Diversity Roundtable Executive Summary

Abstract

11/13/03

Goal of This Document.

This is the product of a dynamic, wide-ranging discussion by our working group as we read, analyzed and distilled the 200+ page Diversity Roundtable report.  Where the summaries of each sub-group of the Diversity Roundtable, included below, try to capture the language and spirit of the original documents without editorial comment, this abstract tries to discover the creative connections we see in that document at the same time that we integrate and synthesize our discussion of it.

This working group was moved to read, analyze and discuss these reports for two related reasons.  We heard the community say strongly after the attack on Daisy Lundy that we should not study the problem yet again!  The problem, in forums such as the Diversity Roundtable, has already been studied thoroughly.  What we needed to do is act on those studies.  We were moved to analyze and distill those studies to guide effective, thoughtful action.

 

"We've Come a Long Way; We Have a Long Way to Go."

 

The title of the Diversity Roundtable was "We've Come a Long Way; We Have a Long Way to Go."  We discussed an aspect of this, which is the disconnect between our perception and reality.  That is, the community may feel some smug satisfaction when we think of how far we've come.  We are shocked out of that complacency as a community when "unexpected" events such as the attack on Daisy Lundy  violate that apparent calm.

 

We think there are at least three related reasons for the disconnect that we see between our perception of progress and the reality:

--Statistics suggest progress but don't prove it.

Statistics suggest that we've come a long way.  We obviously have a more diverse community than we had in the near past.  But of course the fact that the numbers and percentages have changed do not change the culture and attitudes and the lived experience of the community members.  The emotional, cultural reality does not automatically change because the numbers do.

--Traditions and legacy issues vs. progress and innovation.

Traditions and legacy issues have a subtle, tenacious power. Innovation and progress are slowed by them. Academic excellence, effective teaching and research are traditions.  We suspect that the softer and more subtle changes in culture and community that would nurture a more diverse membership are innovations that are slowed because of those higher priority traditions.  In addition, there are legacies about our institution's history as a small, regional, white, male, Southern school.  Though every one of those legacies is now in question, indeed, the fact that UVa is now a growing, national, co-educational diverse University is at least in part due to our moving beyond the boundaries of those legacies.  Nevertheless, in both the traditions and the legacies, we observe forces that hamper innovation and retard change.

--Thresholds change perspectives.

As a community, we want to see ourselves as modern, open, dynamic. Setbacks, while shocking, can be dismissed as isolated and uncharacteristic of our community as a whole.  However, the community remembers those set-backs even as it tries to dismiss them.    In this memory, the members of the community can fall into a continuum, with some clearly remembering and understanding the pattern and others quickly forgetting or ignoring the pattern.  When such an incident as the attack on Daisy Lundy happens, however, especially because it follows a string of "isolated" events over the past few years, many community members cross a threshold where we see the pattern clearly.  That shift in perspective seems to be permanent.  At such times, reflecting on past reports such as this one can help us to see the old rooms we've moved out of with greater clarity and to understand what we now see clearly in our new room.  One metaphor for this threshold is that our perspective shifts so that the entire community can no longer dismiss a condition of chronic pain.  Where before, we might have said that the pain was momentary, passing, we now recognize that it is ongoing.  Where once we might have described ourselves as being at ease with a temporary and passing pain, we now see that we are "dis-eased."  For the community as a whole, once we have crossed that threshold, it is our moral responsibility to address the chronic pain and dis-ease.

 

Action Plan.

Several themes are strongly repeated in the Roundtable sub-groups. 

--New Professionals.  First and foremost is the plea/demand that there must be professionals in new positions at all levels of the organization leading and coordinating the efforts of creating and nurturing this more diverse community.  A strong part of this recurring message is that passionate, committed professionals are needed in every Vice Presidential area to lead and to coordinate this effort.  One Director of the EEO Office is not sufficient.  Since the issues of diversity and multiculturalism are understood to be systemic and chronic, one professional cannot make change happen.  It is also imperative that these professionals should be in new positions, not add-on responsibilities to already over-extended people.  There finally should be both a hierarchical and a collegial and coordinated group responsible for making progress on diversity related issues.  These professionals should be assigned to these tasks at all levels of the organization.

