6th ANNUAL REPORT
Cultivating Diversity at HSU enriching our educational community Office of Diversity and Inclusion ▪ Fall 2014 Reporting on Diversity at HSU: An Introduction The first Dissecting Diversity at HSU report, released in 2009, drew on both data and direct words from students to articulate the stories of inequity and exclusion experienced by some students at HSU. It built on HSU’s existing efforts to address and respond to these issues on campus. A great deal has changed since the release of that first report. Our HSU Campus Diversity Plan 2013+ now provides a detailed, universitywide framework for making diversity, equity, and inclusion a core part of our educational and institutional practice. Academic departments and programs, as well as student support programs, are developing and implementing changes designed to promote equity in access and success for all students. We have
restructured divisions and are implementing new programs (and building on existing ones) to provide support to students through peer mentorship, academic advising, and culturally relevant resources and community-building. Our Bias Education Initiative creates learning opportunities across campus around issues of bias and exclusion. And we have undertaken concrete steps to increase and support diversity among staff, faculty, and administrators. In spite of these and many other efforts, and the dedicated work of many committed individuals, much work remains. The demographics of our student body are shifting, and we must continue to respond to students’ changing needs. Non-majority students
(particularly low-income students, first-generation students, and Students of Color) are still not succeeding or graduating at the same rates as their majority peers. And incidents of bias and exclusion are all too common occurrences— shared by students, staff, and faculty—on our campus and in our local community. This year’s report provides an update on key indicators of campus diversity. It also highlights many of the steps we are taking to foster an inclusive campus environment for all. We hope that its contents will inspire conversation and dialogue as we continue to work together toward change. —Radha Webley, Director Office of Diversity and Inclusion
Our Report’s New Look We hope that the shorter, more colorful format of this year’s report will inspire you to share it broadly: with students and colleagues; in your classes or in department meetings; or when making decisions that will impact the university as a whole. As always, your questions and feedback are welcome: diversity@humboldt.edu or (707) 826-4503.
Table of Contents Who are our students?.............................. 2 Persistence and graduation rates ............. 4 Student success in gateway courses ……… 6
Need more information?
Staff and faculty composition ………………... 8
visit humboldt.edu/diversity
Staff and faculty feedback ……………………. 10
...to find documents that accompany this report, including a glossary of terms, endnotes, and discussion prompts, as well as the HSU Campus Diversity Plan 2013+
Looking ahead to 2014/15 ………………...… 12
Access to excellence: Who are our students? (Fall 2013) i Student composition by ethnicity 60% -1.8
50% -1.4
+2.9
40% All Students +3.4
30% First-Time Freshmen
50.8%
20%
41.8%
38.8%
+/-
25.6%
10%
0%
3.4% 3.4%
3.5% 4.0%
Asian/Pacific Islander
Black
Latino/a
Native American
9.7%
5.9% 6.7%
1.1% 0.7%
White
Two or More
Change since 2012*
4.6%
Unknown
* Boxed numbers highlight the percentage point changes in the populations which have seen the most dramatic changes in the last year, and are reflective of ongoing demographic trends.
Student composition by underrepresented ethnicity
Student composition by first-generation status 3.6%
Underrepresented Students
9.7% 34.2% 56.1%
NonUnderrepresented Students
First-Generation Students
47.5%
Unknown
48.9%
Non-FirstGeneration Students Unknown
Students with Disabilities
International Students
Low-Income Students
comprised
HSU welcomed
comprised
4.5%
192 students
42.1%
of the overall student population
from 43 different countries
of the overall student population
i
The data presented throughout this report was provided primarily by HSU’s Office of Institutional Research and Planning (humboldt.edu/irp). CSU systemwide data was provided by CSU Analytic Studies (calstate.edu/as).
2 Cultivating Diversity at HSU: enriching our educational community â–Ş 2014
Access to excellence: Steps toward change HSU has made some progress toward ensuring equity of access to an HSU education, as evidenced by an increasingly diverse student body, though additional efforts are required to fully meet our goals in this area. Departments and programs across the university continue to address this need through a variety of methods, including those new initiatives highlighted below.
