Action Items related to Diversity, Equity and Inclusion

August 12, 2020

Dear Kutztown University Community,

In June, I addressed our campus community regarding the racial and social injustices in our nation. I assured our community that change would occur and action would begin when we returned to campus this fall.

Through the efforts of many students, faculty, staff, alumni and the broader KU community, KU is enhancing and/or initiating more than 100 action items to ensure diversity, equity and inclusion on our campus. Progress is already underway on many action items. Each item has a point person and will be tracked to show progress.

The Office of Inclusion and Outreach will oversee the process of monitoring and reporting progress.

I encourage our campus to continue to reflect on ways they can promote diversity, equity and inclusion at KU. If you have efforts you would like to submit as part of the university's plan, please contact your division's vice president.

Please read through the new and current action items below.

Sincerely,

Dr. Kenneth S. Hawkinson
President
Kutztown University

Action Items related to Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI)

  1. Require the below for all Enrollment Management and Student Affairs (EMSA) staff and student searches, and request the below for all EMSA faculty searches:
    • Include the below as a preferred qualification; and consider making the below a minimum qualification when appropriate:
      • Fluency in Spanish at a native speaker level.
      • Cultural competency as it relates to working with communities of color.
    • Ask a question related to cultural competency as it relates to working with communities of color at each step (i.e., phone interview, finalist interview) of the interview process.
    • For staff searches: search committees must have diverse representation, if possible.
    • For faculty and student searches that involve search committees: it is recommended that search committees have diverse representation, if possible.
    • For staff searches: require posting the position in multiple diversity job sites (Blacks in Higher Education, Latinos in Higher Education, Women in Higher Education) and strongly encourage for faculty searches.
      • Timeline: Immediate
      • Contact: Enrollment Management and Student Affairs
  2. Spiritual Leader Panel on the role of Religion in Racial Justice.
    • Timeline: May 2021
    • Contact: Inclusion and Outreach
  3. Parent webinar to include a panel of faculty, staff and students discussing racial climate at KU.
    • Timeline: August 2020
    • Contact: Multicultural Center
  4. Require that at least one of the EMSA professional development workshops in 2020-2021 focused on bias.
    • Timeline: Fall 2020
    • Contact: Enrollment Management and Student Affairs
  5. Include bias in new staff training as part of on-boarding process
    • Timeline: Fall 2020
    • Contact: Inclusion and Outreach
  6. Require Bias Training for all EMSA student staff; consider additional required DEI training.
    • Timeline: Fall 2020
    • Contact: Enrollment Management and Student Affairs
  7. Adding a manager to the staff of the associate dean for Inclusion and Outreach.
    • Timeline: Fall 2020 (completed)
    • Contact: Inclusion and Outreach
  8. Social Justice Speaker Series (including a mini-series on Fall 2020 election issues).
    • Timeline: Fall 2020
    • Contact: Enrollment Management and Student Affairs
  9. More collaborative programs with Multicultural Center.
    • Timeline: Fall 2020
    • Contact: Enrollment Management and Student Affairs
  10. Each EMSA department will host/join an All-Org meeting during the academic year.
    • Timeline: Fall 2020
    • Contact: Dean of Students
  11. Counseling and Psychological Services to create a plan to address diversity, equity and inclusion needs identified by students:
    • Recruiting faculty counselors of color.
    • Developing mental health programming/group therapy for students of color.
      • Timeline: Fall 2020
      • Contact: Dean of Students
  12. Host an alternative Spring Break trip related to social justice/racial equity.
    • Timeline: March 2021
    • Contact: Inclusion and Outreach
  13. Create an operating budget for AIMS.
    • Timeline: Fall 2020
    • Contact: Dean of Students
  14. Increase funding for Multicultural Center.
    • Timeline: Fall 2020
    • Contact: Dean of Students
  15. Programmer’s Council: Develop a funding source and process for departments/organizations to request programming funds for diversity months (Hispanic Heritage, Black History, American-Indian/Alaska-Native History, International Education, Women’s History, LGBTQ+ Pride).
