The Nethersole Report
1998 Nethersole ReportSTETSON UNIVERSITY
DIVERSITY REPORT 2001-2002
Rita Poussaint Nethersole
April 30, 2002
INTRODUCTION
This report is being written in the shadow of the tragic events of September 11, 2001, events that will undoubtedly change our nation forever. In times like these, it is important to remind ourselves that true patriotism requires that we affirm our nation's principles in the face of fear and crisis. In light of these tragic events, Stetson's commitment to diversity seems even more critical as it prepares students to enter a world in which such horror can occur. Students must be given the information and tools to understand the circumstances that lead to such brutality, the skills and expertise to anticipate it, the perspective and literacy to place it in historical and global context, and the compassion and wisdom to prevent this from occurring again anywhere in the world.
The task of the United States, of higher education and especially of those for whom diversity is an important goal, in the aftermath of these events is difficult. Information, the pursuit of truth, knowledge and wisdom will be even more precious in the days to come. This report is therefore dedicated to all of us affected by this tragedy and is a recommitment to the work that lies ahead.
CHARGE
Prior to beginning my observations and recommendation, I feel it is important to state what I was charged with achieving and particularly how that is differentiated from the task of three years ago. In 1998, I was approached by the Diversity Committee to visit Stetson University, meet with a variety of individuals across the campus, provide some assessment of the current circumstances related to diversity, make recommendations about future actions, and particularly to help plan a climate study to assess current campus climate on the issue of diversity. That effort is reflected in my report of April 1998 to the Diversity Council and the President of Stetson University.
This report differs from my previous report in both substance and style. This report is less statistically based and more narrative in style. It does not contain a number of resources for the University since these were addressed in the 1998 report. It is my assessment of Stetson's responses to my previous recommendations, my assessment of other Stetson initiatives to achieve diversity, and my impressions of new issues and concerns that have arisen or been amplified since my 1998 visits. This report is less a statistical statement than an assessment of strategies, policies and politics involved in creating a more diverse and inclusive Stetson. As such, some of this report will be a restating of, and amplification on what was said in 1998. However, there have been a number of very important events with the potential for impacting the diversity issue that have occurred since 1998 including:
1) the 2000 census, in which Florida's potential to become one of the first "majority minority" state was elevated;
2) the 2001 presidential election, in which Florida's role as a "tie-breaker" and the issues of race, ethnicity, citizenship and voter participation became paramount; and
3) the terrorist bombings of the World Trade Center in New York City and the Pentagon, which will undoubtedly test Stetson's capacity to maintain a commitment to diversity in the face of numerous fears and concerns for safety.
It is important to understand that my visit occurred less than a week before the WTC disaster. I heard great optimism and commitment in the area of diversity. I do wonder if and how the attacks and the national response have changed that. It is an assessment that I cannot make from this distance, but it is a cautionary note. The effects of these events will be long-lasting and subtle. I believe that all Americans are seeking a sense of greater safety and one way to secure that safety may be by retreating into homogeneous communities with the belief that we can identify and exclude the "bad guys." There is the tendency to resort to profiling on the basis of race, religion or ethnicity. Thus, diversity can seem to be at odds with this increased need for safety. Moreover, our individual emotional and intellectual responses to this national tragedy and its aftermath are likely to vary greatly based upon our own interactions with diversity and inclusion in this country. Unfortunately, disagreement and difference are sometimes characterized as unpatriotic and divisive during times such as these and open, thoughtful discourse is somewhat muted. My additional concern revolves around the more strained financial conditions in a post-September 11th economy and how that will impact resources allocated to diversity initiatives. The combination of an economic downturn as well as the need for resources to be allocated to meet the security concerns raised by September 11th must not result in a lessened financial commitment to diversity.
GENERAL CONCERNS
Before I begin, I must first re-state my strong positive impression of Stetson University. In 1998, when I was first contacted by the Diversity Council, I must confess that I think I came to Stetson with some preconceived notions of what it might be. I am pleased to say that I was pleasantly surprised by what I found. The campus is impressively beautiful, the students bright and articulate, the faculty committed and concerned. Over the past few yeas, I have kept an eye on Stetson, wondering about how the various issues of the day from hurricanes to census to presidential elections have impacted it. As a consultant my primary value is in my status as an outsider and my ability to state the truth as I see it. This report will often be critical, even harsh. I hope that my observations, recommendations and comments will be viewed within the context of the admiration and affection I have developed for the individuals and institution of Stetson.
What also needs to be addressed is Stetson's history and the history of the region. Stetson's existence for almost a century as a segregated Southern college or university is not unusual, but it certainly reminds us that progress is not measured only in how far one is from the goal, but in how far one has come. In the African-American vernacular - "We ain't where we want to be, we ain't where we ought to be, but we sure ain't what we used to be." From that vantage point, Stetson deserves a lot of credit. It has come a long way. There is important good news that can form the basis for future achievement. In all of the groups that I met, everyone offered the consistent belief that President Douglas Lee was strongly personally committed to the goal of diversity. Individuals expressed that sentiment without solicitation and regardless of their own experience or concern for diversity. Examples of statements regarding President Lee's commitment to diversity were "give the president an A+," while another described his ability to push this agenda as both "astute" and applauded his "genius and diplomacy" in advancing it. Observers felt that Douglas Lee was committed to making Stetson "an instrument of real change in the South." The consistency and depth of this belief was heartening.
The other important good news was that all of the groups that I spoke with felt that although Stetson had already experienced a great deal of change, over the past five years in particular, Stetson still had the capacity for more change. There was consistent assessment of the time of the change, the nature of the change, the forces responsible for the change, and the outcomes of the change. And although there was great concern that Stetson live up to the promises of the previous changes, they were proud of the institution for this remarkable capability. Among the people I spoke with, there is the consistent belief that this institution has not saturated its capacity for change and that continued change could be a positive experience for the campus. But now the work gets harder because what must be engaged now is what is at the core of Stetson. The resistance is likely to increase and become more focused on programs and individuals. Strangely enough, the increasing difficulty of the task is simultaneously an indicator that Stetson is getting it right, it is beginning to get at some of the thornier issues. I hope that will be of some comfort to those who have committed to this task even as the task seems harder and more complex.
Stetson "feels" different. The push for diversity is known to everyone on campus, student, staff and faculty. While not a sea of diversity, one sees a greater variety of people at Stetson. Students seem to have a more optimistic view of diversity than I heard three years ago. African-American students, in particular, seem much happier with their choice of Stetson and more optimistic about their experience. That seems to be reflected in the better recruitment numbers and retention figures about African-American students. But that "feel" is not necessarily supported by the numbers. Stetson's ALANA student population was 9.6% in 1993; Fall 2001 is up to 12.09%. That is a significant increase, but when dealing with small numbers to begin with, small increases seem disproportionately large. Stetson still remains, at the student level, overwhelmingly white and out of alignment with any national or regional numbers. The numbers for the faculty, although improved are still fairly dismal. ALANA faculty made up 5.5% of the faculty in 1993; that percentage is 8.8% in Fall 2000. This scarcity of ALANA people is reflected in a curriculum that is similarly Eurocentric. Despite valiant efforts, what Stetson currently has is not diversity, it is still tokenism. Too many women, ALANA students, faculty and staff, non-Christians and GLB exist as "the only." This tokenism places the token in the awkward position of representing his/her group even at the diminution of his/her own individual identity. At the level of the students, ALANA students must adapt to an environment that knows little of their cultures and history. The situation with the faculty is even more disappointing since this lack of diversity is reflected in a lack of diversity in teaching and the creation of new knowledge. This is not an acceptable situation if Stetson is to provide a meaningful learning experience for everyone in the university.
Another important point. When I became involved in this effort, we narrowed the diversity focus to four areas race/ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation and religion. While these targeted areas have been combined under this diversity umbrella, it must be remembered that this is not the sum total of diversity. There are numerous other forms of diversity to be sought in a university - class, dis/ability, international, etc. We have chosen to focus upon these four and I hope that attention to these areas of diversity will create a campus ethos that impacts a wide variety of diversity bases. Discrimination often has a "tag-team" approach in which sexism is used to undergird racism. Religious discrimination has been used to support discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation. Additionally, the fact that these areas have been included in this effort does not make them monolithic. Although these wide varieties of backgrounds are subsumed under the diversity banner, they are not the same and progress on one does not always equal progress in the other areas. In fact, it is traditional "plantation politics" to work these groups against each other. Sexism is based in beliefs and history very different from racism. Religious discrimination is rooted in a different history than discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation. In particular, discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation is not prohibited under either federal or state law (unlike other states) as are discrimination on the basis of race/ethnicity, gender or religion.
Furthermore, despite the fact that diversity is about more than black and white, there is a tendency for the diversity effort to become an effort around African-Americans. On some levels, this is to be expected. Our national history, and especially the history of the South, reminds us that this society has a particular and historic problem with African-Americans that differs from problems with other racial/ethnic/religious/sexual orientation/gender groups. In addition, the African-American movement of Civil Rights/Black Power made an indelible mark upon this country and has become the model for human rights and liberation movements around the world. That history should not be ignored. However, the diversity effort must continue to be about more than just black and white. Moreover, the diversity effort is not just an effort at social justice; it is not simply an attempt to bring underrepresented people into the academy. It is ultimately an attempt to bring new truths and perspectives into the academy and to allow that dynamic to change the academy is fundamental ways. This is both the hope of the supporters of diversity and the fear of its opposition.
Most importantly, in reviewing the steps taken to improve diversity at Stetson over the past ten years (Diversity Initiatives/Measures 1987-1998), I find that most of the steps have been taken around the periphery of the institution. That is, the core of Stetson who controls the institution, who teaches at the institution, who is taught at Stetson, and what is taught at Stetson has not been the focus of diversity initiatives. Stetson has done well at dealing with the outer layers of diversity; it has dealt well with symbolic issues and peripheral topics. The next level of the diversity effort must be one of integration; not integration in the context of the civil rights movement, which often meant assimilation. In this context, integration must mean the movement of diversity and diversity initiatives into the mainstream of the institution so that diversity becomes an element of quality as well as an assessment variable. It must be, in every sense, a priority. Current diversity activities are add-ons and do not touch the already existing practices which govern the institution, or determine who is hired, what is taught at Stetson. In addition, the peripheral status of current diversity initiatives makes them inappropriately vulnerable to budget cuts and employees layoffs and retrenchment.