--"Structuralize."  These new professionals, mentioned above, become a vital component of new structures that need to be in place to facilitate communication; to implement new procedures (i.e. There should be an EEO procedure implemented for senior staff hiring that matches the current procedure for faculty hiring.); to capture vital dataÑboth quantitative and qualitative, and to ensure that the diversity theme is grounded permanently in the organizational chart.

--Funding.  New funds must be committed to support these priorities.

--Process.  The process of discussing these issues is rewarding and educational.  No, that's not strong enough.  The process of small group conversation is so vital, so educational, so inspiring that it must be a feature of any ongoing improvements, any greater openness, any increased vitality in our community.  Process itself is a vital part of growing diversity.

--Archive/Access.  These reports should be archived and made accessible so that anyone who is interested can study them.  Actions can be taken now because of the strong, clear and sustained thinking and planning of these prior groups.

Report on the Roundtable on Physical Space and Environment

Leaders: Warren Boeschenstein, John Evans, Tom Leback, Mashal Afredi

Members: Sharon Davie, Cheryl Gomez, Nancy Takahashi, Ida Lee Wootten, Shoaib Afridi, Angela Davis, Sheri States, Karin Wittenborg, Pete Anderson, Bob Dillman, Bill Bohn, Jane Schubart

Introduction
The Physical Space and Environment Roundtable was asked to evaluate the interior and exterior facilities, the Grounds and the overall physical environment of the University to determine how the use and improvement of these resources can promote greater diversity among its student, staff and faculty members.
They met for the first time on 2/19/2000.

They dealt with 7 areas of concern:
1) Traditional Exterior Appearance of Facilities
2) Classrooms
3) Historic District
4) Gathering Areas
5) Self-Separation (respecting the rights of those groups who wish to self-segregate)
6) Safety and Security
7) Accessibility

Where Are We?
Generally speaking, the University has made vast improvements in many areas, but there is still much work to be done.

The Report:
Exterior Environment
The architecture of the grounds seems overly formalized and “official” to many students. There are ongoing problems with access for the physically challenged, although this is an area that the University is more aggressively pursuing. The grounds, as a whole, are not very welcoming or friendly in the way they are laid out. There is a lack of flexible small- and large-group, formal and informal outdoor meeting and gathering spaces. There is an over reliance on automobiles, which does not facilitate the free movement from one part of grounds to another. Centers such as the International Center are out on the fringes in dilapidated buildings, giving the impression of a lack of interest in and commitment to such groupsOne of the major obstacles to addressing these issues is that while there are many units and departments working on these issues, there is no central coordination of them.

Interior Environment
Dining areas are not very flexible or varied so that small groups can break out. Classroom spaces are generally inflexible and geared towards a lecture style of teaching and learning. There are not enough dormitories to encourage students to live on grounds. Residential buildings do not offer flexible enough spaces, a range of architectural styles, etc. that encourage a sense of openness and group experience. There is a lack of multi-use areas (classroom, cooking areas, general meeting spaces or study areas promoting and enhancing community. There is a lack of a sense of the international and diverse make-up of the University in terms of artwork, flags, etc.

Safety and Security
The University has well-established procedures for identifying and addressing safety and security problems and for raising safety awareness. Several offices deal with these issues, including the Residence Life Office, the Office of Environmental Health and Safety, Facilities Management, and the Safety and Security Committee, and the Employee Communication Channels. However, there is generally a lack of coordination between these groups. Funding reviews are not done on a regular basis because of the lack of centralization.

Accessibility
Since 1992, the University has accomplished several hundred accessibility projects geared toward the removal of physical barriers in facilities and on the Grounds. Work is ongoing and there is still more that needs to be done. In particular, there is a lack of funding overseen by a central office which can provide money to departments and schools to accommodate needs in this area.

Recommendations
1. Create an environment that is physically accessible to all and safe from all hazards for all.
2. Charge all departments, schools and administrative units to evaluate their policies, funding, facilities, and programs that may inadvertently exclude sectors of the community and to pursue ways that these activities can become more inclusive.
3. Solicit greater input from staff, faculty and students in the development and use of the University’s physical spaces to achieve more broadly representative and socially inclusive environments.
4. Strive for a more welcoming and open environment that invites and clearly guides visitors to the University.
5. Expand the range of the learning environments to include more informal and formal gathering places and programming opportunities for members of the University community to interact in friendly and accommodating settings.
6. Encourage the Development Office to seek donors who might fund specific recommendations.

