strategic plan for diversity, inclusion & access …

STRATEGIC PLAN FOR DIVERSITY, INCLUSION & ACCESS

APPENDIX

community colleges with whom we have articulation agreements. H M H 13

Responsible: Graduate dean, K-14 Office Accountable: Academic Affairs Consulted: Department heads, partner institution provosts Informed: Department heads, faculty who could participate in exchanges Metrics: Demographics of schools and participants, eventually application and enrollment numbers

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APPENDIX APPENDIX

This publication is available in alternative format upon request. If you have difficulty accessing any portions of this document or information with adaptive technology, please contact the Disability Support Services Office at 303-273-3297, [email protected] or mines.edu/disability-support-services.

CONTENTDETAILS FOR RECOMMENDATIONS, PRIORITIZATION PROCESS, RACI AND METRICS 3

SELF-ASSESSMENT RESULTS 12

SWOT RESULTS 13

FEEDBACK FROM TOWN HALLS 15

FEEDBACK FROM EXTERNAL ADVISORY BOARD MEETINGS 18

SUMMARY OF FEEDBACK FROM OPEN COMMENT PERIOD 19

DETAILS FOR RECOMMENDATIONSThis section describes the programs and actions that should be taken to achieve each recommendation to improve diversity, inclusion and access at Mines. All recommendations are based on best practices and align with areas of importance to the university.

Recommendations were prioritized via a simple ranking system. Points were assigned to different criteria to create the prioritization score. Scores were assigned by DI&A Council members, and in some cases responsible or accountable parties were consulted. Scores for cost to implement, time to implement, and complexity were given points of 1, 3 or 5 for low, medium and high, respectively. Recommendations with a high need for the fall 2019 semester were identified by the DI&A Council and executive leadership. Exceptionally high need was given a score of -2, while high need was given a score of -1. Additionally, recommendations recieved a score of -1 if they already have a pilot program running and/or already have a strong advocate.

A responsibility assignment matrix identifies the various offices and positions on campus who will support completion of the recommendations. Also referred to as a RACI matrix, responsible parties do the work to complete the task, while accountable parties are ultimately answerable for completion. Consulted identifies those whose opinions should be sought during implementation and informed are those who should be updated on progress. Lastly, metrics are identified by which progress should be measured.

The core recommendations have a prioritization score, RACI and metrics. Some of the sub-recommendations have separate scores and RACI information; if nothing is given, then the sub recommendations have the same score, RACI and metrics as the core recommendation.

COST TO IMPLEMENT TIME TO IMPLEMENT COMPLEXITY PRIORITIZATION SCORE

H= >$250,000 H= >1 year H= significant difficulty/resistance

M= $50,000-$250,000 M= 6 months-1 year M= moderate difficulty/resistance

L= $50,000 L= <6 months L= little to no difficulty/resistance

Prioritization Matrix Key

Calculated based on criteria at the left, plus points for high need and existing infrastructure.

Recruitment1. Create a strategy for pipeline coordination and excellence. M H L 6

Responsible: DI&A Council, Admissions, graduate dean Accountable: Academic Affairs Consulted: Admissions, Student Life, faculty and staff who run K-14 programs, K-14 career or guidance counselors Informed: All faculty and staff who run K-14 programs Metrics: Demographics of K-14 participants, application and enrollment numbers

a. Establish strategic, high-impact expanded pathways for student access to Mines via pipelineprograms, based on performance, affinity for our degree programs and interest in teamwork.

b. Ensure consistent marketing and branding in pipeline programs.

c. Identify pipeline schools, support the organically developed programs that already exist andcreate a central repository to ensure high-quality programming.

d. Develop relationships and formal, strategic partnerships with pipeline schools (K-12, CC, HBCU,HSIs) to recruit undergraduate students. M H M 10

Responsible: Admissions, K-14 Office, graduate dean Accountable: Academic Affairs Consulted: Everyone engaged in recruitment, K-14 career or guidance counselors Informed: Everyone engaged in recruitment, students at pipeline schools Metrics: Demographics of recruitment schools, number of applications

e. Create faculty exchanges to bring faculty members from minority serving institutions, specifically

2. Ensure the university is financially accessible and attractive to students from targetpopulations. H M M 8

Responsible: Admissions, Financial Aid, Foundation, graduate dean Accountable: President, enrollment management Consulted: Students, Women in Science Engineering and Mathematics (WISEM), Multicultural Engineering Program (MEP), faculty who hire graduates Informed: All Metrics: Demographics of accepted versus enrolled students, financial aid and scholarship awards, graduate stipends

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a. Ensure Mines’ financial aid packages are competitive, include signature programming andprovide better accessibility for undergraduate students from all backgrounds.

b. Ensure Mines’ graduate scholarships and stipends are competitive and will increase enrollmentfrom diverse populations.

