CAMPUS DIVERSITY

PLAN2014

www.winona.edu

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INTRODUCTION

Diversity at Winona State University is an indispensable component of institutional excellence. Winona State simply cannot achieve institutional excellence without paying attention to and drawing from the richness and strength reflected in the diversity of our local, national, and global communities. Diverse learning environments foster civic learning and engagement and prepare our students to live in an increasingly global and complex world. Diversity is also rooted in our mission and our overarching belief in “A community of learners improving our world.” Our commitment to diversity, broadly speaking, encourages respect for individual and group heritage and cultural values that help broaden the whole learning environment. Respect and acceptance of others affirms and encourages individuals to take pride in their identity and results in the inclusion of all. Diversity involves an exploration of individual differences in a safe, positive, welcoming, and nurturing academic environment. Though we only collect federal and state-mandated data on race/ethnicity, disability, and gender, studies indicate that individuals who have been historically marginalized or underrepresented in society as well as the academic environment fall in or among several of the following identity variables (Hurtado, Dey, Gurin, & Gurin, 2003; Stanley, 2006; Takaki, 1993; Tiemey, 1987) such as:

• Age• Cultural identity• Gender identity or expression• Nationality• Physical and mental ability• Political and ideological perspectives• Racial and ethnic identity• Religious and spiritual identity• Sexual orientation• Social and economic status.

Attention to advancing the representation of traditionally underrepresented and underserved groups both in particular fields and throughout Winona State is an important quantitative metric of our progress in diversity. However, solely achieving an increase in the number of underrepresented students and employees on our campus will not fulfill our imperative for enhancing diversity. We have to look at other qualitative measures such as:

• Interactions among faculty, staff, student groups and community partners;• Incorporation of diversity in the curriculum;• Academic support for college preparation, retention and success;• Perceptions of the campus climate;• Institutional history;• Policies and procedures;• Transforming campus environments;• Intergroup dialogues around the topics of diversity and inclusion;• Student organizations and residence life diversity programming and outreach.

CAMPUS DIVERSITY PLAN

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Therefore, Winona State must define and refine goals, propose strategies and indicators, and continually hold ourselves accountable so that our goals and progress toward achievement are realized.The plan is organized into five Strategic Goals. Each goal includes strategies, measures of success, and baseline data.

The following overarching goals will first need to be achieved:• Cabinet level commitment to University diversity efforts;• Campus wide accountability amongst University departments;• Foster collaboration with state, local, and community partners.

The Inclusive Excellence Committee, in collaboration with other campus committees and task forces, will work to develop a clear mission and vision for diversity at Winona State. The current Inclusive Excellence Committee Members can be found at:

Diversity at Winona State University is an indispensable component of institutional excellence.

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STRATEGIC DIRECTION 1: Increase access, opportunity, and success for all students.

1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5

Strategies

Winona State will work to create an inclusive environ-ment to support the success of underrep-resented and diverse students including first generation, veterans, post-traditional students, GLBTQ and students with disabilities.

Winona State will provide professional development op-portunities for all em-ployees and students to gain awareness and knowledge of cultural competency skills.

Winona State will develop services and programs that seek to maintain an affordable cost of attendance for under-represented students through increased scholarships, gradu-ate assistantships, and internships.

Winona State will es-tablish its own goals and measures for the access and success of students from un-derrepresented and diverse groups.

Winona State will implement and/or improve current pro-grams and services designed to increase the enrollment and success of students from underrepre-sented groups.

Measure of Success

Promising best prac-tices such as early warning systems, intrusive advising, prescriptive and developmental advis-ing, civic engage-ment and service learning have been expanded.

Best practices are promoted and sup-ported

Increase in student success numbers.

Professional devel-opment of intercul-tural competency has been created and delivered.

Student engagement surveys such as the Beginning College Student Survey of Engagement (BCSSE) and the National Survey of Student Engagement (NSSE) will demon-strate improvement.

Increase in student success numbers.

Increase in student enrollment and student numbers.

Goals and objectives have been estab-lished.

Increase in student enrollment and suc-cess numbers.

Increase in students enrollment and suc-cess numbers.

A clearinghouse of resources has been created which disseminates information regarding admissions, financial assistance, and opportunities using local underrepre-sented communities, higher education collaborative social services agencies, spiritual-based institutions and other local organizations.

Baseline Data

Current success numbers.

Current intercultural competency training for all students and employees.

Current costs of attending institutions and current resourc-es for students.

Current student en-rollment and success numbers.

Current student en-rollment and success numbers.

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STRATEGIC DIRECTION 2:Increase the cultural competency and global awareness of Winona State students.