PREVIOUS RECOMMENDATIONS
One of my first tasks must be a review of the recommendations that I made in 1998 and an assessment of action taken on those recommendations and an assessment of whether that recommendation is still valid today. I have grouped the 1998 recommendations according to broad categories Institutional Research, Outreach and Recruitment, Leadership, Religious Character, Students, and Faculty and Curriculum. Within each category, I have noted whether that recommendation has been accomplished and provided a summary of additional observations and recommendations
Institutional Research
1. In conjunction with the Office of Institutional Research, establish clear numeric goals for diversity in student population, faculty and other groups. These goals must be established very precisely in a way that gives direction to executives, middle managers and the various segments of institutional life - Not Done.
3. Do not allow the institution to be drawn into an argument over affirmative action and quotas. The goals must be clearly articulated as goals, albeit goals with serious consequences, and by emphasizing the educational purpose of the goals at every opportunity - Not done, corollary to 1.
9. Change the terminology from minority to ALANA, from homosexual to gay, lesbian and bisexual - Done
25. Conduct an internal validity study of the SAT/ACT and the relationship of standardized test scores to performance in college, retention and graduation. Study should break out results for ALANA and women students - In process
26. Conduct a retention study that analyzes the retention and graduation of students since 1985. Study should break out results for ALANA and women students as well as by other categories as identified by Institutional Research - In process
27. In conjunction with the Office of Institutional Research, develop a value-added perspective in assessing institutional quality, that is the impact that it has upon its students and the skills it provides - Not done
28. Corollary to Recommendation # 1, develop clear goals for divisions in which enhancing diversity is a priority and clearly attach the achievement of those goals to performance review and merit increases - Not done
29. Develop a plan for the management of internal disputes a grievance process. This plan should identify an individual with responsibility for mediating and adjudicating disputes an ombudsperson. The University Ombudsperson should be someone familiar with EEO/Affirmative Action Programs and should report directly to the president. The University attorney cannot fulfill this role since the possibility of litigation would undermine the confidentiality and neutrality. The ombudsperson must have the ability to maintain complete confidentiality (even from the president) and should be made a member of the President's staff so that policy development an be informed by the problems that arise in the day-today implementation of policies and procedures - Done
Summary - Institutional Research
The critical role of Institutional Research in the diversity effort cannot be overstated. This effort is replete with emotional, political agendas and various perspectives. Solid, current information about the institution - its student, faculty, staff and resources will be an important commodity. This information has the potential for dispelling many of the myths and fears that can surround a diversity effort and this information can help keep the discussions firmly focused. Perhaps, most importantly, Institutional Research identifies the numeric baselines, current conditions and goals that allow for consensus and the assessment of progress. While I affirm all of my recommendations in this category, I very strongly reiterate my recommendations 1, 3, 25, 26 and 27 as absolutely essential to a well-informed diversity effort.
Outreach
2. Publicize the goal of diversity and seek allies in the local community - Somewhat done [done]
23. Develop a Summer Research Opportunities Program to bring groups of targeted rising sophomores and juniors to the Stetson campus for a few weeks during the summer to work with professors on a broad range of research and scholarship - Not done
24. Develop multi-lingual and bilingual advertisements for Stetson for publications in non-English speaking communities and publications. The purpose of these ads is to create a positive impression of Stetson and an institution that is reaching out to new communities - Not done
35. In announcing the implementation of action plan and goals, I would suggest that its flexible nature be integrated into the definition of the document. At UMASS Amherst the document that we negotiated was popularly called "The Living Document." This title communicated not only that this document was subject to adjustment and discussion but also that it was not a document to be stored on a shelf and forgotten. "The Living Document" only has meaning insofar as the campus continued to act on its goals, recommendations and promises - Not done [In process]
36. After specific goals and objectives are identified, an update should be provided to the campus community (through the student newspaper?) at the beginning and end of each semester, detailing progress towards each of the goals, discussing the adjustment and addition of new goals and announcing new efforts towards the goals - Not done
Summary - Outreach
Again, I must reiterate the recommendations I made previously. I must especially reiterate the need for the communication, assessment and updating of diversity goals to be a public process (recommendations 35 and 36).
The Howard Thurman Lecture Series have raised Stetson's profile as an institution concerned with diversity and inclusion and have brought to campus a range of individuals who have brought a wealth of perspectives and wisdom to the campus. It is probably the most significant outreach effort on the issue of diversity at Stetson University because of its academic orientation. The unfortunate aspect of the HTLS is that it is still an add-on. Not being entrenched in a department (perhaps an African-American/Africana Studies department) leaves the series more peripheral than it should be. Moreover, the HTLS is firmly rooted in a fine tradition of social justice, ethics and morality, which is only one aspect of the diversity effort. Similar outreach efforts emphasizing other elements of the diversity effort must be included.
Leadership
4. Of the next five trustee appointments, three (every other) should be made from one of the groups targeted for diversity action - Done, continuing effort
5. The President's Staff must be made more diverse in terms of race and gender through targeted recruitment and hiring - Expanded president staff. Increase in gender diversity, but still lacking in race/ethnicity
6. Diversity must be identified as one of the university's strategic priorities and one of the President Staff's agenda items. It must become a measure of success for PS as well as a consistent measure for the policies and procedures put into place - Not Done [In process]
7. Add an elected student trustee to the BOT with a term of one year. The student trustee should have full voting rights - Not done
8. Diversity training for BOT and president's Staff. Sexual harassment, GLB issues and race/ethnic diversity - Not done [Done]
Summary - Leadership
Leadership is an area in which Stetson has made significant progress. The addition of ALANA trustees who have expressed strong support for the diversity effort is a major step forward in engaging this task. I am confident that their very formidable and persuasive presence of the BOT will creatively engage the diversity effort. I hope that the BOT will expand its leadership in allowing an elected student trustee.
Similarly, the expansion of the President's Staff and the diversity that this brings seems to have greatly impacted the understanding of the diversity effort. I especially noticed the difference in the Quality of Service group, a largely female dominate group. During my first visit, I found this group to be one of the most homogeneous and depressed groups among those I spoke with. This depression seems to have lifted. It seems to have been lifted by a more participatory management and a greater understanding of mentoring and training. The Quality of Service group now approaches the Faculty Women's Group in its optimism and sense of involvement in the life of the campus. The optimism of the Quality of Service group along with the Faculty Women's Group show that Stetson has made significant progress with regard to women's issues and especially in bringing women's perspectives into management. I heard it said that Stetson has dealt with the issue of gender diversity, if not by having women in positions of power and authority, by developing and grooming a pipeline of qualified women. While I sincerely doubt that the matter has been completely dealt with, I hope that the same level of progress in diversity in race/ethnicity, sexual orientation and religion can be made and perceived.
I would like to emphasize the need for diversity to be a measure for performance evaluation across the university. While it does not need to be akin to hitting people with a 2 x 4, some mention of the role of diversity in evaluating performance ought to be included on all performance reviews if only for the purpose of establishing it as an important variable that will be considered. The additional importance of including diversity as an assessment variable is so that those who have responsibility for diversity will have it properly included in the evaluation of their performance. It needs to be included so that those committed to the diversity effort will have their efforts "counted" as they are evaluated.
Religious Character and Values
10. Add to the BOT individuals who share and advance the perspective of the religious but inclusive nature of the new Stetson. These individuals must have a role equal to that of the old Baptist ministers but bring a new sense of an inclusive religion to Stetson. I would recommend that these people include Baptist clergy (perhaps a woman or from the ALANA community). You might also include someone from a non-Christian faith, or even a spiritualist or metaphysician. Ultimately, this person must communicate that religion all religions and spirituality, including atheism are welcome at Stetson and that the ethical and moral dimensions of religion, organized and other, are fundamental to Stetson's vision of itself.
11. Include the new chaplain in the administrative functioning of the university. The new chaplain must be the religious/ethical/moral presence on campus which articulates the inclusive nature of Christianity and who interjects the ethical and moral perspective into the daily life of the campus, including the work of the faculty and administration. The new chaplain must articulate a humanist/Christian vision and be fluent with the world's major schools of religious and philosophical thought.
Partly done
12. Encourage existing campus religious organizations to focus, not only on providing services to the campus community, but on being a defining ethical force on campus. This must achieved, not by forcing a particular religious view but by injecting religion/spirituality/ethics into community conversations. The campus must remember that with small numbers of non-Christian students, allowances must be made to assure that non-Christian perspectives into the issue of religion is included.
Not done
13. Develop courses in the Religion Department that emphasize inclusion in religion, first by offering a wider selection of religion courses that deal with more than the traditional Judeo-Christian religions, e.g., liberation theology, the role of religion in ALANA communities, Native American religions, Wicchans and Pagans, Atheism, Metaphysics, Humanism. These courses should be acceptable as the required course on religion.
Summary - Religious Character and Values
The only overt act of discrimination or intolerance I ever observed at Stetson was regarding religious discrimination as I overheard some young white male students refer to "towelheads" and "dirty Jews" in a conversation. I did not hear enough of the conversation to understand what the conversation was about, but I did notice another young woman also notice the conversation and leave. Stetson's embrace of values, even as it moves beyond its history as a Baptist institution, may be its singularly most defining feature. In view of the WTC attack and the increasing awareness of terrorism, I believe that Stetson now has an even more special role to play as an institution with a Christian heritage and a commitment to values. How do Christian values manifest themselves in such times? How are Christian values different or the same as the religious values of the world's major religions? What is Islam and what role will it have in our national and international future? Although Stetson has a Christian heritage, the focus of much of the understanding of that heritage must be how that heritage expresses itself in a world that is less Christian and more secular. The recommendations made in the 1998 report seem even more critical now. I merely repeat them and suggest that REL 311 - Introduction to Islam be made an introductory level course and one of the five introductory courses from which students must choose for their one required course on religion.
Faculty and Curriculum
14. Establish the Special Opportunities Fund to create a mechanism for quick response to time sensitive opportunities to attract ALANA, women and other targeted faculty. The SOF can be used to supplement a department's budget to add additional funds for salaries, to support research facilities, to support professional development and travel, to bring ABD's to campus for teaching experiences, etc.
FDI
15. Use visiting professorships (supported by the SOF) as a mechanism to bring ALANA and women faculty to campus for a semester or more.
FDI
16. Add experience in a teaching/learning environment at all women's or minority institutions as an item of preference for hiring in all advertisements in all departments.