Building on our new eligibility as a Hispanic Serving Institution (a federal designation recognizing that Hispanic/Latino students comprise at least
Campus Diversity Plan
No progress
Some progress
Success
Goal # 1a Ensure equity in access
25% of our student body), HSU staff and faculty applied for more than
$5.4 million in grants this last year. If awarded, these grants will fund scholarships, academic skills development, research opportunities, and support for first-generation and low-income students.
The Office of Orientation and Preview Programs began offering Spanish translation services
during the Humboldt Orientation Program (HOP) for family members of incoming freshmen. Through this initiative, Spanish-speakers could more equitably benefit from the various sessions designed to provide family members with understanding and strategies for supporting their students through the college experience.
The Student Academic Services Outreach Program (SASOP), one of HSU’s key early outreach programs, continued to expand support for low-income and first-generation students in our
local region, including working in four new communities. In addition, SASOP offered workshops to local Native American families about supporting their students prior to and during college, organized the 39th Annual American Indian College Motivation Day, and collaborated with HSU’s student club MECHA to provide an expanded Latin@ High School Empowerment Day.
Academic departments and programs across the university undertook initiatives to increase the
diversity and representation in their programs. A few of these initiatives included: cross-listing general education courses to encourage students to explore different majors (World Languages and Cultures); and actively recruiting underrepresented students to the major via targeted advertising in Indigenous-centered media (Social Work).
Underrepresented Latino/a Students Students comprised comprised
48% 39%
Students of Color Students of Color comprised comprised
First-Generation Students comprised
54% 54%
57%
of the incoming freshmen population humboldt.edu/diversity
3
Inclusive excellence: Persistence and graduation rates Persistence and graduation rates for most recent first-time student cohorts * 0.90 .81 Students with Disabilities
0.80 0.70
0.78
.49 Students with Disabilities
All students
0.60
(+4 points )
0.50 0.40 0.30
.22 Students with Disabilities
All students (no change)
0.42
.58 First-Generation students
7 points below the CSU system average
0.20 0.10
0.61
.74 First-Generation students
.37 First-Generation students
14 points below the CSU system average
.74 Underrepresented students
.58 Underrepresented students
.35 Underrepresented students
All students (+2 points)
10 points below the CSU system average
0.00 1st to 2nd year persistence rate (Fall 2012 cohort)
2nd to 3rd year persistence rate (Fall 2011 cohort)
6-year graduation rates for first-time freshmen (Fall 2007 cohort), by gender and underrepresented (URM) ethnicity *
6-year graduation rate (Fall 2007 cohort)
4-year graduation rates for transfer students (Fall 2009 cohort), by underrepresented (URM) ethnicity *
0.60
0.50 All students—.42
0.40 0.30
0.50 0.20
(+1 point)
0.40 (+3 points)
0.38 (-3 points)
0.10
0.30 (+2 points)
0.00 Non-URM URM women Non-URM women men
URM men
* Numbers in parentheses in the above tables indicate the difference between the most recent year’s rate (as of Fall 2013) and the historical average presented in the 2012 Diversity Report.
4 Cultivating Diversity at HSU: enriching our educational community â–Ş 2014
Inclusive excellence: Steps toward change Overall persistence and graduation rates have seen small increases in the last year, though there are still notable gaps in persistence and graduation rates between underrepresented and non-underrepresented students, as well as between male and female students.
Campus Diversity Plan
No progress
Departments and programs throughout the university are working to narrow these gaps and promote inclusive excellence through a variety of methods, including those highlighted below.
Some progress
Success
Goal # 2c Eliminate gaps in retention/graduation
Academic departments and programs across campus are implementing new practices intended to promote inclusive excellence, including:
Updating and transforming courses to include a broader diversity of perspectives, new learning tools, and innovative teaching methods (Geology, Mathematics, and Oceanography, among others);
Implementing department-based early intervention programs, designed to identify and support students who are not succeeding in courses (Communication and Politics); and
Developing community-building initiatives designed to welcome new students to the major, promote student relationships with peers, staff, and faculty, and deepen students’ awareness of available resources, as well as their sense of belonging in the academic department (Child Development and Physics, among others).
The Residential Academic Mentoring Program (RAMP) provides structure for incoming freshmen to develop a one-on-one relationship with a peer mentor, who offers academic support and guidance. Preliminary data on this program show that 81% of students who met with their RAMP
mentors 3 or more times during the Fall semester returned for their second year (as compared to 70% of students who met with their RAMP mentors fewer than 3 times).
