In its Resolution of February 4, 1995, the UVM Board of Trustees reaffirmed the University´s commitment to diversity as a core educational value. The resolution directed the President and Board Chair to produce a strategic plan for increasing diversity at The University of Vermont, to present an Initial Report at the May 1995 meeting, and to deliver a comprehensive report at its May 1996 meeting with respect to initiatives taken and outcomes achieved to date. This document is designed to fulfill one aspect of that directive.
While numerous initiatives, programs, and efforts are described herein, this report in no way encompasses the total array of ongoing activities with respect to diversity and multicultural education. Individual departments, student groups, residence hall staff, faculty, staff, students, and administrators continue to work hard to further change and progress with respect to diversity and multicultural initiatives at UVM.
The achievements outlined in this report have also depended on the important work that has been done by many members of our community dedicated to improving this organization. As stated last May, effective planning and implementation are not centralized nor static processes: programs, initiatives, and priorities evolve over time.
Institutional Objectives
As noted last year, this plan recognizes diversity as a core educational value based on two major principles:
The specific objectives of this plan have been to increase diversity in the enrollment and retention of students, and the employment and retention of faculty, staff, and administrators. Underlying the plan is the precept that a diverse educational environment and curriculum are essential prerequisites to the full achievement of these objectives, within an open, respectful, welcoming campus climate. Planning and implementation necessarily occurs within a context of constraints and complexities: academic governance, financial, geographic, and legal are factors, among others. Ever-present as well is the complex question of how to combat racism most effectively within the "marketplace of ideas" that defines the university environment. Within this context, we continue our struggle to work toward change and progress.
SUMMARY AND OVERVIEW
Many challenges arose during the intervening year since May 1995. Accomplishments and setbacks are both in evidence. There has been controversy and a decided absence of consensus with respect to aspects of the diversity plan and their implementation. The initiatives proposed in the Initial Plan all have been addressed, and positive results are apparent in a number of areas. Implementation occurred, for the most part, within the schedule outlined in the plan.
Areas of success have included:
Areas of difficulty have included:
Ongoing Challenges and Recommendations
Many initiatives started since May 1995 are working well, and a number of challenges for the future can be identified. Most of these items also appear in the form of "Recommendations" in later sections of this report, and they include:
Improving communication throughout the organization, through efforts such as:
Underlying all that has been done this year, one need has become quite clear: this university needs to find better and more constructive ways to work together as a community to reach our goals. A special challenge articulated in the May 1995 report was "the need to infuse participation in, and accountability for progress throughout the organization." That challenge continues.
PROGRESS REPORT
What follows is a detailed report on progress and actions over the past year with respect to the Initial Report submitted to the Board of Trustees on May 5, 1995.
Student Recruitment
The University of Vermont is committed to enhancing the diversity of the student body consistent with our obligations as a state institution and nationally recognized university. The ultimate objective is that qualified ALANA students be enrolled at a level reasonably commensurate with their availability in the geographic areas from which UVM principally draws, or has realistic potential to draw, applicants.
This plan was presented to the Board in August 1995, with specific recruitment goals articulated (see Appendix C). Strategies within the plan included:
Measurable results have been as follows (as of 4/29/96):
Fall 1995 ALANA applications (actual): 335
Fall 1996 ALANA applications (goal): 358
Fall 1996 ALANA applications (actual): 390
Fall 1995 ALANA admits (actual): 290
Fall 1996 ALANA admits (goal): 309
Fall 1996 ALANA admits (actual): 329
We are confident that our yield rate will be sufficient to at least meet our goal of 88 new ALANA students enrolled for fall 1996.
