Institutional Capacity for Inclusive Excellence: The Mission of a Catholic College

1. Institutional Capacity for Inclusive Excellence:The Mission of a Catholic College AAC&U 2010 Conference Diversity, Learning, and Pathways to Inclusive Excellence October 22, 2010 ♦ Houston, TX

2. Saint Mary's College of California Barry Chersky Senior Human Resources Consultant bac3@stmarys-ca.edu Joan Iva Cube Director of the Intercultural Center jic2@stmarys-ca.edu Mary McCall Coordinator of Campus Diversity Activities mmccall@stmarys-ca.edu

3. INTRODUCTIONTO ST.MARY’S • In San Francisco East Bay Area • Catholic, Lasallian, Liberal Arts • Traditional undergraduate population of 2600 • Graduate and professional programs with 1400 adult learners

4. MISSION OFSAINT MARY’S Saint Mary’s College in the 21st century celebrates the three traditions that have sustained it since its earliest years and seeks its future in them by helping students to: • Probe deeply the mystery of existence by cultivating the ways of knowing and the art of thinking; • Affirm and foster the Christian understanding of the human person which animates the educational mission of the Catholic Church • Create a student-centered educational community whose members support one another with mutual understanding and respect.

5. PATH TO INCLUSIVE EXCELLENCE • History of diversity committees: • Celebrating Diversity Committee since 1980s comprising faculty and staff, charged with bringing activities to campus to address diversity issues and challenges • Reconvened in 2004 by new President with a charge to create a campus-wide plan for diversity goals, with short-,mid-, and long-range goals • Composed of faculty, staff andstudents

6. WASC CHALLENGES • In 2004, St. Mary’s chose diversity as one of three areas of self-study and identified major challenges of inclusion and respectful interactions • WASC Visiting Team made a number of observations about the gap between “mission” and “living out” of that mission – suggested to start with a campus climate survey

7. WASC SPECIAL VISIT • WASC conducted a Special Visit in Fall 2007, to check progress on diversity issues, as well as graduate education concerns • In terms of diversity, they issued a “Notice of Concern” in February, 2008

8. Climate survey data • Climate survey was conducted in 2006, then 2008 and just last spring in 2010. • Data are used to both track progress and identify areas of ongoing challenge

9. MAJOR CHANGE W/NEW PROVOST • In January, 2008, new provost was hired • In April, 2008, the Academic Senate passed a resolution requiring mandatory diversity workshops for faculty to deal with WASC and mission-related concerns of interactions and treatment of people

10. NEW “COLLEGE COMMITTEE ON INCLUSIVE EXCELLENCE” - CCIE • Convened in spring, 2008 by Provost • Charge: The CCIE will review, recommend, and facilitate the implementation of policies, programs, and practices that advance inclusive excellence at Saint Mary’s College.

11. CCIE MEMBERSHIP • Provost (Co-Chair); Faculty (Co-Chair); VP for Mission; VP Student Life; Dean of Admissions; Director of HR; Director of Athletics; AVP for Communication; Dean of Students; Chair of Staff Council; Chair of Academic Senate; 2 undergraduate students; 1 graduate student; faculty members from 4 schools; Director of IR, Director of HP, Director of IC

12. CCIE PRIMARY ACTIVITIES: • Articulate and promote the educational imperative for inclusive excellence • Advise and review the development of institutional, unit, and school diversity and inclusion goals; • Develop and support strategies to improve the recruitment and retention of underrepresented students, staff and faculty • Sponsor and coordinate opportunities for the development of cultural competence; • Support initiatives that advance the knowledge, practice and recognition of inclusive excellence.

13. ACTIVITIES OF CCIE • Adoption of ODMI as model • Statement of educational imperative • Adoption of Campus of Difference • Design of “Acts of Intolerance” policy • Funding of proposals by all members • Campus-wide meetings for communication of activities • Development of work groups • Ongoing skills development workshops

14. ASSESSMENT OF COD • First year of COD, over 300 staff and faculty attended (mostly staff) • Uniformly positive feedback on content and process • Used comments from workshops to design follow-up activities • In the second year now

15. CHALLENGES OF COD • Faculty attitudes • Leadership support • Supervisor support for staff • Question of how to work with students on similar issues: • Summer pilot with High Potential • Fall pilot with freshman residences

16. Student-DrivenInclusive Excellence Initiatives Acts of Intolerance Protocol Diversity Organization Council (DOC) College Committee on Inclusive Excellence (CCIE) Student Advisory Board Residential Curriculum for Inclusive Excellence Capitalizing on Diversity through Education (CODE) Workshops http://www.zshare.net/audio/74722074c09e5604/

17. Acts of IntoleranceProtocol

18. Acts of Intolerance Protocol CCIE developed protocol in the summer of 2008. 2010-2011 Undergraduate Student Handbook (p. 33-35) http://www.stmarys-ca.edu/student-life/student-involvement-and-leadership/docs/student_handbook.pdf Total of 14 Acts Reported in 2008-2009 7 homophobic 6 racist 1 other Majority came in the form of vandalism, graffiti, and defacement of property Total of 15 Acts Reported in 2009-2010 6 homophobic 3 racist 6 other Almost half occurred during Our Struggle movement from mid-April to early May

19. Diversity Organization Council (DOC)

20. SMC Student Organizations Activism & Service (e.g. Project Green) Special Interest (e.g. Pulses Dance Club) Academic (e.g. Accounting Association) Student Services (e.g. Student Alumni Association) Diversity (e.g. Black Student Union) Media (e.g. Collegian Newspaper) In spring of 2009, the Intercultural Center (IC) invited all 40+ student organizations to self-select whether or not they wanted to become a diversity student org. http://www.zshare.net/audio/74722074c09e5604/

21. Diversity Student Org. Definition A student organization may self- select to become a Diversity Student Organization if its mission focuses on increasing awareness around the complex differences within the campus community and also within the individuals who make up that community. This includes such important and intersecting dimensions of human identity as race, ethnicity, national origin, religion, spirituality, gender, sexual orientation, body image, socioeconomic status, ability, etc.