6-year Graduation Rates (Fall 2007 cohort) Numbers in parentheses indicate the difference between the Fall 2007 cohort’s rate and the historical average presented in the 2012 Diversity Report.
42%
37%
44%
(+2 points)
(+4 points)
(+1 point)
All Students
Students of Color
White Students humboldt.edu/diversity
5
Inclusive excellence: Student success in gateway courses Campus Diversity Plan
No progress
Some progress
Success
These pages continue HSU’s ongoing examination of asymmetries—or achievement gaps—in student success in “Gateway Courses,” with a focus on comparing success rates of underrepresented (URM) and non-underrepresented (non-URM) students. “Gateway Courses” in this analysis are courses that meet all of the following criteria:
Goal # 2d
1.
Are required for completion of at least one major;
Ensure equity in course success
2.
Had at least 30 total students for the year (across all sections);
3.
Had an overall non-success rate of at least 15% in academic year 2013/14.*
The table on the facing page illustrates the difference between the non-success rate for URM students and non-URM students for each Gateway Course offered during academic year 2013/14. Courses with five or fewer URM students are not included in this comparison.
The following courses appeared in the Gateway Course table in the 2012 Dissecting Diversity report, and were offered in both academic year 2012/13 and academic year 2013/14, but have not appeared in this table in the last two years—an indicator that these courses had a higher overall success rate in each of the two most recent years as compared to their overall average success rate in the three years prior. These results might have occurred for any number of reasons, ranging from an anomalous upswing in student performance to intentional efforts implemented with the specific goal of increasing student success, among others. A higher overall success rate in recent years may or may not indicate a reduction in the achievement gap between URM and non-URM students in these courses. CHEM 328: Brief Organic Chemistry ECON 210: Principles of Economics ENGR 210: Solid Mechanics Statics ENGR 211: Solid Mechanics Dynamics ENGR 325: Comp Mthds for Env Engnring II
FOR 222: Forest Health and Protection GEOG 105: Cultural Geography GEOG 311: Geographic Resrch & Writing GEOL 308: Natural Disasters HIST 210: Historical Methods
MATH 240: Intro to Mathmtcal Thought MATH 241: Elements of Linear Algebra MATH 308C: Math for Elem Ed TA 104: Storytelling
Steps toward change… In the last few years, instructors/departments across the university have been implementing changes intended to improve student success in key courses, and these changes may already be making an impact. For example: A curriculum overhaul of CHEM 109 and CHEM 110 included significant content changes and adaptations to course structure that intentionally increased student time with instructors. The initial data is preliminary but promising: the overall non-success rate in CHEM 109 decreased by 12 percentage points in the first semester (from a historical average of 31% to 19%). Over the last few years, the Economics Department introduced and refined supplemental instruction (SI) for ECON 210 and ECON 310. The overall non-success rate in ECON 210 decreased by 6 percentage points (from a historical average of 18% to 12%) in the most recent year; the overall non-success rate in ECON 310 dropped 16 percentage points (from a historical average of 20% to 4%) in the most recent year.
* “Non-success” is defined here as receiving one of the following grades: D, F, NC, or WU.
6 Cultivating Diversity at HSU: enriching our educational community ▪ 2014
-
MUS 315: Theory IV (13:25) - MUS 349: Music Hist: 1750 to present (21:33)
ENVS 110: Intro Envirnmtl Science (5:48)
FOR 100: Crit Thnkng: Soc & Env Respons (12:24)
PSYC 242: Intro Psych Rsrch Design (16:24) = SOC 104: Introduction to Sociology (13:21)
MUS 110: Fundamentals of Music (18:48) - - -
PHYX 109: Gen Phyx I: Mechanics (12:46)
ZOOL 270: Human Anatomy (30:55)
ZOOL 110: Introductory Zoology (27:44) =
+
For example, in BIOL 412 (Column 3), 18% of non-URM students did not succeed, while 23% of URM students did not succeed. The non-success rate for URM students is 1.27x greater than the non-success rate for non-URM students, and this course therefore appears in Column 3.