2.1 2.2 2.3

Strategies

Integrate cultural competency knowl-edge and practices into the design, and development of academic pro-grams, courses, and curriculum.

Add a diversity liaison to the Aca-demic Affairs Curriculum Committee (A2C2).

Leverage resources and technology to provide multiple delivery options for academic courses, programs, and curriculum that enhance the success of underrepresented student population.

Measure of Success

The number of courses infused with diversity has increased.

Faculty are offered the opportunity to be trained on infusing diversity into the curriculum.

Campus climate survey indicates employees and students are more culturally competent.

Retention of underutilized employ-ees and underrepresented students hasincreased.

Diversity liaisons have been added to curriculum and academic commit-tees.

Multiple delivery options for educa-tional programs and student services that enhance the success of under-represented student populations has been created.

Number of underrepresented stu-dents has increased.

Baseline Data

Current number of courses that have diversity infused into them.

Current campus climate survey results.

Current retention numbers or under-utilized employees and underrepre-sented students.

N/A Number of multiple delivery options for educational programs and student services that enhance underrepre-sented student populations.

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STRATEGIC DIRECTION 3: Strengthen our strategic partnerships and community relationships to better serve underrepresented students.

3.1 3.2 3.3

Strategies

Collaborate with organizations that serve to prepare underrepresented students for college such as bridge programs, Project Fine, United Way, regional P-12 schools, Workforce Development, 2+2 programs, TRIO and other postsecondary programs.

Increase relationships with area organizations which work with and support the interests of underrepre-sented groups.

Increase and cultivate relationships with underrepresented alumni.

Measure of Success

Partnerships and collaborations has increased.

The number of relationships has increased.

A tool to solicit feedback from our collaborative partners has been developed.

The number of relationships has increased.

A process to measure success has been developed.

Baseline Data

Assess the campus to see how often its employees and/or departments are working with organizations, the community, and with regional P-12 schools.

Assess campus for best practices in working with organizations, commu-nity, and regional P-12 schools.

Current campus assessment data including the Carnegie Reclassifica-tion Assessment Report.

Current number of relationships. Current number of relationships.

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STRATEGIC DIRECTION 4: Increase the number of diverse Winona State employees through recruitment and retention.

4.1 4.2 4.3

Strategies

Develop and/or provide professional development opportunities for un-derutilized employees with the goal of improving ability to compete for positions of leadership and qualify for interim appointment opportunities.

Develop a campus-wide list of publications and sites which target diverse job applicants and advertise in publications and websites in order to target diverse employees.

Create an orientation and exit inter-view program for employees.

Create mentorship programs or affin-ity groups for diverse employees.

Increase diversity in temporary, part-time, and adjunct faculty.

Reach out to diverse communities in recruiting diverse temporary, part-time, and adjunct hires.

Measure of Success

Internships, mentoring relationships, advanced training and professional development opportunities for current diverse and underutilized Winona State employees (e.g., Luoma Acad-emy, attendance at high-level training and conferences; creation of mentor-ing programs; and job shadowing opportunities) has been established.

Retention of diverse and underuti-lized employees has increased.

Underutilization in job groups has increased.

An on-boarding and off-boarding policy, activities, and programs for diverse employees at multiple levels will be established.

Recruitment and retention of diverse and underutilized employees has increased. Underutilization in job groups has decreased.

Retention rates of employees has increased.

Diverse temporary, part-time, and adjunct faculty has increased.

Retention of diverse and underuti-lized employees has increased.

Underutilization in job groups has decreased.

Baseline Data

Data on current diverse and underuti-lized employees.

Affirmative action plan.

Employee engagement surveys.

Data on current diverse and underuti-lized employees.

Affirmative action plan.

Employee engagement surveys.

Data on the numbers of tempo-rary, part-time, and adjunct faculty numbers.

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STRATEGIC DIRECTION 5: Increase cultural competency within the Winona State community.

5.1 5.2Strategies

Include as part of all employment interviews, ques-tions which demonstrate a candidate’s experience with diversity awareness and sensitivity.

Develop and implement cultural competency training for the campus.

Measure of Success

All search committees utilize interview techniques/questions designed to elicit a candidate’s understand-ing of and experience with diversity awareness and sensitivity.

Participation in cultural competency training by cam-pus community members.

Increased awareness and understanding among campus community members.

Baseline Data

Data on current diverse and underutilized employees.

Affirmative action plan.

Current Intercultural Development Inventory (IDI) data and future data on IDI taken after participation in training.

Current NSSE data and future NSSE data after partici-pation in training.