3. Implement a coordinated campus strategy for graduate student recruitment (e.g.at major conferences, target recruitment from external federally funded programs withunderrepresented students.) L M M 6

Responsible: Graduate dean, department headsAccountable: Graduate dean, department headsConsulted: Departmental graduate coordinators, current graduate students, Office of Researchand Technology TransferInformed: FacultyMetrics: Number of student interactions, demographics of students, application andenrollment numbers

a. Establish and strengthen graduate partnership pathways with institutions that help achieve ourtarget demographics, such as community colleges, tech colleges, HBCU, HSI, tribal colleges andcompanies. L M H 9

Responsible: Graduate dean Accountable: Graduate dean, department heads Consulted: Partner institutions Informed: Faculty Metrics: Demographics of schools and participants, eventually application and enrollment numbers

b. Coordinate a campus-wide Research Experience for Undergraduates (REU) program (i.e.semester and summer research experience for undergraduates) and recruit from pipeline schoolsto support our graduate school demographic aspirations and provide a signature studentexperience. L L M 5

Responsible: Academic Affairs, Office of Research and Technology Transfer Accountable: Academic Affairs, Office of Research and Technology Transfer Consulted: Everyone engaged in REUs Informed: Partner REU schools, students, faculty Metrics: Demographics of participants, eventually application and enrollment numbers

4. Broaden the diversity of faculty and staff by continuing and institutionalizing hiringbest practices. L L L 1

Responsible: Human Resources, search committee chairsAccountable: Human ResourcesConsulted: DI&A Council, new facultyInformed: Faculty and staffMetrics: Number of groups trained, interviewing and hiring outcomes, effectiveness of training,search committee makeup, search committee feedback (for all recommendations)

a. Use strategies to minimize implicit bias in evaluation of candidates.

b. Require evaluation of contributions to diversity for hiring decisions at Mines.

Metrics: Evaluate quantity and quality of committee review and diversity points on rubric, evaluate interview process

c. Employ best practices to broaden the applicant pool and scout year-round. L L M 3

Responsible: Human Resources, units Metrics: Diversity of applicant pool, how applicants reach our portal and number of outreach attempts

d. Provide an exceptional applicant experience. Integrate marketing and branding throughout theprocess. L L M 3

Responsible: Human Resources, search committee chairs Accountable: Human Resources, search committee chairs Metrics: Interview and hiring outcomes, candidate surveys

Retention1. Identify critical transition points and challenges for underrepresented students and providesupport through thoughtful mentorship and professional development programs. M H H 11

Responsible: Campus Life and Student Success (CLASS), graduate dean Accountable: Vice president of student life, graduate dean Consulted: Students, Center for Academic Services and Advising, department heads Informed: Advisors, faculty, students Metrics: Participation, retention

a. Assess the challenges for underrepresented students with the goal of improving supportservices and eliminating barriers to success. L M M 7

Metrics: Percentage of students with various needs, percentage of students withdrawn/retained after implementing recommendation

b. Identify, track and report on data related to inclusion, access and achievement barriers whilepinpointing the root causes and solutions for these barriers. M H L 9

Metrics: Turnover, promotions, leadership makeup, hiring, climate, Drop Fail Withdrawn (DFW) rates, compare with national assessment data, retention, transfer within Mines

c. Review academic policies surrounding extenuating circumstances for students, recognizing theimportance of non-academic circumstances as they contribute to a student’s academic andsocial success. L M M 7

Metrics: Depends on what is identified, change in application and enrollment demographics

2. Evaluate the current advising structure for students and consider new models tosupport retention. L M L 4

Responsible: CECS (former), DI&A, CLASSAccountable: CECS (former), DI&AConsulted: CECS (former) program managers, Center for Academic Services and Advising (CASA),advisors, students, CERSE (former), CASE (former)Informed: CASA, advisors, studentsMetrics: Student retention, student performance

Strategic Plan for Diversity, Inclusion & Access 5


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a. Advising structures include entry transition, foundation advising, upperclassmen, graduation andgraduate students.

b. Consider a hybrid advising program with a combination of professional advisors and facultymentorship to support student retention and students’ sense of community.

3. Develop structures and programming for professional development and mentorship with the aim ofsupporting individual planning for career paths and advancement and enable all faculty and staff toparticipate. M H H 13

Responsible: Supervisors, department heads, Human Resources, promotion and tenure committee Accountable: Human Resources, chief of staff, division heads, promotion and tenure committee Consulted: All faculty and staff Informed: All faculty and staff Metrics: Number of mentees, satisfaction

a. Evaluate needs for underrepresented employees, and ensure that all who are interested canparticipate.

4. Establish initiatives to identify and develop a diverse leadership team. M H H 13

Responsible: Human Resources, chief of staffAccountable: Human Resources, chief of staffConsulted: Legal counsel, Department of Personnel and Administration, existing leaders, target employeesInformed: All faculty and staffMetrics: Demographic percentages in leadership, number of people who take advantage of training

a. Create new pathways to leadership positions and new leadership opportunities.

b. Ensure all leaders are prepared to support DI&A and implement this plan.

c. Ensure succession planning with a diversity component. L H H 11

Responsible: Human Resources, unit directors Accountable: Human Resources, unit directors, vice provosts and deans Consulted: All direct reports for succession plan positions Informed: All direct reports for succession plan positions

5. Establish and maintain Mines employee resource groups (ERGs) sponsored by Mines leadership. L M L 4

Responsible: DI&A Council Accountable: DI&A team, executive leadership team Consulted: All Informed: All Metrics: Base on guidelines, climate results, council diversity (metrics should vary based on the activities of the ERG)

a. ERGs should be active and well-structured, with guidelines to focus on specific programming and/oroutreach to achieve the goals of this strategic plan and to support MINES@150.