The numbers in parentheses (X:Y) refer to the non-success rate for non-URM students as compared to the non-success rate for URM students in each course.
Table at a glance
WLDF 210: Int Wldlfe Conserv & Admn (16:23)
HED 231: Basic Human Nutrition (25:35)
CS 211: Data Structures (38:50)
ZOOL 356: Mammalogy (21:25) +++
STAT 109: Introductory Biostatistics (19:21) ++
MATH 253: Discrete Mathematics (29:22)
MATH 110: Calculus II (30:30) ++
MATH 105: Calc/Bio Sci & Nat Res (30:31) =
FILM 306: Art of Film/1950 to Present (26:26)
ENGR 333: Fluid Mechanics (19:7)
EMP 305: Environ Conflict Resolution (19:15)
CS 112: Computer Science Fdns 2 (19:18)
BOT 105: General Botany (34:40) +
BIOL 410: Cell Biology (20:7)
BIOL 340: Genetics (25:30) ++
BA 360: Principles of Finance (25:30) ++
BA 252: Management Accounting (27:27) ++
The superscript +/-/= symbols appear next to courses that were included in this table in the 2012 Dissecting Diversity report. The symbols indicate change in a course’s achievement gap— and therefore a course’s movement from one column to another—between that reported in 2012 and academic year 2013/14. For example, in this year’s report, ANTH 104 appears in Column 4 (meaning the non-success rates for URM and non-URM students are approximately equal); in the 2012 report, ANTH 104 appeared in Column 2 (meaning the 3-year average nonsuccess rate for URM students was 1.5x that for non-URM students). The two ‘+’ symbols next to ANTH 104 indicate that the course moved two columns to the right and tell us that the achievement gap for this course in the most recent year was smaller than in prior years. Courses with ‘-‘ symbols had larger achievement gaps in academic year 2013/14 than before (therefore moving toward the left in the table), and courses with ‘=’ symbols had approximately equal achievement gaps in academic year 2013/14 to those listed in the 2012 report (therefore staying in the same column). Courses without superscript symbols did not appear in the 2012 report.
To examine trends over time, we compare non-success rates in gateway courses from the most recent year to the historical averages offered in the 2012 Dissecting Diversity report. Courses that are both bold and italicized did not appear in the 2012 report, but appeared both last year (2013) and this year. Courses that are italicized are appearing in this table for the first time. Their appearance can be attributed to one or more of the following factors: a) the course met all of the criteria for a “Gateway Course” for the first time in academic year 2013/14; b) the course had more than five URM students for the first time this year; or c) the course was new in the last 2-3 years.
Additional information about interpreting this table: examining trends over time
SW 255: Beginning Soc Work Exp (6:27)
REC 320: Organ, Admin, Facility Planning (21:42)
PSCI 220: Intro to Political Theory (6:24)
STAT 108: Elementary Statistics (21:35) =
PSYC 241: Intro Psych Statistics (14:24) =
KINS 379: Exercise Physiology (10:32)
=
PHIL 100: Logic (16:26) =
HIST 110: U.S. History to 1877 (17:34) - -
PSCI 210: Intro to U.S. Politics (10:41)
OCN 109: General Oceanography (15:29)
HIST 109B: Modern Latin America (0:33)
=
NAS 104: Intro to Nat Amer Studies (13:21)
GSP 316: Cartography (8:33)
=
MATH 115: Algebra & Elem Functions (32:50)
ENGR 308: Tech & the Envirnmt (8:31)
-
MATH 109: Calculus I (28:41) -
=
EMP 105: Natural Resource Conservation (11:37)
HIST 111: U.S. History Since 1877 (18:35)
GSP 370: Intermediate GIS (17:33)
CS 111: Comp Science Fdns 1 (15:39)
ECON 104: Contemp Topics in Econ (6:30)
GEOG 106: Physical Geography (26:50) =
FOR 311: Forest Mensuration & Grwth (18:33)
CHEM 322: Organic Chemistry (19:38) =
CHEM 107: Fund of Chemistry (11:24)
CHEM 109: General Chemistry I (17:31) =
-
BOT 330: Plant Ecology (14:35)
BA 250: Financial Accounting (22:24) +++
ANTH 410: Anthropology Capstone (18:20)
BIOL 105: Principles of Biology (18:34)
BA 451: Intermed Fin Accting II (21:57) BOT 356: Phycology (12:17)
