Executive Summary
鶹ýӳƷ’s dedication to being the essential educational, cultural
and economic driver for Kansas and the greater public good can only be fully realized
if it is intertwined with a commitment to inclusive excellence.
It is essential to the mission of the university as an educational institution to
ensure that each member of the 鶹ýӳƷ State community (faculty, staff and students)
has full opportunity to thrive in its environment, for the university believes that
diversity is key to individual flourishing, educational excellence and advancement
of knowledge.
The following Inclusive Excellence Plan for 鶹ýӳƷ State is a university-wide strategic
focus to build a culture that values transparency, accountability and communication
around issues of diversity and inclusion.
Dear Shocker Nation,
Last year’s launch of our inclusive excellence plan marked a major milestone toward
being an essential educational, cultural, and economic driver for Kansas and the greater
public good. This mission can only be fully realized if it is intertwined with a commitment
to inclusive excellence.
Launching is not enough! We must fully implement and lean into our commitment. Dr.
Marché Fleming-Randle, vice president and chief diversity officer, will lead us through
implementation, resource requests and prioritization, and identifying a champion or
accountable party for each task incorporated into the plan. You will all have opportunities
to hear progress reports and provide feedback throughout this process during town
halls and communication in WSUToday.
We know that we have a lot of work ahead of us. Dr. Fleming-Randle has set clear expectations
to drive our progress, and it’s important that we all do our part to advance this
university priority.
In addition to Marche’s leadership, this will take all of us to be successful. Thank
you to the great many who are working every day to make improvements in your units
and divisions. Keep it going as we elevate unit-level plans to a unified university
level with university level support.
Sincerely,
Rick
Please Note: The themes and definitions related to Inclusive Excellence are constantly changing
to include the many voices and experiences in our ever-evolving culture. The Inclusive
Excellence Plan is a working document, and everyone’s input is valued, necessary,
and will be integrated as we continue to build this plan together.
Goals, Objectives, and Tactics
Goal 1: Student-centeredness
Promote holistic student success through a supportive learning environment in which
all of our students — past, present and future — continually thrive and grow.
Objective
Provide high-quality programs/initiatives that are responsive to student and societal
needs, recognized nationally and internationally for excellence.
Tactics |
Accountable Parties |
Audience |
Enhance the quality of the students' experience including opportunities for service
and applied learning |
Academic Affairs |
Students |
Increase meaningful ways to engage alumni in the student experience |
Student Affairs, Student Government Association |
Students |
Create additional pre-college and graduate programs that improve enrollment, retention
and graduation rates |
Academic Affairs, Student Affairs |
Students |
Expand scholarship opportunities and strategically align scholarships with access,
achievement, equity, and completion goals |
Academic Affairs |
Students |
Identify and improve key transition points for new and returning students by developing
curricular and co-curricular pathways |
Academic Affairs, Student Affairs |
Students |
Increase the retention of (URM, FG, transfer, post-traditional, International) students |
Academic Affairs, Student Affairs |
Students |
Goal 2: Research and Scholarship
Significantly elevate diversity as a priority and transform our national reputation
for research, scholarship, and creative activity to one of excellence associated with
high- impact, high-quality publications, exhibitions, awards, and fellowships.
Objective
Support and enhance faculty, staff, and student diversity-related research and creative
activity.
Tactics |
Accountable Parties |
Audience |
Increase the proportion of women and under represented minorities in STEM fields |
Academic Affairs, Industry and Defense Programs |
Campus community |
Increase participation and investment in interdisciplinary and transdisciplinary priorities |
Academic Affairs |
Campus community |
Promote economic engagement with industry, education, and community partners that
align with regional growth initiatives |
Academic Affairs |
Campus community |
Communicate impact of partnerships that support economic development |
Strategic Communications |
Campus community |
Implement the recommendations of Advance Catalyst @ WSU |
Academic Affairs |
Faculty |
Goal 3: Campus Culture
Empower and support students, faculty, staff and the greater 鶹ýӳƷ community to
create a culture and experience that meets their ever-changing needs.
Objective
Support, encourage and recognize contributions from campus community members and partners.
Tactics |
Accountable Parties |
Audience |
Provide opportunities and resources that facilitate work-life balance |
Human Resources |
Workforce |
Provide structural resources, policies, practices, and oversight that foster transparency
among campus groups and ensure diverse and inclusive participation |
Human Resources |
Human Resources, Academic Affairs, Student Affairs |
Provide a visually welcoming, safe, supportive, and inclusive environment for students,
faculty, staff, visitors, and the community |
Facilities |
Campus community |
Provide innovative programs that promote sustained healthy behaviors for campus community
members |
Student Affairs |
Campus community |
Provide unique, meaningful, and ongoing programming for faculty, staff and student
interaction that expands students’ sensibilities about their role in the global community |
Student Affairs, Academic Affairs |
Campus community |
Develop an intentional plan to increase student engagement on campus and in the greater
鶹ýӳƷ community |
Student Affairs, Academic Affairs |
Students |
Act on our Age-Friendly University designation and provide a full range of learning
opportunities that include adults at all ages and stages in life, as well as to generate
knowledge and innovations that address the second half of the lifespan |
Academic Affairs |
Campus community |
Implement recruitment and retention strategies, processes and procedures to achieve
Hispanic Serving Institution (HSI) designation |
Academic Affairs, Student Affairs |
Campus community |
Create and foster a culture at all levels (department, College and University) that
supports recruitment, retention, and advancement of women and URM Faculty |
Human Resources |
Campus community |
Goal 4: Partnerships and Engagement
Advance industry and community partnerships to provide quality educational opportunities
and collaboration to satisfy rapidly evolving community and workforce needs.