Culture of Inclusion1. Establish standards for effective teamwork and inclusion in the classroom. L L M 3

Responsible: Trefny Center for Innovative Instruction Accountable: Provost Consulted: Vice provosts and deans, department heads, faculty senate Informed: Instructors and students Metrics: Number of faculty reached by the Trefny Center, number of faculty who report using methods

a. Integrate into syllabi, course evaluations, instructor and TA trainings. M H H 11

Responsible: Trefny Center and It’s On Us for syllabi Accountable: Provost Metrics: Class evaluations, number trained, climate results

b. Evaluate the effectiveness of class evaluations. M H H 11

Metrics: Class evaluations, number trained, climate results

c. Provide feedback to faculty and TAs.

2. Ensure campus practices and policies support work-life balance, health, wellnessand family. M H M 11

Responsible: Human Resources, administrative and operating policyAccountable: Human ResourcesConsulted: All supervisors and unit directorsInformed: All faculty and staffMetrics: Campus climate survey, compare our practices to peers

d. Ensure all Mines employees have access to these benefits and programs.

3. Utilize a vetted and professionally developed climate and culture survey. M L L 1

Responsible: DI&A Council, Human ResourcesAccountable: PresidentConsulted: Those who are already surveying (e.g. faculty senate, Title IX, students, MEP)Informed: AllMetrics: Campus climate survey results, response rate

a. Include all of the Mines community.

b. Continue to implement the survey to track progress (e.g. annually or biannually).

c. Evaluate integration of faculty, staff and students into department or division decision makingand culture. L M H 9

Responsible: Unit directors Accountable: Unit directors, chief of staff, Human Resources Consulted: All faculty and staff Informed: All faculty and staff Metrics: Campus climate survey results, departmental attendance lists, number of groups invited


APPENDIX APPENDIX

4. Embed implicit bias trainings as part of onboarding, teacher training, leadership preparationand other relevant processes or committees. M M L 5

Responsible: Human Resources, executive leadership Accountable: President, Human Resources Consulted: Individuals running programming, implicit bias training experts Informed: All Metrics: Number trained, campus climate survey results, effectiveness of training, number of training programs, percentage of training programs with DI&A

a. Relevant processes or committees include (but are not limited to) hiring; promotion and tenure;awards and honors selection; and Admissions.

b. Implicit bias training should be offered to interested students and student leadership.

5. Ensure all university materials and spaces are available to all who need them. H H H 15

Responsible: Office of Disability Support Services, Environmental Health and Safety Accountable: President’s Office Consulted: Title IX, faculty and students, Trefny Center Informed: All Metrics: Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) standards, number of class materials, percentage of instructors who are implementing, number of lectures with closed captioning

a. Evaluate physical and technological materials and spaces.

b. Create a strategy and mechanisms to ensure accessibility.

Shared Responsibility1. Integrate DI&A into individual performance evaluations. L H M 5

Responsible: Supervisors, Human Resources Accountable: Human Resources, chief of staff, provost Consulted: Deans, department heads, unit directors, supervisors, faculty senate, Administrative Faculty Council (AFC), Association of Classified Employees (ACE) Informed: All employees Metrics: Metrics in evaluations

a. Set clear expectations and implement effective evaluations for employee contributions to DI&A.

Metrics: Percentages for promotion and tenure, number of awards, diversity of research groups

b. Integrate DI&A into performance plans, promotion and tenure and annual evaluations.

c. Enable flexibility for employees to contribute in their own unique ways to DI&A.

2. Require every unit to create a measurable, accountable action plan. L M M 5

Responsible: Department heads, unit directors, DI&A Accountable: President, DI&A Consulted: Department heads, unit directors Informed: All Metrics: Vetted plan in place, SMART goals in the plan, change in unit climate (i.e. do people feel responsible), number of departmental activities

a. Integrate DI&A into unit performance evaluations

Responsible: President, provost, chief financial officer, deans Accountable: President and provost Consulted: Department heads, unit directors Informed: All Metrics: Change in resources allocated to units based on reviews, DI&A awards given to units

3. Form advocates and allies professional development programming. L L L 1

Responsible: DI&A Council Accountable: President Consulted: Human Resources, stakeholders, Student Life, faculty senate, AFC, ACE Informed: Faculty and staff Metrics: Campus climate survey results, number of participants

a. Advocates and allies are traditionally men and/or those in the majority. The programs supportthe majority, in consultation with those in the minority, in gender equity and other equity efforts.Often an assumption in these programs is that gender equity is a concern across all socialinstitutions and that men play a central role in deconstructing (and/or perpetuating) genderinequities.