    • Timeline: Fall 2020
    • Contact: Enrollment Management and Student Affairs
  16. Create a Social Justice living-learning community.
    • Timeline: June 2021
    • Contact: Residence Life
  17. Social Justice book club for faculty, staff and students.
    • Timeline: Fall 2020
    • Contact: Enrollment Management and Student Affairs
  18. Revisit how we're serving all our students with disabilities given COVID-19; EMSA videos to include closed captioning and any other options for ADA compliance; related to Wi-Fi and access; create a list of just and best practices for presenting info.
    • Timeline: July 2020
    • Contact: Admissions
  19. Ensure paper apps can be sent via flash drive to school counselors.
    • Timeline: August 2020
    • Contact: Admissions
  20. Send paper apps in bulk to school counselors with return envelopes that pay for postage.
    • Timeline: August 2020
    • Contact: Admissions
  21. Use PASSHE center in Philadelphia more to perform application completion nights.
    • Timeline: August 2020
    • Contact: Admissions
  22. Work with more community-based organizations (CBOs).
    • Timeline: Fall 2020
    • Contact: Admissions
  23. Review admissions requirement for Honors program.
    • Timeline: August 2020
    • Contact: Admissions
  24. Offer SAT/ACT test prep at KU.
    • Timeline: August 2020
    • Contact: Admissions
  25. Bring back admissions presentation serving all populations.
    • Timeline: July 2020
    • Contact: Admissions
  26. Spanish language publications.
    • Timeline: August 2020
    • Contact: Admissions
  27. Fall semester program - forum for Latino students.
    • Timeline: Fall 2020
    • Contact: Admissions
  28. Spring semester program - Be a Golden Bear for a day (collaborate with College readiness/Upward Bound Programs), for prospective students.
    • Timeline: September 2020
    • Contact: Admissions
  29. Spanish-speaking tour guides for possible daily tours.
    • Timeline: September 2020
    • Contact: Admissions
  30. Make relevant information available to DACA students.
    • Timeline: August 2020
    • Contact: Admissions
  31. Additional overnight programs.
    • Timeline: September 2020
    • Contact: Admissions
  32. Explore Spanish-language marketing strategies in Reading and Allentown, including billboards, digital campaigns and other techniques.
    • Timeline: August 2020
    • Contact: Admissions
  33. Continue to celebrate Unity Day.
    • Timeline: July 2020
    • Contact: Inclusion and Outreach
  34. Review funding model for student clubs and organizations.
    • Timeline: October 2020
    • Contact: Dean of Students
  35. Review New Student Orientation training/on-boarding process and embed multicultural training.
    • Timeline: January 2021
    • Contact: New Student Orientation
  36. Move Diversity Works webpage to more visible locations; add additional resources including movies, books, articles, related academic courses/programs.
    • Timeline: August 2020
    • Contact: Dean of Students
  37. Bi-Weekly ‘kindness’ activity.
    • Timeline: August 2020
    • Contact: Dean of Students
  38. Embed cultural-specific student excursions into semester programming.
    • Timeline: August 2020
    • Contact: Student Involvement, Multicultural Center
  39. Revise Diversity Council; combining with All-Org.
    • Timeline: October 2020
    • Contact: Inclusion and Outreach
  40. Encourage collaborative activities amongst clubs, organizations and Greek life.
    • Timeline: Fall 2020
    • Contact: Student Involvement
  41. Continue to promote Golden BEAR Rule (inclusion and diversity campaign).
    • Timeline: November 2020
    • Contact: Inclusion and Outreach
  42. Continue Coffee w/Cops (twice/semester).
    • Timeline: Annually
    • Contact: Dean of Students
  43. The LGBTQ+ Resource Center and Women's Center will create a discussion-based series on understanding identities. It will focus on the factors that shape our identities, and encourage the examining of our intersectional identities.
    • Timeline: August 2020
    • Contact: Inclusion and Outreach, Women's Center and the LGBTQ+ Resource Center
  44. The Women's Center and the LGBTQ+ Resource Center will continue to strive to create a welcoming environment that is inclusive of all backgrounds, cultures and experiences through visible symbols, speakers and intersectional programming.   
    • Timeline: August 2020
    • Contact: Inclusion and Outreach, Women's Center and the LGBTQ+ Resource Center
  45. Explore bringing the “Defamation Experience” to campus through a collaboration with campus partners.
    • Timeline: Fall 2020
    • Contact: Dean of Students