22. Diversity Organization Council (DOC) APASA (Asian Pacific American Student Association) BALA (Business Accounting Latino Association) BSU (Black Student Union) Dante Club (Italian) GSA (Gay Straight Alliance) La Hermandad HAPA (Humans Actively Practicing Aloha) HaU (Hermanas Unidas) INTL (International Club) IVCF (Intervarsity Christian Fellowship) LASA (Latin American Student Association) MEC (Middle Eastern Club)

23. DOC Benefits Meeting Space Locked Storage Bin Program Grant Money Assistance with Programming Assistance with Publicity Collaboration with other Diversity Student Orgs. Department Advocate for Inclusive Excellence

24. DOC Expectations One elected/appointed representative at all monthly DOC meetings (in lieu of All Org. meetings) Two representatives at Annual Fall Diversity Retreat, preferably the President or Vice-President AND the DOC representative) One co-sponsored program per semester with the Intercultural Center as equal partners Help in planning and implementing the Fall Diversity Dance Maintain communication via diversity student org. e-mail accounts & mailboxes

25. CCIEStudent Advisory Board

26. Our Struggle Is Tied With Yours (OSITWY) Timeline March 17, 2010: Peaceful & Silent Demonstration April 7, 2010: Community Time Student Dialogue April 15, 2010: Revised & Targeted 10 Demands April 16, 2010: OSITWY Representatives @ CCIE Meeting April 18-23, 2010: Call 2 Action & Chapel Lawn Tent City April 23, 2010: Provost Response to Call 2 Action, including a CCIE Student Advisory Board

27. Our Struggle Is Tied With Yours (OSITWY) Original 10 Demands 1. Diversification of faculty & staff 2. Diversification of the curriculum & expansion of Ethnic Studies 3. Student representatives on committees 4. Scholarships for students of color 5. A more diversity-oriented community-building freshman experience…

28. Our Struggle Is Tied With Yours (OSITWY) Revised 10 Demands Review and rewrite the sexual assault and hotline policies, implementing a survivor bill of rights 2. More interactive freshman experience that involves hiring one new position dedicated to safe sex education, safe zone, and diversity training 3. DOC authority to elect two students to sit on all committees 4. Student-appointed committee to establish places for artistic expression 5. Offer more sections of diversity courses when there are enrollments over 30 and waiting lists over 15…

29. Jan. Term 2011 Course Course Title: Finding Hope in America’s Hoods and Barrios: A Joint Project with the Union of Minority Neighborhoods and Our Struggle Is Tied with Yours • Studying the theory & practice of organizing for social change • Call on student and non-profit groups with a track record of effective work in the Bay Area • Bridging understanding between generations of student activists • How to form coalitions and develop political strategy • Public speaking and critical thinking skills

30. Residential Curriculum for Inclusive Excellence

31. Residential Curriculum forInclusive Excellence Timeline Fall 2008: Developed a binder of activities to address first-year student learning outcomes around inclusive excellence and civility Charged Resident Advisors & Resident Directors with the assistance of Faculty/Staff Facilitators Spring 2009: Two Faculty/Staff Facilitator Trainings August 15, 2009: RA Training Retreat (funded by CCIE) Academic Year 2009-2010: A few RAs implement some of the activities

32. Fall SemesterStudent Learning Outcomes Engage in team-building exercises to create a community among residence hall floors. Practice face-to-face communication skills within a variety of casual settings to prepare for more difficult conversations when conflicts arise. Set community standards for the residence hall, including expectations of one another, a method for accountability, and appropriate consequences if expectations are not met.

33. Spring SemesterStudent Learning Outcomes Gain an appreciation of their background and cultural contributions to the SMC community. Gain an appreciation of others’ background and cultural contributions to the SMC community. Increase self-awareness and reflect on their personal and social values.

34. Lessons Learned Student leaders are very hesitant and resistant to facilitating even low-risk, diversity-type activities with their peers. Student leaders are very hesitant and resistant to contacting faculty and staff as resources, especially if they have no prior relationship. Student leaders require A LOT MORE training. Staff need to be more proactive to offer the programs with the RAs rather than waiting for them to contact us.

35. Moving Forward Focus Group of Resident Advisors Housing binder of activities on the Ning social network website Project for Graduate Intern (16 hours/week) Nov. 10th, 2010: Communication styles interactive workshop with multiple first-year floors

36. Capitalizing on Diversity through Education (CODE) Workshops

37. Capitalizing on Diversitythrough Education (CODE) Workshops July 28, 2010: Full-day CODE Workshop with High Potential Peer Mentors August 10, 2010: Full-day CODE Workshop with High Potential Summer Bridge first-year students Challenge: How do we present this material to large groups of students?