CATEGORY 1: ADMINISTRATIVE STRUCTURE AND SUPPORT

KEY

Based on Student Requests

Based on Alumni Requests

CATEGORY 1: ADMINISTRATIVE STRUCTURE AND SUPPORT

Recommendation 1: Create and sustain an organizational structure that fosters and nurtures a culture of diversity, equity, and inclusion.

Rationale: Strategies that promote inclusivity must happen at all levels of the academy. Thus, a strong message of support must be sent from the highest levels of administrative leadership that diversity, equity, and inclusion are an integral asset of the institution's values. As a result, many universities and colleges have incorporated a leadership position who is the Chief Diversity Officer as a part of the president’s leadership team (See Appendix E). This individual may serve as a measure of accountability but is key to engaging all entities of the university in this area. There are many diversity-related efforts at Trinity, but these efforts sometimes lack visibility, coordination, and robust institutional support. Creating the position for a Chief Diversity Officer would demonstrate that the University takes seriously the stated institutional value of intentional inclusion and would ensure that inclusion remains a primary focus even at the cabinet-level. Under the title of Vice President for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion, this individual would head a division that would establish a stand-alone unit reporting to the President with responsibilities that would reach across and partner with other units or divisions at Trinity. All subsequent recommendations in this report hinge upon establishing such an administrative structure, on strong leadership to support this recommendation, and on sufficient personnel to oversee all proposed initiatives and efforts. While all campus stakeholders share a responsibility to create and maintain an inclusive and welcoming climate, we will look to administrative leadership to guide the way.

Stakeholders: President, Vice Presidents, Faculty, Staff, Students, Alumni

Recommended Actions Performance Indicators Responsible Parties

Adjust the current university administrative structure to integrate a Division for the Vice President for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion and staff.

Hire a Vice President for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion. Vice President hired with an appropriate administrative structure designed to be integrated with all existing units on campus. Board of Trustees Executive Committee President

Fully staff and sufficiently fund a Division of the Vice President for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion. Completed annual report of demonstrated use of funding and personnel to accomplish goals and assigned tasks.

Empower a Division of the Vice President for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion to champion, develop, execute, and oversee support for resources and training in partnership with all campus departments in their ongoing work of self-evaluation, anti-racist programming, and elimination of all forms of implicit and explicit bias for differences at all levels to achieve the university value of intentional inclusion. Completed formal, internal review of the Division of the Vice President for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion after three years of operation to determine efficacy and identify areas of improvement. Board of Trustees Executive Committee President

Board of Trustees Executive Committee, President, Vice President for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion

Suggested Timeline:

● By the conclusion of spring 2021, revise the university administrative structure to incorporate the role and scope of a Division for the Vice President for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion that partners with all other campus units. ● The search process for a Vice President for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion should begin

Fall 2021 with the goal of hiring a Vice President for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion no later than the conclusion of FY22. ● The Division of the Vice President for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion should be tasked to develop a campus needs assessment with final analysis resulting in a campus-wide diversity plan to be completed no later than the conclusion of FY23. ● The Division of the Vice President for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion will complete a formal, internal review of operations to determine efficacy and identify areas of needed improvement by the conclusion of FY25.