In addition to the admissions aspects of the recruitment plan, there are a number of programmatic initiatives worth noting:
The Division of Student Affairs, with assistance from the Office of Admissions and the Provost, has established in the Learning Cooperative a full-time position devoted to centrally coordinating a wide variety of early outreach programs. These include Abenaki Summer Happenings, Abenaki Mentoring Program, Franklin County Sixth Grade Visitation Programs, Fresh Air Programs, Edmunds Middle School Partnership, Vermont Student Assistance Corporation Outreach Visitations for First Generation Students, Upward Bound, and TRIO. Financial Aid, Admissions, and Institutional Studies have developed collaboratively a financial aid "matrix" which links aid with admissions rating. This matrix has been applied to out-of-state students, including specific target populations.
A new scholarship initiative aimed at increasing ALANA and women´s representation in the technical and engineering fields was launched this spring with support from IBM. Each year, two students in the fields of science or engineering will be awarded a four-year scholarship which includes summer internships and post-graduation job opportunities at IBM.
The Henderson Grant Program has been restructured and is available to support students who will enhance campus diversity. As is true with other sources of UVM financial aid, the University is primarily targeting higher quality students to receive these grants.
The Graduate College continues to be successful in recruiting ALANA graduate students and pre- and postdoctoral fellows. Expanded funding for the program has resulted in an increase in fellows from two in 1994-95, to nine in 1995-96. The Graduate College has general and directed recruitment efforts. The general efforts include identification of potential ALANA applicants at graduate recruitment fairs, personal contact through faculty encounters at other universities and professional meetings, and funding opportunities for qualified applicants to improve the yield on ALANA applications. Since funding is such an important issue for graduate students, funding provided ALANA graduate students is tracked in terms of the type of funding (Graduate Teaching Fellowships, Research Assistantships, Opportunity Fellowships, and so forth). For directed recruitment, the Graduate College has several ongoing initiatives with the goal of increasing the numbers of ALANA graduate students in specific graduate programs areas where UVM has particular strengths. These include efforts to attract ALANA students to the biological sciences, to professional careers in teaching K-12 level, and to future careers in higher education. Concentrated efforts have been made in programs such as the Delaware/Vermont Linkage to Open the Pipeline (DEVELOP), the Institute for the Recruitment of Teachers (IRT), the Dissertation Fellows, and the Compact for Faculty Diversity.
RECOMMENDATIONS:
As a result of this year´s experience, the following new initiatives are proposed for 1996-97, and are included in the new recruitment plan:
Employee Recruitment
Introduction
UVM has an annually updated, comprehensive Affirmative Action Plan designed to implement its policy of equal employment opportunity and affirmative action. Included in the program are specific hiring goals with respect to women and "minorities." (The plan may be reviewed by contacting the Office of Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity Programs). While this plan forms the framework for our efforts, UVM has worked to increase its effectiveness by emphasizing proactive recruitment initiatives and accountability for progress throughout the institution. Attending to diversity goals is now a clear performance expectation.
The primary objective is to recruit and retain a more diverse faculty and staff workforce. Each of the goals appearing below is designed to further this objective.
Goal: Increase effectiveness of the Affirmative Action Plan.
Strategies:
The development of the Affirmative Action Plan is an annual process. The plan outlines the University´s hiring goals relative to all components of our workforce. Information about these goals has been disseminated to deans, directors, and senior administrators by the Office of Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity. The Office of Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity has scheduled informational sessions to review the goals and objectives of the plan with deans, directors, and senior administrators.
The Office of Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity developed, and the President has approved, new Recruitment Policies and Procedures for the University (See Appendix F). These policies and procedures address promotion practices and recruitment process, making the senior officers of the institution, including the President, Provost, and Vice President for Administration, more actively involved in hiring decisions so as to increase accountability in meeting our hiring goals.
The UVM "Recruiting for ALANA Diversity" training program has been developed, and goes beyond the usual recruitment steps in designing search processes in a manner that will enhance the diversity of the candidate pool. This program provides information about Affirmative Action and central administration resources, examines how to eliminate barriers and prejudices, teaches non-discriminatory interviewing, and offers practical tactics on recruiting a more diverse applicant pool. The program began on December 20, 1995.