Objective
Embrace a mission of service to one another, our region, and the world by enhancing
community and regional engagement.
Tactics |
Accountable Parties |
Audience |
Deepen partnerships with P-12 educational providers to support educational experiences
and achievement, promote access to higher education, talent development and community
engagement |
Academic Affairs, Student Affairs |
Campus community |
Collaborate with other higher education institutions on initiatives enhancing student
educational opportunities that support the economic, health and cultural needs of
our communities |
Academic Affairs |
Campus community |
Expand relationships with industry partners to generate new applied learning and research
opportunities for students and better support the workforce, innovation, and development
needs of our communities |
Academic Affairs |
Campus community |
Advance research partnerships with governmental, corporate, private and not-for-profit
entities to better meet the needs of our communities |
Academic Affairs |
Campus community |
Further integrate community and business partners into the campus environment and
position the university as an inviting place for members of the community to access
resources and enjoy cultural activities |
Academic Affairs |
Campus community |
Advance alumni and donor relationships to secure a sustained sense of belonging to
the Shocker community |
Academic Affairs, Student Affairs |
Campus community |
Goal 5: Inclusive Excellence
Be a campus that reflects and promotes – in all community members – the evolving diversity
of society.
Objective
Establish university processes and procedures that promote diversity and inclusive
excellence.
Tactics |
Accountable Parties |
Audience |
Develop comprehensive strategies, tools and processes to create/improve sourcing,
posting, search, hiring and onboarding activities to increase the diversity of the
campus. |
Human Resources |
Workforce |
Enhance opportunities for underrepresented minority populations to engage with the
campus community, receive mentoring and participate in professional development. |
Academic Affairs |
Campus community |
Enhance opportunities for students, faculty and staff to be active participants in
enhancing their experiences and enriching the campus culture. |
Human Resources, Academic Affairs, Student Affairs |
Campus community |
Continuously evaluate and enhance the curriculum with diversity-related content |
Academic Affairs |
Students |
Expand awards and recognition to include inclusive excellence activity |
Human Resources, Academic Affairs, Student Affairs |
Campus community |
Develop and implement comprehensive training and development opportunities on inclusive
excellence to benefit the entire campus community |
Human Resources, Academic Affairs, Student Affairs |
Workforce |
Develop comprehensive strategies, tools and processes to redesign annual performance
evaluation for all employees |
Human Resources |
Workforce |
Ensure that all decisions and processes pertaining to faculty are transparent, equitable
and free from explicit or implicit bias: including but not limited to hiring, teaching,
research and service assignments, distribution of resources, evaluations, tenure and
promotion, and advancement |
Academic Affairs, Student Affairs |
Campus community |
Ensuring WSU Community Engagement
- Reviewed work product from Talent Management Revisioning Work Group*
- Reviewed ADVANCE grant research
- Reviewed Diversity, Human Resources and Professional Development Task Force recommendation
- Reviewed Strategic Planning Activation Team recommendation (Goal 7)
- Reviewed President’s Leadership Retreat (Feb. 2020) submissions
*A group of operational leaders representing all areas of 鶹ýӳƷ State as well as
identified key support areas who conducted an extensive review of current Talent Management
at WSU and developed a future state vision for how WSU will attract, engage, onboard,
and retain talent.
Plan Socialization
Stakeholder(s) |
Date |
VP/CDO - Marche Fleming-Randle |
8-Jan-21 |
ADVANCE Research - Janet Twomey |
19-Jan-21 |
President Rick Muma |
19-Jan-21 |
VP Finance and Administration - Werner Golling |
19-Jan-21 |
VP/Provost - Shirley Levefer |
4-Feb-21 |
Exec. Dir - CTAC - Christine Taylor |
4-Feb-21 |
VP Student Affairs - Teri Hall |
4-Feb-21 |
Co Chair - Edil Torres Rivera - Workforce Diversity, HR and Prof Dev TaskForce/VP
HR Search |
22-Feb-21 |
Co Chair - Voncella McCleary-Jones - Workforce Diversity, HR and Prof Dev TaskForce/VP
HR Search |
2-Mar-21 |
Council of Deans |
2-Mar-21 |
WSU Employee Senates |
16-Mar-21 |
Faculty Executive Team |
18-Mar-21 |
Faculty Senate |
22-Mar-21 |
Strategic Planning Committee |
25-Feb-21 |
WSU TIX Committee |
18-Mar-21 |
Feedback
- Utilize faculty expertise
- Identify/connect with what the colleges/others areas of the university do
- 1.3.1.6 - consideration to not have an option - committee reviews ALL applicants
- How does this plan address culture aspects?
- Ensure alignment with and not duplicative activity with ADVANCE
- Need more robust ombuds person program for faculty
- ADVANCE: LG - recommend faculty develop new or revise existing policy to incorporate
behavior based performance (collegiality)
- Separate out processes for Faculty (search, performance eval)
- Add $$'s for conference booths (WSU visible)