Campus Action Planning

Sense of Belonging

Mentoring, friendship, inclusiveÌýclassroom cultures and feeling respected and supported on campus are the actions and experiences that can create a greater sense of belonging in our community.

In turn, fostering a greater sense of belonging can inspire students, faculty and staff to engage more deeply in their academic and professional journeys at ÃÛÌÒ´«Ã½Æƽâ°æÏÂÔØ and thrive as scholars, researchers and employees.

In fall 2022, academic and administrative unit leaders began using the results of the Campus Culture Survey and other resources to initiate next steps for developing action plans to address challenges impeding our ability to create and sustain a more inclusive campus environment.

Broadly speaking, the goals of these action plans are to promote greater diversity, equity and inclusion and to further support the academic, research and career success of students, faculty and staff. They focus on eliminating barriers disproportionately affecting minoritized people and impacting their achievement, safety and sense of community.

The goals are intentionally broad, unit-focused, flexible and formative so units can consider local contexts as they create outcomes and their own action plans.

  • Staff diversity, equity and inclusion consultants from the office of the senior vice chancellor for diversity, equity and inclusion are working with unit leaders to set goals and propose outcomes appropriate for specific units, locate resources needed to support the work, and determine the success of the goals and outcomes.
  • ³§³Ù²¹´Ú´ÚÌýconsultants are providing coaching and support, helping to illuminate needed work to advance unit goals, and connecting units to other units to synthesize efforts. These efforts will build the accountability and transparency needed to demonstrate progress.
  • Units are prioritizing one or two goals and have the independence and flexibility to put their goals into action in ways that align with their priorities, context and previous work.
  • With the support of designated senior staff consultants, units are working to tie in recommendations from the chancellor’s strategic priorities, the Inclusion, Diversity and Excellence in Academics (IDEA) Plan, the five diversity, equity and inclusion goals, theÌýBuff Undergraduate Success initiative and other campus efforts.
  • Units should also involve students and employees while collecting information related to their priority goals and regularly solicit their ideas, information and insights.
  • Employees and students have access to an online resources hub that will curate research and other resources designed to build and share knowledge related to diversity, equity and inclusion.
  • Campus units will have opportunities to participate in community gatherings to share challenges and successes with students, staff, faculty, campus leaders, shared governance groups and other members of the ÃÛÌÒ´«Ã½Æƽâ°æÏÂÔØ community.
  • Starting in spring 2023, individuals, groups or units will be able to submit Impact Grant proposals that will be peer-reviewed and evaluated for the extent to which they support the campus's five diversity, equity and inclusion goals, demonstrate collaboration and reflect unit support. Proposals for summer 2023 initiatives will be accepted in January and proposals for academic and yearlong initiatives beginning in August 2023 will be accepted in February.

How Campus Units Are Engaging in Action Planning

1

Set Goals

Each unit’s leadership should review and understand the five diversity, equity and inclusion goals.

Start by narrowing down to one or two goals for your unit to focus on.

2


BuildÌýKnowledge & Skills

Collect and review information relevant to the goal(s) prioritized by your unit so that the challenges are thoroughly understood.

This can be done by using the diversity, equity and inclusion to build knowledge and skills capacity with teams in your unit. Check out the , choose a piece or topic, and engage your team to build knowledge and develop professionally.

You should also use the Campus Culture Survey results, which include measures to assess a sense of belonging, respect and support, and identity-based discrimination and harassment.

3


Meet With a Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Consultant

Schedule a consultation to map out your unit’s plan.

Campus diversity, equity and inclusion consultants will provide coaching and support, help to illuminate needed work to advance unit goals, connect units to other units to align efforts, and help synthesize a campus narrative for advancing diversity, equity and inclusion. This will build the accountability and transparency needed to demonstrate progress.

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Timeline

Spring 2022

Summer 2022

  • Unit-specific discussions and workshops led by diversity, equity and inclusion experts for action planning, assessment and proposal writing

Fall 2022

  • Campuswide discussions andÌýImpact Grant proposals are solicited

Spring 2023

  • Impact Grant proposals are reviewed, assessed and awarded for summer 2023 and the 2023-24 academic year

Summer 2024

  • Units begin documenting action plan assessments for the 2023-24 academic year
  • Units begin determining how to build on their plans during the 2024-25 academic year

Fall 2024

  • Impact Grant proposals solicited for summer 2025 and the 2025-26 academic year

Spring 2025

  • Impact Grant proposals for summer 2025 and the 2025-26 academic year to be solicited, assessed and awarded