ORANGE BLUE &MEANS RESPECT

ORANGE BLUE &MEANS RESPECT FOR YOU Diversity Strategic Plan March 2014 Wynne S. Korr Dean

1 School of Social Work Strategic Plan for Increasing Diversity I. Description of the unit s overall mission/guiding principles The mission of the School of Social Work at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign is promoting the values of the social work profession through its commitment to diversity and social justice by developing and disseminating knowledge that contributes to responsive social welfare policies, programs, and practices. II. For the purpose of this strategic plan, define diversity. Diversity is defined broadly in the School as underrepresented populations and includes race, ethnicity, gender, socioeconomic class, generational (age) and sexual orientation. In recruitment of both students and faculty we strive to recruit racial and ethnic minorities and to create a welcoming environment for LGBTQ individuals. Because of the high percentage of females in our profession and our student body, we have a goal of increasing the percentage of males in our student body (BSW and MSW). We strive to support individuals of limited economic means (low SES) to enroll in our degree programs. We also value having faculty and graduate students from other countries which enhances our international perspective. III. Diversity value statement A unifying theme of the School of Social Work is a steadfast commitment to understanding human diversity and providing a learning environment that promotes respect for all. Our teaching, research, and service emphasize strengthening vulnerable individuals and families. IV. History of diversity efforts in the unit The School of Social Work has a longstanding history of using a variety of approaches to insure diversity in our curriculum, of fostering an environment that promotes diversity and respect for all people, and actively promoting the recruitment of a diverse student body and a diverse faculty and staff. We have had a Diversity Committee for over two decades; we consistently exceed campus averages for underrepresented students (see Dashboard slide at the end of this document), and we have such a strong representation of female students that recruitment of male students to our BSW and MSW programs is one of our diversity metrics. We have consistently been successful in obtaining Graduate College Fellowships for Underrepresented Students and have used Graduate College Block Grant funds to support our diversity recruitment efforts. In addition, the School provides tuition waivers for our MSW Program to students from underrepresented groups who had high GPA s in their undergraduate studies. Because we just started admitting freshmen to our undergraduate program this past year, we are still working on diversity recruiting incentives for this group. With the assistance of the President s awards and some other university-level supports for undergraduates, we have had very strong representation of underrepresented students in our undergraduate program since it reopened. An example of our success in recruitment of

2 School of Social Work Strategic Plan for Increasing Diversity underrepresented students can be seen in the following 3 year averages: 26.9 % of BSW students, 18.3% of MSW students, and 11.6% of PhD students (does not include international students). Our Diversity Committee engages in a variety of activities each year to foster a climate of acceptance and respect within the School. They conduct a diversity orientation for all incoming students, sponsor events which include an Annual Diversity Celebration, organize brown bag discussions, survey students and faculty on diversity issues, and provide a vehicle for student involvement with faculty on diversity and inclusiveness. The following is from their annual report for AY 2012-13: Advancement of a Diverse and Inclusive School of Social Work Community Aim: Renew and reinvigorate student, faculty, and staff engagement and participation in activities and events that cultivate a learning environment that values diversity and endorses inclusion A. Following several revisions the committee finalized and submitted our recommendations for revising and updating the School of Social Work Diversity Committee s primary goals and objectives as outlined in the School of Social Work Governance Document to Dean Wynne Korr and the Executive Committee for review and approval. B. Invited 3 graduate students to attend the Wednesday, February 20 th 2013, Diversity Committee meeting to discuss their concerns regarding how well we are addressing issues relevant to the LGBTQ community in our programs. C. The Diversity Committee requested and arranged for the three graduate students to attend the Friday, April 12 th 2013, Faculty meeting to share their concerns regarding how we address issues relevant to the LGBTQ community and diverse populations in general across our programs to the full faculty. Aim: Select and implement strategies to help us gauge the implicit curriculum at the School of Social Work based on our students perspectives and experiences. A. Developed and distributed a survey to BSW, MSW and PhD students via Survey Monkey. The 10 item survey will allow us to begin to explore how well we address this critical dimension of social work education. B. Requested Cheelan Bo-Linn from the UIUC Center for Teaching Excellence to conduct a student focus group to help us further discover how our students experience the implicit curriculum at the School of Social Work. Unfortunately, the meeting with Cheelan was canceled due to the March 25 th 2013 winter storm. Aim: Continue the tradition of student-led diversity events A. OVC DEMONSTRATION INITIATIVE: Providing Equal Access to Mainstream Victim Services for LGBTQ Survivors was held on Tuesday, February 26 th 2013. The event focused on the compounded barriers LGBTQ survivors of sexual assault face when they seek victim services. This webinar event provided information concerning ways to rectify this disparity.

