Strategic Action Plan on Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion

III.        Goals, Objectives, and Strategies 

The Strategic Action Plan on Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion is framed by the Plan’s Statement of Values.  This statement guides us toward the SUNY College at Oneonta we envision in the next five years.  The plan builds on the strengths of the College, the contributions and dedication of its employees, students, alumni, and friends of the College, and the passion and compassion of the campus community in times of change.  This Plan provides opportunities for cultural transformation, which is both an inward and outward process.  Moreover, moving the College forward requires leadership and engagement on part of the constituency groups.   

The Plan’s objectives are not framed as rigid expectations, instead they are aspirations to move the College forward toward the institution we envision in five years as stated in the Plan’s Statement of Values.

GOAL 1: CREATE A COLLEGE COMMUNITY THAT VALUES AND PROMOTES DIVERSITY, EQUITY AND INCLUSION 

1.   Engage 25% of employees in professional development opportunities related to diversity, equity, and inclusion annually.

Baseline data: 2006-07 full-time employees. 

Strategy A                   Through a collaboration between Employee Services and the Office of Equity and Inclusion, develop opportunities aimed at encouraging and empowering supervisors to include diversity and inclusion as an ongoing measurable performance goal. 

Initiative 1                    Develop guidelines to assist supervisors on possible ways to encourage diversity and inclusion within employees’ performance goals.
[Tolerance, Acceptance, Appreciation] 

Leader/Partners           Office of Equity and Inclusion and Employee Services. 

March 2008 – June 2008 

Initiative 2                    Write a resource booklet and discuss it with supervisors to promote a range of professional development opportunities and activities for employees to engage in on diversity, equity, and inclusion.
[Tolerance, Acceptance, Appreciation] 

Leader/Partners           Office of Equity and Inclusion and Employee Services. 

August 2008- December 2008 (Resource booklet to be revised every two years.) 

Initiative 3                    Based on resource booklet, encourage supervisors within a division to engage in group discussions to further integrate equity, diversity, and inclusion within the cultural fabric of each division. 
[Tolerance, Acceptance, Appreciation] 

Leader/Partners           Employee Services, Office of Equity and Inclusion, and Vice Presidents. 

January 2009 – ongoing

Strategy B                   Develop an ongoing Departmental Chairs and Supervisors Round Table Discussion Program. 

Initiative 1                    Organize sessions throughout the year for supervisors to learn from each other, develop skills, share knowledge and experiences, and feel part of building an inclusive and welcoming campus community so they engage their supervisees in viewing diversity, equity, and inclusion as an integral part of themselves and the College.
[Acceptance, Appreciation, Inclusiveness] 

Leader/Partners           Vice Presidents, Deans, and Office of Equity and Inclusion. 

September 2008 – ongoing

Strategy C                   Encourage all divisions to create or update performance goals to reflect individuals’ contributions to the College’s Diversity Goal, the College Diversity Statement, and this Strategic Plan Statement of Values. 

Initiative 1                    Encourage outcomes on diversity, equity, and inclusion in performance goals, using the resources booklet as an information tool for employees to reflect individuals’     contributions to the College.
[Tolerance, Acceptance, Appreciation, Inclusiveness] 

Leader/Partners           President/President’s Cabinet. 

September 2009 – ongoing

2.   Create collaborative initiatives among all segments of the College to foster respect, civility, and a welcoming campus environment.

Baseline data: Survey of existing collaborations. 

Strategy A                   Develop new, and strengthen existing collaborative bridges throughout the College among divisions, departments, offices, contractors, operators, and grant-funded offices.

Initiative 1                    Develop and implement the Discussion Circles Model to engage the campus community in discussions of topics relevant to themselves and/or the College.
[Acceptance, Appreciation, Inclusiveness] 

Leader/Partners           Office of Equity and Inclusion, Provost, Vice Presidents, Deans, and Employee Services. 

April 2009 – ongoing

Initiative 2                    Encourage O.A.S., Sodexho, Research Foundation, and Bugbee Center employees to participate in all pertinent campus activities including membership on committees, and recognition awards.
[Acceptance, Appreciation, Inclusiveness]

Leader/Partners           Finance and Administration, Student Development, O.A.S., Research Foundation, Bugbee Center, and Sodexho.  

October 2008 – ongoing

3.   Continue to create a welcoming campus environment.

Baseline data: 2006 Campus Climate Assessment by Rankin & Associate, Consulting. 

Strategy A                Research the campus climate and continue to create a welcoming campus community. 

