Creating a Culture of Inclusion

A Strategic Plan for Racial and Ethnic Diversity

November 2011

Emerson College had another productive year in working toward creating an educational environment that reflects and respects diversity. Diversity is about differences, inclusion, respect, and civility. This annual report for Emerson’s Diversity Strategic Plan is a summary of the steps we have taken during the 2010–2011 academic year and establishes additional goals for 2011–2012.

Summary We have made progress, but there is still much to do. Creating a culture of inclusion takes everyone working together on a daily basis. Each day brings us closer. This report demonstrates those efforts.

Develop and implement activities and programs that are designed to increase and enhance student diversity with particular emphasis on racial/ethnic differences.

Update

Pipeline Programs • Boston Public Schools Advisory Committee: The committee meets three times per year; it is a resource for ideas about working with BPS students.

• Boston Arts Academy meeting: Developing a plan to work more closely with BAA administration and teachers to develop a stronger working partnership.

• AHANA UG Fly-in program: Hosted admitted AHANA applicants and one parent for a fly-in.

Goal One

• EmersonWRITES program: 2010–2011 was the inaugural year of the cross-departmental writing program targeted to 8–12th graders in Boston. More than 80 BPS students participated in one of the two 8-week sessions.

• Financial aid outreach: Personal outreach from Emerson students; reminding applicants of the financial aid deadlines.

• Alumni called AHANA admits.

• Grad AHANA fly-in: Flew in top admitted students.

• Lots of targeted travel in Grad and Undergrad: Connected with schools with large AHANA populations.

• First Generation Program plus At-Risk Research Project.

Undergraduate First-Years

23.2% of the incoming class are from the following ethnic backgrounds:

An additional 3.7% (34) are international (non-resident alien) students

*We counted Multiracial students who indicated Black/AA as Black for internal numbers.

Hispanic(94/914) = 10.3%

Multiracial (34/914) = 3.7%

Black*, Non-Hispanic(47/914) = 5.1%

Asian/Pacific Islander(37/914) = 4.1%

White (702/914) = 76.8%

Graduate First-Years

15.4% of the incoming class are from the following ethnic backgrounds:

Hispanic (16/370) = 4.3%

Multiracial(3/370) = 0.8%

Black*, Non-Hispanic(28/370) = 7.6%

Asian/Pacific Islander(10/370) = 2.7%

An additional 21.6% (80) are international (non-resident alien) students

White (313/370) = 84.6%

Goal Two

inclusion may affect individuals through class discussion, assigned material, and projects. The instructor will make every effort to ensure a comfortable environment for all. I encourage each of you to honor the uniqueness of your fellow classmates and appreciate the opportunity we have to learn from each other. If you should have concerns or suggestions, please do not hesitate to contact the instructor or the office of Diversity and Inclusion at diversity_inclusion@emerson.edu.”

• Hired five diversity faculty members, two of whom are on tenure track for 2011–2012. Appointed an ethnically diverse faculty member to interim department chair and awarded tenure to three ethnically diverse faculty.

Update • Developed in collaboration with one faculty member, a diversity statement was crafted for all faculty to add to their syllabi. The statement is: “Every student in this class will be treated with respect as an individual, regardless of race, religion, sexual orientation, gender identification, physical or mental challenge, or national identity. Although not explicitly themes of this course, the issues of diversity and

Develop and implement activities and programs that are designed to increase and enhance faculty and staff diversity with particular emphasis on racial/ethnic differences.

Faculty Hires by Race Staff Hires by Race

White (75/102) = 73.5%

American Indian or Alaskan Native(1/102) = 0.98%

Asian American(6/102) = 5.88%

Black(5/102) = 4.90%

Hispanic (multiracial and of any race)

(5/102) = 4.98%

Multiracial(3/102) = 2.94%

Race and Ethnicity Unknown(6/102) = 5.88%

Non-resident Alien(1/102) = 0.98%

White (46/62) = 74.1%

Asian American(4/62) = 6.45%

Black (6/62) = 9.67%

Hispanic (multiracial and of any race)(1/62) = 1.61%

Multiracial(2/62) = 3.22%

• Four faculty search committee orientations have been held this fall and the plan is to expand the program as other position openings occur. The faculty assembly voted to accept the recommendation to the handbook from the special committee that “no faculty member can serve on a search committee if they have not participated in the faculty search orientation.”

• Considerable time has been spent with department chairs and deans discussing the Implementation Committee Report. The Faculty Assembly Council is currently reviewing and making plans for implementing the report’s recommendations.

• A Diversity and Inclusion Individual and Group Appreciation Award and Grant Program has been proposed for implementation during the summer and fall of 2011. The awards will

recognize and celebrate outstanding accomplishments by a team and an individual for their commitment and efforts to promote diversity and inclusion on campus and/or within our local community. Individual award recipients will receive a check payable to their desired charity. Team award recipients receive a check payable to their combined charity.

Diversity and inclusion grants will provide seed funds for individuals or teams at Emerson College who need financial help to actualize a program or event that will enhance the climate of diversity and inclusion at the College. Grants will range from $500 to $2000.