Not Done
17. Add the ability to teach courses with multicultural content as an item of preference for hiring in all advertisements in all departments.
Not done
20. At the beginning of each academic year, train search committees on mechanisms to avoid discrimination and to enhance the consideration of women and ALANA individuals for faculty positions. These training sessions should occur before identifying specific job descriptions, and the university ombudsperson should be a non-voting member of each search committee.
Not done, strongly reiterate
21. Focus training on diversity issues towards department chairs. As the first line of management, they have a unique opportunity and responsibility for the implementation of policies and procedures that most directly affect hiring and retention.
Not done, strongly reiterate
22. Establish a course on legal issues in higher education for department chairs. This course should include, academic freedom, hiring and tenure, ADA issues, discrimination, and other diversity and academic issues. This course should not be taught by University counsel, however, University Counsel should be brought into the class to help define the relationship of chairs to counsel and mechanisms for legal advice and ongoing legal education.
Not done, reiterate
18. Target the institutions that produce the largest number of ALANA PhDs for linkage and recruitment efforts (attached).
Not done
19. "Grow your own" ALANA faculty, either by identifying ALANA and female students as potential faculty colleagues, or by identifying ALANA and women PhD candidates at other institutions and supporting their development, perhaps through the SOF, in exchange for a specified teaching/research opportunity at Stetson.
Not done
30. Establish an Innovation Fund, a fund controlled by the Diversity Committee to promote activities and programs that support diversity. These programs must be beyond the range of the regular operational budget. These projects could include guest lecturers, student retention projects, staff development, etc. and should be awarded based upon a proposal from any group in the University, including ALANA alumni.
Summary - Faculty and Curriculum
The role of the faculty in improving diversity and inclusion at Stetson cannot be overstated. Regardless of what is accomplished at the staff and student levels, the faculty are the core of this institution and define it in ways in which even the administration cannot. The faculty defines the institutions academic integrity. Moreover, it is seen largely as the responsibility of newer faculty to make changes in programs and curricula. While not guaranteed, an improvement in the diversity of the faculty is likely to result in an improvement in the diversity of course offerings and other academic opportunities for students. Therefore, progress in improving diversity in the faculty is possibly the most critical element of any diversity plan. Currently Stetson's diversity is less than similar institutions across the nation, and is especially dismal when compared to more regional numbers.
I am especially concerned about the goal of improving academic quality at Stetson as in the Academic Quality At Stetson Sixth Draft June 6th 2001. It is first the tone of the document that concerns me. As opposed to the other documents from Stetson, which have been forward looking, the AQAS seems more a retrenchment, a seeking to get back to some point in the past. Furthermore, it suffers from one major flaw; it lays a lot of the weight for improvement of academic quality at Stetson on the student body. While it is generally true that quality seeks out quality, it is a mistake to let the quality of Stetson be judged by the "quality" of its student, particularly quality as measured by three or four numeric measures like SAT/ACT or GPA. Moreover, there is little evidence that these higher scores will result in the more active and engaged classroom that the faculty seek. The quality of a teaching institution must ultimately be determined by the value that it brings to a qualified student body. Thus, the quality of a Stetson education must be measured by less traditional measured like the SAT scores of its students and more by the quality of its faculty, staff, and physical resources.
As an employee of the University of Massachusetts, I must also point out that comparing an affiliation with Rollins with the Five College Program here in Massachusetts is a bit off the mark. The Five College program is a consortium of private and public colleges and universities in Western Massachusetts - Amherst College, Hampshire College, Mt. Holyoke College and Smith College and the University of Massachusetts Amherst. The public university is the largest component of the program. And despite the 3+ -1 ratio of students (public to private), there is more transfer from the privates into UMASS than from UMASS to the four private colleges. What can be gained from the example however, is that each of the five institutions in the consortium are distinctly different and clearly identified. In fact, there is little overlap in their applicant pools and as such, they are not really competitors. Another important element of that consortium is the role diversity and inclusion have played in it. Despite some legitimate criticisms of the consortium, one of the areas in which the combined efforts of these diverse institutions has been felt is in the area of diversity in curriculum as evidenced by two of its major publications, the African Studies Journal and Contributions in Black Studies. For more information on such consortia, and especially the role of diversity and inclusion, see The Five College 1999 Conference proceedings "The Future Role of Consortia in Higher Education."
Moreover, I am concerned because the AQAS does not address in any significant way the issue of diversity and inclusion. While it does address somewhat the importance or having a diverse student body and advises the use of diversity scholarships to do this, it does not address diversity or inclusion within the context of quality for Stetson. It does not, for example make any connection with diversity as a critical element of quality except in the student body. What about diversity in the faculty and staff? In the curriculum? Can one truly call oneself a quality institution without diversity? How does diversity impact the issue of academic integrity? In this report quality and diversity are seen as separate, occasionally connecting, issues.
What is especially troublesome about the AQAS report is that this lack of attention to diversity correlates with a often stated perception about the faculty - that the faculty remains the most conservative and resistant group on campus with regard to diversity. In the words of one observer, the faculty as a group are "resistant to change in a rather naïve way, undergirded by a lack of academic sophistication." Given the enormous power that the faculty has for creating the reality of Stetson University, this perception, particularly in light of the goal to improve quality must be examined. From my limited observations of Stetson faculty, I must agree with this perception. Some of this is to be expected. Faculty are experts in their chosen fields, not necessarily in education or social change. They tend to replicate themselves in choosing new faculty and teach what they were taught. To expect them to rise to the occasion on the issue of diversity without significant intervention in what they do and how they do it is naïve. There is a saying in Alcoholics Anonymous, "Insanity is doing the same thing over and over, and each time expecting different result." If we expect faculty to make different choices (a different result), we must provide an intervention. Faculty must be taught, trained and challenged to achieve diversity and quality. I must also emphasize the need for the FDI to be adequately and consistently funded. Even without a commitment to diversity, the building of a quality faculty requires consistent attention and support. The decisions made now will impact the campus for a generation. Lapses in support for the FDI not only creates dangerous lapses of attention, but communicates a diminution of commitment to this goal.
The Faculty Diversity Initiative (FDI) has been invaluable in increasing the numbers of ALANA faculty at Stetson. Fully, 60% of all new ALANA hires have some through the FDI. Equally important, the FDI has attracted a significant number of faculty, not from underrepresented groups, who have an interest in diversity in the curriculum. There are legitimate criticisms of the FDI, not the least of which is the lack of clarity about how the FDI supports these new faculty. In addition, the FDI exists outside of the normal search and hiring processes and has little impact on those processes. While the FDI as it exists now should absolutely be continued, the FDI must be expanded to have an impact upon the regular processes. Given the propensity for faculty to use the same measures, methods and assessments used for their own hiring in hiring new faculty, the FDI must become a resource for faculty hiring. All faculty hires should be routed through the FDI and the FDI should provide a range of services to all faculty search committees. Those services include: 1) training of search committees for legal issues around hiring as well as mechanisms to conduct searches in a more inclusive manner and with the goal of securing a diverse applicant pool; 2) assistance with the drafting of position postings to ensure a more diverse pool of applicants; 3) providing additional resources that may be necessary to seek out and hire ALANA faculty; 4) developing (and encouraging the development within academic departments) of mechanisms to support and reward departments that attempt and achieve diversity goals, particularly in retirement situations. With the large proportion of the professorate nearing retirement, the FDI has a unique opportunity to provide resources to departments that make strategic diversity hires.
Students
31. Differentiate the effort to recruit a more international student population from the effort of recruit more ALANA students, while still holding the international program responsible for recruiting a racially diverse international student population.
Somewhat done
32. Offer international students of color the opportunity to associate with either or both other international students and ALANA students beginning with application forms.
Somewhat done
33. Search for and display artwork, photography, sculpture, etc. that reflect more than "dead white men." Although Stetson's taste in public art runs to the traditional, there is considerable opportunity within that framework to display a more non-western esthetic. Although the Art Department is sadly lacking in courses in the area of non-western art forms, they could be challenged to create a more diverse public art program, particularly through the history of ALANA peoples in Florida.
Not Done
34. Develop a series of community building events, picnics, luncheons, blood drives, Habitat for Humanity, public service events, etc. that provide opportunities for interaction around common causes. These activities should be the responsibility of the PS and BOT rather than an auxiliary or student group.
37. Changes to the Student Code of Conduct
a. Add to Article II § 2. "The University has a special concern for incidents in which students are targeted or placed in jeopardy because of their race/ethnicity, gender, sexual preference, national origin or religion. The University may impose additional sanctions in cases involving such a motive."
Not Done
b. Add to Article III C 4f - "However, a student charged with conduct that is also the subject of pending criminal proceedings shall in any hearing have the right to the presence of legal counsel for advice; this right shall not include participation of counsel in the hearing. A student who is accompanied by an attorney must give advance notice to the judicial body."
Not Done
c. Add Article III §5 "Students may be accountable to both civil authorities and to the University for acts which constitute violations of law and of the Student Code of Conduct. Disciplinary action at the University will normally proceed during the pendency of criminal proceedings and will not be subject to challenge on the grounds that criminal charges involving the same incident have been dismissed or reduced. When a student has been charged by a civil authority for a violation of law, the University will neither request nor agree to special consideration for the student solely because of his or her status as a student." Not done.
Summary - Students
In light of the tragedy of September 11 and in recognition of the retaliatory acts that have been committed, I must strongly reiterate the need for changes in the Student Code of Conduct that relate to "hate crimes."
An important attempt at diversity has been achieved in the creation of the Cross Cultural Center. Its mere existence, especially with the real estate attached to it, is an important statement about the increasing importance of diversity at Stetson. However, the CCC still seems ill-formed and not sufficiently distinguished from the Multicultural Student Services operation. Although the distinction is supposed to be the CCC's academic orientation, the center serves more as a resource for students doing work in multiculturalism than a resource for the improvement of diversity in academic offerings and opportunities. Once again, Stetson has created a resource for students already concerned about diversity and inclusion issues, but has not brought that into the mainstream of the campus. While some have issues with the out-of-the-hub location of the center, I believe that the real issue is its organizational/administrative location, not its physical one. While I strongly support the center's existence, it must be supported by an autonomous budget with some encouraging arrangement regarding the securing of grant funds. The mission of the center must also be reexamined and re-structured in a way that makes sense as a part of the academic structure as opposed to a student service.