3 School of Social Work Strategic Plan for Increasing Diversity B. The School of Social Work Annual Diversity Celebration was held on Wednesday, April 24 th 2013. The event was well supported and attended by students, faculty and staff. The major initiative of the Diversity Committee for AY 2013-14 is a series of Difficult Discussion brown bags. These are student led discussions that are organized with assistance of our faculty. Two discussions have been conducted so far with two more planned, one in March and one in April. Our response to the social media attacks on the Chancellor this past January is illustrative. We quickly mobilized well-attended discussions the Tuesday following the attacks which included students, faculty, and staff. Based on ideas from one of these meetings we organized a badge campaign with the theme Orange and Blue Means Respect for You. This was all done in a matter of days due to the energy and enthusiasm of students, faculty and staff in the School. V. Diversity structure The School has a Diversity Committee that is charged with looking at the overall environment (our implicit curriculum ) in the School for fostering diversity and respect for all. This committee consists of both faculty and students from graduate and undergraduate programs. Our Curriculum Committee, in collaboration with the BSW and MSW program committees, reviews our explicit curriculum to insure that diversity is adequately infused in our courses. The dean oversees efforts to recruit and retain a diverse faculty and staff. We have two individuals assigned as diversity advocates for hiring. The Dean s administrative assistant is the diversity advocate for all faculty searches. The Associate Director for Administration is the diversity advocate for all staff searches, including research positions at the Children & Family Research Center (CFRC). Our Assistant Dean for Student Affairs oversees efforts for recruitment of a diverse student body for the BSW and MSW programs, and she collaborates with the PhD program director on diversity recruitment efforts for the doctoral program. The dean periodically reviews our diversity metrics with the School s Leadership Team as part of our Annual Report and Strategic Planning activities.

4 School of Social Work Strategic Plan for Increasing Diversity AREAS OF EMPHASES Focal Point 1: Focal Point 2: Focal Point 3: Focal Point 4: Focal Point 5: Focal Point 6: Increasing Inclusiveness Building Critical Mass of Undergraduate Students (Recruitment and Retention Measures) Building Critical Mass of Graduate Students and Post-Doctoral Fellows (Recruitment and Retention Measures) Building Critical Mass of Faculty Members (Recruitment and Retention Measures) Building Critical Mass of All Staff Members (Recruitment and Retention Measures) Increasing Diversity in Public Engagement Focal Point 1: Increasing Inclusiveness A. Define what this focal area means to your specific unit. In addition, address how Inclusive Illinois is actually implemented and institutionalized within the unit. The School of Social Work increases inclusiveness by providing a learning environment that values human diversity and promotes respect for all people. This includes our efforts to recruit and retain faculty, staff, and students. It begins with a Diversity Orientation that all new students are required to attend, extends through Inclusive Illinois activities coordinated by our Assistant Dean of Student Affairs and staff in her office and is infused throughout our implicit and explicit curriculum through activities of our Diversity Committee. Events sponsored by the Diversity Committee (described elsewhere) are aimed at creating an environment of respect and inclusiveness throughout the School. Efforts to enhance inclusiveness in hiring faculty and staff are overseen by the Dean, Associate Dean and Associate Business Manager. They include two Diversity Advocates who staff all searches and who provide support to the search committees and provide reports on the diversity if applicant pools. The Assistant Dean for Student Affairs oversees all admission and recruitment for the BSW and MSW programs. In this role she coordinates our diversity recruitment efforts and works with our Development Office on all awards (fellowships, tuition waivers, scholarships, etc.) targeted for enhancing the inclusion of underrepresented students in the BSW and MSW programs. The PhD Program Director oversees diversity recruitment efforts for the doctoral program. B. How does your unit compare in findings, i.e., qualitative reports and rankings (when appropriate) to the nation, the University of Illinois, and peer units at other universities? % Underrepresented Students AY 11-12 AY 12-13 AY 13-14 Undergraduate Students: Campus 13.7 14.2 14.9 Social Work 29.9 27.4 27.4 Graduate Students: Campus 8.2 8.2 8.4 Social Work 19.6 18.6 20.2 We do not have comparative student data for our peer institutions or other Schools of Social Work. We have