Data and Metrics1. Establish data collection methods, tools and reporting on DI&A to determine whether theMines DI&A goals have been met. L M M 6

Responsible: DI&A, Institutional Research (IR) Accountable: President, IR Consulted: College administrators, Arthur Lakes Library, Computing, Communications and Information Technologies (CCIT), Human Resources, Academic Affairs, executive leadership Informed: All employees and unit directors Metrics: Use of tools, data is actually available, Mines has a dedicated role or job responsibility, compare data results over time and data availability to peers, use and hits of the database, quality of the data, number of reports requested

a. Data should improve decisions when supporting underrepresented students and employees.

b. Improve data quality and increase data access.

c. Develop a transparent, university-wide tracking database for demographics.

d. Provide regular reports to all divisions and departments on their statistics and make theinformation publicly available.

e. Create more transparency in Mines’ centralized grievances reporting system and resolutionswhile preserving confidentiality.

Metrics: Binary visibility, campus climate survey results, number of reports, number of people who took related trainings


APPENDIX APPENDIX

2. Establish a coordinated, campus-wide effort to implement and report on the progress of Mines’ strategic plan for DI&A. L M M 6

Responsible: DI&A Accountable: President Consulted: IR, unit directors Informed: All Metrics: Timely completion of reports, use of reports, percentage of units submitting thoughtful and realistic unit implementation plans

a. Publish the data and report(s) internally and externally.

Rewards and Recognition1. Establish Mines DI&A community grants programs to encourage and reward grassroots activities. L L L 3

Responsible: DI&A Council, Mines Foundation Accountable: President Consulted: Mines Philanthropy Council; Philanthrotank; Innovation Center; Multicultural Engineering Program (MEP); Student Activities, Involvement and Leadership (SAIL); innovation funds Informed: All Metrics: Amount funded, number funded, number submitted, type of topic submitted, depends on programs funded

a. Encourage collaboration, use of best practices and use of metrics to evaluate success.

b. Ensure employees and students are encouraged to apply.

2. Establish awards, recognition and promotion publicizing and recognizing individuals and units that have demonstrated successful DI&A efforts. L L M 3

Responsible: DI&A Accountable: President Consulted: Human Resources, campus leaders, those engaged in DI&A Informed: All Metrics: Number of awards, impact of awarded programs

a. Ensure recognition is meaningful and that rewards are attractive.

3. Pursue external sources of funding to support DI&A programs, recommendations and institutional transformation. L L L 2

Responsible: DI&A, Foundation Accountable: DI&A, Foundation Consulted: President, Research and Technology Transfer, those who have funding for DI&A Informed: All Metrics: Number of awards, number of proposals, impact of awarded programs

a. Pursue external awards, rankings and dissemination of Mines DI&A achievements.

Foster Dialogue1. Create and implement a communication plan that informs the community of DI&A resources and fosters dialogue. L L M 2

Responsible: DI&A, President, Office of Communications and Marketing Accountable: President Consulted: All Informed: All Metrics: Media activity, web clicks/hits/interactions

a. Collaborate with Mines’ Office of Communications and Marketing.

b. Establish DI&A branding and marketing.

c. Create clear pathways for faculty, staff and students to communicate with university leadership on DI&A topics and issues.

Metrics: Number of issues raised, resolved and responded to

d. Build an up-to-date central repository with timely updates.

e. Update the DI&A website, including a calendar of events.

Metrics: Clicks/hits on website, attendance at events, posts and submissions

f. Launch signature programs, events and initiatives for campus-wide community engagement with DI&A issues.

Metrics: Attendance and participation rates, campus climate survey results, develop specific metrics for each program

2. Institute a campus hub that serves as an interconnected, physical space to welcome engagement and interaction around DI&A and support diverse students, staff and faculty.

M H M 8

Responsible: DI&A Accountable: President, DI&A Consulted: Foundation, MEP, WISEM, International Office, Admissions, student organizations Informed: All Metrics: Percentage of campus participating, programming and participation, visibility

a. This hub will support an inclusive Mines community, include programming advocacy, provide access to expert resources and enhance teaching and learning. Examples of programming include providing students, faculty and staff with opportunities for service learning and community-based learning and integrate examples and opportunities with Mines’ external partners (e.g. corporate and nonprofit) who engage in similar services. House the reporting and oversight for this plan in the hub.


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SELF ASSESSMENT RESULTSReport: Analysis and results of a self-assesment survey administered to the Mines DI&A Council, Spring 2018 Pragnya L. Eranki, Amy E. Landis and Arielle Rainey

Results from survey of best practicesThe DI&A Council was surveyed on their perception of how well Mines employs 39 different DI&A best practices.1 The first task assigned to all teams was completion of a survey of best practices for DI&A and evaluation of DI&A across several thematic areas (Table 1). The majority of responses to all themes and best practices were “somewhat” and “no.” “Yes” responses were uncommon for all themes and best practices. The best practices Mines employed the most as of spring 2018 were those related to hiring (13 percent of respondents said yes, Mines employs these best practices), culture of inclusion (16 percent) and mentorship and professional development (19 percent).1 These results are also presented throughout the DI&A Strategic Plan.