Conclusion
While I visited Stetson, I made a joke about the dissimilarity of my home institution and Stetson vis à vis diversity. UMASS Boston is an island of diversity in a sea of homogeneity. Stetson reverses that and manages to be a sea of homogeneity in an ocean of diversity. In addressing the issue of diversity, Stetson must consider the old story of the mariner who, along with his crew, was dying of thirst. He spied a passing vessel and cried, "Water!" The skipper on the other ship said, "Let down your buckets where you are!" Unknown to the captain of the stricken vessel, they had sailed into the estuary of the Amazon River whose fresh water flows far out to sea. Although dying of thirst, they were actually sailing on fresh drinking water without knowing it. Taking that adage a bit further, we should keep in mind the words of Booker T. Washington, "We shall prosper as we learn to do the common things of life in an uncommon way. Let down your buckets where you are." Similarly, Stetson resides within an enormous river of diversity and finding new ways of tapping into that existing diversity should be its objective.
1998 Nethersole Report
Achieving the next level of Diversity:
Observations and Recommendations
Rita Poussaint Nethersole
April 10, 1998
Charge
Prior to beginning my observations and recommendation, I feel it is important to state what I was charged with achieving. I was initially approached by the Diversity Committee to visit Stetson University, meet with a variety of individuals across the campus, provide some assessment of the current circumstances related to diversity and make recommendations about future actions, and particularly to help plan a climate study to assess current campus climate on the issue of diversity.
The task of achieving diversity is a multi-pronged task and no single effort or report can do it justice. What this report to the Diversity Committee represents then is the perspective of an outsider to the campus. It is offered with the hope that this perspective can help identify issues, concerns and opportunities for the campus. As such, this visit did not include Stetson University School of Law in St. Petersburg. While some of these observations and recommendation may be relevant to the Law School, as a professional school on a separate campus, there may be completely different issues at the Law School. These observations and recommendation, therefore, should not be construed to apply to the Law School.
Attached to this report is a series of additional resources that may be helpful to Stetson University as it proceeds with its diversity initiatives. These include statistical information, including information about the general population and of institutions considered Stetson's peers. I have also attached materials which offer additional information on diversity in higher education as well as documents assessing climate and making recommendations from other institutions. Finally, I have included information on individuals and organizations that can support the diversity initiatives and provide further guidance.
General Concerns
In putting forth my observations and perceptions, I must point out that while I did meet with a wide range of individuals and groups, I did not meet with all of the campus community. While I often met with groups that were identified as having some concern for diversity, I did not meet with those apathetic or hostile to the goal of greater diversity. As a result, I probably have underestimated the level of resistance to this goal. I trust that you have a better sense of that population and how to manage it. I also did not meet with anyone from the Greek community (or not identified as such). I believe this group to be a critical part of an assessment of climate because of its powerful presence on campus and the Greek system's own issues with diversity. I am therefore, unable to make recommendations about the Greek system at Stetson University. Greek systems have a major impact upon student life and often necessitate values of exclusivity that may be inconsistent with diversity. The extent to which that may be true at Stetson and the steps one might take in that area are not reflected in this report. I must therefore strongly emphasize attention to the Greek system in the campus climate study. Another issue that should be addressed is the role of alcohol in student life. Both of these can have significant impacts on diversity, particularly in relation to racial/ethnic and gender relations.
I also did not meet with the enrollment management team as such. Although many individuals in that group were in other groups, I did not have a conversation around the issue of enrollment. I did not meet with the housekeeping/janitorial staff, an important group since it has, both proportionately and numerically, the largest numbers of minority staff.
Other important groups that I did not meet were any alumni group and the Board of Trustees. Clearly, these are two very powerful bodies in the life of the university and I feel that I am missing an important element of understanding by having missed contact with them. Although scheduled, I did not meet with GLB faculty, staff or students, at least not as an organized group. This is of particular concern to me because I believe the issue of diversity as it relates to sexual orientation is a somewhat different issue than for racial/ethnic or gender diversity.
I also did not meet with members of non-Christian religions or religious groups. Though an ñinvisibleî minority like GLBs, I believe that, even at Stetson, there is greater acceptance of religious diversity than of diversity of sexual preference. Still, it is a group, or more accurately a series of groups, that merit attention.
Before I begin, I must first state my strong positive impression of Stetson University. I must confess that I think I came to Stetson with some preconceived notions of what it might be. I am pleased to say that I was pleasantly surprised by what I found. The campus is impressively beautiful, the students bright and articulate, the faculty committed and concerned. Although many of my comments and observations in this report will be critical, even harshly so, I hope that they will be viewed within the context of the admiration and affection I have developed for Stetson.
There is important good news that can form the basis for future achievement. In all of the groups that I met, everyone offered the consistent belief that President Douglas Lee was strongly personally committed to the goal of diversity.Individuals expressed that sentiment without solicitation and regardless of their own experience or concern for diversity. The consistency and depth of this belief was heartening. The other important good news was that all of the groups that I spoke with felt that although Stetson had already experienced a great deal of change, over the past five years in particular, Stetson still had the capacity for more change. There was consistent assessment of the time of the change, the nature of the change, the forces responsible for the change, and the outcomes of the change. And although there was great concern that Stetson live up to the promises of the previous changes, they were proud of the institution for this remarkable capability. Among the people I spoke with, there is the consistent belief that this institution has not saturated its capacity for change and that continued change could be a positive experience for the campus.
That said, I must admit that there were several things that struck me about Stetson that were of concern to me as Stetson pursues another change process the pursuit of diversity. The first point that Stetson must address is a working definition of diversity. This effort at diversity is not Stetson's first. Stetson has made progress, however, what Stetson currently has is not diversity, it is tokenism. Too many women, ALANA students, faculty and staff, non-Christians and GLB exist as ñthe only.î This tokenism places the token in the awkward position of representing his/her group even at the diminution of his/her own individual identity.This is not an acceptable situation if Stetson is to provide a meaningful learning experience for everyone in the university. Most importantly, in reviewing the steps taken to improve diversity at Stetson over the past ten years (Diversity Initiatives/Measures 1987-1998), I find that most of the steps have been taken around the periphery of the institution. That is, the core of Stetson who controls the institution, who teaches at the institution, who is taught at Stetson, and what is taught at Stetson has not been the focus of diversity initiatives.
The goal of diversity is a complex and controversial one.It immediately evokes the questions What kind of diversity? For what reasons? How much diversity? As you engage this change process, it is critical that Stetson have clear and unequivocal answers. For the purposes of this report, and in conjunction with the Diversity Committee, I have limited the discussion of diversity to four major types: racial/ethnic, gender, religious, and sexual orientation. Of course, there are many other forms of diversity that one would want to have represented on a college or university campus, many of which intersect with the targeted areas of diversity: class/income, disability, international, political, geographic, language, etc. and the focus upon these four need not preclude a commitment to achieving the others. However, it is necessary to focus on the task in order to achieve the goals. The reasons for diversity must be clear as well.As I have heard it articulated at Stetson, there are three major reasons for achieving diversity:
1. Education - that a diversity of perspectives, truths and experiences are essential to the learning environment and the pursuit of Truth and knowledge;
2. Christian identity/social justice - that Stetson as a university with a special set of values has a special obligation to address the issue of social justice by providing opportunities to those historically excluded from higher education;
3. Workforce - that the workforce of the twenty-first century will be predominantly minorities and women, and that Stetson has a responsibility to prepare students for interacting in this demographically changed work environment.
A term that I heard quite often in my conversations with individuals and groups around Stetson was various iterations of the word value. As a noun, a verb, an adjective, the word came up many times, and I believe it holds an important message about the task at hand. The value of Stetson University as an educational value was uppermost in the minds of the entire campus community. It was a fundamental assumption that Stetson must maintain its value as a first class academic institution. Similarly, the conviction that Stetson must hold on to the best of its values was stated many times in our discussions. The question that I heard constantly was ñWhat do we value in this community?î How individuals are valued was also part of this recurring theme. As a result, this assessment of Stetson University in regard to the issue of diversity takes that word very much into consideration and my comments and recommendations revolve around the issue of value/values.
In talking with many groups across the campus, I sensed a great deal of pain around the issue of diversity. This pain was particularly concentrated in two groups the Quality of Service group and the ALANA students and alumni. There is a profound sense of betrayal in the Quality of Service group and among ALANA students and alumni. I cannot stress strongly enough the depth of this sense of betrayal as well as my belief that how Stetson manages diversity in the context of these two groups will be an important indication of its ability to manage the move to a more diverse institution.
The source for this pain is very different in these two cases. Let me address the Quality of Service group first. This is among the most non-diverse, homogeneous groups on campus, composed 95% of white females. Although I understand that the QS group includes more than clerical/secretarial staff, I was informed that the men simply do not participate in the group on a regular basis. That was true on the day I met with them. Already, this is a serious problem because of the association of service and women, as if it were only women who had the concern and responsibility for service within the institution. This group also had more long-term employees than any other group I met with. These are people who have weathered the changes in Stetson, and most of them feel a great deal of pride in that accomplishment.However, they feel that the changes and the promise that it made have passed them by. They tend to view the changes at Stetson with greater suspicion, describing it as ñthe big tumbleî and still feeling a sense of loss of a Stetson University that they knew, understood and took pride in. Many feel forgotten, under valued and abused. Many feel that they are in dead end jobs, with no chance for advancement, recognition or increased salary. They stated that they were on the ñrungs of a ladder to nowhere.î Contrast this group with the Faculty Women's Caucus, which despite all of its serious concerns, has a much more optimistic and involved view of the future. The QS group feels somewhat demeaned because of their lack of higher education in comparison to the Faculty Women's Caucus. Yet, even as these women feel that they have hit a ñglass ceiling,î they are also perceived from without as a female ñOld boy's club.îThis is a critical perception because this group must focus not only upon destroying their own sense of victimization but also upon understanding the ways in which they can victimize others.They are seen as controlling access to others and limiting opportunities for those different from them.