5 School of Social Work Strategic Plan for Increasing Diversity been consistently meeting or exceeding our strategic metrics for student diversity in our MSW and BSW programs, and we exceed the campus averages for our doctoral program. We also have a diversity goal for recruitment of male students in our BSW and MSW programs. Originally we had a goal of 10% men in the MSW program. However, over the past 5 years 11 to 15% of our MSW students have been men, so we increased our strategic plan goal to 12%. Over the past 3 years 8 to 12% of our BSW students have been men. Our strategic goal for the BSW program is 10% men. We have continuously worked to have under-represented minorities in the finalist pools for all positions. During AY 13-14, for example, the finalist pool for the new position of Student Affairs Coordinator included 3 minorities one of whom was hired. We had a search for multiple adjunct faculty positions which led to hiring 6 minority females (among 19 hires), 4 non-minority males, and 9 non-minority females. Our faculty search has resulted in the hiring of 3 women, one of whom is Latina (a TOP hire). C. Identify your unit s strengths and challenges in this area. Our greatest strength lies in the commitment of our profession to diversity and in our faculty s eagerness to engage students and each other to create a teaching and learning environment that fosters inclusiveness and respect. We also have a student body that is eager to discuss issues regarding diversity, respect, inclusiveness and social justice. One example is the strong involvement of both graduate and undergraduate students in our Diversity Committee and events sponsored by the Diversity Committee. We also benefit from accreditation standards for our BSW and MSW programs that insist on demonstration of how we address diversity and inclusiveness in both our implicit curriculum and our explicit curriculum. This reflects the values of our profession as well as of our accrediting body (Council on Social Work Education). The greatest challenges we face are financial competitiveness in attracting underrepresented faculty and high achieving underrepresented students. Campus supports for faculty recruitment have been helpful. However, we face significant challenges in having scholarship funds for undergraduate students with high financial need. In addition, we are challenged by a campus climate that sometimes does not match action with stated goals. For example, when we exceeded not only our own expectations for minority admissions for our first freshmen class but exceeded the numbers of other units, instead of praise, our dean was challenged about how to pay for their tuition. Although we have consistently achieved good success in attracting underrepresented students to our MSW program, we face challenges in recruitment of the top candidates. In the last several years several individuals to whom we have offered Graduate College Fellowships or Block Grant funding have accepted better offers from peer Schools. The competition is even stronger for doctoral students. We are very active in our recruitment of McNair scholars and SROP students for our MSW and PhD programs. However, we continually face challenges with recruiting domestic students from underrepresented groups for our doctoral program due to strong offers from peer programs.