Throughout the process, the council found a lack of consistency across the various units at Mines with respect to DI&A efforts. Overall, there was low awareness of existing resources, such as support, advice and expert guidance related to DI&A initiatives. Many asserted that a limited number of people carry the burden of DI&A efforts at Mines and that such efforts are not valued. It was also mentioned that there are silos of DI&A efforts (i.e. they are not connected, consistent or well communicated, therefore, such efforts may not serve or reach everyone on campus). The survey was also administered separately to leadership. The results from leadership tended to be slightly more positive (i.e. a higher percentage of “somewhat” responses versus “no” responses but no change in “yes” responses.)

This survey assisted in understanding how Mines employs DI&A best practices and clarified the current status of DI&A awareness at Mines. Next steps for leadership and the council were to refine the themes, identify goals and objectives for a DI&A strategic plan for Mines and develop recommendations based on best practices.

DI&A THEMES EXAMPLES OF SURVEYED BEST PRACTICES

Theme 1: Admissions and enrollment goals Data collection and analysis, resources reflect DI&A

Theme 2: Inclusion in the classroom Curriculum development and inclusive outreach and engagement practices, welcoming spaces, disability accessible

Theme 3: Refine and improve hiring Value and hire diverse staff, succession planning, use clear hiring criteria

Theme 4: Integrate DI&A into promotion and tenure and annual evaluations

Fair and transparent recognition processes, DI&A in evaluations and promotions

Theme 5: Create a culture and community of inclusion Culture of respect, intergroup dialogue, institutional commitment

Theme 6: Mentorship and professional development Formal mentoring practices, career advancement opportunities and training

Evaluation of DI&A across thematic areasTABLE 1.

1 The survey of best practices was used from UCBerkeley’s toolkit (https://diversity.berkeley.edu/programs-services/diversity-planning/toolkits-and-resources).

STRENGTHS, WEAKNESSES, OPPORTUNITIES, THREATS The DI&A Council conducted an analysis of strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats (SWOT) regarding DI&A at Mines. A summary is given below, organized into eight groups: admission, inclusion, hiring, annual evaluations, culture, professional development, pathways to engagement and communication.

STRENGTHS

AdmissionsFinances and resources allotted; diverse clubs; WISEM, SWE, MEP, Career Center and E-Days are involved in DI&A; students allowed independence; some student employeegroups have good DI&A training; students act as change makers

Inclusion Innovation is encouraged and higher risk tolerance; disability support is available once made aware; strong CASA first- and second-year advising; Trefny Center support

Hiring New hiring policies (HEx)

Annual Evaluations Teaching faculty are valued

CultureSmall size and flat hierarchy means easier involvement for individuals at Mines; leadership provides support; solution-oriented; campus is eager to learn; there are dedicated staff; strong Title IX presence

Professional Development Industry support of DI&A efforts

WEAKNESSES

Admissions

Lack of incentives and avenues for incoming students; no documented university processes; no historical data; housing; preconceptions and generalizations about incoming students; emphasis on four-year graduation rates; no access to broader applicant pool; limited institutional support for student clubs and initiatives

Inclusion

Historically conservative university does not allow for everyone to be their whole selves; limited or no safe spaces, training and dialogues on issues; no coordinated efforts with Trefny Center to support inclusion in classroom; there is a bootcamp, fail-out culture; no training on best practices; indifference toward disabilities; trans issues have not been addressed; rigid class and common exam schedules; no handicap accessibility on campus; do not cater well to graduated professionals

HiringThere are inconsistent search committee policies and training; no recognition of implicit and explicit biases; no best practices; faculty and leadership diversity is low; there is confusion around opportunity hires

Annual Evaluations

There is a lack of trust for employees with alternate schedules; no measurements of productivity, effectiveness and impact of service; contributions to DI&A are not rewarded and are overburdening; all groups of faculty (e.g. research faculty) are not valued and there are disparities in expectations and evaluations; evaluation of faculty burnout; faculty evaluations by students are outdated

Culture

Siloed, reactive (v. proactive) efforts; no broad initiatives; there is difficulty talking about DI&A issues; perceived financial challenges impede engagement; leadership responses to DI&A issues is not expedient; slow culture change; pressure to maintain reputation; no shared responsibility

Professional DevelopmentNo diversity in leadership and nominations; limited professional development opportunities; limited people are doing all DI&A work; no mentorship culture and such efforts are not rewarded; inconsistent handling of faculty complaints

CommunicationNo apparent or sufficient organized resources; no communication on existing resources; no marketing division for guidance on best practices; Inconsistent dissemination of information; poor online presence

Pathways to Engagement Difficulty identifying pathways to engagement; no critical mass for initiatives


