A Framework to Foster Diversity A Plan for Penn State Brandywine

Transcription

1 A Framework to Foster Diversity A Plan for Penn State Brandywine Submitted December 1, 2009

2 Introduction Penn State Brandywine s Strategic Plan, , Penn State Excellence in Your Backyard: Developing Regional Talent for Global Success, sets the tone for the strategic future of the campus. The following Framework to Foster Diversity coordinates with the campus goals described in that document/report. In order to understand the attached goals, it is important to review the main components of our strategic plan. Penn State Brandywine s vision statement is as stated: The students, faculty and staff of Penn State Brandywine will embody the cultural, economic, and social diversity that constitutes the 21st century landscape. Our students will live in communities, share ideas, learn, and work to seek solutions to our world s problems. Through civic engagement, study abroad programs, and intensive internships and undergraduate research, our students will discover local and international communities, and, in the process, discover themselves. This vision is reflected in Penn State Brandywine s seven strategic goals: 1. Reorganize the Brandywine campus into a College. 2. Create a residential experience. 3. Expand and develop innovative academic programs. 4. Integrate international and multicultural perspectives. 5. Enhance stewardship of all resources. 6. enrollment. 7. visibility and community engagement. 2

3 The principal strengths of Penn State Brandywine are the high quality of the faculty and programs, the diversity of the students, undergraduate research opportunities, international travel and study, student engagement, economic and demographic strength of the region, and the expansive campus grounds. In reviewing the strategic diversity goals for the university, it was apparent to the Diversity Committee that the campus had many strong institutionalized traditions in place that should continue. Therefore, this Framework is a strategic plan to improve on our best practices already in place and to offer some new initiatives. We have included a chart (see Appendix A) that shows the alignment of our diversity goals to our strategic goals. Penn State Brandywine actively recruits traditional-aged students from diverse backgrounds. In fact, our service area includes the richest school district in the state (Radnor) and the poorest (Chester-Upland). Through partnerships with the Philadelphia Community Recruitment Center, local College Access Centers, the Philadelphia Academies, Philadelphia and Chester County Futures, and others, the campus has been successful in attracting and enrolling a diverse student body population. Therefore, in this plan, we are focusing on strategies for increasing nontraditional students. This does not mean that we will not continue our already successful efforts to recruit an ethnically diverse student body. The campus offers a manifold array of programs and student clubs and organizations that support student programming and retention. We recognize the importance of continuing this and building on our successes. However, for the purpose of this plan, we will focus on new approaches for engaging the entire campus community. From the academic perspective, we continually review our course offerings related to diversity issues. We also provide support and strive to meet the needs of all our 3

4 students. The goals listed in this new plan are additional ways to reach and engage our diverse student population and attract new students, faculty and staff to our campus. Penn State Brandywine is committed to maintaining a campus environment that moves beyond tolerance to cultural competency. We set high expectations for students, faculty, and staff, and model behavior that celebrates a diverse community. In the next five years, we will continue to build on our strengths, capitalize on our successes, and identify new opportunities. The following matrix identifies our goals for each of the seven challenges listed in the Framework to Foster Diversity Please note that Appendices B-E, while not referenced in the body of this document, are provided as benchmarks for the campus as we move forward with this plan. 4

5 Matrix for Diversity Plan Challenge 1 - Developing a Shared and Inclusive Understanding of Diversity Goals By Challenge Goal 1: Penn State Brandywine's shared understanding of diversity Action Items/ Description Create and disseminate Penn State Brandywine's Diversity Principles. Develop 4-6 guiding principles that frame PSU Brandywine's commitment to diversity. Projected Outcomes Shared vision for campus diversity; single campus definition of diversity Planned Completion Date Fall 2010 Status Outcomes Goal 2: diversity awareness among Penn State Brandywine faculty, staff, and students Create diversity training for faculty, staff, and students. Ensure on-going training and sensitivity to diversity initiatives within faculty and staff units. Create core diversity curriculum for student leadership training. Greater student retention; increased cultural competence. Enhance diversity training for student leaders (Orientation Leaders, Student Government Association, Council of Club Presidents, etc.) with increase cultural competence Ongoing Strategic Indicators for this Challenge: Indicator: NSSE report for student questions related to diversity and sense of belonging 5

