2021-2022 Work Group Outputs

Revise/Enhance Policy 103 (Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Policy on the Announcement of Position Openings)to require training for all search committee members (not solely the search committee chairs) for both faculty and staff searches, and require candidate pool diversity before a search may progress. The work group solicited input on possible revisions to Policy 103 (Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Policy on the Announcement of Position Openings) from the Commission on the Status of Women Faculty and from the Policy 352 (Promotion, Tenure and Evaluation) work group. Based on their constructive input, a rough draft was developed of revisions to Section 2 of the policy pertaining to academic and executive/administrative positions. The main revisions under discussion concern the duration of temporary (e.g., interim) positions and the appropriate procedure (internal or external search) for filling various types of positions. Work remaining: (1) finalize proposed revisions to Section 2, (2) discuss and develop revisions to Section 1 (Staff), and (3) align revisions with Policy 304 (Academic Staff and Executive/Administrative Positions — Procedures for Filling).

Require all performance evaluations to recognize and address contributions to an inclusive and respectful environment. This work group was tasked with requiring all performance evaluations to recognize and address contributions to an inclusive and respectful environment. The work group suggests updating Policy 167 (Responsibility Reviews for Non-Faculty Personnel),  Policy 327 (Evaluation of Academic Administrators), and Policy 352 (Promotion, Tenure, and Evaluation). The policy change suggestions will be presented to the PCDIR Fall 2022 and upon approval will be forwarded to the Senate Coordinating Committee to go through the policy change process.

Develop statement to be included in position announcements that demonstrate NDSU’s commitment to build a diverse faculty and staff. Diversity statements help translate our values and demonstrate that we are committed to an inclusive and respectful workplace. This work group developed a statement to be included on all position announcements based on values and goals for the university and in alignment with our strategic plan. The statement has been approved by the PCDIR and can be added to position announcements.

Host an annual event to promote DEI and to highlight the units, programs, and spaces that promote community building, collaboration, and a diversity of voices. This work group conducted a survey of NDSU student organizations on campus that are involved in DEI practices. The survey asked student organizations what support they would like to see from the PCDIR. Based on the feedback, the work group members decided to host a table that promotes the PCDIR at NDSU's Involvement Expo in August 2022. The work group also helped select and celebrate the 2022 Advancing Inclusion Award recipient.

Develop ways to show NDSU’s responsiveness to feedback NDSU has received from BIPOC and LGBTQ students and other underrepresented or marginalized groups. The work group discussed ways in which the university responds to activities that occur impacting diverse and underrepresented population engagement with campus entities.  The discussions focused on how the PCDIR responds and from whom that response would come, for example, would a response come from the subcommittee or from the PCDIR.  The committee will continue to work on developing a response to an adverse activity which impacts members in our community.  A consensus on who would be responding, if a response was necessary, was not reached.

Develop resources to assist with the recruitment and retention of diverse students. This work group continued their work from the previous year of exploring current practices and strategies for the recruitment and retention of diverse and underrepresented students at NDSU. Information on relevant data and trends was reviewed and summarized, including NDSU diversity rankings, racial/ethnic demographics, and overall North Dakota and national population trends. The work group analyzed data collected from a Qualtrics survey of NDSU college/department/student service unit leaders where they sought to understand how recruitment and retention of diverse and underrepresented groups is practiced by various units and departments across NDSU. The main goal was to gather baseline data and develop recommendations for actions and future work. A PowerPoint presentation was created to disseminate the information to the PCDIR committee at three different meetings.

Data Exploration and Reporting. This work group has become a standing committee, and meets as needed to identify needs for data collection concerning diversity issues and communicating data findings to the Council and campus.

Ad hoc Committee on Membership and Structure. This ad hoc committee was formed after concerns by the co-chairs, and supported by the end-of-year member survey, to evaluate the current structure of the PCDIR, and offer suggestions that will help the Council align with a new President’s goals and move forward as an effective advisory body. Areas that were considered included group size, representation across units, methods of recommendation for appointment, membership terms, and responsibilities and duties. A report was given to the full council and forwarded to the co-chairs for consideration.

Our Hosted, Sponsored or Endorsed Events. The Council was actively involved with hosting, sponsoring or endorsing events on campus. This year, to help raise additional awareness, campus DEI related events were added to the PCDIR website.

  • February 24, 2022, Talk Back to Racism (PCDIR)
  • March 1, 2022, Afterlives of Pandemics: Using Oral History and Art to Explore Lived Experiences of Pandemics (Department of Sociology and Anthropology and PCDIR)
  • May 12, 2022, Disability and Culture Oral History Presentations (Department of Sociology and Anthropology and PCDIR)

2020-2021 Work Group Outputs

Awareness and Recognition of Best Practices

  • Conducted a survey of units on campus as to their diversity, equity and inclusion efforts.
  • Assisted with the selection and celebration for the 2021 Advancing Inclusion Award.

Campus Education and Engagement

  • Explored educational opportunities for faculty, staff and students and how to engage them on campus.
  • Supported and promoted the Talk Back to Racism event and the Day of Silence.

Data Exploration and Reporting

  • Worked on identifying needs for data collection concerning diversity issues and communicating data findings to the Council and campus.

DIR Advocates and Allies

  • Explored the opportunity and possibility of an advocacy and mentoring group for international and underrepresented faculty and staff on campus.

Exploring Best Practices

  • Explored practices at other institutions for opportunities to centralize resources on our campus.

Recruitment and Retention

  • Exlored ideas for increasing efforts in inclusion with recruitment (e.g., during searches, student recruitment) and retention (i.e., efforts to keep more diverse and inclusive employees and students on campus).

Sponsored or Endorsed Events

  • February 24, 2021 Talk Back to Racism (PCDIR; Alison Bertolini lead)
  • April 21, 2021 UndocuArtivism: Art and Resistance in Pandemic Times (co‐sponsored with Anti‐Racism Coalition, Vice Provost for Faculty & Equity, Dept of Sociology & Anthropology; EllenRubinstein lead)
  • April 23, 2021 Day of Silence (PCDIR, Alison Bertolini lead)
  • April 28, 2021 Race‐ing Fargo author, Jennifer Erickson (co‐sponsored with Anti‐RacismCoalition, Dept of Sociology & Anthropology; Ellen Rubinstein lead)

 

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