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OPPORTUNITIES

Admissions K-12 and community programs and partnerships, K-12 coordinator, science educators network; student ambassadors; capitalize on Mines brand; grow online activities to broaden access; partner with local news outlets and programs; improve advertising efforts; coordinated preview weekends; formalized partnerships with HBCUs, etc.; better housing offers

Inclusion Tutoring programs to match federal work-study; strategic supplemental scholarships

Hiring Broaden applicant pool and deliberate recruiting

Annual Evaluations Retention support services

Culture Be a part of international dialogue; collaborate on DI&A across Colorado schools, companies, other universities; support for work-life balance, alternate schedules; great benefits (not for ACE); student access to family-friendly policies

Professional Development Cross-university professional development

Communication Clear messaging about DI&A priorities

Pathways to Engagement Utilize external donors; Foundation fundraising; leverage specific organizations’ existing DI&A expertise; institutional catalog of existing resources; community engagement with Golden and other local areas; collaborations with museums; science fairs, STEM competitions and Olympiads

THREATS

Admissions Not offering competitive stipends; faculty perception that community transfer and diversity students dilute quality; high cost of living; competition with local colleges with less conservative campuses

Inclusion Tough, survival culture; exclusive online degrees may make us lose our sense of community

Hiring Not having flex-schedule policies; risks around PERA for classified staff; perceived or actual compensation disparities relative to other institutions; no data or reports on why people accept positions or leave Mines

Culture Not creating a supportive, inclusive environment; not being conducive to help individuals find their community; discomfort around DI&A conversations; no diversity in our community engagement with Golden community

Professional Development Lack of mentors and role models

FEEDBACK FROM TOWN HALLSCampus-wide town halls were held in April 2018. At that point in time, the DI&A Council had created a draft of recommendations for Mines’ Strategic Plan for DI&A, which were presented to the community at three town halls. The town halls gathered feedback, which was used to update and prioritize recommendations for the strategic plan. Each town hall was 1.5 hours and anyone from the Mines community was welcome to attend. Attendance was taken at the door and corroborated with a head count (which is why the estimates in Table 2 are approximate—attendance varied between sign-in sheets and head counts). Feedback from Mines community members was collected through a digital polling system, PollEverywhere. This feedback was summarized, reviewed by the DI&A Council and incorporated into this strategic plan.

Attendance at Town Halls held in 2018TABLE 2.

APRIL 2 APRIL 5 APRIL 9

~130 ~80 ~60

Each of the three town halls covered the same presentation of materials. During the town halls, the following information was presented to campus:

1. Overview of MINES@150 and Mines’ core values

2. Discussion of DI&A benefits in higher education

3. Working definitions for diversity, inclusion and access

4. The DI&A Council charge from President Johnson

5. Introductions to DI&A Council leadership and members

6. Description of the DI&A Council structure and timeline

7. Summary of Mines DI&A self assessment

8. Introduction to the proposed Strategic Plan for DI&A goals

9. Review of SWOT and recommendations associated with each of the four goals; attendees ranked importance of the proposed recommendations within each goal.

10. Description of the DI&A Council’s next steps

11. Question and answer session where a panel of the council members answered questions from attendees. Attendees submitted questions and comments both verbally (which were recorded by DI&A Council members taking notes) and digitally through PollEverywhere.

Town hall attendees ranked the recommendations developed by the DI&A council through PollEverywhere. Attendees were asked to identify the best practices they would like to see implemented at Mines. Each respondent could have voted for up to three recommendations. Responses were fairly consistent across all town halls. The results of the polls for each town hall are summarized in Figure 1. The goals presented at the Town Halls, as written in Figure 1, differ in wording from the goals in the final version of the DI&A Strategic Plan. The goals were reworded based on feedback from the Mines community.

Overall, Mines community members consistently voted for the following topics as recommendations:

• Establishment of a campus hub or cultural center to serve as a resource for DI&A best practices, programming and education

• Conducting a regular campus climate survey

• Implicit bias training, which should be required for those in leadership positions and embedded in all trainings


APPENDIX APPENDIX

FIGURE 1.Results from town hall rankings for each goal

GOAL 1: Attract, retain and graduate a thriving and diverse student body.

20%

18%

17%14%

12% April 2

21%

14%

18%12%

14%April 5

15%

22%

17%16%

14% April 9

Facilitate instructor and TA training on unconscious bias in class settings.

Adopt a signature experience that encourages everyone to engage in DI&A discourse (privilege walk)

Establish purpose-driven mentorship programs with structure, guidelines and expectations

Integrate professional advising with checks of student performance and risk

Establish a cultural center that supports all diverse student groups while providing consultation to campus

Expand and enrich themed learning communities

Improve onboarding and articulation of expectations and resources

Assess and report on inclusion in each class

GOAL 2: Attract, retain and promote a thriving and diverse faculty and staff.