• Diversity applicants and hires have continued to increase.

Faculty Diverse Hires: 19.8% Staff Diverse Hires: 25%

Goal Two

Continued

Promote a climate that respects and supports diversity and is recognized for doing so within the Emerson community, Boston, and the larger communication and arts industry.

Goal Three

Update • Workplace Dialogues (faculty and staff) and Faculty Forums on diversity (faculty) are being continued in the fall and spring of 2011–2012, and and Campus Conversations on Race are being continued in the spring of 2012. Revisions to the curriculum for Workplace Dialogues and Campus Conversations were made during the summer. Facilitators for Workplace Dialogues were trained in Fall 2011. Sessions are planned for Spring 2012. The sessions help to promote dialogue across organizations, job levels, race and ethnic groups, religions, gender, LGBTQ, age, and socioeconomic groups. Groups also develop action plans to promote diversity and inclusion.

Student facilitators from Campus Conversations on Race developed a DVD on classroom dynamics with regard to diversity and inclusion. The students suggested it be shown in a Faculty Assembly session that they will attend and answer questions. A trailer of the CD was scheduled to be shown at the October 25 Faculty Assembly and the full CD with a follow-up discussion was scheduled for the faculty forum on October 27.

• The Charles Beard Arts and Communication Summer Institute was held July 5–15.Classes were conducted from 9:00 am to 2:30 pm each day during the institute. Faculty and staff taught minicourses on journalism, speech, theatre, radio, and marketing. The program, an annual event, is conducted in collaboration with the YMCA Young Achievers program; participants included 8th, 9th, and 10th grade African American, Asian, and Latino students from local Boston neighborhoods. The theme this summer was: Using your voice to make a difference. The goal of the program is to show students what it means to pursue a college degree in the communication and arts industries.

• Conducted diversity workshops for organizational leaders and Resident Assistants in collaboration with the Multicultural Student Affairs Office.

• In collaboration with the Athletics Department, conducted a diversity workshop with student athletic leaders.

• Conducted a diversity workshop with a group of alumni at Alumni Weekend.

• Met with Academic Affairs staff, new faculty, and grad students to discuss diversity at Emerson.

• The Offices of Diversity and Inclusion and Human Resources implemented an online diversity training program for faculty and staff in July. The goal is to have all faculty and staff trained. New hires are expected to take the training within 30 days of employment.

• Required that all department chairs and deans who have not yet done so participate in Workplace Dialogues.

• The Enrollment Office conducted diversity training, which entailed a summer reading series on diversity and workplace bias training.

Maintain and expand a diverse curriculum that prepares our students to live and lead in and contribute to a world growing more diverse and complex.

Goal Four

Update • In collaboration with the Boston Consortium and the Commonwealth Compact Higher Education Consortium, hosted a diversity network reception for diverse faculty and staff. More than 100 faculty and staff from 15 colleges in the Boston area were in attendance.

Design, develop, and implement a comprehensive system of responsibility, accountability, and recognition for increasing campus diversity, improving campus climate, and advancing the knowledge base for creating and sustaining a culturally diverse community of learners, teachers, researchers, and workers.

Update • The Diversity Council had a retreat on August 16 that consisted of diversity training and several break-out group sessions to evaluate the council’s work, structure, and goals. The goals for the diversity plan have been distributed to council committees for planning and implementation. The council also decided to add students to the membership.

The council is continuing its sponsorship of English language classes for our maintenance staff (85% Spanish speaking). This is a project started last year to ensure more inclusion for various members of our College community. We also plan to continue basic technology training as well. We held our orientation meeting with the staff on September 23. Classes are held each Wednesday from 11:30 am to 12:30 pm.

• On May 9, two Emerson undergrad students travelled to Charlotte, North Carolina, to co-facilitate several mini CCOR sessions with the new young Freedom Riders who are retracing the trail for PBS, and some of the original historic Freedom Riders. The all-expense paid trip was a program sponsored by

• • The Office of Academic Affairs initiated a course audit form that will be completed by at least 20 percent of courses in each department with the goal of having all courses “audited” within a five-year period. One of the questions on the audit concerns inclusion of diversity in the course. The results of the audit are at the department level with a review team of faculty who then issue an audit statement to the faculty member.

• Established an Academic Grants Office.

Goal Five

the CCOR College Network through Wheelock College. The students also had a chance to learn about the Freedom Riders and the history of the Charlotte, North Carolina, stop. The trip was a one-day event, and the students were both trained co-facilitators here at Emerson College.

Strategies for Assistant Professors • Initiated monthly meetings with all tenure-track faculty members to discuss organizational barriers to the advancement towards tenure. First meeting produced a variety of suggestions, some of which will go forward as proposals for changes to the Faculty Handbook.

• Gave update on our status with the COACHE project.

• Designed a “Journey to Tenure” Mentors Wheel.

• Delivered all changes to the Faculty Handbook that were recommended by the Implementation Committee.

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Office of Diversity and Inclusion

120 Boylston Street Boston, MA 02116-4624