6 Indicator: Staff/faculty survey questions related to diversity and sense of belonging Indicator: Number of training opportunities offered and number of participants Indicator: Amount of time students have had serious conversations with students/faculty/staff of different races, ethnicities, socioeconomic background, etc. 6

7 Challenge 2- Creating a Welcoming Campus Climate Goals By Challenge Goal 1: Create a welcoming space for diverse student populations on campus Goal 2: and provide more inclusive services through Brandywine's academic support services (Advising, Career, Learning, Math & Writing centers) Goal 3: Enhance and increase multicultural student programming Action Items/ Description Create a space on campus that can be a GSA No Place for Hate, Prayer Room, Safe Space hours, have more diverse staff, more diversity focused programming Enhance clubs and activities that are multicultural or Internationally focused. Projected Outcomes More inclusive and diverse campus More inclusive and diverse campus with centralized academic services to accommodate the demands of our diverse student schedules. Giving students extra curricular activities and offerings Planned Completion Date 2012 Fall Fall 2011 Status Outcomes Strategic Indicators for this Challenge: Indicator: Retention figures for diverse student populations Indicator: d access for support services as evidenced by changed hours or staffing Indicator: d number of multicultural focused clubs/organizations 7

8 Challenge 3- Recruiting and Retaining a Diverse Student Body Goals By Challenge Goal 1: Maintain or increase current enrollment numbers from ethnic diverse populations by looking at new markets Action Items/ Description out of state recruitment efforts in NJ and DE; Provide pre-college programs geared at students at risk; Encourage dual enrollment programs for underrepresented students Projected Outcomes Stable or modest yearly (1%) increases in diverse student populations among ethnic minorities Planned Completion Date Ongoing Status Outcomes Goal 2: number of nontraditional students (adult students, veteran, international students) Continue outreach to local community colleges; offerings through continuing education courses; Work with local veteran organizations to offer opportunities for veterans; Apply for TRIO/Veteran grant to provide support for veterans; promote campus through study abroad trips; work with UAO to promote campus to international students At least a 5% increase in 5 years from these special populations Ongoing Goal 3: Continue to provide and enhance opportunities for underrepresented students to Continue to encourage student groups that have a diversity focus (ethnic, gender, religious, sexual Ongoing 8

9 enhance retention. orientation, cultural, etc.); Continue student support services for specific cohorts as needed; Provide cocurricular programming that speaks to our multiple student experiences; Assign all first year students a peer mentor Strategic Indicators for this Challenge: Indicator: Undergraduate enrollment on campus by gender Indicator: Undergraduate enrollment on campus by ethnicity Indicator: Six year graduation rates by gender Indicator: Six year graduation rates by ethnicity Indicator: Entering student demographics by age Indicator: Entering student demographics by veteran status, Indicator: Entering student demographics by ethnic, Indicator: Entering student demographics by gender Indicator: NSSE student results in 2013 compared to 2008 on select targets 9

10 Challenge 4- Recruiting and Retaining a Diverse Workforce Goals By Challenge Goal 1: Continue to make diversity an important goal in the hiring process for faculty & staff Goal 2: Offer diversity/ sensitivity training for faculty and staff professional development Goal 3: Create a faculty exchange with local institutions or international educational institutions in Action Items/ Description All search committees are charged with the responsibility for ensuring a diverse employment pool by including gender, age and ethnic diversity within the FINAL pool of candidates; Advertise in a variety of minority focused publications Provide professional development opportunities for staff and faculty related to diversity issues including race, gender and LGBT issues at least once a semester. Work with trade representatives in select African and Asian countries to make contacts for potential visiting professors; explore the possibility of Projected Outcomes d diversity among faculty and staff by a minimum of 1% per year Eighty percent of faculty and staff will participate in at least one diversity related professional development activity per year as recorded in the end of year activity reports (FAR for faculty and SRDP for staff) Provide an opportunity to increase the number of diverse faculty without needing the permanent support for a Planned Completion Date Ongoing Ongoing Ongoing Status Outcomes 10

11 Africa and Asia to increase diversity among faculty faculty exchanges with local HBCU institutions; Provide budget in academic affairs to support this initiative faculty tenure line. Strategic Indicators for this Challenge: Indicator: Brandywine faculty by gender Indicator: Brandywine staff by gender Indicator: Brandywine faculty by ethnicity Indicator: Brandywine staff by ethnicity Indicator: Number of professional development opportunities experienced by staff and faculty Indicator: Number of visiting faculty members yearly 11