Initiative 1                 Establish the Campus Climate Research Team to assess the campus climate.
[Acceptance, Appreciation, Inclusiveness] 

Leader/Partners        Team appointed by the President/Vice Presidents, Deans, Chairs, and Directors.  Team co-leaders with possible course or workload reductions have the responsibilities as part of their work assignments; team members’ contributions will be recognized as service and scholarship when appropriate. 

August 2008 – ongoing

Initiative 2                 Research the campus climate, discuss its results with the campus community, and implement recommendations.
[Tolerance, Acceptance, Appreciation, Inclusiveness] 

Leader/Partners        Campus Climate Research Award recipient(s) and Campus Climate Research Team/Office of Equity and Inclusion and President’s Council on Diversity.  

August 2009 – Feb. 2010

Initiative 3                 Establish community-building opportunities for individuals belonging to identity groups including AALANA, LGBTQ, and differently abled.
[Acceptance, Appreciation, Inclusiveness] 

Leader/Partners        Office of Equity and Inclusion, President’s Council on Diversity, Gender and Sexuality Resource Center, Center for Multicultural Experiences, Deans, Chairs, and Multicultural Student Affairs.  

September 2008 – ongoing

Initiative 4                 Create and implement programs to address bias, stereotype threat, and profiling on campus. 
[The Five Stages of Diversity] 

Leader/Partners        Academic Affairs, Student Development, and Office of Equity and Inclusion.

May 2008 – ongoing

Initiative 5                 Review, assess, and revise the Campus Bias Protocol.
[Intolerance, Tolerance, Acceptance, Appreciation, Inclusiveness] 

Leader/Partners        Student Development and appropriate student groups.

March 2008 – November 2008

Initiative 6                 Create a plan to address concerns of AALANA and LGBTQ students on campus (e.g., housing and classroom milieu to feel safe).
[Acceptance, Appreciation, Inclusiveness] 

Leader/Partners        Student Development, Academic Affairs, Gender and Sexuality Resource Center, and pertinent student groups. 

March 2008 – ongoing

Initiative 7                 Engage the campus community in discussions and understanding of the College’s Discrimination and Harassment/Sexual Harassment policies and practices.
[Acceptance, Appreciation, Inclusiveness] 

Leader/Partners        Affirmative Action Advisory Committee. 

January 2008 – April 2009

Initiative 8                 Implement a campaign to raise awareness of reporting mechanisms already in place to report bias, stereotype threats, and profiling.
[Tolerance, Acceptance, Appreciation, Inclusiveness] 

Leader/Partners        Academic Affairs and Student Development. 

September 2008 – May 2009

4a. Increase recruitment of AALANA students by an average of 20% annually.

Baseline data: 2006-07 AALANA student pool of applicants eligible for admission.                                   

Strategy A                Commit financial resources directly toward diversification of the student body. 

Initiative 1                 Identify and award Diversity Scholarships to qualified students who contribute to diversity as reflected in the College Diversity Statement.
[Acceptance, Appreciation, Inclusiveness] 

Leader/Partners        President, Student Development, Finance and Administration, College Advancement, and Office of Equity and Inclusion. 

February 2008 – ongoing

Strategy B                Develop comprehensive approaches to recruit AALANA students due to demographic changes, especially in New York State. 

Initiative 1                 Continue to develop comprehensive approaches to recruit AALANA students (e.g., develop new partnerships with selective high schools, faith-based organizations).  The recruitment of students is a College endeavor, not just the responsibility of the Admissions Office.
[Acceptance, Appreciation, Inclusiveness]

Leader/Partners        Student Development, Academic Affairs, and Office of Equity and Inclusion. 

May 2008 – ongoing

4b.         Maintain AALANA students’ retention as recruitment grows, to mirror the
retention rate of the overall student body.

Baseline data: 2006-07 retention rate for overall student body and retention rate for AALANA students. 

Strategy A                Develop a comprehensive approach to retain AALANA students at the College. 

Initiative 1                 Develop measures to identify level of AALANA students’ representation, participation, and needs.  Address campus climate issues.
[Acceptance, Appreciation, Inclusiveness] 

Leader/Partners        Academic Affairs, Student Development, and student groups. 

September 2008 – ongoing

4c.         Increase the recruitment of international students by 15% annually. 
Baseline data: 2006-07 international student pool of applicants eligible for
admission. 

Strategy A                Encourage the Office of International Education to engage an external consultant to develop a comprehensive plan to recruit international students from diverse geographical regions.

Initiative 1                 Support the Office of International Education to develop a recruitment plan for international students who have the preparation for academic success and the persistence to graduate from the College.  Expand recruitment to geographical regions that the College does not presently target.
[Acceptance, Appreciation, Inclusiveness]

Leader/Partners        Office of International Education, External Consultant, Deans, and Provost. 

