Strategic Plan for Diversity & Inclusion
Statement of Diversity and Inclusion
Reviewed by the Campus Community (Faculty, Staff, and Students) Endorsed by the Faculty Senate (12.02.2016)
Preamble:
Nazareth College embraces a society that is both diverse and inclusive, and values both respect for the person and freedom of speech. Respect for the dignity of all people is an essential part of the College’s tradition, mission, and vision for the future as we advance a socially just and equitable community. The College promotes civility and denounces acts of hatred, violence, and/or intolerance.
Statement:
We define diversity as a continuum of individual, group, and social differences, both visible and invisible. This definition compels us to confront inherent privilege, power, and marginalization to achieve equity and social justice. Diversity at Nazareth is concerned with, but not limited to: race, ethnicity, socioeconomic status, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, religious and spiritual belief, ability, national origin, veteran status, age, and those individuals with cultural characteristics that have been historically underrepresented and underserved.
Nazareth College is dedicated to inclusion, the active pursuit of conscious and sustained practices and processes that value and respect differences. This commitment to diversity and inclusion informs our curriculum, teaching, learning, scholarship, creative activities, co-curricular activities, residential life, community involvement, and support of these endeavors by the Nazareth Community.
This commitment includes:
- engaging in a continual process of education, critical self-reflection and dialogue regarding privilege, power, and marginalization,
- promoting greater access and inclusion through systemic and structural change, and
- ensuring that all students, faculty, and staff reach their fullest potential individually and collectively.
This endeavor is essential in meeting the goal of preparing our students and ourselves for meaningful lives in a diverse and global society.
STRATEGIC PLAN FOR DIVERSITY AND INCLUSION
3/21/2017
Foundational Recommendations
The following recommendations are foundational to fulfill the College’s mission and vision to advance diversity and inclusion as defined in the Statement. These recommendations support the development of the infrastructure necessary to implement, inform and regulate all of the strategies advanced in this plan. These recommendations and strategies will prepare Nazareth College to become a stronger, more diverse and inclusive institution, which will position the college and its graduates as leaders in an ever-changing and increasingly global society. It is understood that a careful and thorough review of existing human, physical, virtual and financial resources is essential to the success of this strategic plan. A major outcome of this review will be to identify the realignment of existing resources of those departments or programs who, by virtue of their mission and vision, will provide centrality and strength to the strategic plan’s implementation.
I. Create the position of Vice President for Diversity and Inclusion (VPDI)
This position will serve as the Chief Diversity Officer on the President's Cabinet and will be responsible for implementing the 2017-2020 Nazareth College Strategic Plan for Diversity and Inclusion (as well as subsequent planning), assuming responsibility for overseeing the VPDI Council on Diversity and Inclusion, and aligning existing resources. The position should be recognized in the job descriptions of all senior leadership, as well as in the Faculty Manual and Bylaws of Nazareth College.
II. Develop a Vice President for Diversity and Inclusion Council
The purpose of this council is to provide strategic leadership and assistance for advancing the work of diversity and inclusion at Nazareth College. While the council functions in an advisory capacity to the VPDI, the main role of the committee is to engage in planning and assessment that systematically drives progress across the campus. The council will recommend strategies to support initiatives that currently exist and those that are needed to advance campus-wide diversity and inclusion and develop assessment procedures and benchmarks that measure the progress in this effort.
The membership of this Council will include campus-wide constituency including representatives from faculty, staff, students, alumni, trustees, and the external community who are knowledgeable and have a demonstrated commitment to diversity and inclusion. The Council will work with the faculty senate to redefine the role and name of the Multicultural Affairs Committee (currently a joint committee) to include a charge that the Multicultural Affairs Committee engages the community in programming and education that advances the work of diversity and inclusion on the campus.
III. Create a comprehensive budget proposal for Diversity and Inclusion
Engage the President, the Vice President for Finance and Administration, and Campus Planning and Budget Council in the review of existing budget structures within each of the divisions of the College, and subsequently develop a recommendation for a comprehensive budget that will be available immediately to implement the strategic plan and build the infrastructure to support the work.
IV. Develop a committee of the Board of Trustees
This subcommittee will focus on issues of diversity and inclusion to ensure oversight, involvement, and accountability to the highest level of institutional governance for the purpose of ensuring that diversity and inclusion remain an institutional priority aligned with the College mission and vision.