12 Challenge 5- Develop a Curriculum that Fosters US and International Cultural Competencies Goals By Challenge Goal 1: Provide an increased Diversity Curriculum. Goal 2: Develop embedded trip courses through the International Studies Program to Latin America, Asia, and Africa in order to realize recent initiatives, and achieve a greater understanding Action Items/ Description Review US and IL course list and determine the best courses to continue and/or employ in order to meet our students diversity needs; Assess the effectiveness of this program in achieving its goals of providing a successful learning environment. Faculty with unique cultural and linguistic connections to LA, Asia, and Africa will develop these courses; Create a partnership with the faculty member s high school, college, or university in their native country. Projected Outcomes Schedule those courses during the academic year, beginning Fall 2010 and throughout the following years; number of courses by 1% each year; Include in the completion of the campus assessment for academic programs Approximately 100 students each year will develop a greater understanding of global cultures and will acquire a meaningful connection to LA, Asia, and Africa through these courses; High school & college students from the faculty Planned Completion Date Ongoing from June June 2015 Spring 2015 Status Outcomes 12

13 of global issues Goal 3: the resources and opportunities for ESL, international, and underrepresented groups Extend the existing 30-hour Summer Program to include the summer between semester s 2 and 3 if student performance data indicates a specific need. members native country will learn about Penn State Brandywine, and see it as a possible college choice for them. Student retention of PREP, Tracking, and Provisional students will increase. We will track 100% with an anticipated improved retention of 10% Summer through 2015 Strategic Indicators for this Challenge: Indicator: See US, IL, and Both Permanent Courses Indicator: See US and IL Permanent Foreign Studies Courses Indicator: See US, IL, and Both One-Semester Courses, Undergraduate Indicator: See Participation in Education Abroad Indicator: Student retention in specialized programs 13

14 Challenge 6- Diversifying University Leadership and Management Goals By Challenge Goal 1: diversity on campus advisory board and continue current practices for strategic planning committee Goal 2: level of diversity of campus representatives serving on the University Faculty Senate and the Campus Executive Committee of the Faculty Senate Action Items/ Description Gather demographic data for advisory board and strategic planning committee; charge the membership committee of the advisory board with recruiting new members from underrepresented groups; appoint members to increase levels of diversity Implement a program for current senate members to mentor faculty from diverse backgrounds for these leadership positions; Implement a program for current senate members to mentor faculty from diverse backgrounds for these leadership positions Projected Outcomes d diversity on advisory board by 5% At least one member of the senate will be from an underrepresented group; Planned Completion Date Ongoing Ongoing Status Outcomes 14

15 Goal 3: diversity among Program Coordinators opportunities for associate and full professors from underrepresented groups to visit their colleges at University Park in diversity among program coordinators by 1% (gender diversity is already achieved) Ongoing Strategic Indicators: Indicator: Brandywine Advisory Board and Strategic Planning Committee Composition by Gender and Ethnicity Indicator: Brandywine Representatives to the University Faculty Senate and Campus Executive Committee by Gender and Ethnicity Indicator: Brandywine Coordinators by Gender and Ethnicity 15

16 Challenge 7- Coordinating Organizational Change to Support Diversity Goals Goals By Challenge Goal 1: Ensure that diversity planning, implementation, and accountability is woven into our strategic plan and embraced by all units. Goal 2: Continue to foster linkages with community resources to serve underrepresented/ underserved communities Action Items/ Description Goals developed by Diversity Task Force will be passed to Strategic Planning committee. A member of the diversity task force will serve on the Strategic Planning committee to ensure diversity goals are embedded within the strategic plan; Goals developed by Diversity Task Force will be shared with unit and department level leadership who will then pass on information to their teams. Units will take responsibility for items that fall under their purview; Monitor data on demographics related to diversity within units and departments to reveal disparities and opportunities for improvement; Data will be monitored and any disparities will be reported to campus leadership for resolution Continue to apply for State and Federal funded grant opportunities, such as the VISTA program; continue Chancellor, DAA, DEM's board and steering committee membership on the Delaware County Projected Outcomes Diversity goals will be incorporated into strategic plan; All faculty and staff will be aware of the goals developed by the diversity task force; Data will be monitored and any disparities will be reported to campus leadership for resolution Planned Completion Date Ongoing Status Outcom es 16

