All voices heard: Campuswide team advances educational equity

October 3, 2023 (Volume 47, Number 3)
Article by Michele Coffill

Copy URL

The work of the Activation and Accountability Leadership Team aids Grand Valley's commitment to educational equity.

Photo Credit: Amanda Pitts

Creating a culture of educational equity on campus has evolved into the Activation and Accountability Leadership Team (AALT), which includes representatives from university divisions and colleges.

Jesse Bernal, chief of staff to the president and vice president for Inclusion and Equity, said it's important for all voices to be heard as team members are expected to review and provide feedback on university strategy on Diversity, Equity and Inclusion. Bernal's division coordinates the work of AALT.

"This work has evolved since 2020 when President Mantella formed the Network of Advisors for Racial Equity," Bernal said. "Some recommendations have been implemented since then and now it's time for a deep dive within divisions and units, while, at the same time, setting goals to advance the university's equity work." 

The work of AALT continued throughout the summer with formation of eight implementation teams to work on Faculty Mentoring; Staff Mentoring; Inclusive Recruitment and Hiring; Faculty Pipeline Development; Employee Climate Check-ins and Exit Interviews; Understanding and Recognizing Faculty, Staff Contributions to DEI; DEI Professional Development for Administration and Academic Leadership; and Promotional Pathways for Staff. More than 40 recommendations have been made, ranging from implementing mentorship programs for staff to improving the onboarding process to launching a faculty diversity pipeline.

Kate Harmon, assistant vice president for Student Affairs, Well-Being and Inclusion, said strategic work within the Division of Student Affairs has focused on two areas: self-reviews for units related to DEI, and recruitment and retention of staff of color. Harmon said she and other Student Affairs colleagues drew from the division's past DEI frameworks to advance this work.

"We are embedding this framework into other plans and have staff and leaders talking with each other about how they are doing this work," Harmon said. "This evolution is individual and collective; our plan provides the space for people to learn about their own DEI journey."

Dwayne Tunstall, associate dean for Inclusive Excellence and Curriculum, College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, said each of the college's units is expected to create its own DEI professional development plan based on one of four models. For example, the Biology Department chose to work with the Inclusion and Equity Institute and Tunstall facilitated sessions for the Geology Department on social identity and values.

When the work from individual units is done, Tunstall said, students should notice and benefit. 

"Our faculty and staff will be in a better position to meet students where they are," he said. "A larger percentage of students will feel that they belong here and will feel motivated to engage in their studies."

Categories

Featured Across Campus