UCDEI Plan for Creating a Socially Just Campus Climate

The University Council for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion has identified 10-Point Plan to create racial justice and build a more inclusive community at FSU. This plan was modeled after the American Association of State Colleges and Universities Anti-Racism initiatives. This is a working document; moving forward, in keeping with the mission of UCDEI we will work to create an inclusive Socially-Just 10-point plan for FSU. Five action priorities for FSU were identified for the 2021-2022 academic year. UCDEI looked to responses from the Campus Climate Survey and University Focus Groups to identify its list of priorities. A draft-form of the plan was shared with Faculty Senate, Staff Senate, the Student Government Association, and the University Advisory Council. Feedback was encouraged and incorporated into this final draft. Departments and organizations are encouraged to contact UCDEI Co-Chairs Robin Wynder and Kara Rogers Thomas, if they are engaged in activities that complement this action plan. Although much work is currently underway, UCDEI is confident that the development of these action priorities will assist the University in achieving a more equitable and inclusive community. The University Council on Diversity, Equity and Inclusion promotes harmonious human interaction that celebrates our common humanity and fosters a campus community where we value and embrace our genders, our races/ethnicities, our languages, our sexual orientations, our ages, our faiths, our cultures and social class contexts, our intellectual and physical abilities, our mental health statuses, and our origins. While this action plan has been prioritized for the current academic year, UCDEI is committed to continually developing action priorities to address all aspects of its mission. We invite feedback and engagement from all members of the FSU community.

 

Acknowledge the Past and Revisit the History of Institutional Racism

Existing or In Process: 

  • Brownsville Monument
  • Ort Library Brownsville collection 
  • Bernard Wynder Legacy Fund (fund is now endowed; UA will continue to solicit contributions)

2021-2022 Priority #1
The Adams/Wyche Multicultural Center will:

  • Serve as a hub for events focused on fostering greater awareness and change for the surrounding community.
  • Display artwork, on the interior and exterior, that captures the history of the Brownsville community.
  • Include anti-racist resources in the design of the multicultural center.
  • Develop plan for sharing/communicating histories, and
  • Nurture “safe space” environment in the center

In Progress:

  • Fleet vehicles were moved to Stangle
  • Bids for asbestos abatement and demo were received February 17th
  • Asbestos abatement and demo will start the week of March 7th (should take approx. 2 weeks)
  • In late March/early April the committee will tour building to determine design plans for the center

2021-2022 Action Priority #2
Researching the appropriateness and effectiveness of a Land Acknowledgement Statement for the FSU Campus

Progress:

  • None to date

Lift Minoritized Voices 

2021-2022 Action Priority #3
Increase transparency of the work of UCDEI

  • Publish Campus Climate survey results on website
  • Publish 10-pt Plan 2021-2022 Action Priorities on website
  • Update the ODEI and UCDEI websites to show incident numbers and trends
  • Create and publish an annual report on hate/bias

Existing or in Process

  • Summary of CC is posted on the website
  • 10-pt plan report is being written and posted on website by February 28th Campus Climate Survey (completed 2020)

Address Racism in the Campus Culture

2021-2022 Action Priority #4
Continue to host DEI focus groups, workshops, and trainings for the entire campus community

  • include HR professional development opportunities
  • Include the following topics: accommodations for individuals with disabilities; trauma-informed education, first amendment and how it impacts public universities, free speech vs. hate speech, civil discourse, ethical leadership, liability, hate/ bias crime vs incidents, etc.

Existing or In Process: 

  • Faculty and staff are now required to complete 6-9 LinkedIn Learning DEI modules; completion will be reflected in annual evaluations
  • A workshop on hate speech vs. free speech; the 1st amendment and public institutions of higher education was presented 2/7/22
  • #Bobcats Against Bias campaign will be held April 1-8 and will include workshops on avoiding spreading misinformation with the use of memes in social media; social media and civility; Safer Spaces: Inclusive Language; “Protest for Peace”- how to be effective change agents integrating social media
  • The #BAB campaign will start with a 2.5 day DEI leadership development- National Coalition Building Institute Train-the-Trainer; this free training is open to all faculty, staff and students

Devise a Comprehensive Strategy for Addressing Racism 

Existing or In Process: 

  • UCDEI 
  • Strategic themes from Strategic Plan
  • Action Items 5/6 in Strategic Plan

2021-2022 Action Priority #5
Create hate/bias response team to process complaints/incidents; provide investigative training for team leader

  •  Identify three staff members to complete the investigator training
  • Develop and publish a “policy on hate/bias incidents”
  • Review, update and publish the procedures for filing complaints against the discrimination and hate/bias
  • Review, update, and publish the Bias Incident Report Procedure

Progress:

  • One staff member has completed the investigator training and two more are scheduled to complete the training by the end of the spring 2022 semester
  • Development of hate/bias incident policy and procedure is in progress
  • Info-graphic of hate/bias incident reports and trends is being created and will be posted each semester going forward

 

Office of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion

116 Hitchins Admin Bldg
Frostburg State University
Frostburg, MD 21532
phone icon 301-687-4050

 

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Gianni Jones, Program Management Specialist
email icon gdjones@dos5.net

Robin Wynder, Assistant VP of Student Affairs
email icon rwynder@dos5.net

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