January Westminster Diversity Structure Update!

!Derrick Gay !

Educational Consultant!January14,2014 !

Derrickgayconsultant@gmail.com!!!!"

Agenda"

•  Quick Update: MS (2/4) and US Survey (2/6); US Hispanic Climate Assessment ( March)"

•  Diversity Retreat"

•  Analysis: Current Diversity Structure"

•  Best Practices around effective structures"

•  Recommended structure for next two years: 2014-2016"

•  Considerations"

•  Discussion"

Current Diversity Structural Challenges"

•  Three distinct and often discrete divisional structures"

•  Undefined structure allows multiple entry points"

•  Specific aims are unarticulated and/or not understood by all"

•  Need for ongoing assessment: data collection, goals, metrics, benchmarks, evaluation– Curriculum, hiring, programs, admissions, pd"

•  Community unaware of initiatives and programs across divisions"

•  Significant range of expertise, skills, and time commitments amongst coordinators"

Current Diversity Structural Challenges"

•  Need for affinity group curriculum to articulate goals, pngoing training for leaders, ongoing communication among affinity group leaders"

•  Director of Hispanic Development– Current model ineffective"

•  Need for integration of diversity goals into other strategic initiatives ( Learning For Life; The Glenn Institute?)"

•  Challenge navigating multiple divisional schedules to identify potential meeting times to coordinate ( ergo, no time- no coordination)"

•  Critical need for ongoing advocacy to ensure integration of diversity and inclusion initiatives at senior admin level"

"

"

Philosophical Orientations"

•  Diversity and inclusion is divisive (affirmative action, reverse racism, developmentally inappropriate, politically motivated, serves an agenda)"

•  Diversity and inclusion = “minorities” or people of color"

•  Diversity and inclusion is organic"

•  Diversity and inclusion is broadly conceived, structured and strategic, iterative, ongoing, interdependent with other school initiatives and goals"

"

Diversity Models"

•  Nada"

•  Diversity Coordinator (s)– Well-intentioned Black, Latino, gay person, or woman little to no formal training, charismatic FFF ( food, fun and festivals) event planner"

•  Diversity Council"

•  Director of Diversity and Inclusion (solo, sans support staff, council, power or authority to effect change)"

•  Director of Diversity and Inclusion (senior admin, administrative support, council, formal power and authority, formal training, hiring, admissions"

2014-2015"

Dean of Faculty"

LS Lead Coordinator"

MS Lead Coordinator"

US Lead Coordinator"

Director of Hispanic Development"

2014-2015"

Lead diversity coordinator for each division to coordinate programs; liase with Marjorie and respective principal (deans); maintain ongoing communication with affinity group leaders; serve as resource to students, faculty and parents; promote Hispanic Development initiatives; align all work to articulated diversity goals"

Structure: Minimum of .4 FTE devoted to Diversity"

Supervisor: Dean of Faculty"

2015-2016"

Director of Community Life and

Inclusion"

Director of Outreach and Public

Purpose"

???????"

LS Coordinator"

MS Coordinator"

US Coordinator"

Director of Hispanic Development"

New Position"

•  STRATEGIC PLANNING"

•  Admissions"

•  Faculty Hiring"

•  Faculty Development"

•  Curriculum"

•  Student life"

•  Programming ( advisory, affinity groups)"

•  Liaison to (re) connect marginalized alumni to Westminster"

•  Ongoing resource to – everyone"

"

Derrick, this makes sense. Why the scaffolded approach?"

"

"

•  Leadership transition"

•  Paradox of finding something if you don’t know what you’re looking for. Dangerous. "

•  Evidence-based approach to structure job description and expectations. Decouple new person from this work."

•  Leverage coordinators’ experience to inform divisional needs"

•  Use the year to allow necessary time to structure a thoughtful and comprehensive process"

"

Other Considerations"

•  Financial considerations"

•  How do we integrate this work into the work of The Glenn Institute? Potential missed opportunity"

•  Nature of Derrick’s work in 2014-2015?"

•  Team needs more info to gain a deeper sense of the scope of work of lead diversity coordinators to substantiate course reduction"