  46. Review New Student Orientation material to assess the use of inclusive language.
    • Timeline: Fall 2020
    • Contact: Dean of Students
  47. Assess and better understand the health and wellness needs of students of color and international students.
    • Timeline: Fall 2020
    • Contact: Health and Wellness Services
  48. Residence life social justice committee will have an educational series including but not limited to:
    • Book Club.
    • Tie Dye- Don’t Let the Conversation DYE out.
    • Hunger Banquet.
      • Timeline: Fall 2020
      • Contact: Residence Life
  49. Implement a Brave Space training program.
    • Timeline: Fall 2020
    • Contact: Residence Life
  50. Social media, poster campaigns contest.
    • Timeline: Fall 2020
    • Contact: Residence Life
  51. Town hall meetings (twice/semester).
    • Timeline: Fall 2020
    • Contact: Inclusion and Outreach
  52. Host an alumni session related to racial injustice.
    • Timeline: Summer 2020
    • Contact: KU Foundation
  53. University Relations to review all publications/websites to be culturally sensitive/appropriate.
    • Timeline: 2020-2021 Academic Year
    • Contact: University Relations and Athletics
  54. Develop a Diversity Task Force for intercollegiate athletics.
    • Timeline: Immediate
    • Contact: Athletics
  55. Propose a diversity officer position for division of University Relations and Athletics.
    • Timeline: Fall 2020
    • Contact: University Relations and Athletics
  56. Review/consider diversity in KU Presents! programming schedule.
    • Timeline: Fall 2020
    • Contact: KU Presents!
  57. Multicultural minor – this interdisciplinary minor complements a student's educational experience by examining the increasingly diverse economic and cultural environment in which we live.
    • Timeline: Spring 2021
    • Contact: College of Liberal Arts and Sciences
  58. Emerging Educators of Color: A group growing out of the College of Education (COE) Recruitment and Retention Committee, the Emerging Educators of Color bring together candidates who self-identify as Black, Latinx and Asian and under the direction of Dr. Amber Pabon (secondary education). The group has held group sessions to dialog about progress in their COE program and leaders in the group traveled together with faculty on an experiential field trip to Washington D.C. to 1) attend the annual American Educational Research Association (AERA) Brown v Board lecture, and 2) visit the Smithsonian Museum of African American Culture and History.
    • Timeline: Ongoing
    • Contact: College of Education
  59. Curriculum changes in the College of Education.
    • Timeline: Fall 2021
    • Contact: College of Education
  60. Committee on Racism, Bias, and Discrimination Training Advocacy.
    • Timeline: Fall 2020
    • Contact: College of Liberal Arts and Sciences
  61. Institute on Social Justice.
    • The purpose of this institute is to advance a greater awareness of the deleterious impact of social injustice, particularly poverty, and to disseminate empirically-based policy and programmatic recommendations intended to promote greater social justice.
      • Timeline: Ongoing
      • Contact: College of Liberal Arts and Sciences
  62. Annual diversity award in social work.
    • The Social Work Prize: Celebrating Diversity is a cash prize awarded to the social work major (or group of majors, up to four in a group) who can best express what celebrating diversity means in their personal experience. This creative project may take any form, such as a poem, video, drawing, collage, essay, photograph or work of fiction. Performance art such as dance or music may be submitted by arrangement.  It is usually awarded at the Community Forum in March. This year, due to COVID-19, the award was presented at the virtual Social Work graduation celebration.
      • Timeline: Awarded annually
      • Contact: College of Liberal Arts and Sciences
  63. Timely Course Offering: HIS 145 Search for Social Justice in America.
    • Dr. Sanelli addresses individuals’ feelings about the pandemic and racial justice, as well as covers the history of gender, sexual, economic and environment justice issues during the course. The course examines the ways in which popular movements, without the aid of militaries or governments, can alter the course of history. Considers a range of social movements: unionism, environmentalism, abolitionism, and the human rights movement but will emphasize the civil rights, feminist and LGBTQ movements. While the primary focus will be on the United States, global movements and domestic movements around the world will be explored well.
      • Timeline: Fall 2020
