Issues
Establishing a More Diverse Community
The
university reiterates its commitment to aggressive, affirmative action in
recruitment and hiring of faculty, administrators and staff and rededicates
itself to creating a more diverse community in all new hires. This includes
searches underway at this time.
Assignment: Human Resources, Affirmative Action
Actions taken to date: Human Resources and the Office of Affirmative Action have planned a January meeting with the Vice President of Academic Affairs and the deans to initiate discussion on improvement to the faculty recruitment process generally and, more specifically, how we might be more effective in the recruitment of faculty of color.
The
university will immediately include in all position advertising and search
committee evaluations the need to demonstrate ability to work with students,
faculty and staff of diverse backgrounds in hiring for all new faculty, administrators
and staff. In cases where these skills and abilities are not present, specific
training programs will be made available to the new employee. The Affirmative
Action officer will meet with each search committee underway to discuss how
to implement this policy.
Assignment: Human Resources, Affirmative Action, Faculty Association
Actions taken to date: Human Resources, Affirmative Action and University Communications have had preliminary discussions about methods and means of emphasizing diversity where possible in all parts of the staff recruitment and hiring processes, e.g. advertising, brochures, the Internet, the campus visit, the follow through, etc.Beginning with fall of 1998, an orientation program will be scheduled and completed by all new staff and faculty within the academic semester in which they begin their employment at SCSU.
The employee orientation program agenda has been revised for the fall to include a presentation which covers Affirmative Action, Equal Opportunity, the Program to Combat Racism, and the Reporting and Investigating Process.
The
university will make a renewed and special effort to take advantage of an
unusually large number of faculty and staff searches underway to increase
the diversity on campus. The Affirmative Action officer will meet with each
search committee underway to discuss how to develop an adequate pool of candidates.
Assignment: Academic Affairs, Faculty Association, Human Resources,
Affirmative Action, Deans
Actions taken to date: We do currently have over 60 searches occurring in Academic Affairs. Deans have been asked to carefully monitor those searches to assure that candidate pools include minority candidates. Meanwhile we have indicated a willingness to fund additional advertising and search activities to attempt to enhance the pool of candidates.There are more than 75 searches for faculty and administrative positions under way. To date, 14 searches have been completed. Of these, six are persons of color, including the new director of the Chicano/Chicana Studies Program.
In
order to improve opportunities to recruit faculty of color, the university
will require that prior to recruitment for faculty positions the hiring department
will review its mission, goals and curriculum as well as a proposed job description.
Assignment: Office of Academic Affairs, Affirmative Action
Actions taken to date: Deans are monitoring job descriptions which are proposed for positions which become vacant. They will not approve job descriptions which, by nature of the job description, preclude minorities from application.
The
university will develop incentives for the recruitment of faculty of color
which are well known and meaningful to assist the university in competitively
attracting faculty of color.
Assignment: Vice President for Academic Affairs
Actions taken to date: We are attempting to develop a pool of funds for searches which will occur during 1998-99. The funds will be used only if departments are able to hire faculty of color. We are reviewing "grow your own" programs of other institutions to determine whether or not such a program might work on this campus.
The
university is developing proposals and programs designed to improve the probability
of success for minority faculty in the Retention, Promotion and Tenure process.
Assignment: Office of Academic Affairs, Faculty of Color Caucus
Actions taken to date: Faculty of color proposals are being developed.The Faculty of Color Caucus reported on their suggestions for retention and promotion. They conducted a retreat in March which was funded by the university. Reassigned time has been allocated to four faculty who have volunteered to develop specific proposals for future consideration.
The
university will enhance its enrollment strategies to improve the proportion
of minority students in the first-year, first-time class to 7 percent in
the year 2000 and to match the proportion of Minnesota's ACT test-taking
high school graduation class by the year 2002.
Assignment: Enrollment Management
Actions taken to date: Enrollment management targets have been set for the year 2000.
The
university will conduct a retention study focusing specifically on student
of color retention issues and develop recommendations to improve retention.
Implementation: Fall of 1998.
Assignment: Enrollment Management
Actions taken to date: A retention study is being developed by the Enrollment Management Committee.
A student of color retention study has been commissioned.
The
university will find ways to enhance scholarship and aid programs to improve
the recruitment of students of color.
Assignment: Enrollment Management
Actions taken to date: A plan to increase scholarships has been developed for review.
Scholarships for students of color for Fall 1998 have been awarded totaling $30,000. Resource development is under way for the next installment of scholarships for recruiting minority students, and another $30,000 (total $60,000) will be awarded for students enrolling in Fall 1999.
Next: Defining The University's Commitment and Role in the Region
