Co-chairs: Constance Belton Green & Eunice Matthews-Armstead Committee Members:

1. Eastern Connecticut State UniversityDiversity, Race & Justice CommitteeReport: Comprehensive Diversity Plan 2009-2012 Co-chairs: Constance Belton Green & Eunice Matthews-Armstead Committee Members: Madeleine Fugere, Gregory Ashford, Stacey Close, Walter Diaz, Grace Enggas, Delar Singh, Jianguo Zhu, Indira Petoskey, Imna Arroyo-Winner, Brian Lashley, Monica Rochon, Nikita Mason Staff: J. Diane Eubank For Discussion Purposes: January 21, 2009

2. Who We Are: The Diversity, Race and Justice Committee (DRJ) members were elected on April 17, 2007 by the University Senate. Others were appointed to the committee by Dr. Núñez and/or through the Strategic Planning and Implementation Process. The Committee has met on a regular basis for over a year and a half for the purpose of developing a five year comprehensive diversity plan for Eastern Connecticut State University. This plan is also one of the strategic initiatives.

3. The DRJ Process for Approval of the Comprehensive Plan: • Draft Report: Prepare a comprehensive diversity plan to be introduced to the Eastern community (January 2009). • Dialogue: Provide a forum to discuss the baseline data findings and DRJ committee recommendations (February 2009). • Revisions: Receive comments and incorporate revisions (March 2009). • Submittal: Create a final document for submittal through the Strategic Implementation Process (SIPS & PAC) (April 2009).

4. Defining Diversity: The DRJ committee proposes the following diversity definition for Eastern Connecticut State University: Diversity at Eastern means sharing a commitment to a set of core values in order to provide a welcoming campus environment and learning community, supportive of our differences and similarities through the dimensions of race, ethnicity, religion, learning styles, ability, gender, sexual orientation, age, individual perceptions and global perspectives.

5. The DRJ Committee Draft Report (January 2009): • There are two components to the draft report: • DRJ Committee Base Line Data and Findings • Campus Climate • Retention/Hiring/Promotion • Diversity Competence • DRJ Committee Recommendations Please review the complete draft report of the Diversity, Race and Justice Committee.

6. Sources: Research, Dialogue and Collaboration • External Diversity Consultants • Campus Climate Survey • Program Survey • Existing University Data • Expertise of Committee Members • Other Diversity Plans

7. Campus Climate Survey Co-Chairs: Madeleine Fugere and Brian Lashley The campus climate survey was designed by the DRJ Committee members after a thoughtful review from many information sources.

8. Campus Climate Survey Key Findings The survey versions for students and employees contained three questions of global perspective on the campus climate at Eastern. The questions were: # 7 Eastern is a diverse community. #18 The leadership at Eastern fosters respect for diversity on campus. #19 The climate in the classroom/work environment is accepting of who I am.

9. Eastern is a diverse community: All Faculty, Staff, and Students

10. The leadership at Eastern fosters respect for diversity on campus All Faculty, Staff, and Students

11. The climate in the classroom/workenvironment is accepting of who I am All Faculty, Staff and Students

12. Eastern is a diverse community Students of Color and White Students

13. The leadership at Eastern fosters respect for diversity on campus Students of Color and White Students

14. The climate in the classroom/workenvironment is accepting of who I am Students of Color and White Students

15. Eastern is a diverse community Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, and Transgender Students and Heterosexual Students

16. The leadership at Eastern fosters respect for diversity on campus Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, and Transgender Students and Heterosexual Students

17. The climate in the classroom/workenvironment is accepting of who I am Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, and Transgender Students and Heterosexual Students

18. Eastern is a diverse community Students: On-Campus, Off-Campus, and Living with Parents

19. The leadership at Eastern fosters respect for diversity on campus Students: On-Campus, Off-Campus, and Living with Parents

20. The climate in the classroom/workenvironment is accepting of who I am Students: On-Campus, Off-Campus, and Living with Parents

21. Eastern is a diverse community Faculty: Gender Comparisons

22. The leadership at Eastern fosters respect for diversity on campus Faculty: Gender Comparisons

23. The climate in the classroom/workenvironment is accepting of who I am Faculty: Gender Comparisons

24. Eastern is a diverse community Staff: Gender Comparisons

25. The leadership at Eastern fosters respect for diversity on campus Staff: Gender Comparisons

26. The climate in the classroom/workenvironment is accepting of who I am Staff: Gender Comparisons

27. More Detailed Findings

28. Faculty dissatisfaction with the level of overall diversity at Eastern: • Findings: The faculty is more likely than staff and students to disagree that Eastern is a diverse community. The faculty is more likely than staff and students to disagree that the leadership at Eastern fosters respect for diversity on campus. The faculty is more likely than staff and students to disagree that the climate in the classroom/work environment is accepting. • Recommendations: Conduct focus groups with faculty members to explore these issues more deeply. Workshops and programs designed to increase diversity awareness and respect should be provided and enhanced.

29. White versus persons of color differences on numerous survey items: • Findings: Students of color are more likely than White students to disagree that Eastern is a diverse community. Students of color are more likely than White students to disagree that the leadership at Eastern fosters respect for diversity on campus. Students of color are more likely than White students to disagree that the climate in the classroom/work environment is accepting. Further, additional analyses revealed other differences between students of color and White students. For example, students of color were more likely to be dissatisfied with or unaware of diversity services on campus, students of color were more likely to disagree that Eastern is a secure place for culturally diverse individuals, and students of color were more likely to disagree that the important aspects of their identity were represented by Eastern’s faculty and students.