      • Contact: College of Liberal Arts and Sciences
  64. Frederick Douglass Institute.
    • Mission: The Frederick Douglass Institute at Kutztown University is an organization that encourages development of equality and diversity among faculty, staff and students through scholarships, research, forums, exhibits, conferences and visiting scholars. The Institute encourages scholarship and facilitates the exchange of ideas around issues of cultural diversity and social equality among members of the campus community. Specifically, it promotes activities such as discussions, forums, conferences, fellowship programs and exhibits in order to increase awareness of multicultural issues and promote racial harmony.
      • Timeline: Ongoing
      • Contact: Academic Affairs
  65. Summer Presentation: "The Enlightenment and Race: Looking at the Origins of Racism in the Americas" by Dr. Alan Rice of the Institute of Black Atlantic Research at the University of Central Lancashire (UK).
    • Timeline: July 2020
    • Contact: Academic Affairs
  66. Promote the engagement of visiting speakers on diversity, equity and inclusivity topics in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences (LAS).
    • Timeline: Ongoing
    • Contact: College of Liberal Arts and Sciences
  67. Recommend the advertising of LAS faculty searches in diversity publications.
    • Timeline: Ongoing
    • Contact: College of Liberal Arts and Sciences
  68. Offer delivery methods to increase graduate student diversity.
    • Develop a graduate plan for offering online/hybrid graduate programs that increase diversity within programs by creating pathways for diverse populations including Reading, Allentown and Philadelphia and establish a pipeline for continuously building diversity within and beyond these programs.
      • Timeline: 2021-2022
      • Contact: Academic Affairs
  69. Develop admissions recruitment plan to increase diversity of graduate student population.
    • Timeline: 2021-2022
    • Contact: Graduate Admissions
  70. Offer Honors programming to increase understanding of diversity.
    • Work in conjunction with the Office of the Dean of Students and various departments and clubs on campus to offer a variety of topics and corresponding places to visit.
      • Timeline: Fall 2021
      • Contact: Honors Program
  71. Create more equitable and holistic admissions criteria for Honors program.
    • Timeline: Fall 2021
    • Contact: Honors Program
  72. Continue to recruit diverse Honors students for leadership opportunities.
    • Timeline: Fall 2021
    • Contact: Honors Program
  73. Review Honors curriculum and programming for diversity offerings and topics.
    • Timeline: Fall 2021
    • Contact: Honors Program
  74. Propose Honors independent study grants focused on diverse faculty and students through the Kutztown University Foundation.
    • Timeline: Fall 2021
    • Contact: Honors Program
  75. Act 101: PA state-funded grant program that provides services to academically and financially disadvantaged students to assist them in successfully completing postsecondary study.
    • Timeline: Ongoing
    • Contact: Student Success Center
  76. GEAR UP: federally-funded grant program designed to increase the number of low-income students who are prepared to enter and succeed in postsecondary education.
    • Timeline: June 2021
    • Contact: Student Success Center
  77. TRIO: federally-funded grant program designed to identify and provide support services for individuals from disadvantaged backgrounds.
    • Timeline: Ongoing
    • Contact: Student Success Center
  78. Upward Bound: an academic and college preparatory program funded by the U.S. Department of Education. The purpose of Upward Bound is to develop the skills and motivation necessary for students to successfully complete high school and to enter and succeed in college.
    • Timeline: Ongoing
    • Contact: Student Success Center
  79. STARS: a summer bridge program for conditionally admitted first-time, full-time students.
    • Timeline: Ongoing
    • Contact: Student Success Center
  80. The Career Development Center supports the MyPlace program Federal Workforce Readiness Program with DSO by offering career days/workshops and taking students on trips out to employers. In addition, when employers come to campus they are asked to be sure to speak about their company’s initiatives regarding diversity, equity and inclusion.
    • Timeline: Ongoing
    • Contact: Career Development Center
  81. Success Tip about the Golden Bear Rule.
    • Timeline: Fall 2020
    • Contact: Student Success Center
  82. Recommend that all Visual and Performing Arts departments:
    • Advertise faculty searches in diversity publications.
