Plan 2008: Educational Quality through Racial and Ethnic Diversity

Progress Report

Introduction

Overview

• In 1988, the University of Wisconsin was the first university system to adopt a long-range plan for racial and ethnic diversity. This plan was called Design for Diversity.
• Plan 2008 is the successor to Design for Diversity and was unanimously adopted by the Board of Regents of the UW-System in May 1998. It recognizes that diversity enriches the quality of life and educational environment.
• Plan 2008 is a UW-System-wide strategic plan to increase the representation of targeted ethnic/racial groups in students, staff, and faculty.
• Targeted populations include African-American, American Indian, Hispanic/Latino and Asian American (with emphasis on Southeast Asian).
• Each UW campus has their own self-written Plan 2008, tailored to meet the environment of that campus.
• In 1998-99, UW-L’s Plan 2008 was adopted by the Joint Minority Affairs Committee with input from the campus community. The plan is consistent with University goals to increase overall diversity and to improve the campus environment.

UW-L’s Plan 2008

• Plan 2008 consists of eight (8) goals.
• Each goal has specific strategies.
• Each strategy has actions steps for accomplishing each strategy to obtain the goal.
• The office(s) or unit(s) accountable for each action step are designated in the Plan.
• The timeline for implementation and/or completion of each action step is also specified.

Goal Format

• The following is an example of how UW-L's Plan 2008 is formatted with goals, strategies, action steps, and persons accountable. To see the complete plan, connect to UW-L's Plan 2008 web document (http://www.uwlax.edu/AAOD/plan2008.html)

The Joint Minority Affairs Committee Report

• Last year the Joint Minority Affairs Committee (JMAC) attempted to monitor the Plan and requested information from the parties that were accountable. The JMAC then collated and edited the responses submitted and reported this information to the Chancellor.
• The following slides are designed to give a brief outline from this report as well as other information gathered since.
• The first slide in a set highlights a few of the accomplishments that the campus has made toward achieving that goal. Many of these accomplishments were selected for commendation in a recent UW-System Plan 2008 report (indicated by an asterisk).
• The second slide lists select actions that require a sustained effort or have yet to be completed.
• The third slide in a set lists specific actions which have not been implemented, accomplished, or no report was submitted.

Goal 1: Create a campus environment that values and respects differences.

Goal 1: Actions Taken

• Hired a Coordinator for Graduate Student Recruitment and Diversity Development*
• Initiated the process of developing credit bearing internships for multicultural programming*
• Conducted a conference entitled “Race in the Humanities” by the English Department*

Goal 1: In Progress

• Initiating active participation in the State of Wisconsin’s Summer Affirmative Action Intern Program
• Reprinting of the University Publications Guidelines to indicate that all campus publications demonstrate the racial, ethnic and diversity of UW-L
• Convening focus groups to discuss diversity issues

Goal 1: Actions Needed

• To develop a plan which will direct a campus review of our physical facilities to ensure a diverse and comfortable environment for all members of the university community
• To give Coordinator of Cultural Diversity Development responsibility for diversity dialogue series

  

Goal 2: Increase the number of high school graduates of color who apply, are accepted, and who enroll at UW-La Crosse.

Goal 2: Actions Taken

• Scheduled for May, 2002, the first all-campus pre-college workshop organized by the Office of Multicultural Student Services*
• Created a “Community Outreach in Science” summer program for students of color*
• Developed a new recruitment plan to increase students of color applicants*

Goal 2: In Progress

• Identifying high school students of color through contacts with high school guidance counselors and teachers
• Forming a “student team” of UW-L students of color to aid in recruitment

Goal 2: Actions Needed

• To develop a recruitment program targeted specifically to African American, American Indian, Hispanic/Latino, and Asian American adults age 25 and older
• To sponsor symposia aimed at providing information on enrolling in graduate studies for students of color at UW-L and other regional institutions
• To develop partnerships with multicultural middle, high schools and technical colleges

Goal 3: Improve the graduation and retention rates of targeted racial/ethnic students so those rates will be comparable to the student population of the campus as a whole.

Goal 3: Actions Taken

• Developed a strategic plan to increase retention and graduation of students of color*
• Expanded the Academic Success Institute to a year-round program*
• Created a Multicultural Alumni Advisory Board*

Goal 3: In Progress

• Updating the strategic plan with specific attention to recruitment and retention of students of color
• Developing an academic tracking program for students of color
• Providing multicultural student programming through the Division of Student Development

Goal 3: Actions Needed

• To develop community-based mentoring groups involving respected members of the community
• To support the National Institute of Health partnership with the Lac Courte Oreilles
• To develop an Exit Interview Program for departing students of color leaving UW-L without a degree

Goal 4: Increase the number of faculty, academic staff, classified staff and administrators of color so that they are represented in the UW - La Crosse workforce in proportion to their current availability in relevant job pools. In addition, work to increase their availability as employees.
 