A similar sense of betrayal and pain was evident among the ALANA students and alumni. Anyone who attended the Black Alumni Networking Panel had to be moved by the almost palpable pain in the room. These students feel that they have been mislead as to the quality of life, the quality of the academic experience, and the sacrifice that they have made to be at Stetson. More importantly, they feel robbed of an important part of their lives and envious of their friends at other institutions. The fact that this feeling lasts well into their years after Stetson demonstrates the enduring and damaging nature of this pain and anger.Unfortunately, several of the young men have had the kind of negative experiences with police, either campus police or local police, that is becoming the norm for young ALANA men. For the most part, however, the problem is not overtly racist conduct; in fact, there is an air of friendliness and courtesy at Stetson that is disarming. Incidents generally involve issues of racial/ethnic insensitivity, ignorance or isolation. Furthermore, ALANA students at Stetson are often called upon to be educational resources in a way that their white counterparts are not. Most importantly, the ALANA students I spoke with feel that their white colleagues have absolutely no understanding of their experience here or the ways in which they participate in this experience. As a result, I find that many students carry with them a level of pain and anger that even they are afraid to engage directly.This ñfree-floatingî anger is often ignited by acts of insensitivity or ignorance that seem insignificant to outsiders but which provide something of a touchstone to which ALANA students can attach their pain.
I believe that the level of oppression faced by the GLB community is in some ways more severe, more accepted and more pervasive than for other forms of difference. Even among students, it was generally regarded that the type and level of discrimination against GLB on campus was quite strong. Furthermore, given the ñinvisibleî nature of the difference, I feel that GLB faculty, students and staff have different psychological issues in existing in a community where they are in the minority.Also, the GLB community is the only targeted minority community that does not have legal protection against discrimination in the state of Florida. Clearly, the decision to achieve diversity in this area must employ different strategies than for other targeted groups, since even identifying oneself with this group has serious legal consequences. Particular attention to assessing climate and identifying the needs of this group must be given in the next phase of any diversity effort. I cannot stress strongly enough what I see as the continuing vulnerability of this group on the Stetson campus.
Stetson University is a beautiful institution, stunning in its physical beauty and wonderfully maintained. I was received with great courtesy and cordiality.There is a kind of hospitality that evokes a sense of the best of the South and which seems quite different from Southern Florida. However, that is often interpreted as an institution overly concerned with appearances.Several groups stated that they felt that Stetson as an institution tended to cover-up and minimize incidents and realities that were damaging to the image of the institution.Individuals with complaints and concerns were made to feel as if they were malcontents and troublemakers. I believe that the lack of appropriate problem solving and grievance mechanisms exacerbate this perception. Another complaint that I heard rather consistently across the campus was the perception that problems are talked about ad nauseam but that very little action was ever taken; that participating in these discussions is like playing the game of Telephone. Things that are communicated at one end come out completely differently when they emerge at the other end. While such ñparalysis of analysisî is commonplace in the world of academe, for an institution engaging in a change process, that perception can completely undermine any attempts at change, particularly long-term change. It is critical that Stetson's diversity plan be comprised of actions that have immediate impact and those that require long-term commitment to change. The community understands that this change will take time. However, as one administrator put it, ñEvery year, I graduate another senior class.î Stetson must move quickly to bring diversity ñinside the tent.î
There is considerable suspicion that Stetson's interest in diversity is a result of external pressures the NCAA report and enrollment declines. The perception is that diversity is being used as a mechanism to save Stetson from censure by the NCAA and from significant drops in enrollment. While these pressures may provide some impetus for diversity, Stetson must be consistent and clear in discussing the reasons for achieving diversity. Certainly the NCAA and enrollment issues should not be ignored. To do so would undermine institutional credibility. But these two circumstances must be embraced as opportunities rather than just external demands. They must be admitted publicly and then connected to the other changes Stetson University has undergone and to its vision of itself in the future.Connected to this suspicion is the image that Stetson is not an institution committed to diversity. A recent hire told me of her experience at a local black church. When he informed a church member that he was working at Stetson University, the response was, ñWell, we'll pray for you dear.î One way that this negative image is reinforced is when Stetson includes its minority neighbors only when the event is a ñminority-themedî event.Thus, although the local black community is invited to the Thurman lectures, it is not invited to other campus events. This observation also speaks to the experience of minority administrators; they are sought after only when the issue is identified as a ñminorityî issue.This perpetuates the perception that minority faculty and staff exist at Stetson, not to serve the entire community, but to serve the burgeoning minority community. While unfairly burdening minority employees, this also allows white faculty to be let off the hook for their responsibilities to nurture and mentor all students and to address all issues of concern to the campus community. This marginalizes the existence of minority staff and students at Stetson University and creates the kind of pain and anger that is rampant among students of color, and, to a somewhat lesser extent, among ALANA faculty and staff. This is not limited to ALANA faculty and staff; this applies also to women
The very first step that must be taken is outreach to and the recruitment of a critical mass of ALANA and women students, faculty and staff, as well as students from and staff from non-Christian backgrounds and gays, lesbians and bisexuals. Their presence on campus will provide the impetus for further change, change that will be more congruent with Stetson's identity and more responsive to its needs.The move to a more diverse institution is a symbiotic process. Larger numbers of ALANA students will demand more ALANA faculty; more feminist faculty will pull more feminist students; Non-Christian staff will encourage non-Christian faculty. The move to achieve diversity will overcome the inertia currently holding back progress and will take on a momentum of its own. This is not to say that there will not be serious problems, concerns and crises after the inertia is overcome, only that sufficient momentum must be in place to carry the institution through those difficult times. Additionally, too many of the goals for diversity are expressed in non-tangible terms, with elusive benchmarks and non-quantifiable measures. The diversity plan must be unequivocal and specific about actions to be taken, benchmarks for success, dates for completion, and strategies for evaluation.
Finally, let me say that in an academic community, everyone is an educator. From the housekeepers to the President and Board of Trustees, everyone educates. We must remind everyone at Stetson of the responsibility that comes with interacting with young minds. As teachers, our behavior is the ultimate teaching tool. Our behavior regarding diversity is no different. We must constantly assess what our behavior is saying about our principles. We must be willing to admit when we fall short of those principles and be prepared to apologize and alter our behavior. And we must conduct ourselves with the humility that comes with this responsibility and with the realization that we, too, are still learning.
Recommendations
In developing these recommendations, I have also tried to focus them on actions that I believe are most appropriate to the current mission, identity and values of Stetson University. I have therefore, eliminated some important actions that have been successful at other institutions because I considered them not appropriate to Stetson. For example, although articulation and joint admissions agreements have been very successful in enhancing diversity in states where the ALANA populations are concentrated in the two-year community and junior colleges, the impact upon the institution seems out of sync with Stetson's mission as a four year residential liberal arts institution. I have also tried not to repeat recommendations from in-house committees and organizations unless I felt that they were so fundamental to my own observations and conclusions that they bore repeating. I have also tried to provide two levels of recommendations: recommendations that can be implemented immediately, with either minimal resources or by executive fiat and recommendations that require a longer-term commitment to research, resources and planning. The recommendations tend to follow a circular flow from identification/announcement of institutional goals and objectives, development of strategies for implementation, assignment of resources and reward structures to support implementation, implementation, and evaluation.
Numerical Goals
In making these observations and recommendations, I believe it is important to emphasize that diversity is about more than numbers.It is about the achievement of an environment in which difference is respected, celebrated and made to be a strength. It is the creation of a learning environment in which culture is understood and values are respected. It is about a climate of tolerance (in the best sense of that word) and knowledge of the full range of humankind. But it is also about the numbers. In order to move beyond the issue of mere numbers, Stetson must move into the issue of numbers. To achieve the vision of diversity that goes beyond numbers, there must be at least a minimum level of statistical diversity. Any attempt to achieve a more meaningful level of diversity is doomed without adequate numbers. Anything less than statistical diversity is tokenism and is an act of exploitation rather than education.
In my visit, I was astonished to find that the perception of the level of diversity at Stetson varied greatly across the campus community. While many individuals felt that Stetson was a terribly non-diverse institution, others felt that it was quite reflective of society in its diversity. Others, particularly students, felt that Stetson was already very diverse and offered opportunities for interaction. It is important that the campus come to a more realistic and consistent perception of the level of diversity at Stetson. I have attached a number of tables comparing Stetson to several other measures, including the total US, Florida and Volusia County populations (Table 1), as well as tables comparing Stetson with the overall US student population and the population of four year colleges (Tables 2-3).In comparison to any of these standards, Stetson shows considerably less diversity than either the US, Florida or Volusia population, or the US higher education population, even among four-year private institutions. Among institutions in Florida, of the 98 higher education institutions listed, Stetson ranks 82nd in terms of racial/ethnic diversity. In comparison to the other institutions identified by
US News and World Report as the top fifteen colleges in the South, Stetson University also shows less diversity relative to the level of diversity in the individual states.
I have also attached a table comparing Stetson faculty diversity with nationwide figures. For the faculty, the numbers are equally dismal, both for ALANA faculty and for women (Table 4). Stetson consistently has less representation of each minority group across the campus.Interestingly enough, Stetson shows one difference from national numbers. Among ALANA faculty, Stetson consistently has more women faculty than men.ALANA faculty are 4.5% of male faculty but 18.8% of the female faculty! Although I celebrate the representation of women of color, I must wonder if this steady reversal of national numbers in the context of Stetson is meaningful. Does this speak to any particular perception of men of color? Are ALANA women considered less of a threat to the status quo?Is there more support for the hiring of women of color, through the Women's Faculty Caucus for example, than for the hiring of men of color? Has Stetson hired women of color in order to get a ñtwofer,î a minority and a woman for the price of one? These are issues that must be addresses through careful work with search committees and department chairs.
In any task, and particularly ones that take place over a lengthy period that involve a number of individuals and department, objectives must be established. Stetson has not yet established measurable goals for the achievement of diversity.The goals are expressed in a series of less tangible criteria more, increase, add, etc. While these less tangible goals are admirable and achievable, Stetson must establish clear numeric goals for diversity. The failure to do this may be the result of the uncomfortable political position that these numbers may present for the campus. However, the failure to establish clear objectives communicates a lack of commitment to the objective, leaves individuals and departments stranded as to where and how to move, and makes impossible either success or failure.Therefore, it is important to establish clear numeric objectives for the achievement of diversity. The most critical is not whether but how.
By what standard should Stetson measure the achievement of numerical diversity? The answer to that question could be as simple as Stetson's student population should mirror the demographics of the United States as a whole. Although that is a reasonable response, I find it a bit simplistic and out of context. The numerical goal must be attached not only to the demographics of the larger society, but also to Stetson's mission. Is it Stetson's goal to be a national university, recruiting students from across the country? If so, then using national numbers makes more sense. But Stetson strikes me as more of a regional university, attracting most of its students from Florida and the southeastern United States. However, that yardstick significantly increases the level of diversity since the Southeast has a larger population of African-Americans, and, in some places, especially Florida, Hispanic Americans.Stetson's identity as an institution for traditional age college students must also be considered. The concentration of ALANA people in the younger age groups would also tend to increase the level of diversity sought by Stetson. The task of establishing numeric goals is a complex one that ought to be thoroughly researched and vetted through Institutional Research. A cautionary note Although Stetson may perceive itself to be a regional or even national university, it is critical that in achieving its numerical goals for diversity, it begin at home. The counties that surround Stetson University contain a great diversity of people, as great as anywhere in this nation. Tapping into that diversity will yield not only the statistical diversity that Stetson seeks, but will provide benefits of improved institutional image and commitment.