BOT 350: Plant Taxonomy (18:26) -
ART 251: Beg Digital Photography (13:19)
BA 450: Intermed Fin Accting I (6:33) =
ANTH 104: Cultural Anthropology (24:27) ++
BIOL 412: General Bacteriology (18:23)
ART 103: Introduction to Art History (17:27)
Gateway Courses where the non-success rate for URM students is equal to or less than the non-success rate for non-URM students
Column 4: Equity or Inverse Asymmetry
ANTH 105: Archaeology & Wrld Prehist (12:24) -
Gateway Courses where the non-success rate for URM students is 1.25x or greater than the non-success rate for non-URM students
Column 3: Moderate Asymmetry
Gateway Courses where the non-success rate for URM students is 1.5x or greater than the non-success rate for non-URM students
Column 2: High Asymmetry
Gateway Courses where the non-success rate for URM students is 2x or greater than the nonsuccess rate for non-URM students
Column 1: Greatest Asymmetry
Non-success rates in Gateway Courses for underrepresented (URM) students and non-underrepresented (non-URM) students, Academic Year 2013/14
Institutional Diversity: Staff and faculty composition (Fall 2013) Non-instructional employee composition by ethnicity and gender, campus-wide and by division* Asian/Pacific Islander, 3.3%
Black, 1.9%
Academic Affairs (n=325)
Latino/a, 4.5% Native American, 4.1%
17.5% Persons of Color 62.8% Female
Administrative Affairs (n=186)
Two or more, 2.4%
White, 75.1%
Unknown, 8.6%
18.3% Persons of Color 44.6% Female
Student Affairs (n=174) 16.1% Persons of Color 70.7% Female
University Advancement & President’s Office** (n=95)
n=780
* Includes full- and part-time staff, administrators, and non-instructional faculty.
8.4% Persons of Color 50.5% Female ** Smaller divisions have been combined to preserve individual anonymity.
Tenure-track instructional faculty composition by ethnicity and gender, campus-wide and by college Asian/Pacific Islander, 6.6%
Black, 2.5% Latino/a, 2.9% Native American, 2.5% Two or more, 0.8%
Unknown, 3.7%
College of Arts, Humanities & Social Sciences (n=95) 16.8% Persons of Color 57.9% Female College of Natural Resources & Sciences (n=97) 9.3% Persons of Color 23.7% Female
White, 81.0% College of Professional Studies (n=50) 24.0% Persons of Color 44.0% Female
n=242
8 Cultivating Diversity at HSU: enriching our educational community â–Ş 2014
Institutional Diversity: Steps toward change The diversity of our staff and faculty is a key component of HSU’s Campus Diversity Plan 2013+, and plays an integral role in our commitment to institutionalizing diversity, equity, and inclusion in all areas of our work.
Campus Diversity Plan
No progress
In academic year 2013/14, the department of Academic Personnel Services/Human Resources continued to partner with the Office of Diversity and Inclusion to implement policies and practices that are specifically focused on increasing the diversity of our workplace. Progress included:
Some progress
Success
Goal # 3b Ensure equity/inclusiveness in the workplace
Increasing the diversity of both our faculty applicant pools and tenure-line faculty appointments, as evidenced by data from the last three hiring cycles.
Offering Avoiding Unconscious Bias in the Hiring Process workshops to more than 475 staff,
faculty, and administrators. This workshop is now required for all search committee members, campus-wide.
Continuing implementation of diversity-focused outreach and recruitment measures for faculty searches, and redesigning this process for staff and administrator searches with the specific intention of increasing the diversity of our applicant pools.
Articulating our institutional commitment to diversity in all staff, faculty, and
administrator vacancy announcements, and explicitly assessing candidates’ “commitment/ experience in promoting and fostering a working and learning environment that is supportive of individuals from diverse backgrounds” as a key skillset for all positions on campus.
Visit humboldt.edu/diversity to learn more about our Plan for Workplace Diversity at HSU.