March 2008 – February 2009

4d.         Increase retention of international students as recruitment grows, to mirror the
retention rate of the overall student body.
Baseline data: 2006-07 retention rate for overall student body and retention rate
for international students. 

Strategy A                Encourage the Office of International Education to work with an external consultant to develop a comprehensive retention plan. 

Initiative 1                 Encourage the Office of International Education to develop a parallel retention plan in collaboration with the external consultant.  This plan will provide the retention and persistence strategies for the College to graduate its international students. 

Leader/Partners        Office of International Education, External Consultant, Deans, Provost, and Student Development. 

March 2008 – October 2008

5a.           Increase recruitment of AALANA faculty by 25% annually.
(see also Goal 3, Objective 3).
Baseline data: 2006-07 pool of applicants who were qualified for full-time faculty
positions.   

Strategy A                Develop a comprehensive approach to recruit AALANA faculty to the College. 

Initiative 1                 Continue to create incentives for departments to have sabbatical replacements from AALANA groups.
[Acceptance, Appreciation, Inclusiveness] 

Leader/Partners        Provost, Deans, and Chairs. 

March 2008 – ongoing

Initiative 2                 Encourage departments, prior to a search, to meet with the Employee Services Associate Vice President and the Office of Equity and Inclusion Director, or designees, to strategize ways to increase diversity within the applicant pools. 

Leader/Partners        Academic Affairs, Employee Services, and Office of Equity and Inclusion. 

January 2008 – ongoing

Initiative 3                 Encourage search committees to have candidates meet with a group of persons representing expressions of diversity on campus to provide an opportunity to discuss the campus diversity climate.  

Leader/Partners        Academic Affairs, Employee Services, Gender and Sexuality Resource Center, and Office of Equity and Inclusion. 

Timetable: January 2008 – ongoing

Initiative 4                 Update/create recruitment materials to send to applicants to inform them of resources in the area.
[Acceptance, Appreciation, Inclusiveness] 

Leader/Partners        Employee Services. 

May 2008 – ongoing

Strategy B                Commit financial resources directly toward faculty diversification. 

Initiative 1                 Increase the number of visiting scholars to four annually. 
[Acceptance, Appreciation, Inclusiveness]

Leader/Partners        President, Provost, Deans, and Chairs.

September 2008 – ongoing

Initiative 2                 Offer incentives to qualified faculty candidates who have qualities, experiences, or expertise to increase campus diversity.
[Acceptance, Appreciation, Inclusiveness] 

Leader/Partners        President, Provost, Deans, and Chairs. 

February 2008 – ongoing

Initiative 3                 Increase the Center for Multicultural Experiences Faculty in Residence program from one week to a full semester. 
[Acceptance, Appreciation, Inclusiveness] 

Leader/Partners        President and Center for Multicultural Experiences Faculty in Residence Committee. 

September 2009 – ongoing

5b.         Increase recruitment of AALANA staff and administrators by 25% annually.
Baseline data: 2006-07 pool of applicants who were qualified for full-time staff
and/or administrator positions. 

Strategy A               Develop a comprehensive approach to recruit AALANA staff and administrators to the College. 

Initiative 1                 Offer incentives to qualifying staff and administrator candidates who have qualities, experiences, or expertise to increase campus diversity.
[Acceptance, Appreciation, Inclusiveness] 

Leader/Partners        President, Provost, Vice Presidents, Deans, and Directors.  

March 2008 – ongoing

Initiative 2                 Encourage departments/offices/programs, prior to a search, to meet with the Employee Services Associate Vice President and the Office of Equity and Inclusion Director, or designees, to strategize ways to increase diversity within the applicant pools. 

Leader/Partners        Vice Presidents, Provost, Deans, Chairs, and Directors. 

January 2008 – ongoing

Initiative 3                 Update/create recruitment materials to send to applicants to inform them of resources in the area.
[Acceptance, Appreciation, Inclusiveness] 

Leader/Partners        Employee Services. 

May 2008 – ongoing

Initiative 4                    Encourage search committees to have candidates meet with a group of persons representing expressions of diversity on campus to provide an opportunity to discuss the campus diversity climate.  

Leader/Partners           Vice Presidents, Employee Services, Office of Equity and Inclusion, and Gender and Sexuality Resource Center. 