FOCAL POINT 1: INCREASING INCLUSIVENESS GOAL #1 Renew and reinvigorate student, faculty, and staff engagement and participation in activities and events that cultivate a learning environment that values diversity and endorses inclusion Measures of progress for one-year and five-year goals. Describe the methods you will use to measure the success of the action Use both qualitative and quantitative assessment measures. Responsible entity / Accountability Clearly specify who will be responsible for the implementation and administration of this action 6 Timeline for implementation Outline the expected time frame for beginning and/or completing your action Conduct a series of Difficult Discussion brown bags sponsored by the Diversity Committee Goal #2 Select and implement strategies to help us gauge the implicit curriculum at the School of Social Work based on our students perspectives and experiences. Distribute a survey to BSW, MSW and PhD students via Survey Monkey. The survey will allow us to begin to explore how well we address this critical dimension of social work education Four brown bags are scheduled for AY 13-14. These will be student led with support from the faculty - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Continue brown bag discussion series each year on various topics regarding diversity and inclusion The results of the survey will be shared with faculty and students by the end of 2014. Diversity Committee 2 brown bags have been held to date. 3 rd brown bag is scheduled for March on Reconciling religious philosophies and LGBTQ 4 th brown bag is scheduled for April on LGBTQ issues focus on terminology Diversity Committee Develop and distribute a 10 item survey in 2013 with a report to faculty and students in 2014. GOAL #3 Continue the tradition of student-lead diversity events Continue the School of Social Work Annual Diversity Celebration The diversity celebration will be held every Spring semester Diversity Committee Diversity celebration is scheduled to be held in March or April

7 FOCAL POINT 2: Building Critical Mass of Undergraduate Students (Recruitment and Retention) GOAL #1 Recruit a diverse group of students (freshmen, ICTs, and community college transfers) Raise 2016 target to 25% Measures of progress for one-year and five-year goals. Describe the methods you will use to measure the success of the action Use both qualitative and quantitative assessment measures. Responsible entity / Accountability Clearly specify who will be responsible for the implementation and administration of this action Timeline for implementation Outline the expected time frame for beginning and/or completing your action Maintain and enhance recruitment initiatives, including: - Attend UIUC Admissions recruiting events (e.g. Orange and Blue days; CPS Program) - Encourage visits to and tours of the School - Focus on building personal relationships - Outreach through mailings, email, and phone calls % under-represented minority students (against 25% target) - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - De-briefing regarding effectiveness of events and outreach activities Assistant Dean for Student Affairs Ongoing Action #2 Better target recruitment in high schools and with Admissions GOAL #2 Provide a learning environment that supports respect for diversity and difference through the explicit curriculum All students take SOCW 300 Diversity: Identities and Issues Action #2 Competencies related to diversity addressed in all classes and field (internship) GOAL #3 Provide a learning environment that supports respect for diversity and difference through the implicit curriculum Provide events and activities that address diversity Action #2 Provide advisement and career services that support under-represented students Same as above Assistant Dean for Student Affairs Diversity Committee and BSW Committee Student records BSW adviser Ongoing Review of course syllabi; Competency measured in field evaluation Implicit curriculum evaluation BSW Committee BSW Committee; Diversity Committee Starting summer 2014 and then ongoing As part of annual assessment data collection Annual Evaluation data collected annually Same as above Student Affairs Evaluation data collected annually

8 FOCAL POINT 3: Building Critical Mass of Graduate Students and Post-Doctoral Fellows (Recruitment and Retention) GOAL #1 Enhance MSW recruitment efforts to attract underrepresented students MSW 2016 Target is 18% Measures of progress for one-year and five-year goals. Describe the methods you will use to measure the success of the action Use both qualitative and quantitative assessment measures. Responsible entity / Accountability Clearly specify who will be responsible for the implementation and administration of this action Timeline for implementation Outline the expected time frame for beginning and/or completing your action Maintain our strategic goal of 18% of MSW students from underrepresented groups Monitor Strategic Profile metrics reported in DMI to determine progress toward goal. Goal for 2016 is 18% Goal for 5 year average is 18-20% MSW Director and Assistant Dean for Student Affairs Monitor ongoing. Report annually as part of Strategic Plan data in the School s Annual Report GOAL #2 Enhance PhD recruitment efforts to attract underrepresented students - 2016 Target is 18% Increase outreach to potential doctoral students from underrepresented groups: Attendance at McNair Scholars events Monitor Strategic Profile metrics reported in DMI to determine progress toward goal. Goal for 2015 is 12% PhD Director and Assistant Dean for Student Affairs Monitor ongoing. Report annually as part of Strategic Plan data in the School s Annual Report Increase outreach to our MSW students from underrepresented groups 5 year goal is 18%