Staff and Faculty of Color comprised
16%
15%
13%
of non-instructional employees
of tenure-track faculty
of temporary faculty
humboldt.edu/diversity
9
HSU staff and faculty discuss their experiences Previous years’ reports have presented student perspectives on diversity and inclusion at HSU. This year, we offer perspectives on these issues through the voices of HSU staff and faculty. Our Spring 2014 Diversity Focus Group series drew together 27 staff and 20 faculty members from a wide cross section of HSU divisions, programs, and departments in a series of 10 group interviews. Although it is impossible to present the full wealth of feedback and the broad range of perspectives offered in these conversations, these pages highlight the primary themes that emerged.
Experiences of Bias, Exclusion, Tokenizing, and Discomfort Staff and faculty reported continued experiences of bias, exclusion, tokenizing, and discomfort, both on campus and in the local community. Many relayed experiences in which they had themselves been the subjects of these encounters, which targeted a range of identities, including gender, ability, sexual orientation, and race/ethnicity. Others discussed experiences supporting students and colleagues as they responded to and attempted to recover from such events. Experiences ranged from overtly biased actions or remarks to more subtle comments and interactions (often described as “microaggressions”). Many perceived a need for increased individual knowledge and greater institutional support for responding to these incidents. “We’re just so used to it, or beat down. I’m tired of explaining to people what my name is, how to pronounce my name—‘Can you say it shorter?’ and I give it shortened, and then it’s still mispronounced—or making assumptions about your language, your background, where you are from…” (a staff member)
Staff, Faculty, and Administrator Diversity A broad cross-section of staff and faculty commented on the lack of racial/ethnic diversity among HSU employees, and on the lack of gender equity in many areas of the institution. Participants emphasized a growing urgency for increasing staff and faculty diversity as critical to providing role models and support networks for our changing student population. Many applauded the increasing number of women in leadership roles, as well as HSU’s initiatives to address unconscious bias in the hiring process. Others expressed a need to focus not only on recruitment, but also on retention efforts. “Look at our faculty, staff, and administrators… [this] does not reflect who our changing student body is, and the changing demographics of Humboldt State… it is a bad sign for the health of our university, and meeting the needs of our students.” (a faculty member)
Disproportionate Expectations for Staff and Faculty from Underrepresented Groups Many Staff and Faculty of Color, as well as many who identified as LGBTQ, discussed the ways in which they are disproportionately expected to contribute to the university community because of their identities—whether through attending events, advising student groups, supporting students in need, or serving as community liaisons. While most expressed their dedication to this work, there was also widespread agreement that these expectations and responsibilities add countless hours to their workload, and frequently go unacknowledged and/or uncompensated. “When you informally call on a staff member… not only is that person then working out of their job description and not getting compensated, but it also shows that there is no structure on the university’s part to value that work in its own role…” (a staff member)
10 Cultivating Diversity at HSU: enriching our educational community ▪ 2014
Need for Relationship-Building and Learning Opportunities in the Local Community A range of focus group participants discussed the frequent experiences of bias and exclusion that people from underrepresented groups encounter in the local community, and noted adverse impacts of these experiences on student, staff, and faculty retention. They emphasized a need and opportunity for HSU to play a larger leadership role within the local community, particularly relative to building relationships and facilitating learning opportunities around issues of diversity. “...my daily experiences shouldn’t be so disjointed…. how do you bring all these communities together? How can I feel comfortable and wonderful in my department, and feel that same way on campus... [and also to feel the same way] when I go out to the Plaza... to McKinleyville or Eureka to shop, when I go to my [child’s] school?” (a faculty member)
Importance of Support for Professional Development and Mentorship Staff and faculty reported wide variation in the way departments/divisions support and promote structured professional development on campus—many relayed positive experiences, while others stressed a need for additional opportunities. Similarly, for both staff and faculty, mentorship varied widely—some reported well-coordinated experiences; others had positive, but happenstance mentoring relationships; still others noted a lack of structure and support for mentorship. Several participants articulated a need to provide potential mentors with more formal training about being effective in a mentorship role. “I didn’t know, when I first went to an Institute for Student Success, and joined a book circle, I thought had to make up that time.... No one told me that was part of professional development and that I should count it as work…. No one ever reached out and said ‘This is part of your work at HSU, to learn about this.’” (a staff member)