Summary by Rachel Saury. 10/14/03

Policy, Procedures, and Practice

Report on the Roundtable on Policy, Procedures and Practice

Leaders:         Diane Hillman and David Perrin

 

Members:      David Perrin, Diane Hillman, Brian Pusser, Thomas Bednar, Dena Bowers, Roger Clark, Kimberly Emery, Martin Davidson, Susan Fogler, Martha Garland, Brett Gibson, Tabitha Gray, Jurine Hensley, Kobby Hoffman, Terry Holland, Angela Hucles, Dearing Johns, Phyllis Leffler, Monique Miles, Rupali Mishra, Tonja Moore, Kristen Prohl, Nancy Rivers, Mildred Robinson, Anda Webb, Dorothy Waller, Lori Willy

 

Introduction

--redefined scope of initial charge to include "practice" recognizing that deviation from

stated policy and procedure (i.e. practice or implementation) leads to lack of

desired result in creating an environment marked by diversity

--need to link vision-planning-implementation by allowing the goals of the other

Roundtables to inform policy, procedures, and practice

 

Where Are We?

--There are some good programs and initiatives but more needs to be done

--Student-centered efforts are essential also

 

Where Do We Want to Be?

--Becoming a truly diversified organization is a process not a static result.

--The vision includes these concepts: inclusive, community, open, representative,

all levels, synergistic

 

Accomplishments

--Visit to UMPC

--Series of meetings, included invited faculty

--Discussion between Patricia Werhane and students

--Written submissions from individuals

 

Findings

--Tension exists between University vision and actual policies, procedures, and practices

called the "challenge to implementation"

--There is a disparity between policy, procedures, and practice and implementation

--There is a dearth of attention to diversity in the University's strategic planning

initiatives

 

Recommendations

--Review findings of other Roundtables to determine changes in policy and procedure

that are needed, and review reports to identify areas where practice deviates

from policy

--Develop a system of "equity administrators" working in each major unit

--Provide incentives and rewards for units demonstrating diversity in practice

--Allocate resources for Provost's faculty loan line

--Provide mentoring and support programs for junior faculty

--Encourage revision of tenure policies to reflect new career life patterns

--Recruit and mentor from within for senior appointments

--Leadership appointments should demonstrate through past positions accomplishments

in the area of diversity

--Hiring processes must include more minority applicants perhaps necessitating alteration

in current recruitment processes

--Some University traditions are by their nature exclusionary and serve as barriers

--Recruit, retain, educate students of diverse origin in collegial manner through attracting

high quality minority students, supporting curricular innovations, and providing

 opportunities to live, work, recreate together across traditional lines

summarized by Suzanne Louis, 10/09/03

Student Recruitment, Enrollment, Retention and Graduation

Student Recruitment, Enrollment, Retention and Graduation Roundtable

Leader:  Sylvia Terry

 Diversity in education is an opportunity to transform society.

3 subcommittees:

            1.  Undergraduate Outreach, Recruitment, and Admissions

 

                        Recommendations:

                                    A.  Peer-to-Peer advising

                                    B.  Parent involvement

                                    C.  Course Offering advising for students and parents

                                    D.  UVA Summer Program (high school students)

                                    E.  Ask/Involve Students their ideas

                                    F.  Community viability

 

            2.  Retention and Graduation

 

                        Recommendations:

                                    A.  Peer mentoring

                                    B.  Faculty/Administrator Mentor Program

                                    C.  Consider Teaching Strategies

                                                1.  Group (classroom) projects

                                                            Consider how members of group projects are assigned

                                    D.  Consider how housing assignments are made to 1^st years

                                    E.  Require exit interviews

 

            3.  Graduation and Professional Schools

 

                        Recommendations:

                                    A.  Create new position

                                                 Associate Provost for Graduate Recruitment and Diversity

                                    B.  New student orientation for all minority graduate and profession students

                                    C.  Mentoring program for grad/prof students

                                    D.  Outreach program for minority grad/prof students and minority faculty

                                    E.  Undergrad/grad connections

                                    F.  Grad/prof students used in recruitment/retention efforts

                                    G.  Grad/prof students LISTSERV

 

 

summary by Beverly Adams