V. Expand the Office of Diversity and Inclusion
This expansion should include specific staffing and programming for historically underserved, marginalized, and underrepresented groups as defined in the the College's Statement on Diversity and Inclusion.
STRATEGIC GOALS
These strategies will directly address each of the four goals in the initial charge to the Ad Hoc Committee for Diversity and Inclusion.
GOAL I: Recruit and Retain a Diverse Undergraduate and Graduate Student Body
A. Continue to develop, nurture, and designate resources for partnerships with urban schools, international high schools, colleges and universities as community based organizations that serve populations of academically achieving, diverse students who are potential undergraduate recruits for Nazareth College. Create a program for recruiting and funding a diverse population of graduate students.
B. Create an inclusive recruiting program in which undergraduate and graduate students from diverse backgrounds are invited to campus and also integrated into the existing admission's activities (e.g. open houses, Experience Naz, special interest days).
C. Identify an ongoing process for determining unmet needs for international undergraduate and graduate students, and develop a plan for addressing them.
D. Create an institutional plan to support underrepresented undergraduate and graduate students with high financial need that cannot be met with traditional financial aid programs.
E. Cultivate all campus resources including alumni and community partners to create the structure and programming necessary to proactively change the campus climate, and create an inclusive environment for all student populations.
GOAL II: Recruit and Retain a Diverse Faculty and Staff
A. Develop a universal and sustainable culturally competent search process for faculty and staff that:
- Acknowledges that diversity is valued and essential to the college’s mission and vision
- Informs committee selection
- Requires training for all committee members that deepens their understanding of diversity and inclusion and raises awareness of implicit bias and its potential to negatively interfere with the search process
- Systematically develops and posts job descriptions designed to attract a diverse pool of candidates
- Ensures a candidate pool that advances diversity within a division, program, department, or unit
- Considers alternative strategies to increase the probability of a diverse pool of candidates
- Ensures a fair and thorough review of all applicants
- Conducts a post-search debrief to review the process and inform future searches.
B. Develop a mentoring program and dedicated resources for current and newly hired faculty and staff.
C. Expand new faculty and staff orientation programs to include experiences for cross-cultural dialog that highlight the College’s value for diversity and inclusion.
D. Develop internal and external affinity groups that will engage all members of the campus community in cross-cultural dialogue.
E. Plan, secure, and allocate resources for developing alternative pathways for hiring and retaining diverse faculty (e.g. pre and postdoctoral fellowships, consortium memberships).
F. Plan, secure, and allocate resources for developing alternatives pathways for hiring and retaining diverse staff (e.g. professional and career development).
GOAL III: Educate Undergraduate and Graduate Students, Faculty, and Staff about Diversity and Inclusion
A. Request that undergraduate, graduate and core curriculum committees review the current degree programs and the core to determine where diversity and inclusion can be integrated into existing courses and/or developed in new courses.
B. Expand student leadership opportunities to develop social and cultural events that focus on themes of diversity and inclusion and encourage cross-cultural interaction.
C. Develop ongoing educational programs and initiatives (curricular and co-curricular) that engage students, faculty, and staff within and across difference.
D. Support internal and external diversity programs that inform and impact College leaders, supervisors, administrative teams, and student leaders in their understanding and practices.
GOAL IV: Create and Sustain an Inclusive Environment for Undergraduate and Graduate Students, Faculty, and Staff
A. Implement the 2017-2020 Strategic Plan for Diversity and Inclusion and engage in ongoing strategic planning under the direction of the VPDI and guidance of the President’s Council on Diversity and Inclusion. This plan must be integrated with the current Nazareth College 2020 Strategic Plan.
B. Build and /or enhance programs and services that promote student engagement among undergraduate, graduate and international populations, supporting the needs of these constituents while engaging them with one another and the campus-wide community.
B. Identify informal mentoring opportunities in order to establish formal mentoring programs to foster and strengthen campus connections and learning opportunities.
C. Explore the need for an Ombuds to support faculty, staff and students.
D. Create decentralized divisional strategic goals derived from the 2017-2020 Strategic Plan for Diversity and Inclusion in consultation with the VPDI.
E. Actively engage constituents affiliated with Nazareth College (i.e. trustees, alumni and contract employees) to advance the diversity and inclusion initiatives across campus.
F. Develop and maintain institution-wide assessment mechanisms that continually evaluate data and new strategies to ensure that diversity and inclusion are key considerations in all budgetary, administrative, and governance decisions.