17 Goal 3: Develop a formal mechanism to track all campus programs that relate to diversity College Access Center in Chester, PA; continue relationship with Harrah's Casino to provide scholarship opportunities for City of Chester students Add language to our event reservation form that identifies diversity content; direct supervisors to account for direct reports' diversity related professional development/participation via the SRDP process; assign accountability to Division Heads to report activities to one staff member charged with inputting/maintaining the data Metrics of increased diversity related efforts and activities will be readily accessible Strategic Indicators Indicator: Strategic Plan with Diversity Component Indicator: Work Unit Outcomes Reporting Indicator: Number of Grant Applications Written Indicator: Comprehensive Data on All Diversity-Related Programs and Initiatives 17

18 Appendix A - Comparison of Strategic & Diversity Goals Reorganize the Brandywine campus into a College Create a residential experience Expand and develop innovative academic programs. Integrate international and multicultural perspectives. Enhance stewardshi p of all resources. enrollment visibility and community engagement Challenge 1/Goal 1: Penn State Brandywine's shared understanding of diversity Challenge 1/Goal 2: diversity awareness among Penn State Brandywine faculty, staff, and students Challenge 2/Goal 1: Create a welcoming space for diverse student populations on campus Challenge 2/Goal 2: and provide more inclusive services through Brandywine's academic support services (Advising, Career, Learning, Math & Writing centers) Challenge 2/Goal 3: Enhance and increase multicultural student programming 18

19 Reorganize the Brandywine campus into a College Create a residential experience Expand and develop innovative academic programs. Integrate international and multicultural perspectives. Enhance stewardshi p of all resources. enrollment visibility and community engagement Challenge 3/Goal 1: Maintain or increase current enrollment numbers from ethnic diverse populations by looking at new markets Challenge 3/Goal 2: number of non-traditional students (adult students, veteran, international students) Challenge 3/Goal 3: Continue to provide and enhance opportunities for underrepresented students to enhance retention. Challenge 4/Goal 1: Continue to make diversity an important goal in the hiring process for faculty & staff 19

20 Reorganize the Brandywine campus into a College Create a residential experience Expand and develop innovative academic programs. Integrate international and multicultural perspectives. Enhance stewardshi p of all resources. enrollment visibility and community engagement Challenge 4/Goal 2: Offer diversity/ sensitivity training for faculty and staff professional development Challenge 4/Goal 3: Create a faculty exchange with local institutions or international educational institutions in Africa and Asia to increase diversity among faculty Challenge 5/Goal 1: Provide an increased Diversity Curriculum. Challenge 5/Goal 2: Develop embedded trip courses through the International Studies Program to Latin America, Asia, and Africa in order to realize recent initiatives, and achieve a greater understanding of global issues 20

21 Reorganize the Brandywine campus into a College Create a residential experience Expand and develop innovative academic programs. Integrate international and multicultural perspectives. Enhance stewardshi p of all resources. enrollment visibility and community engagement Challenge 5/Goal 3: the resources and opportunities for ESL, international, and underrepresented groups Challenge 6/Goal 1: diversity on campus advisory board and continue current practices for strategic planning committee Challenge 6/Goal 2: level of diversity of campus representatives serving on the University Faculty Senate and the Campus Executive Committee of the Faculty Senate Challenge 6/Goal 3: diversity among Program Coordinators Reorganize the Brandywine campus into a College Create a residential experience Expand and develop innovative academic programs. Integrate international and multicultural perspectives. Enhance stewardshi p of all resources. enrollment visibility and community engagement 21

22 Reorganize the Brandywine campus into a College Create a residential experience Expand and develop innovative academic programs. Integrate international and multicultural perspectives. Enhance stewardshi p of all resources. enrollment visibility and community engagement Challenge 7/Goal 1: Ensure that diversity planning, implementation, and accountability is woven into our strategic plan and embraced by all units. Challenge 7/Goal 2: Continue to foster linkages with community resources to serve underrepresented/ underserved communities Challenge 7/Goal 3: Develop a formal mechanism to track all campus programs that relate to diversity 22