Participants in the Training for Educational Administrators, Managers and Supervisors (TEAM) are required to attend the UVM workshop "Diversity in the Workplace." In addition, readings on multicultural issues will be a regular part of the Super Seminar and two of the sessions of the Super Seminar will be devoted to diversity discussions.
Other educational opportunities have been offered by other units, with support from central funds. An example is Continuing Education´s Gender Issues Conference (10/15-17/95), which had keynote presentations on campus emphasizing the intersection of Race and Gender. University Training and Development provided stipends of 40% of the registration fee for UVM faculty and staff who attended.
As directed in UVM´s Affirmative Action Plan, all administrative units are expected to apply methodologies and resources to enrich job applicant pools and thus to enhance the probability of employing individuals from diverse backgrounds, especially in positions that are "underutilized" as identified by the AAP. Annual performance evaluations include review of Affirmative Action efforts over the year. The budget submission/hearing process for each unit includes a diversity component as well.
The Office of Affirmative Action currently monitors and review hires, promotions, and termination practices. On an annual basis the Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity Office evaluates the selection process, hires, promotions, and terminations. In May the Office completes its analysis on whether any tool or practice of the University has adverse impact on women and minorities.
A detailed presentation of the University Affirmative Action Plan, including hiring goals and implementation strategies will take place at the August 1995 Board meeting.
During the August 1995 Board meeting, Wanda Heading-Grant, Executive Officer for Affirmative Action and Equal Opportunity, gave a detailed presentation of the University Affirmative Action Plan.
Specific Employee Populations:
Goal: More effectively recruit and retain faculty from diverse backgrounds, with special focus on ALANA recruitment.
Strategies:
The objective of this program is to enhance recruitment and retention of faculty from diverse backgrounds. The fund has been expanded to include pre- and postdoctoral fellows, and for the first time in five years, the entire budget of $440,000 has been fully expended.
Fellowship appointments have expanded significantly in the past year. In 1994-95, two dissertation fellowships were filled: one funded by the New England Board of Higher Education (NEBHE) and one by the Citibank Fellows Program. In 1995-96, a total of nine dissertation fellowships were funded and filled: three from NEBHE, two from Citibank, and four from University sources.
Each college and school has submitted strategies and plans to the Provost for enhancing applicant pools. A comprehensive dossier also has been compiled by the Office of Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity listing organizations, institutions, and other recruiting resources to be used in future search processes by academic units. This, combined with the required search plan that must be submitted and approved before any search can begin, will help to expand candidate pools by going beyond traditional sources.
The Department Chairs´ Professional Development Seminars have been designed, and day-long sessions are scheduled from May 21-23. Topics include: Faculty Appointments (The Search Process, Reappointment, Promotion and Tenure Decisions, Faculty Compensation and Incentives); Faculty-Related Personnel Problems and Disputes (Problem Detection and Management, Internal Grievances, and External Claims); Staff Issues (Recruitment, Performance Evaluations, Wage and Salary Issues, and Grievances); Student Issues (Student Disciplinary Actions, Student Discrimination and Harassment Complaints Against Faculty, Internships, and Oversight Responsibility for Curricular and Co-curricular Activities); Compliance (Personal Safety and Security on Campus, Environmental Safety, Public Access to Meetings, Documents and Student Records, Privacy in an Electronic Age, Fraud and Assets Misappropriation and Internal Controls, Institutional/Agency Issues, and Intellectual Property); and Institutional Resources (Systems, Facilities, and Budgets); and Racism/Diversity ("The Color of Fear").
An initial examination of tenure-track faculty hiring patterns and career advancement during the faculty members´ time at UVM is complete. The next step in this analysis is to examine on a case-by-case basis the reasons for negative decisions regarding tenure, or why individuals leave the tenure track. These data will provide a historical perspective as well as the yardstick against which to measure future performance. In addition, the AA/EEO Office annually conducts an adverse impact analysis.