    • Seek opportunities to engage with diverse fields of expertise within the arts.
    • Serve on committees focused on representing diversity.
    • Participate in the Safe Place Training.
      • Timeline: 2020-2021
      • Contact: College of Visual and Performing Arts
  83. Present visiting speakers on diversity, equity and inclusivity topics in visual arts.
    • Timeline: 2020-2021
    • Contact: College of Visual and Performing Arts
  84. Develop student teaching lessons plans incorporating women artists and artists of color.
    • Timeline: 2020-2021
    • Contact: College of Visual and Performing Arts
  85. Organize class field trips to educational sites (museums, community centers, schools, retirement/care centers) that serve diverse populations.
    • Timeline: 2020-2021
    • Contact: College of Visual and Performing Arts
  86. Teach culturally relevant/social action curricula in art education courses.
    • Timeline: 2020-2021
    • Contact: College of Visual and Performing Arts
  87. Conduct and share research on diversity, equity and inclusivity in the arts.
    • Timeline: 2020-2021
    • Contact: College of Visual and Performing Arts
  88. Develop student art exhibition that celebrates diversity, equity and inclusivity.
    • Timeline: 2020-2021
    • Contact: College of Visual and Performing Arts
  89. Organize an art exhibition for the LGBTQ+ Resource Center.
    • Timeline: 2020-2021
    • Contact: College of Visual and Performing Arts
  90. Develop a guest artist LGBTQ+ art exhibition for Miller Gallery.
    • Timeline: Fall 2021
    • Contact: College of Visual and Performing Arts
  91. Redesign and update the curriculum in CDH 150 Historical Survey of Graphic Design to view design from a global, diverse, equitable and inclusive lens.
    • Timeline: Fall 2020
    • Contact: College of Visual and Performing Arts
  92. Redesign and update the curriculum in ARH Art History A/B/C courses to become global surveys of art rather than focusing only on the western tradition.
    • Timeline: March 2021
    • Contact: College of Visual and Performing Arts
  93. Revise the Communication Studies major curriculum to include a list of courses in the category “Embracing Difference” that focus on difference and inclusion in the human experience.
    • Timeline: March 2021
    • Contact: College of Visual and Performing Arts
  94. Present Black Voices in Classical Music concert during the Summer Music Festival.
    • Timeline: July 2020
    • Contact: College of Visual and Performing Arts
  95. First Year Seminar Advisory Group working to include diversity, equity, and inclusion in student learning outcomes.
    • Timeline: Fall 2020
    • Contact: General Education
  96. Require Financial and Business Services staff to complete Cultural Competency Training.
    • Timeline: Spring 2020 (completed)
    • Contact: Finance and Facilities
  97. Require finance and facilities employment searches to follow current best practices and encourage diversity.
    • Timeline: Immediate
    • Contact: Finance and Facilities
  98. Require Facilities leadership team and selected staff to complete Diversity and Inclusion Training.
    • Timeline: Spring 2021
    • Contact: Finance and Facilities
  99. Ask every vendor KU procures from:
    • What are their sourcing policies are related to minority owned businesses?
    • What are their hiring practices are related to diversity?
      • Timeline: Fall 2020
      • Contact: Finance and Facilities
  100. Make the Kutztown Borough Police and other police agencies that respond to campus aware of 8 Can’t Wait Use of Force Policies (https://8cantwait.org/).
    • Timeline: Fall 2020
    • Contact: University Relations
  101. Ask every academic department to review, discuss and consider adding multicultural components of their curriculum.
    • Timeline: 2020-2021
    • Contact: Academic Affairs
  102. Reserve funds for all faculty search committees to advertise their positions in Women in Higher Education, Blacks in Higher Education and Latinos in Higher Education.
    • Timeline: 2020-2021
    • Contact: Academic Affairs
  103. Ask every faculty/staff member to participate in Bias Training.
    • Timeline: Fall 2020
    • Contact: Social Equity and Compliance
  104. Ask KU Public Safety and Police Services to attend a discussion each semester with Diversity Council/All Orgs.
    • Timeline: Summer 2020
    • Contact: Social Equity and Compliance
  105. Inform the KU Community that KU Public Safety and Police Services department policies adhered to the 8 Can’t Wait Use of Force Policies (https://8cantwait.org/).
    • Timeline: Summer 2020
    • Contact: Social Equity and Compliance