January 2008 – ongoing

Initiative 5                    Publicize Civil Service Examinations as appropriate or other opportunities that are gateways into staff jobs, through venues such as the campus website, newspapers, radio, Chamber of Commerce website, and vocational educational institutions.
[Acceptance, Appreciation, Inclusiveness] 

Leader/Partners           Employee Services. 

May 2008 – ongoing

Initiative 6                    Network with agencies that can contribute to the applicant pool (e.g., Job Corps or other trade/business schools, community colleges).
[Acceptance, Appreciation, Inclusiveness] 

Leader/Partners           Employee Services. 

November 2008 – ongoing

5c.           Develop and implement processes for the recruitment of individuals from
identity groups, which due to privacy factors (e.g., LGBTQ, gender diversity,
persons with visible or invisible disabilities) cannot always be identified in the
recruitment process.

Baseline data: Document recruitment processes and implementation. 

Strategy A                   Develop a comprehensive approach to recruit individuals from identity groups. 

Initiative 1                    Encourage departments/offices/programs, prior to a search, to meet with the Employee Services Associate Vice President and the Office of Equity and Inclusion Director, or designees, to strategize ways to increase diversity within the applicant pools.
[Acceptance, Appreciation, Inclusiveness] 

Leader/Partners           Academic Affairs, Vice Presidents, and Directors. 

March 2008 – ongoing

Initiative 2                    Encourage search committees to have candidates meet with a group of persons representing expressions of diversity on campus to provide an opportunity to discuss the campus diversity climate.
[Acceptance, Appreciation, Inclusiveness] 

Leader/Partners           Academic Affairs, Vice Presidents, Directors, Employee Services, Office of Equity and Inclusion, and Gender and Sexuality Resource Center.

January 2008 – ongoing

Initiative 3                    Encourage Human Resources/Employee Relations to include categories reflecting identity groups that are not presently included in the Self-Identification Form sent to applicants.
[Acceptance, Appreciation, Inclusiveness] 

Leader/Partners           Human Resources and Employee Services, Office of Equity and Inclusion, and Gender and Sexuality Resource Center. 

January 2008 – ongoing

6.            Increase the retention of AALANA faculty, staff and administrators, and
individuals from identity groups, which due to privacy factors cannot always be
identified, based on the recruitment objectives (5.a - c).

Baseline data: Short voluntary survey of full-time employees to self-identify some
of the identity groups to which they may belong.  

Strategy A                   Create social, networking, and mentoring opportunities for AALANA faculty, staff, and administrators and individuals from identity groups, which due to privacy factors cannot always be identified. 

Initiative 1                    Establish networking and community-building opportunities for faculty, staff, and administrators, to be held at least three times per semester. 
[Acceptance, Appreciation, Inclusiveness] 

Leader/Partners           Office of Equity and Inclusion, President’s Council on Diversity, and Academic Affairs. 

September 2008 – ongoing

Initiative 2                    Create a mentoring network for faculty, staff and administrators to support their transition into the college and surrounding communities.  The network includes a network of mentors and mentees, gatherings, celebrations, and recognition of those who engage in mentoring.
[Acceptance, Appreciation, Inclusiveness] 

Leader/Partners           Academic Affairs, President’s Cabinet, and Office of Equity and Inclusion. 

September 2008 – ongoing

7.        Create and implement recognition opportunities celebrating those at the College
whose work contributes to advancing diversity, equity, and inclusion.

Baseline data: These recognition opportunities do not exist.  Recognition
opportunities will be documented as the initiatives are implemented.  

Strategy A                   Create a campus-wide recognition program to celebrate employees, students, and alumni for their work toward diversity, equity, and inclusion. 

Initiative 1                    Develop and implement the “Tapestry of Diversity and Inclusion” Annual Award to be presented to faculty, staff, student, and/or alumnus.
[Acceptance, Appreciation, Inclusiveness] 

Leader/Partners           Campus-wide Team and Office of Equity and Inclusion. 

February 2008 – ongoing

Initiative 2                    Create an annual Research Competition for faculty on The Changing Face of NY State: Demographic and Cultural Changes in the State.  The award recipient(s) is encouraged to publish peer-reviewed articles or present at conferences.
[Acceptance, Appreciation, Inclusiveness] 

Leader/Partners           Research Competition Award Committee. 

May 2010 – ongoing

Strategy B                   Increase opportunities to celebrate diversity and inclusion through teaching, research, and scholarship.
[Acceptance, Appreciation, Inclusiveness] 

Initiative 1                    Create an annual Award for Inclusion in Teaching for faculty who excel in integrating inclusive pedagogies into their teaching. 

Leader/Partners           Inclusive Teaching Award Committee. 

December 2010 – ongoing

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