Revisions to the Officers´ Handbook with regard to family leave policies are before the Faculty Senate. Reappointment, promotion, and tenure (RPT) guidelines have been revised or are in the process of revision at the college/school level. The Provost has asked the Faculty Senate to review RPT guidelines as well.
Goal: More effectively recruit and retain staff and administrators from diverse backgrounds.
Strategies:
The Recruitment Incentive Program has been renamed the Travel Incentive Program. This program was designed to help supplement travel expenses for faculty and staff attending conferences where there are large numbers of under-represented populations. In the past, faculty and staff were required to distribute at least eight UVM recruitment folders and/or position announcements to encourage applications to UVM. To make the program more effective, it has been determined that members of active search committees will have sole access to the limited funds available in this program. Hopefully, this redesign will better target women and persons of color who are actively seeking employment.
UVM works with Northland Job Corps to provide work experiences for their graduates in the building trades program. These students work on campus for a six-week period, approximately 24 hours per week, at no cost or liability to UVM. UVM, in turn, provides feedback through evaluations to the students and the school. This process gives us access to a very diverse labor pool when positions become available.
Trades personnel also teach in the "Step Up Program" designed to encourage women to work in the trades. Each class tours University mechanical areas and participants are encouraged to apply for UVM maintenance jobs when they are posted.
UVM has a contract with Saint Michael´s College to provide an English As a Second Language (ESL) course for the UVM custodial staff and management. Fourteen Asian workers have completed the course and 37 are currently enrolled in the course. Also, we have an arrangement with the Refugee Resettlement Program, directing grant funding to teach an ESL course to Residential Life employees.
The effectiveness of the English As a Second Language program can be measured by the level of improved communications among all staff members and their increased level of service to customers.
Areas are continuing to work toward this goal on an ongoing basis. As noted earlier, when a position is recruited, the department head must submit his/her recruitment plan for approval prior to advertising the position.
Of special note are the School of Natural Resources and the Department of Physical Therapy who have done an outstanding job of proactive planning.
Another example worth noting is Division of Student Affairs, which continues to share across its departments various strategies for enhancing ALANA applicants pools. Because the Division has been strongly committed to expanding ALANA applicant pools for a number of years, it is at a stage where static comprehensive plans must be supplemented by the continual sharing of ideas and resource information and diligent networking.
The Office of Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity compiled and disseminated a list of Academic Recruitment Resources to Deans, Directors, and Chairs. Training workshops have been given on ALANA Recruiting by Staff Development, Employment Office, and the Office of Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity. The Office of Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity is presently developing a training video for search committees that will give guidance on how to recruit and diversify the workforce, and as part of all searches that office meets with the committee to cover recruitment processes, strategies, and goals.
UVM´s Personnel (Employment) Office has established ongoing contact with the Vermont Department of Employment and Training throughout the state to post positions and identify opportunities at UVM. Particularly highlighted are positions underutilized for women and persons of color. Position postings are sent to over 150 locations, including organizations and businesses in the community which have extensive interactions with persons of color.
The Employment Office also offers employment assistance to community members seeking positions at UVM, including resume review, interviewing skills, and other advisory services. Individuals within the UVM administration also do outreach and liaison work with entities such as the ALANA Health Care Organization and the Peace and Justice Center.
In the exploration phase are the creation of special on-campus internship programs for community members, and the addition of an Employment Counselor to the Employment Office on a pilot basis to actively recruit ALANA candidates for staff positions usually recruited locally and regionally.
In certain instances, travel, moving, and/or housing assistance is made available to external candidates to help attract them to UVM.
Training workshops have been offered on these issues throughout the year by Staff Development, the Employment Office, and the Office of Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity.
As noted earlier, search committee training is now mandatory as part of the new recruitment policy, and the Office of Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity is presently developing a supplemental training video for search committees that will give guidance on how to recruit and diversify the workforce.
The Office of Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity has developed, and the President has approved, new Recruitment Policies and Procedures for the University. The new Policy addresses promotion practices.
