Assessing the Diversity Needs of Eastern Oregon University

1. University of Oregon Center on Diversity and Community Assessing the Diversity Needs of Eastern Oregon University Professional Development Module Eastern Oregon University

2. “Not everything that is faced can be changed, but nothing can be changed until it is faced.”-James Baldwin

3. Mini “Survey” with EOU Community Members Perception of campus climate EOU’s priority needs/concerns in terms of diversity Goals/Hopes

4. EOU Needs Assessment: Main Themes • Poor relationship with administration • Perceived lack of leadership • Major communication issues • Infrastructure issues • Low morale • Not knowing how to talk to one another about diversity issues • Relationship between student-athletes and general student population is strained

5. Poor Relationship with Administration • Deep distrust • Lack of mutual respect • Perception that the Administration not around very much

6. Perceived lack of leadership • Unstable leadership with high turnover • No ownership of diversity issues • Excuses offered: “I’m not qualified” • Perceived lack of follow through on important issues • Reactive rather than pro-active • In a “fog” in terms of next steps • “Where are we going? What are we doing? Nobody knows what to do”

7. Major Communication Issues • Either/or thinking about complex issues • Forced to take sides • Information from administration doesn’t flow down • “It’s difficult to get straight information from on high” • “people end up hanging onto partial truths” • “the administration talks to the press but not to us” • Faculty, staff, students don’t feel heard • Policies are unclear, undeveloped and/or invisible • Information on website hard to find

8. Infrastructure Issues • Perceived disconnect at all levels • Lack of skills, knowledge, awareness on issues of diversity • Role conflicts • No clear place/procedure to report issues of bias/harassment • No clear place to voice concerns • “what do you do if you have a problem with student affairs? Who do you go to then?” • Focus on recruitment and not retention “Administrators think that throwing people together should be enough”

9. Morale Issues • “It’s not a happy campus right now. There needs to be some major changes right now.” • fueled by several major issues • Budget • Low confidence in leadership • Controversial incidents • -“being a small campus, things become very personal very quickly” • Anger, resentment, disillusionment, distrust, loss of hope • Students of color feeling demoralized, isolated, and scared • “walking around campus you hear comments” • “I am not a threat to this community or society” • Student athletes’ addresses printed in student paper

10. Not Knowing how to Talk About Diversity Issues • Awkward and uncomfortable • “it takes a crisis and a couple of students’ lives to talk about this” • Lacking skills to facilitate conversations • No clear definition of what is meant by diversity • No agreement on its relative importance and value • Being “conflict avoidant” is part of the culture • The reality of Eastern Oregon: rural, isolated, White, conservative, distinct culture

11. Relationship b/t student-athletes and general student population is strained • Athletes seen as removed from general student body • Perception that athletes are above reproach/get away with things • Issues compounded for male athletes of color – especially football players • Lack of knowledge/relationship adds to distrust, stereotypes, and racism

12. EOU Goals and Hopes • Feeling heard by administration • Greater ownership of the issues by administration (knowledge, awareness, and skills) • Clear understanding of the importance and meaning of diversity • Clear procedures for protocols • Diversity training for administration, faculty, and staff • Plan/sense of next steps • “I want something to come out of this (our visit) , not just a one day event, kumbaya, then it’s gone.”

13. Reasons for Committing to Diversity in Higher Education: • Demographic Argument • Projections indicate that by 2050, White Americans will drop to 50% of the population • Moral/Social Justice Argument • Redress historic/contemporary inequality • Civic Argument • Civic value and responsibility of creating an educated citizenry • Enrichment/Professional Standards* Argument • Diversity brings new ways of thinking • Expectations within professions to be effective with diverse populations • Political Argument • Politically expedient to address • Economic/Global Argument • Taking advantage of emerging markets (Editors’ Notes. New Directions for Teaching and Learning, v49 1992)

14. In your leadership role you will be asked to justify why diversity initiatives are a compelling interest for EOU. Take a few minutes to immerse yourself in one of the arguments for committing to diversity in higher education.

15. Examples of Immediate Goals: • create non-punitive environment to discuss issues • common definitions and understandings • sense of team/cohesiveness among leadership • greater clarity about what it means to EOU to commit to diversity • raise awareness • stronger knowledge base • instructional support (“left field” moments) • clarify infrastructure and chain of command

16. Building & Fortifying the Infrastructure for Diversity at EOU: Examples of Long Term Goals • how to keep issues on the table with clear forum/channels to discuss • how to move beyond diversity as a “competing demand” • commitment to ongoing awareness, knowledge, skills development • collective ownership of the issues • raising morale – striking balance b/t positive and negative