Recommendations
1. In conjunction with the Office of Institutional Research, establish clear numeric goals for diversity in student population, faculty and other groups. These goals must be established very precisely in a way that gives direction to executives, middle managers and the various segments of institutional life.
2. Publicize the goal of diversity and seek allies in the local community.
3. Do not allow the institution to be drawn into an argument over affirmative action and quotas. The goals must be clearly articulated as goals, albeit goals with serious consequences, and by emphasizing the educational purpose of the goals at every opportunity. The goals should also be expressed within the context of national organizations, like The American Council on Education (ACE), and with other colleges associated with the Florida and Baptist Conventions and their goals for diversity.
Board of Trustees and President's Office
The BOT and the President's Office represent the highest level of administration of the University.Lack of diversity at those levels will undermine any efforts to enhance diversity elsewhere in the institution.It is absolutely critical that Stetson succeed at a serious effort to diversify the BOT and the President' Staff.The BOT must include women who define themselves as feminists, and members of the ALANA and GLB communities.I noted that what you seek in your BOT members is both competence and wealth. I confess that it will probably be difficult to find women and ALANA members who bring the level of wealth to the table that other trustees do.However, the competence that they bring must be equally valued, and they must be cultivated for that value as deliberately as trustees with the value of wealth.
Recommendations
4. Of the next five trustee appointments, three (every other) should be made from one of the groups targeted for diversity action.
5. The President's Staff must be made more diverse in terms of race and gender through targeted recruitment and hiring.
6. Diversity must be identified as one of the university's strategic priorities and one of the President Staff's agenda items. It must become a measure of success for the president's staff as well as a consistent measure for the policies and procedures put into place.
7. Add an elected student trustee to the BOT with a term of one year. The student trustee should have full voting rights.
8. The University should initiate diversity training for BOT and president's staff. Topics should include sexual harassment, GLB issues, mediation, and race/ethnic diversity as well as legal issues in higher education.
Terminology
Terminology is a critical issue in discussing diversity. In fact, it anticipates the important question, ñHow do we talk about race/gender/religion/sexual preference?î Although Stetson must develop its own unique mechanisms for having these discussions, I would like to make a basic observation and recommendation.Since Stetson is not required to have an Affirmative Action plan, I do not believe it is necessary to use the federal language in describing the targeted populations for diversity if that terminology is flawed. I would suggest that Stetson cease using the term ñminority.î The term may be accurate in a purely arithmetic sense, however, there are several states in which the minority is becoming the majority; Florida, with its large Latino and African American populations is among them.Additionally, the term minority can be laden with negative connotations, particularly the sense of being marginalized and not counting. Most importantly, it fails to specify precisely who we mean. Some people chose to use the term people/community of color. A term has evolved in the higher education community that I think is much more useful ALANA/AHANA, which stands for African-, Latino (or Hispanic), Asian- and Native American. I find it a more precise term and tend to use it in this report. Of, course, a change in terminology means that you will face the inevitable charge of PC (politically correctness), but I believe it can be argued that this term is more factually correct. Similarly, I would caution people about using the term homosexual, which has similarly negative connotations. Gay, lesbian, bisexual is how this community has chosen to identify itself. Since one of the most fundamental human rights is the right to name oneself, regardless of one's agreement or acceptance of another's position, I believe it is a simple act of courtesy and respect to call people by the name they have chosen.
I have chosen to use the term community to describe groups of individuals who share similar race/ethnic, gender, religious or sexual preference identification. I do this because I firmly believe that these communities have developed specific cultures that have evolved from the combination of their unique collective experiences. This belief however, should not indicate that these communities are monolithic or that the individuals in those groups lack individual distinction. As we develop strategies to address the issues of communities to enhance diversity, we must remember that everyone's experience within a culture or community is filtered through their own individual perspectives.Diversity is not in conflict with recognizing people as individuals.
Recommendation
9. Change the terminology from minority to ALANA, from homosexual to gay, lesbian and bisexual.
Religion and Diversity
Stetson's history as a Baptist institution and its history as a non-diverse institution seem to be connected, at least in the minds of many of your faculty and students. I believe that this is true of the general public as well. In fact, in one of the most clearly and elegantly articulated statements, Stetson asserts that its separation from the Florida and Southern Baptist Conventions was a statement of its inclusive nature.
Our interpretation that to be Christian is to be inclusive, and our commitment to be inclusive led us to sever ties with the Southern and Florida Baptist conventions, both of which interpreted a commitment to be Christian to mean exclusivity. When our Trustees changed our Bylaws in 1993 to clarify its understanding of our historic mission and commitment, the Board reaffirmed the richness of our Christian and Baptist heritage as a commitment to be an open and inclusive community.
The Role of Stetson's Christian Heritage in our Mission, Focus, and Values Commitments
Unfortunately, what this has come to mean is that religion equals non-inclusive and, by extension, non-religious equals inclusive. This has set up an environment in which any effort to be religious (even non-denominational) is deemed an effort to exclude. Thus, many feel that the only way Stetson can be inclusive is to be secular. Under the Florida and Southern Baptist Convention, Baptist ministers were on the BOT and clearly defined the religious tone of the institution.Rather than ceasing to define itself as an institution with a religious heritage, Stetson must define itself with a newly defined religious heritage, and differentiate that from the previous incarnation.
Recommendations
10. Add to the BOT individuals who share and advance the perspective of the religious but inclusive nature of the new Stetson. These individuals must have a role equal to that of the old Baptist ministers but bring a new sense of an inclusive religion to Stetson. I would recommend that these people include Baptist clergy (perhaps a woman or from the ALANA community). You might also include someone from a non-Christian faith, or even a spiritualist or metaphysician. Ultimately, this person must communicate that religion all religions and spirituality, including atheism are welcome at Stetson and that the ethical and moral dimensions of religion, organized and other, are fundamental to Stetson's vision of itself.
11. Include the new chaplain in the administrative functioning of the university. The new chaplain must be the religious/ethical/moral presence on campus which articulates the inclusive nature of Christianity and who interjects the ethical and moral perspective into the daily life of the campus, including the work of the faculty and administration. The new chaplain must articulate a humanist/Christian vision and be fluent with the world's major schools of religious and philosophical thought.
12. Encourage existing campus religious organizations to focus, not only on providing services to the campus community, but on being a defining ethical force on campus. This must achieved, not by forcing a particular religious view but by injecting religion/spirituality/ethics into community conversations. The campus must remember that with small numbers of non-Christian students, allowances must be made to assure that non-Christian perspectives into the issue of religion is included.
13. Develop courses in the Religion Department that emphasize inclusion in religion, first by offering a wider selection of religion courses that deal with more than the traditional Judeo-Christian religions, e.g., liberation theology, the role of religion in ALANA communities, Native American religions, Wicchans and Pagans, Atheism, Metaphysics, Humanism. These courses should be acceptable as the required course on religion.
Faculty Recruitment and Retention
Stetson is in competition for ALANA faculty with every other higher education institution in the country. It is not enough merely to compete for the limited number of individuals in that pool. Stetson must work to increase the pool with ALANA potential faculty with an inclination to come to Stetson. Stetson has been very successful (some might argue, too successful) in recruiting its own alumni to become faculty and staff at Stetson; that same effort must be extended to ALANA students and alumni. Stetson might take some guidance from the Preparing Future Faculty (PFF) program through the Council of Graduate Schools. (www.cgsnet.org).
Retaining good faculty, especially women and minorities, is as important as recruiting new faculty. It is clear that there are certain disparities between male and female faculty as well as ALANA and white faculty. The concentration of white male faculty in the more privileged fields automatically creates an imbalance when looking at the faculty as a whole.Therefore, goals and objectives for improved diversity must be developed for each departmental unit, rather than an overall number for the entire faculty. Stetson currently shows a disparity at the full professor level in terms of gender, but parity at the associate and assistant professor levels.Although it is hoped that this will lead to parity at all faculty levels over the next several years, the experience of other colleges and universities dispute this. The lower levels of promotion and retention of women faculty tends to extend the disparity into the upper ranks of faculty. Each department must assess the ways in which tasks are assigned (or assumed) within the department. It is unfortunately true that in academe, women and minorities tend to do the grunt work of the department, freeing the white male faculty to do the more glamorous work of faculty. One faculty member described it as ñhousekeeping and landscaping.î Women do the housekeeping, the work of the department that is essential to everyday functioning, leaving the men to do the landscaping, the external work that others notice and compliment. ALANA faculty are similarly situated in that many of them serve on an inordinate number of committees, advise too many students, respond to too many campus crises. What is worse, these activities are not respected by their colleagues; no faculty member can survive for long under this circumstance. Obviously, some reassessment of what work has what value is in order, but all faculty must be called upon to be of service in their departments and in their institution.
Recommendations
14. Establish the Special Opportunities Fund to create a mechanism for quick response to time sensitive opportunities to attract ALANA, women and other targeted faculty. The SOF can be used to supplement a department's budget to add additional funds for salaries, to support research facilities, to support professional development and travel, to bring ABD's to campus for teaching experiences, etc.
15. Use visiting professorships (supported by the SOF) as a mechanism to bring ALANA and women faculty to campus for a semester or more..
16. Add experience in a teaching/learning environment at women's or minority institutions as an item of preference for hiring in all advertisements in all departments.
17. Add the ability to teach courses with multicultural content as an item of preference for hiring in all advertisements in all departments.
18. Target the institutions that produce the largest number of ALANA PhDs for linkage and recruitment efforts (attached).
19. ñGrow your ownî ALANA faculty, either by identifying ALANA and female students as potential faculty colleagues, or by identifying ALANA and women PhD candidates at other institutions and supporting their development, perhaps through the SOF, in exchange for a specified teaching/research opportunity at Stetson.