20%

16%

16%

April 5

23%

13%

15%

April 9

16%

23%

7%

April 2

Create transparency and fairness in annual evaluations and promotions with integrated expectations for DI&A contributions

Integrate staff, postdocs and research faculty into department culture and decision making

Conduct analyses on trends in departments (e.g. turnover, compensation, promotions)

Establish purpose-driven mentorship programs with structure, guidelines and expectations

Integrate implicit bias trainings into faculty and staff trainings

Improve onboarding with articulation of expectations and DI&A resources

Continue to improve Hiring Best Practices Program (from 2017, includes broadening applicant pool, use of rubrics, etc.)

Develop recognition and reward processes that value DI&A efforts

Create employee resource groups (similar to affinity groups) that are driven by guidelines connected to Mines’ mission

GOAL 3: Cultivate a campus culture that promotes and celebrates inclusion and achievement.

April 2

21%

19%

17%

16%

April 5

18%

15%

23%20%

April 9

14%

12%

19%18%

Ensure campus policies, departmental incentives and funding models are aligned with DI&A

Establish a cultural center that provides expert consultation to campus during implementation of the strategic plan

Ensure DI&A is strongly embedded in mandatory trainings for those in supervisory roles

Maintain a strong DI&A web presence that reports relevant metrics and programs

Regularly conduct climate assessments using a vetted, professionally developed survey

Conduct regular town halls to gather feedback on the strategic plan, recommendations and initiatives

Foster DI&A dialogue by designing programs that engage directed, sustained conversations on DI&A issues

Create and circulate a set of DI&A PowerPoint slides and talking points that everyone can use to encourage dialogue

GOAL 4: Inspire shared responsibility, participation and accountability for diversity, inclusion and access efforts across the Mines comunity.

April 2

26%

19%

14%

April 5

29%

21%15%

April 9

22%

22%

20%

Embed cultural competency and implicit bias into all training and academic programs

Charge every unit with creating a DI&A implementation and reporting plan

Establish a center with DI&A expertise that provides consultation during implementation and monitoring of strategic plan

Integrate DI&A contributions into individual and unit performance evaluations

Include diversity expertise and perspectives on all leadership bodies, advisory boards and governance bodies

Embed DI&A into all job responsibilities

Establish recognition and rewards programs for DI&A


APPENDIX APPENDIX

Feedback from the town halls was integrated into this strategic plan in several ways. First, rankings were used to guide the development of the recommendations—those that the community voted highly for were put as a top priority for the council to further refine. In addition, this information was used in the prioritization matrix. Second, verbal and text comments collected from the town halls were used to identify areas that were not adequately covered thus far by the council and also to identify areas where more clarification was needed. For example, feedback from the town halls showed that the DI&A Council and Mines as a whole could greatly improve communication and transparency. Thus, communication became a standalone recommendation. In addition, feedback was implemented to clarify the development process for the strategic plan and its recommendations and ensuring they were based on best practices. Many attendees wanted access to a better quality of data more frequently, thus data and reporting also became standalone recommendations.

FEEDBACK FROM EXTERNAL ADVISORY BOARDBoth the corporate and alumni external advisory boards each held two meetings during the spring 2018 semester. In the first meeting, broad discussions surrounded DI&A practices (at corporations) and experiences (from alumni). In the second meeting, insight and recommendations were gathered based on various goals, objectives and recommendations developed by the DI&A Council. The corporate external advisory board consists of diversity and inclusion leaders from within their companies. The most common and high-impact advice from this board includes the following:

• Annual performance reviews include diversity and inclusion

• Leadership commitment and training to support diversity and inclusion is critical to success

• Business or employee resource groups have replaced affinity groups; Employee Resource Groups have evolved to better connect ERGs to the business purpose

• Unconscious bias training has huge impacts but should not be mandatory except for leadership (also supported by research)

DATA SOURCES FOR MINES@150 COMMUNITY

Mines demographic goals and sources1 of dataTABLE 1.

MINES GROUP MINES COMMUNITY DEMOGRAPHIC GOALS SOURCE

Undergraduate students

Demographics of Mines’ undergraduate student population should match the college-bound population in Colorado

WICHE

Graduate students2 Demographics of Mines’ graduate student population should match the population of college graduates in STEM fields at Mines

NSF

Postdocs, faculty2 Diversity of Mines’ faculty and postdoctoral scholar population should match the population of awarded PhDs in STEM fields at Mines

NSF

1 Sources: WICHE provides college-bound data and undergraduate enrollment data (wiche.edu/benchmarks).NSF provides undergraduate student graduation data by field of study (nsf.gov/statistics/2018/nsb20181/report/sections/higher-education-in-science-and-engineering/ undergraduate-education-enrollment-and-degrees-in-the-united-states).NSF provides PhD graduation data by field of study (nsf.gov/statistics/2018/nsb20181/report/sections/higher-education-in-science-and-engineering/ graduate-education-enrollment-and-degrees-in-the-united-states)2 Departments should refer to data in the given sources that represent their field. Faculty and postdocs should be measured by different groups/ranks: tenure/tenure-track, teaching, adjunct and research faculty. Staff are not included in this table because The state of Colorado composition of the relevant labor pool is based on affirmative action laws. Affirmative action is a federal legal requirement for employers who are federal contractors.