30. Recommendations: Conduct focus groups with students to examine which aspects of identity are not adequately represented by faculty and students. The fact that students of color were more likely to disagree with this statement suggests that racial and ethnic diversity is important in terms of student and faculty representation.

31. Security/accessibility for disabled persons: Findings: Responses to the statement “Eastern makes a sincere effort to make facilities, programs, classes, and services accessible to people with disabilities” correlated strongly with students’ and employees’ global views of campus diversity. Recommendation: Future campus initiatives should continue to include accessibility as a primary consideration.

32. The prominent role race/ethnicity plays in views of diversity: • Findings: Students and employees of color were more likely to be dissatisfied with or unaware of diversity services available on campus, especially services related to ethnic and cultural diversity. Students and employees of color were more likely to disagree that Eastern is a diverse community. Students and employees of color were more likely to agree that the climate in the classroom/work environment is accepting of who I am. • Employees of color were more likely than White employees to disagree that Eastern is a secure place for culturally diverse individuals. Employees of color were more likely to disagree that the leadership at Eastern fosters respect for diversity on campus. Employees of color were more likely to disagree that the faculty, staff, and students are respectful of people of diverse races and cultures. Employees of color were also more likely to disagree that students of diverse racial and ethnic backgrounds participate equally in classroom discussion and learning. Employees of color were more likely to disagree that people of different cultures are socially accepted here. Employees of color

33. were more likely to disagree that the curriculum at Eastern encourages students to develop an appreciation for diversity. Employees of color also reported more occasional or frequent harassment or discrimination based on race/ethnicity. Recommendations: There needs to be compiled a list of all services available on campus that is publicized through a variety of means (website, pamphlets, workshops, etc.). Expanded programming/workshops designed to increase diversity awareness and respect and inclusion should be provided for both students and employees. Focus groups should be conducted to explore which aspects of the campus community appear unsafe or unwelcoming.

34. Curriculum – the CCS item plus the NSSE foreign language item: Findings: There is a perception by both employees and students that students of diverse racial and ethnic backgrounds do not participate equally in classroom discussions and learning. There is also a perception by employees and students that the curriculum at Eastern does not provide an appreciation for diversity. Further, the NSSE data shows that we lag behind other COPLAC institutions in terms of foreign language courses taken by our students. Recommendations: The DRJ Committee should dovetail with the Project Compass Committee to provide workshops for faculty and students designed to increase student participation. The perception that the curriculum does not provide an appreciation for diversity should be monitored and addressed.

35. The Liberal Arts Committee should consider adding a new “diversity” component to the core curriculum. Curriculum aimed at understanding the role of diverse perspectives on events, issues, concepts, etc. should be developed/required/ highlighted. Foreign languages are an important part of a liberal arts education and a way to explore diverse perspectives. Eastern should take steps to increase the percentage of students who take college-level foreign language courses or add an additional foreign language requirement to the Liberal Arts Core.

36. Addressing the needs of diverse individuals through University offices/programs: Findings: The Campus Climate Survey (CCS) has revealed that students tend to be unaware of diversity services offered on campus. Employees are more likely to be aware of diversity services, but are also more likely to be dissatisfied with those services. Recommendations: Follow-up focus groups should be conducted on this issue to identify services that may be needed, but not currently offered.

37. The gender gap: Findings: Employee and student data indicate that men have more favorable perceptions of the campus than women. In the employee data, the largest percentage of harassment reported was harassment based on gender. Women are more likely to report discrimination based on gender than men. Further, women are less likely to agree that Eastern is a secure place for people regardless of gender. Recommendations: Diversity and sexual harassment workshops should be increased.

38. Retention/Recruitment/Hiring/Promotion Co-Chairs: Eunice Matthews-Armstead and Jianguo Zhu Questions: • Are there disparities based on gender, race or ethnicity in the hiring of faculty, retention of students or in student selection of department majors? • How should disparities be addressed?

39. Charts: • Distribution of Students by Race and Major • Workforce: Note, there are 625 full time employees, 330 (53%) are female, 142 (23%) are minorities • Faculty by Department

40. Distribution of Students by Race and Major:

41. Descriptive Information on Overall Workforce at Eastern: Among the 625 full time employees, 330 (53%) are female, 142 (23%) are minorities.

42. Descriptive Information on the Faculty: The following analysis is drawn from personnel statistics as of 10/22/08. It includes teaching faculty as well as AAUP members of the athletic, counseling and library staff totally 228 members.

43. Diversity Competence Co-Chairs: Constance Belton Green & Imna Arroyo-Winner Questions: • What are the programs and curriculum offerings at Eastern that address diversity? • What are the diversity goals of departments and what are the resources? • Are there program gaps that should be addressed?

44. Program Survey Summary

45. Overall Recommendations: • Define diversity for Eastern. • Publicize and communicate the commitment to • diversity in all Strategic Planning Initiatives. • 3. Continue to focus on the recruitment and retention of a diverse student body as well as faculty, staff and administrators. • 4. Make high quality diversity education (curriculum, co-curriculum, professional development, training and workshops) available for all members of the university. • 5. Create and sustain a welcoming campus environment that encourages diversity through leadership, mentoring, respectful discussions and cross group learning.

46. 6. Support ongoing research and dialogue that advances a university commitment to diversity. • Expand the membership of the Diversity, Race and Justice Advisory Committee to represent more university departments. • Institutionalize the Diversity, Race and Justice Institute as a clearinghouse for future campus climate surveys and as a place for research and scholarship on issues of diversity, race and justice.