20. At the beginning of each academic year, train search committees on mechanisms to avoid discrimination and to enhance the consideration of women and ALANA individuals for faculty positions. These training sessions should occur before identifying specific job descriptions, and the university ombudsperson should be a non-voting member of each search committee.
21. Focus training on diversity issues towards department chairs. As the first line of management, they have a unique opportunity and responsibility for the implementation of policies and procedures that most directly affect hiring and retention.
22. Establish a course on legal issues in higher education for department chairs. This course should include, academic freedom, hiring and tenure, ADA issues, discrimination, and other diversity and academic issues. This course should not be taught by University Counsel; however, University Counsel should be brought into the class to help define the relationship of chairs to counsel and mechanisms for legal advice and ongoing legal education.
Curriculum
I hesitate to make recommendations for curriculum reform since it is itself a more than adequate topic for yet another report.Yet, curriculum reform must be a part of any effort towards diversity. It may be the single most difficult task of all of the diversity related tasks. I have included a number of references to programs and individuals more capable than I of helping Stetson University engage this important but complex task. The one curriculum issue that I will mention is the idea of requiring some sort of professional service as part of the graduation requirements. Given the values that Stetson asserts, I believe that this is an opportunity for the type of broadening experiences critical to a Stetson education.
Student Recruitment
Recommendations
23. Develop a Summer Research Opportunities Program to bring groups of targeted rising sophomores and juniors to the Stetson campus for a few weeks during the summer to work with professors on a broad range of research and scholarship.
24. Develop multi-lingual and bilingual advertisements for Stetson for publications in non-English speaking communities and publications. The purpose of these ads is to create a positive impression of Stetson as an institution that is reaching out to new communities.
Institutional Quality Assessment
Recommendations
25. Conduct an internal validity study of the SAT/ACT and the relationship of standardized test scores to performance in college, retention and graduation. Study should break out results for ALANA and women students.
26. Conduct a retention study that analyzes the retention and graduation of students since 1985.Study should break out results for ALANA and women students as well as by other categories as identified by Institutional Research.
27. In conjunction with the Office of Institutional Research, develop a value-added perspective in assessing institutional quality, that is the impact that it has upon its students and the skills it provides.
Hiring and Advancement
The effort and achievement of diversity is a tricky issue with regard to managing goals, objectives and mediating disputes.Bringing individuals with different cultural values and norms means that unspoken values must be articulated, often in bureaucratic form. Stetson may no longer assume that everyone perceives and understands the values and mechanisms for inculcating those values in the community. Thus, the consistent statement of goals and the reinforcement of those goals and values through the reward system is critical.
Recommendations
28. (Corollary to Recommendation # 1,) Develop clear goals for divisions in which enhancing diversity is a priority and clearly attach the achievement of those goals to performance review and merit increases.
29. Develop a plan for the management of internal disputes a grievance process. This plan should identify an individual with responsibility for mediating and adjudicating disputes an ombudsperson. The University Ombudsperson should be someone familiar with EEO/Affirmative Action Programs and should report directly to the president. The University attorney cannot fulfill this role since the possibility of litigation would undermine confidentiality and neutrality. The ombudsperson must have the ability to maintain complete confidentiality (even from the president) and should be made a member of the president's staff so that policy development can be informed by the problems that arise in the day-to-day implementation of policies and procedures.
30. Establish an Innovation Fund, a fund controlled by the Diversity Committee, to promote activities and programs that support diversity. These programs must be beyond the range of the regular operational budget.These projects could include guest lecturers, student retention projects, staff development, etc. and should be awarded based upon a proposal from any group in the University, including ALANA alumni.
Internationalism and diversity
It is critical that international diversity not become confused with, or a substitute for, achieving diversity of US students/faculty/staff. Fulfilling the goal of racial diversity by recruiting international students of color fails to achieve two of the primary goals of diversity providing opportunities for under-represented, traditionally excluded populations and providing contact with populations that will be the work force of the 21st century.While international students of color may choose to identify with ALANA students, this identification should not be confused with sameness.
Recommendations
31. Differentiate the effort to recruit more international student population from the effort of recruit more ALANA students, while still holding the international program responsible for recruiting a racially diverse international student population.
32. Offer international students of color the opportunity to associate with either or both other international students and ALANA students beginning with application forms.
Facilities
Recommendations
33. Search for and display artwork, photography, sculpture, etc. that reflect more than ñdead white men.îAlthough Stetson's taste in public art runs to the traditional, there is considerable opportunity within that framework to display a more non-western esthetic. Although the Art Department is sadly lacking in courses in the area of non-western art forms, they could be challenged to create a more diverse public art program, particularly through the history of ALANA peoples in Florida.
Communication and Community
The choice to become a more diverse institution is a decision that has several phases and which must be reaffirmed and adjusted at several points on the path. Stetson is a very divided institution. Some division is necessary to provide the dynamic tension that is so fundamental to a learning environment, but Stetson has another level of division, divisions that grow very much out of the institution's history and recent changes it has been through and which can damages the institution's ability to focus and work collectively towards a new set of goals. It is critical that attention be given to resolving existing divisions even as new populations are brought into the community. Failure to attend to this can undermine the diversity effort. While Stetson may achieve statistical diversity, it will not achieve the diverse learning community that is the ultimate goal.
Recommendations
34. Develop a series of community building events, picnics, luncheons, blood drives, Habitat for Humanity projects, public service events, etc. that provide opportunities for interaction around common causes. These activities should be the responsibility of the president's staff and BOT rather than an auxiliary or student group.
35. In announcing the implementation of action plans and goals, I would suggest that its flexible nature be integrated into the definition of the document. At UMASS Amherst the document that was negotiated was popularly called ñThe Living Document.î This title communicated not only that this document was subject to adjustment and discussion but also that it was not a document to be stored on a shelf and forgotten.ñThe Living Documentî only has meaning insofar as the campus continued to act on its goals, recommendations and promises.
36. After specific goals and objectives are identified, an update should be provided to the campus community (through the student newspaper?) at the beginning and end of each semester, detailing progress towards each of the goals, discussing the adjustment and addition of new goals and announcing new efforts towards the goals.
I am unclear as to whether the university can bring charges against a student for acts committed against another student.I would suggest a change to the Student Code of Conduct that allows for the University to act as ñprosecutorî as in a criminal case. This is an important adjustment because it sends the important signal that misconduct is not just an act against an individual, but an act against the community (ñThe people versus...î) In addition, the University needs to express its concern for ñhate crimesî and maintain the right to increase sanctions where it is an element of the offense. Additionally, where student offenses have the potential for criminal charges, the university must maintain the right to proceed with its own process while those charges are pending, but allow the presence of an attorney in the hearing process.
37. Changes to the Student Code of Conduct
a. Add to Article II ? 2. ñThe University has a special concern for incidents in which students are targeted or placed in jeopardy because of their race/ethnicity, gender, sexual preference, national origin or religion. The University may impose additional sanctions in cases involving such a motive.î
b. Add to Article III C 4f - ñHowever, a student charged with conduct that is also the subject of pending criminal proceedings shall in any hearing have the right to the presence of legal counsel for advice; this right shall not include participation of counsel in the hearing. A student who is accompanied by an attorney must give advance notice to the judicial body.î
c. Add Article III ?5 ñStudents may be accountable to both civil authorities and to the University for acts which constitute violations of law and of the Student Code of Conduct. Disciplinary action at the University will normally proceed during the pendency of criminal proceedings and will not be subject to challenge on the grounds that criminal charges involving the same incident have been dismissed or reduced.When a student has been charged by a civil authority for a violation of law, the University will neither request nor agree to special consideration for the student solely because of his or her status as a student.î
Executive Summary
Recommendations
1. In conjunction with the Office of Institutional Research, establish clear numeric goals for diversity in student population, faculty and other groups. These goals must be established very precisely in a way that gives direction to executives, middle managers and the various segments of institutional life.
2. Publicize the goal of diversity and seek allies in the local community.
3. Do not allow the institution to be drawn into an argument over affirmative action and quotas. The goals must be clearly articulated as goals, albeit goals with serious consequences, and by emphasizing the educational purpose of the goals at every opportunity.
4. Of the next five trustee appointments, three (every other) should be made from one of the groups targeted for diversity action.
5. The President's Staff must be made more diverse in terms of race and gender through targeted recruitment and hiring.
6. Diversity must be identified as one of the university's strategic priorities and one of the President Staff's agenda items. It must become a measure of success for PS as well as a consistent measure for the policies and procedures put into place.
7. Add an elected student trustee to the BOT with a term of one year. The student trustee should have full voting rights.
8. Diversity training for BOT and president's Staff. Sexual harassment, GLB issues and race/ethnic diversity.
9. Change the terminology from minority to ALANA, from homosexual to gay, lesbian and bisexual.
10. Add to the BOT individuals who share and advance the perspective of the religious but inclusive nature of the new Stetson. These individuals must have a role equal to that of the old Baptist ministers but bring a new sense of an inclusive religion to Stetson. I would recommend that these people include Baptist clergy (perhaps a woman or from the ALANA community). You might also include someone from a non-Christian faith, or even a spiritualist or metaphysician. Ultimately, this person must communicate that religion all religions and spirituality, including atheism are welcome at Stetson and that the ethical and moral dimensions of religion, organized and other, are fundamental to Stetson's vision of itself.
11. Include the new chaplain in the administrative functioning of the university. The new chaplain must be the religious/ethical/moral presence on campus which articulates the inclusive nature of Christianity and who interjects the ethical and moral perspective into the daily life of the campus, including the work of the faculty and administration. The new chaplain must articulate a humanist/Christian vision and be fluent with the world's major schools of religious and philosophical thought.
12. Encourage existing campus religious organizations to focus, not only on providing services to the campus community, but on being a defining ethical force on campus. This must achieved, not by forcing a particular religious view but by injecting religion/spirituality/ethics into community conversations. The campus must remember that with small numbers of non-Christian students, allowances must be made to assure that non-Christian perspectives into the issue of religion is included.
13. Develop courses in the Religion Department that emphasize inclusion in religion, first by offering a wider selection of religion courses that deal with more than the traditional Judeo-Christian religions, e.g., liberation theology, the role of religion in ALANA communities, Native American religions, Wicchans and Pagans, Atheism, Metaphysics, Humanism. These courses should be acceptable as the required course on religion.
14. Establish the Special Opportunities Fund to create a mechanism for quick response to time sensitive opportunities to attract ALANA, women and other targeted faculty.The SOF can be used to supplement a department's budget to add additional funds for salaries, to support research facilities, to support professional development and travel, to bring ABD's to campus for teaching experiences, etc.