FEEDBACK FROM OPEN COMMENT PERIODThe Mines community was invited to review and provide feedback on the DI&A Strategic Plan during an open comment period held January 15-23, 2019. The open comment period was advertised via personal emails from President Johnson to all of Mines, postings in the Daily Blast, two town halls and signage on campus displays. In addition, members of the DI&A Council personally encouraged their units, classes and colleagues to review the plan and submit feedback.

The DI&A Strategic Plan and appendix were available on Canvas, and feedback was collected via surveys for each of the seven priority focus areas in the plan. The surveys included six-point Likert-scale questions inquiring about individual priorities and perceived priorities for Mines. Each survey also had an open-ended question to collect specific comments and feedback. There were two additional surveys: one titled implementation that asked respondents about general priority for DI&A at Mines, and one other open-ended response for all other comments not specifically related to a priority focus area.

Approximately 4 percent of the Mines community participated in the open comment period; the breakdown of response by role is given in Figure 2c. Respondents overwhelmingly reported that DI&A was a personal priority (Figure 2b) and a priority for Mines (Figure 2a). Similarly, the survey results (Table 2) indicate that each priority focus is both a priority and achievable. Open-ended comments were coded by keywords then sorted and grouped by topics. The majority of open-ended comments were related to implementation suggestions (Figure 3). The other comments were specific requests for edits to the DI&A Strategic Plan, concern about workload required to implement the plan, general comments of praise and general comments of disappointment. The last group of comments was related to sustainability, which in this case means concern or advice on how Mines will sustain DI&A efforts in the long run. Implementation comments will be used to develop the guidance documents and resources to support implementation planning. The other comments were used to update and improve the DI&A Strategic Plan; some examples specifically addressed the university’s plan for sustaining DI&A efforts, changes to some of the terminology used herein and general editorial suggestions.

Mines community ranks DI&A as Mines priority

FIGURE 2a.

Essential 65%

High Priority 14%

Moderate/Somewhat 8%

Low/Not 13%

Mines community ranks DI&A as personal priority

FIGURE 2b.

Essential 54%

High Priority 24%

Moderate/Somewhat 3%

Low/Not 19%

20 mines.edu/diversityCOLORADOSCHOOLOFMINES

Academic Faculty 21%

Research Faculty 2%

Administrative Faculty 30%

Undergraduate Students 18%

Adjunct Faculty 2%

Graduate Students 18%

Classified Staff 9%

Open comment respondent rolesFIGURE 2c.

Open-ended comment overviewFIGURE 3.

Implementation 73%

Praise 4%

Sustainability 7%

Edits 9%

Workload 2%

Disappointment 6%

TABLE 2.Survey responses for each priority focus area

APPENDIX

Essential/High

Moderate/Somewhat

Low/Not NR

Recruitment 79% 12% 4% 5%

Retention 88% 4% 4% 4%

Shared Responsibility 65% 22% 13% 0%

Data & Metrics 63% 25% 8% 4%

Foster Dialogue 67% 22% 11% 0%

Culture of Inclusion 85% 5% 8% 3%

Rewards & Reognition 42% 42% 16% 0%

Personal Priority

Strongly Agree Agree Moderately

AgreeModerately Disagree Disagree Strongly

Disagree NR

Recruitment 5% 42% 35% 9% 2% 2% 5%

Retention 13% 54% 21% 4% 4% 4% 0%

Shared Responsibility 26% 13% 39% 4% 9% 9% 0%

Data & Metrics 17% 21% 29% 17% 4% 4% 8%

Foster Dialogue 15% 44% 26% 4% 7% 4% 0%

Culture of Inclusion 26% 36% 10% 12% 5% 8% 3%

Rewards & Reognition 11% 42% 21% 11% 5% 10% 0%

Personally Achievable

Strongly Agree Agree Moderately

AgreeModerately Disagree Disagree Strongly

Disagree NR

Recruitment 9% 42% 31% 9% 2% 2% 5%

Retention 17% 54% 17% 4% 4% 4% 0%

Shared Responsibility 22% 22% 35% 4% 9% 8% 0%

Data & Metrics 17% 38% 29% 4% 4% 4% 4%

Foster Dialogue 37% 11% 33% 7% 7% 4% 1%

Culture of Inclusion 26% 36% 15% 8% 3% 10% 2%

Rewards & Reognition 11% 53% 16% 4% 5% 11% 0%

Unit Achievable

Essential/High

Moderate/Somewhat

Low/Not NR

Recruitment 77% 14% 5% 5%

Retention 83% 13% 4% 0%

Shared Responsibility 65% 22% 13% 0%

Data & Metrics 79% 4% 13% 4%

Foster Dialogue 70% 15% 15% 0%

Culture of Inclusion 80% 5% 13% 2%

Rewards & Reognition 58% 26% 16% 0%

Mines Priority

MINES CORE VALUES

Inquiry and Innovation • Inspiration Challenge • Openness • Respect

Diversity • Compassion • Collaboration

mines.edu/diversityAn equal-access and equal-opportunity university

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