The Network of Advisors (NOA) members have been at work since summer 2020 to advance GVSU’s 15-point charge for racial equity. A second phase of work resulted in the adoption of eight high-level recommendations, including the creation of implementation and action plan development teams to further work to build a culture of educational equity. In Phase 3, eight implementation teams were formed to focus on: (1) Faculty Mentoring, (2) Staff Mentoring, (3) Inclusive Recruitment and Hiring, (4) Faculty Pipeline Development, (5) Employee Climate Check-ins and Exit Interviews, (6) Understanding and Recognizing Faculty, Staff Contributions to DEI, (7) DEI Professional Development for Admin and Academic Leadership, and (8) Promotional Pathways for Staff. The implementation team leaders have been meeting over the summer and formulated over 40 recommendations for implementation.

Advancement of work initiated by the network and broader advisory/coordination efforts for inclusion and equity strategies will now be provided by the Inclusion and Equity Activation and Accountability Team. The team includes leads from each division, other units, and shared governance representatives from across the university and will be coordinated by the Division of Inclusion and Equity. We look forward to working with colleagues across the university to advance this important next phase of our commitment to inclusion and equity, and welcome engagement and feedback from all members of the community. It will take each and every one of us to continue to create a culture of educational equity where all can thrive at GVSU. While the charge and cadence of meetings will be co-created by the members of the team, the team is expected to:

• Advise the Division of Inclusion and Equity and president on matters related to DEI-AB
• Review and consider university strategy, metrics, and planning related to DEI-AB
• Review and provide insight on division, college, and unit progress for advancing DEI-AB metrics
• Support division and college/unit committees, including providing space for shared learning or effective practices
• Advise on action steps in response to DEI-AB related reports and recommendations, including the climate survey, affirmative action planning, and others
• Support campus messaging related to DEI-AB
• Support a DEI-AB training and development for employees.

View Implementation Team Recommendations

View the IEAA Leadership Team Directory

1. Faculty Mentoring
2. Staff Mentoring
3. Inclusive Recruitment & Hiring (including cluster hiring)
4. Faculty & Staff Pipeline Development
5. Employee Climate Check-ins & Exit Interviews
6. Understanding & Recognizing Faculty & Staff Contributions to DEI
7. DEI Professional Development for Administrative & Academic Leadership
8. Promotional Pathways for Staff

In Winter 2022, the Network of Advisors issued recommendations to the Senior Leadership Team as part of Phase Two of their work. Ten high-level recommendations were endorsed. Progress is being tracked here.

While several of the 15-point plan charges have been completed or are underway, the Network of Advisors has provided feedback that a restructuring of the work should be part of our next phase, including a refinement, and in some areas, expansion of the original charges. Phase 2 focused on four Commitment Areas, with each Commitment Area overseen by one or more executive officers and led by teams and sub-teams comprised of subject-matter experts. Each team has been asked to:

1. As it is helpful, inventory and capture other university efforts for coordination within area.
2. Identify 3-5 recommendations within the area by June 30, 2021, which may include:
   • Identify problems and/or opportunities and feasible solutions.
   • Draft recommendations that advance problems and/or opportunities.
   • Draft proposals for prototypes or initiatives (these can be brief and high-level or can be done in the next phase of work or assigned to specific offices as part of recommendations).
   • Rank proposals in priority order, associate a timetable, and identify resourcing needed.
3. Review and refine initial high-level goal(s) for each area; further develop goal(s), establish benchmark, metrics, and timeline (yearly or twice-yearly to Summer 2025). These can be high-level or detailed and offer areas for consideration.

Later in summer 2021, the Network identified additional commitment areas and/or continue further work in these areas.

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