Creation and coordination of 16 DEI Councils
Challenge:
Before UNE established a Chief Diversity Officer role, 16 individual schools, programs, and student groups created their own distinct DEI committees.
Actions:
It was determined that all 16 committees had specific and important work to do to contribute to the overall university DEI goals (as set forth by the University Strategic Plan) but the 16 committees needed coordination. At the time, there was an open search for an Associate Provost for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion, but the university did not want to wait for that search to conclude before connecting the work of the 16 committees, so the interim Associate Provost for DEI and the chair of the search committee co-created and chaired the "Council of [DEI] Chairs."
Outcomes:
The 16 committees continue to strategically move forward DEI programs and initiatives that are in line with university DEI strategy, and with better collaboration and coordination. And, the new Assistant Provost for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion was hired and is now chairing the "Council of Chairs."
The students, faculty, professional staff, and leadership of the University of New England are united in our commitment to enhancing the diversity of our community among all aspects of human difference, while also nurturing a supportive, inclusive environment in which all feel that they belong. Although these efforts predated my tenure as president, they have accelerated since I assumed the role in 2017. Diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives are a current pillar of our current University-wide strategic plan. We have 16 distinct, grass-roots committees across the institution devoted to enhancing DEI in their respective units. We created a new full-time position within the provost’s office to strategically coordinate the efforts of these groups. We have already made progress in key areas, such as substantially increasing the number of students of color at the University and the development of many affinity support groups, although much work lies ahead.