Value of Formalized, Identity-Based Support Networks Staff and faculty alike discussed positive experiences with informal support networks on campus—including staffcoordinated social groups and summer book clubs—though they also recognized that participation in these activities (and volunteers' ability to coordinate them) was limited. They emphasized a need for formalized, identity-based networks, which could provide professional and social support and resources, with an aim of increasing employee engagement and retention, particularly for people from underrepresented communities on campus. “… people need communities where they can be with [others who] can relate to what they are going through.” (a faculty member)
Acknowledgment of Positive Change While focus group participants offered much constructive feedback relative to diversity and inclusion at HSU, some also acknowledged positive changes on campus. Several noted HSU’s intentional efforts to incorporate diversity issues into the broader, everyday conversation. Several faculty positively recognized the effectiveness of HSU's efforts to orient, support, and include new faculty members. Both staff and faculty mentioned the Institute for Student Success as a worthwhile event, and a valuable method for exploring diversity topics with the larger campus community. “In the early 2000s... it seemed like I was [the only one talking] about diversity…. I can say that I don’t feel that way anymore…. I feel like the university is moving and learning.” (a staff member) humboldt.edu/diversity
11
Next steps: Looking ahead to 2014/15 As evidenced throughout this report, while some progress has been made relative to equitable access, inclusive excellence, and staff and faculty diversity on campus, much work remains. Individuals and departments across campus continue to partner in their efforts to achieve the far-reaching goals set forth in the HSU Campus Diversity Plan 2013+, and this work will continue. While these important endeavors—happening campus-wide, and driven by dedicated individuals from a range of programs—are too numerous to list here, a few upcoming efforts are highlighted below.
Centers for Academic Excellence. This year, HSU will open new Centers for Academic Excellence (CAEs), designed to provide students with access to facilities, activities, events, and opportunities that promote academic, intellectual, sociocultural, and personal success and achievement in culturally relevant community contexts. Including both new and long-existing programs, there will be five Centers open in academic year 2014/15: the African-American CAE, the Asian-American/Pacific Islander CAE, the Native American CAE (ITEPP), the Latino/Latina CAE, and the Center for Academic Excellence in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, & Mathematics). All students are welcome to seek support, services, and community within any of the Centers.
Developmental academic advising by professional advisors. In Fall 2014, ten majors—representing each of the three colleges and serving about half of the incoming freshmen class—will switch to a new advising model for 1st and 2nd year students. Professional staff advisors—who are broadly trained in both general education and discipline-specific requirements—will facilitate students’ academic, professional, and personal development. In their 3rd year, students will transfer to a faculty advisor in their major. This initiative aims to increase retention and graduation rates and reduce the achievement gap and time to graduation, and will expand to additional majors.
Employee Resource Groups. Based on feedback from staff and faculty about the need for additional support networks on campus, the Office of Diversity and Inclusion will partner with APS/Human Resources to develop and implement a framework for supporting new and existing Employee Resource Groups, or “affinity groups.” Structured around dimensions of identity/diversity, and with an aim of contributing to a supportive and inclusive campus environment, Employee Resource Groups will offer networking and mentoring, career development, and community-building opportunities for staff and faculty.
About the Office of Diversity and Inclusion The Office of Diversity and Inclusion collaborates with individuals and departments to actualize Humboldt State University’s commitment to creating and supporting a diverse community. We facilitate learning opportunities for staff, faculty, and students about the needs of our campus relative to diversity, equity, and inclusion, and support campus units in developing and integrating an address to these needs into their daily work. In practice, this includes:
Developing and implementing policies and processes that address the historical and social inequities that continue to challenge students/staff/faculty from underrepresented groups; Supporting cultural programs, educational experiences, and professional development opportunities for students/staff/faculty; Working with academic departments and faculty to ensure that diverse experiences and perspectives are a core part of the HSU educational experience; Coordinating a Bias Education Initiative, designed to support those who have experienced or witnessed bias; and Creating and disseminating materials designed to educate the campus community around diversity-related topics.
Visit us at humboldt.edu/diversity 12
Suggested format for citation: Meiris, Melissa and Webley, Radha. “Cultivating Diversity at HSU: enriching our educational community.” Office of Diversity and Inclusion, Humboldt State University: Arcata, California. 2014.