of the committee.) Yearly: Coordinate FIGs (p.9 The library coordinates instruction sessions for all Freshman Interest Groups at the beginning of the school year, providing opportunities for library subject specialists to incorporate diverse/multicultural perspectives into the program for incoming students.) Yearly: LDC assessment of the LDP (p.4 The Library Diversity Committee will conduct a yearly assessment of the plan, making appropriate updates. Per the university‟s diversity plan, the library will submit a yearly activity report to the Vice Provost for Institutional Equity and Diversity and to the Provost. The Vice Provost and Provost will review this plan every five years and assess progress towards the library‟s goals.) Yearly: Activity report to Provost (“Every year, each school, college, and administrative unit, and the ASUO Executive will submit to the Vice Provost for Institutional Equity and Diversity and to the Provost an activity report describing that unit‟s activities relating to diversity during that year, UPD p.9) Yearly: Supervisors will report goals & progress to the chair of the LDC (Training, goal 4) Every Five years: Review LDP, and submit to DAC/Provost (“Every five years, each school, college, and administrative unit, and the ASUO Executive will review the Strategic Action Plan for that unit, assess the unit‟s progress toward the goals 36 articulated in its plan, and consider whether revisions in the plan are needed. Each unit will submit to the Vice Provost for Institutional Equity and Diversity and the Provost a report describing its progress under the plan, including data about outcomes if applicable, and any changes the unit has made to its plan.”, UDP p. 10)