(See Appendix E for summary data of employment activity over the past year)
RECOMMENDATIONS:
Procedural changes are now in place, as are expanded efforts to provide departments with the training and information they need, particularly to conduct more broad-based recruitment processes. More should be attempted at the departmental level, where hiring and performance evaluation take place and the day-to-day workplace climate is created.
Recommendations include:
Goal: Evaluate the curriculum with respect to diversity as a core value of a quality university education.
Strategies:
Each college and school reviewed its curriculum and requirements with respect to multicultural issues, and the results of those reviews are included in Provost Low´s Board of Trustees Report on Diversity (Appendix D). It should be noted that every undergraduate program has a multicultural requirement within its curriculum.
The Race and Culture course has been evaluated on a regular basis since its inception. Evaluation consists of the following:
Evaluation results are used to respond to questions concerning the course, adjust the course content and/or requirements, and to assist in evaluating faculty in their home departments.
The Provost reviewed this year´s course evaluation and has decided that the course will be offered under its present configuration for the 1996-97 academic year. The Race and Culture faculty has, however, appointed a subcommittee to examine the future of the course. This subcommittee, which will have broad representation, will become active in the fall of 1996, and will make recommendations to the Provost by the beginning of the spring semester, 1997.
This effort is going well and is ahead of schedule. In March 1996, the Arts and Science Curriculum Committee and faculty unanimously approved the ALANA Studies Program and Minor. Accordingly, the ALANA Studies Program and Minor were then forwarded to the Academic Affairs Committee of the Faculty Senate for consideration. On April 11, 1996, the Director of ALANA Studies met with a subcommittee of the Academic Affairs Committee to explain details of the Program. After this meeting, an Open Hearing was held on April 24, 1996, for the entire University community. Board of Trustee action, originally scheduled for February, 1997, will occur in August, 1996.
Relevant activities include the Conference on Teaching Excellence (1/11-12/95) which facilitated discussion on a variety of teaching topics and included sessions on curriculum transformation and inclusive scholarship.
RECOMMENDATIONS:
Recruitment efforts to increase diversity will be neither effective nor enduring if the quality of life at UVM for all its community members receives inadequate attention.
Goal: Promote a campus environment conducive to the achievement of educational and employment opportunities for every member of the University community.
Strategies:
The Provost will assess the effectiveness of existing academic support services by December 1, 1995.
The colleges and schools examined support programs within their units as part of the diversity planning process. More discussion and coordination is needed among those units who provide academic support to ALANA students. The Vice President for Student Affairs has taken an important step in this process by sponsoring a day-long retreat in December 1995 to bring together 40 students, faculty, and staff to explore potential directions for Multicultural Affairs. A 34-page report was generated which outlines a variety of ideas across a wide range of topics, and Vice President Batt will be working closely with the Director of the Office of Multicultural Affairs on strategic planning and coordination of services with other offices. The search for the Director is expected to be complete by June 30, 1996.
A survey of ALANA faculty is being prepared by the Provost´s Office to provide feedback regarding the efficacy of academic support services. This will be administered in the fall of 1996.
The Vice President for Student Affairs will take the lead in improving coordination among units and activities which serve ALANA students.
As previously noted, strategic planning is underway within the Office of Multicultural Affairs (OMA). Coordination among units such as the Learning COOP, Admissions, Financial Aid, OMA, Counseling, International Education, and deans´ offices continues to improve.
The Vice President for Student Affairs will evaluate Residential Life and other programs and services with respect to the needs of specific student populations.
In November 1995 the Vice President for Student Affairs asked Residential Life and each of the other Student Affairs departments to identify every initiative of their departments and staff to enhance awareness and support of diversity issues. These reports were completed by December 1995, and outline multiple ongoing initiatives within the Division of Student Affairs. These programs are continuously reviewed and evaluated within the Division.
The Vice President for Student Affairs will inventory and assess programs designed to enhance awareness of diversity issues among students related to race, ethnicity, gender, and related matters with recommendations to the Provost by December 1, 1995.