15. Use visiting professorships (supported by the SOF) as a mechanism to bring ALANA and women faculty to campus for a semester or more.
16. Add experience in a teaching/learning environment at all women's or minority institutions as an item of preference for hiring in all advertisements in all departments.
17. Add the ability to teach courses with multicultural content as an item of preference for hiring in all advertisements in all departments.
18. Target the institutions that produce the largest number of ALANA PhDs for linkage and recruitment efforts (attached).
19. ñGrow your ownî ALANA faculty, either by identifying ALANA and female students as potential faculty colleagues, or by identifying ALANA and women PhD candidates at other institutions and supporting their development, perhaps through the SOF, in exchange for a specified teaching/research opportunity at Stetson.
20. At the beginning of each academic year, train search committees on mechanisms to avoid discrimination and to enhance the consideration of women and ALANA individuals for faculty positions. These training sessions should occur before identifying specific job descriptions, and the university ombudsperson should be a non-voting member of each search committee.
21. Focus training on diversity issues towards department chairs. As the first line of management, they have a unique opportunity and responsibility for the implementation of policies and procedures that most directly affect hiring and retention.
22. Establish a course on legal issues in higher education for department chairs. This course should include, academic freedom, hiring and tenure, ADA issues, discrimination, and other diversity and academic issues. This course should not be taught by University counsel, however, University Counsel should be brought into the class to help define the relationship of chairs to counsel and mechanisms for legal advice and ongoing legal education.
23. Develop a Summer Research Opportunities Program to bring groups of targeted rising sophomores and juniors to the Stetson campus for a few weeks during the summer to work with professors on a broad range of research and scholarship.
24. Develop multi-lingual and bilingual advertisements for Stetson for publications in non-English speaking communities and publications. The purpose of these ads is to create a positive impression of Stetson and an institution that is reaching out to new communities.
25. Conduct an internal validity study of the SAT/ACT and the relationship of standardized test scores to performance in college, retention and graduation. Study should break out results for ALANA and women students.
26. Conduct a retention study that analyzes the retention and graduation of students since 1985.Study should break out results for ALANA and women students as well as by other categories as identified by Institutional Research.
27. In conjunction with the Office of Institutional Research, develop a value-added perspective in assessing institutional quality, that is the impact that it has upon its students and the skills it provides.
28. Corollary to Recommendation # 1, develop clear goals for divisions in which enhancing diversity is a priority and clearly attach the achievement of those goals to performance review and merit increases.
29. Develop a plan for the management of internal disputes a grievance process. This plan should identify an individual with responsibility for mediating and adjudicating disputes an ombudsperson. The University Ombudsperson should be someone familiar with EEO/Affirmative Action Programs and should report directly to the president. The University attorney cannot fulfill this role since the possibility of litigation would undermine the confidentiality and neutrality. The ombudsperson must have the ability to maintain complete confidentiality (even from the president) and should be made a member of the President's staff so that policy development an be informed by the problems that arise in the day-today implementation of policies and procedures.
30. Establish an Innovation Fund, a fund controlled by the Diversity Committee to promote activities and programs that support diversity. These programs must be beyond the range of the regular operational budget.These projects could include guest lecturers, student retention projects, staff development, etc. and should be awarded based upon a proposal from any group in the University, including ALANA alumni.
31. Differentiate the effort to recruit more international student population from the effort of recruit more ALANA students, while still holding the international program responsible for recruiting a racially diverse international student population.
32. Offer international students of color the opportunity to associate with either or both other international students and ALANA students beginning with application forms.
33. Search for and display artwork, photography, sculpture, etc. that reflect more than ñdead white men.îAlthough Stetson's taste in public art runs to the traditional, there is considerable opportunity within that framework to display a more non-western esthetic. Although the Art Department is sadly lacking in courses in the area of non-western art forms, they could be challenged to create a more diverse public art program, particularly through the history of ALANA peoples in Florida.
34. Develop a series of community building events, picnics, luncheons, blood drives, Habitat for Humanity, public service events, etc. that provide opportunities for interaction around common causes. These activities should be the responsibility of the PS and BOT rather than an auxiliary or student group.
35. In announcing the implementation of action plan and goals, I would suggest that its flexible nature be integrated into the definition of the document. At UMASS Amherst the document that we negotiated was popularly called ñThe Living Document.î This title communicated not only that this document was subject to adjustment and discussion but also that it was not a document to be stored on a shelf and forgotten. ñThe Living Documentî only has meaning insofar as the campus continued to act on its goals, recommendations and promises.
36. After specific goals and objectives are identified, an update should be provided to the campus community (through the student newspaper?) at the beginning and end of each semester, detailing progress towards each of the goals, discussing the adjustment and addition of new goals and announcing new efforts towards the goals.
37. Changes to the Student Code of Conduct
a. Add to Article II ? 2. ñThe University has a special concern for incidents in which students are targeted or placed in jeopardy because of their race/ethnicity, gender, sexual preference, national origin or religion. The University may impose additional sanctions in cases involving such a motive.î
b. Add to Article III C 4f - ñHowever, a student charged with conduct that is also the subject of pending criminal proceedings shall in any hearing have the right to the presence of legal counsel for advice; this right shall not include participation of counsel in the hearing. A student who is accompanied by an attorney must give advance notice to the judicial body.î
c. Add Article III ?5 ñStudents may be accountable to both civil authorities and to the University for acts which constitute violations of law and of the Student Code of Conduct. Disciplinary action at the University will normally proceed during the pendency of criminal proceedings and will not be subject to challenge on the grounds that criminal charges involving the same incident have been dismissed or reduced.When a student has been charged by a civil authority for a violation of law, the University will neither request nor agree to special consideration for the student solely because of his or her status as a student.î
Additional Resources
Statistical Tables
1. 1990 U.S. Census, Detailed Race, Database C90STF3C1, Summary Level: Nation
2. 1990 U.S. Census, Florida, Detailed Race, Database C90ST1A, Summary Level: State
3. 1990 U.S. Census, Volusia County, Detailed Race, Database C90STF1A, Summary Level: County
4. 1990 U.S. Census, Lake County, Detailed Race, Database C90STF1A, Summary Level: County
5. 1990 U.S. Census, Orange County, Detailed Race, Database C90STF1A, Summary Level: County
6.1990 U.S. Census, Florida, Race by Sex by Age, Database C90STF3A, Summary Level: State
7. 1980 U.S. Census, Persons by Race and Sex.
8. 1980 U.S. Census, Summary of General Characteristics for Regions, Divisions, and States.
9. 1980 U.S. Census, Persons by Race and Sex for Regions, Divisions, and States.
10. 1980 U.S. Census, Persons by Age, Race, Spanish Origin, and Sex, for States, Florida only.
11. 1970 U.S. Census, Population, by Sex, Race, Residence, and Median Age: 1790 to 1969.
12. 1970 U.S. Census, Population, by Race States: 1940-1960
13. Population, by Race and Sex States: 1960.
14. Population of Races Other Than White or Negro, by States: 1960.
15. Total fall enrollment in institutions of higher education, by type and control of institution and race/ethnicity of student: 1976 to 1994. Digest of Education Statistics, 1995.
16. Total fall enrollment in institutions of higher education, by race/ethnicity of student and by state: 1992, 1993, and 1994. Digest of Education Statistics, 1995.
17. Employees in institutions of higher education, by primary occupation, sex, employment status, and by type and control of institution: Fall 1993. Digest of Education Statistics, 1995.
18. Full-time instructional faculty in institutions of higher education, by race/ethnicity, academic rank, and sex: Fall 1993. Digest of Education Statistics, 1995.
19. Top Fifteen Regional University, Southern Region, US News and World Report, September 1, 1997
20. Enrollment by Race, State by State, Chronicle of Higher Education, Academe Today (www.chronicle.com)
21. Enrollment by Race - Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Virginia, West Virginia, 1995, Chronicle of Higher Education, Academe Today
22. College Enrollment by Racial and Ethnic Group, Selected Years, Chronicle of Higher Education, Academe Today
23. Leading US Baccalaureate Institutions of US Minority PhDs
24. Leading PhD Institutions of Minority PhDs
25. Major Field of US Citizen PhD by Race/Ethnicity
Publications and Journal Articles
1. Kramer, Martin and Stephen S. Weiner, Dialogues for Diversity: Community and Ethnicity on Campus, American Council on Education/Oryx Series on Higher Education, Washington, D.C., 1995.
2. Faculty Job Satisfaction: Women and Minorities in Peril, ASHE-ERIC Higher Education Report, No. 4, Washington, D.C., 1992
3. Creating Distinctiveness: Lessons from UnCommun Colleges and Universities, ASHE-ERIC Higher Education Report, No. 4, Washington, D.C., 1992.
4. Smith, Daryl G., Achieving Faculty Diversity: Debunking the Myths, Association of American Colleges and Universities, Washington, D.C., 1996.
5. Knowles, Marjorie Fine and Sernard W. Harleston, Achieving Diversity in the Profesoriate: Challenges and Opportunities. American Council on Education, Washington, D.C., 1997.
6. Association of American Colleges and Universities Publications
Database: Diversity
7. Summary Report of the Commission on the Status of Women at Bates College
8. Cultivating Diversity: Rediscovering Ourselves, Our Services, and Our Clients
(University of Pittsburgh)
9. Background Paper: Military Equal Opportunity Climate Survey (MEOCS)
10. The Management of Diversity in a College of Business Environment, Journalof Education for Business, September 1, 1995 v 71 n 1.
11. Encouraging Excellence and Diversity, The Journal of Staff, Program, and
Organizational Development, 1996-97 v 14 n 1.
12. Diversity Response Differs Little Between Christian Coalition Colleges and
Secular Counterparts, Black Issues in Higher Education, January 14, 1993 v 9
n 23.
13. Ten Principles for Good Institution Practice in Removing Race/Ethnicity as a
Factor in College Completion, The Educational Record, Summer 1988 v 69 n
3/4.
14. Influences on Students' Openness to Diversity and Challenge in the First Year
of College, The Journal of Higher Education, March 1, 1996 v 67 n 2.
Individuals
1. Benard Harleston vitae
2. Donaldo Macedo vitae
3. Deborah Prothrow-Stith book review and vitae
4. Charles Stith book review and vitae
5. Peter Gomes book review
Organizations
1. NERCHE info
2. Diversity conference info