Goal 4: Actions Taken

• Improved the exit interview process to increase the number of departing faculty and staff that respond formally*
• Collected data on recruiting, retention, and promoting faculty and staff of color to identify any adverse impact and assisted departments and units to address such issues in their policies or programs*
• Created a web-based diversity directory with diversity recruitment resources available on the Internet

Goal 4: In Progress

• Seeking to become the site of a new Ronald McNair Post-Baccalaureate Achievement Program
• Developing a campus-wide recruitment plan to increase the number of racial/ethnic applicants applying for positions
• Monitoring the recruitment, retention, and promotion of represented and non-represented classified staff of color to ensure parity with campus rates

Goal 4: Actions Needed

• To establish specific plans for recruitment and partnerships with multiple historically Black colleges and universities and Latino doctoral-based institutions
• To investigate formal mentoring programs that support new faculty and academic staff
• To add the phrase “experience and knowledge of diversity is highly desirable” to advertisements for all unclassified positions

Goal 5: Foster institutional environments and development of courses that enhances learning and a respect for racial and ethnic differences.

Goal 5: Actions Taken

• Approved an Ethnic Studies minor in the fall of 2000 and recruiting another faculty member to teach in the Institute of Ethnic and Racial Studies*
• Designated a Multicultural Librarian in the fall of 1999*
• Developed a Visiting Diversity Scholar Program through the Provost’s Office*

Goal 5: In Progress

• Developing and conducting a survey of all campus academic departments to gather information on all courses that contain extensive racial and ethnic content
• Defining “extensive racial and ethnic content” to departments for the next JMAC report
• Continuing development of the Murphy Library web-based multicultural teaching resources for all disciplines
• Developing a series of seminars and workshops to provide faculty and staff with information to help them enhance curriculum content of their courses to include multicultural and diversity topics

Goal 5: Actions Needed

• To continue to explore the possibility of increasing the General Education diversity requirements from 3 to 6 credits
• To develop and conduct faculty /staff seminars to enhance curricular content on topics pertaining to diversity and multiculturalism

Goal 6: Encourage Partnerships that build the educational pipeline by reaching children and their parents at an earlier age

Goal 6: Actions Taken

• Assessed pre-college program efforts*
• Maintained partnerships with La Crosse, Madison, Milwaukee, and Chicago high schools and technical colleges*
• Expanded the Norwalk pre-college program to meet the educational and career needs of migrant Hispanic population*
• Participated actively with the City of La Crosse Chamber of Commerce’s Council of Racial and Ethnic Diversity*

Goal 6: In Progress/Actions Needed

• Designing strategies to reach children and their parents based upon the pre-college program assessment that was submitted in May 2000 and possibly developing a Western Wisconsin Pre-College Center

Goal 7: Increase the amount of Financial Aid available to needy students and reduce their reliance on loans.

Goal 7: Actions Taken

• Developed funds for the Chancellor’s Choice Award Program by the UW-L Foundation Board and its development committee*
• Created the “UW-L Foundation Diversity Scholarships Endowment Fund”*
• Awarded an $8,000 grant to the UW-L Office of Multicultural Student Services from the Fleck Foundation*
• Established and awarded to first-year students of color six $1,000 science scholarships from designated gifts to the College of SAH
• Developed an annual fund raising event for increasing the number of scholarships for students of color
• Developed a process for awarding the Board of Regents Lawton Grants to students of color based on demonstrated need and scholarship of applicants

Goal 7: In Progress

• Soliciting gifts from individuals, businesses, and organizations for the UW-L Foundation Diversity Scholarship Endowment Fund and other Foundation efforts for students of color and economically disadvantaged

Goal 7: Actions Needed

• To develop an annual plan to increase the number financial aid opportunities for graduate students of color
• To designate the Directory of University Graduate Studies as facilitator for the above annual plan

Goal 8: Improve accountability of the implementation of University of Wisconsin — La Crosse's Plan 2008.

Goal 8: Accomplishments

• Ensured the merit increases of Deans, Division Heads, Department Chairpersons and Directors to reflect their efforts in accomplishing the goals of the campus’ commitment to diversity*
• Provided the Chancellor with an annual JMAC update of Plan 2008 during the spring semester

Goal 8: In Progress

• The commitment to Plan 2008 is discussed in the Chancellor’s opening address for the academic year as well as during the spring term address. In meetings and discussions throughout the Coulee region and the state, Plan 2008 has been a topic of discussion from the Chancellor.
• Beginning the assessment process of OMSS and the Multicultural Center by the Dean of Student Development, Director of Multicultural Student Services, the office staff, and a representative group of students of color

Goal 8: Actions Needed*

• To further assess if diversity is consistently and systematically considered in the merit review process for Deans, Division Heads, Department Chairpersons and Directors

Learning More

• You are invited to attend campus-wide forums sponsored by the Joint Minority Affairs Committee that will be held in April, 2002 on the following dates:
• Thursday, April 4 from 3:30 – 5:00 p.m. in 337 Cartwright
• Monday, April 8 from 3:30 – 5:00 p.m. in 259 Cartwright
• These forums offer an opportunity to obtain more information regarding Plan 2008, to offer input, and to ask questions.
• Watch for weekly updates on campus implementation of Plan 2008 in the Campus Connection newsletter.

Conclusion

• Thank you for taking the time to review these materials.
• The Joint Minority Affairs Committee welcomes your feedback, comments, questions, etc.
• Please contact William Haviland at 785-8476 or haviland.will@uwlax.edu

Members of the Joint Minority Affairs Committee, 2001/2002, are: Cynthia Berlin, David Glisch, William Haviland (co-chair) Jearold Holland, David Howard, Darlene Lake, James Liberman, Lubena Natcheva, Stefan Smith, Barbara Stewart (ex officio), Matthew Taylor (co chair),  Joan Temple, Al Thompson (ex officio)