The Vice President assessed programs designed to enhance awareness of diversity issues among students and met with the Provost and others throughout the fall to review ideas and recommendations. These continuing meetings resulted in the approval and/or implementation of a centralized and coordinated early outreach effort, the examination of the relationship between the next Director of the Office of Multicultural Affairs and the Executive Officer for Cultural Pluralism and Racial Equality, special focused programming in the Orientation Program, and development of intensified efforts with specific populations. The Vice President also hired a special assistant to work on training and development, with special focus on understanding and appreciating diversity.
Vice President for Administration will inventory, assess, and revise as necessary training and development programs and other training programs relative to diversity goals, with recommendations to the President and Provost by October 1, 1995.
In addition to coordinating training sessions in January and February 1996 on recruitment, University Training and Development provided administrative support for the two sessions, "Undoing Racism Workshops," presented by the People´s Institute for Survival and Beyond. These two workshops were attended by over 90 members of the UVM community and the participants represented students, staff, faculty, and administration. Currently, participants are being surveyed to determine how the training has impacted their work and to elicit their suggestions for follow-up sessions.
University Training and Development is in the final stages of writing a proposal to create an extensive in-service day based on the "Mastering the Maze" model, which has been a large and successful program. The day will focus on the topic of "Building Our Community." It is envisioned that this day will occur once a year with different themes related to the overarching topic of community building. The first year´s theme will address diversity, with a particular emphasis on race issues.
The Staff Grievance Procedure has undergone administrative review and a revised procedure is currently being drafted. It is expected that a preliminary draft will be available for review and comment in May 1996.
The Faculty Grievance Procedure is under review, with specific attention paid to how complaints of discrimination are coordinated between the Faculty Grievance Procedure and the Office of Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity. Complaint procedures are also under revision by AA/EEO.
The President established an administrative crisis team for the 1995-96 academic year, and protocols for the team are finalized. A smaller Racial Incidents Resource Team is in its final stages of creation, modeled after a successful program at the University of Cincinnati. The Office of Multicultural Affairs and the President´s Office are working together on this initiative.
The Administrative Crisis Team was appointed by the President in October 1995, comprised of the Vice President for Student Affairs, Vice Provost for Undergraduate Education, Dean of Libraries, the Directors of Residence Life, Risk Management, News and Information, and Multi cultural Affairs, Special Assistant to the President, Assistant to the President for Diversity, Chief of Police Services, and, ex officio, the Executive Officer for Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity and the General Counsel. The Team has been examining past institutional procedures, formulating new and/or revised procedures, coordinating responses to incidents, and establishing the focus and working relationships to fulfill their role.
The Provost´s Office has continued to provide support for diversity programming, and the Provost continues to attend sessions and encourage faculty to attend as well.
New employee orientation now includes a diversity component and is in the process of being expanded from a half-day to a full-day program. The diversity component will be improved and expanded accordingly.
This is an ongoing effort as publications are rewritten, revised, and created.
RECOMMENDATIONS:
The "campus climate" arena has been the most controversial and challenging aspect of this diversity plan. Attempts to assess and discuss the climate at UVM have not typically led to constructive outcomes, particularly in public forums. There remain intense disagreements within our community about terms, definitions, priorities, approaches, and philosophies, especially with respect to addressing issues of racism.
Much more remains to be done, including:
CONCLUSION
This report represents another step in the process of creating greater diversity and a more welcoming climate at UVM. The activities and accomplishments of the past year are outlined and, along with recommendations offered in the report, form the foundation of the next phase of planning and implementation. It is expected that this report will be examined and evaluated by the Board and the UVM community, helping to inform the assessment and planning that will occur in upcoming months.
Last May´s Initial Report stated: "Progress will continue with the involvement, commitment, and imagination of many members of the UVM community. Problems and challenges abound, but there is every reason to believe that cooperative, creative, responsible approaches will breed success." That statement is as important now as it was then.
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