23 Appendix B -Fall 2008 Undergraduate Enrollments at PSU Brandywine by Ethnicity & Gender Table 5 Fall 2008 Undergraduate Student Enrollments, by Commonwealth Campus and Ethnicity Am Ind/ Ala Nat Blk/ Af Am As/Pac Am Hisp Multicultural Student Subtotal White/ Not Reported Inter- National # % # % # % # % # % # % # % # Brandywine 5 0.3% % % % % % 5 0.3% 1615 Totals 5 0.3% % % % % % 5 0.3% 1615 Totals Table 5 Fall 2008 Undergraduate Student Enrollments, by Commonwealth Campus and Gender Female Male Totals # % # % # Brandywine % % 1615 Totals % %

24 Appendix C -Brandywine Staff by Gender & Ethnicity Executives, Academic Administrators, Administrators, Staff, and Tech Service - by Gender Fall 2008 Female Male Total Brandywine ACAM 0.0% % 1 ACAM SbT 0.0% % 1 ADMR % 0.0% 1 ADMR SbT % 0.0% 1 STAFF % 0.0% % % % % 23 Comp 0.0% % 6 STAFF SbT % % 45 TECH % % % % 12 TECH SbT % % 16 Totals % % 63 24

25 Brandywine Executives, Administrators, Academic Administrators, Staff, and Tech Service - by Ethnicity Fall 2008 Unit Class Grd Am Blk/ As/Pac Multicultural Ind/ Hisp Af Am Am Subtotal Ala Nat White Totals Brandywine ACAM 0.0% 0.0% 0.0% 0.0% 0 0.0% % 1 ACAM SbT 0.0% 0.0% 0.0% 0.0% 0 0.0% % 1 ADMR 0.0% 0.0% 0.0% 0.0% 0 0.0% % 1 ADMR SbT 0.0% 0.0% 0.0% 0.0% 0 0.0% % 1 STAFF % 0.0% 0.0% 0.0% 0 0.0% % % 0.0% 0.0% 1 6.7% 1 6.7% % % % 0.0% 0.0% % % 23 Comp 0.0% % 0.0% 0.0% % % 6 STAFF SbT 0.0% % 0.0% 1 2.2% % % 45 TECH % 0.0% 0.0% 0.0% 0 0.0% % % % 0.0% 1 8.3% % % 12 TECH SbT 0.0% % 0.0% 1 6.3% % % 16 Totals 0.0% % 0.0% 2 3.2% % % 63 25

26 Appendix D -Brandywine Faculty by Gender & Ethnicity Fall 2008 Faculty, Commonwealth Campuses, by Campus and Ethnicity Brandywine Professor Associate Professor Assistant Professor Instructor Totals # % # % # % # % # % Am Ind 0 0.0% 0 0.0% 0 0.0% 0 0.0% 0 0.0% Af Am 1 9.1% 1 5.9% % 1 3.8% 5 7.6% As Am 0 0.0% 1 5.9% 0 0.0% 1 3.8% 2 3.0% Hisp 1 9.1% 1 5.9% 0 0.0% 1 3.8% 3 4.5% SbT % % % % % White % % % % % Totals % % % % % Brandywine Professor Associate Professor Assistant Professor Instructor Totals # % # % # % # % # % Female % % % % % Male % % % % % Totals % % % % % 26

27 Appendix E - Brandywine NSSE Results Related to Diversity Penn State Brandywine compared with: Penn State Brandywine Penn State Carnegie Comparators Competitors Academic and Intellectual Experiences Included diverse perspectives (different races, religions, genders, political beliefs, etc.) in class discussions or writing assignments Variable DIVCLASS Bench- Effect Effect Effect mark Class Mean a Mean a Sig b Size c Mean a Sig b Size c Mean a Sig b Size c In your experience at your institution during the current school year, about how often have you done each of the following? 1=Never, 2=Sometimes, 3=Often, 4=Very often FY *** **.26 SR Had serious conversations with students of a different race or ethnicity than your own DIVRSTUD EEE FY Had serious conversations with students who are very different from you in terms DIFFSTU2 EEE SR ** *.30 FY

28 of their religious beliefs, political opinions, or personal values SR Encouraging contact among students from different economic, social, and racial or ethnic backgrounds ENVDIVRS EEE FY SR * *.36 Understanding people of other racial and ethnic backgrounds GNDIVERS FY * SR * *.33 28