9 FOCAL POINT 4: Building Critical Mass of Faculty Members (Recruitment and Retention) GOAL #1 Increase diversity of tenure track faculty by hiring at least two underrepresented minorities and two males in the next five years Measures of progress for one-year and five-year goals. Describe the methods you will use to measure the success of the action Use both qualitative and quantitative assessment measures. Responsible entity / Accountability Clearly specify who will be responsible for the implementation and administration of this action Timeline for implementation Outline the expected time frame for beginning and/or completing your action Actively recruit our target groups in every search. Each finalist pool will include under-represented groups Search committees and dean Begun during current search; implemented during every faculty search - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - At the end of three years; the goal will be 50% met; At the end of five years, the goal will be fully achieved GOAL #2 Increase diversity of our clinical, teaching, and adjunct faculty Actively recruit our target groups in any clinical, teaching, and adjunct faculty search Each finalist pool will include under-represented groups - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - At the end of two years, any new adjunct hires will include 25% participation of target groups At the end of five years, any new hires in these groups will include 25% from the target groups Search committees, associate dean and dean Begun during current searches; implemented every year for adjunct faculty searches and as clinical/teaching faculty searches occur

10 FOCAL POINT 5: Building Critical Mass of All Staff Members (Recruitment and Retention) GOAL #1 For all AP searches increase % of underrepresented finalists and minority hiring Measures of progress for one-year and five-year goals. Describe the methods you will use to measure the success of the action Use both qualitative and quantitative assessment measures. Responsible entity / Accountability Clearly specify who will be responsible for the implementation and administration of this action Timeline for implementation Outline the expected time frame for beginning and/or completing your action Educate all search committees on importance of diversity in hiring. Reports to ODEA Actual # of hires from underrepresented groups Search committees; Leadership Team; Dean Ongoing GOAL #2 For all AP searches increase % of underrepresented finalists and minority hiring Educate all search committees on importance of diversity in hiring. Reports to ODEA Actual # of hires from underrepresented groups Search committees; Leadership Team; Dean Ongoing GOAL #3 For all AP searches increase % of underrepresented finalists and minority hiring Educate all search committees on importance of diversity in hiring. Reports to ODEA Actual # of hires from underrepresented groups Search committees; Leadership Team; Dean Ongoing

11 FOCAL POINT 6: Increasing Diversity in Public Engagement GOAL #1 Continue to fulfill mission of the School and the Profession by focusing all engagement activities on vulnerable populations Measures of progress for one-year and five-year goals. Describe the methods you will use to measure the success of the action Use both qualitative and quantitative assessment measures. Responsible entity / Accountability Clearly specify who will be responsible for the implementation and administration of this action Timeline for implementation Outline the expected time frame for beginning and/or completing your action Enhance Community Learning Lab Implement service learning projects based on agency requests for at least 50 requests per year Community Learning Lab staff and advisory board Review each semester Action #2 Monitor engagement initiatives of the Children and Family Research Center Annual report of initiatives CFRC director Annual review

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13 UNIT INFORMATION Unit Name: School of Social Work Unit Head: Wynne S. Korr, Dean Committee members, titles, departments: This plan is based on ongoing work of the Leadership Team of the School and the School s Diversity Committee. Date of Completion: 3 /14/2014 Signatures Title Email Dean wkorr@illinois.edu