Social Justice

Divisions

Initiatives

Functions

Timeline

Advancement University Relations

Review Foundation investments and where possible divest of companies that do not support social justice.

October 2021 Updates:

The Foundation does not invest in individual companies. Removed as part of our divisional response to Social Justice.

Team Lead: Katie Kuznacic

Action

Review to be Completed by the End of the Academic Year 2020-2021

Advancement University Relations

Diversity the staff for Philanthropy and Alumni Engagement. In addition, more intetionality of diversifying the Foundation Board.

October 2021 Updates:

Diversifying the Philanthropy and Alumni Engagement Office an an on-going process. The initiative is still underway.

Team Lead: Katie Kuznacic

Action / Accountability

Just Do It

Advancement University Relations

Vigilant environmental scanning to keep the University informed. Continuously advancing our agency to keep us current.

October 2021 Updates:

Environmental scans are an on-going process. The unit is continually conducting this action to remain vigilant.

Team Lead: Katie Kuznacic

Agency

Just Do It

Advancement University Relations

Conduct a diversity fundraising campaign to support diversifying staff/faculty, and expanding Inclusive Excellence Lecturer Program.

October 2021 Updates:

There are fundraising campaigns in progress, but at present, there are none specific to supporting diversifying staff/faculty. The Inclusive Excellence Lecturer Program is currently on hiatus due to budgetary constraints.

Team Lead: Katie Kuznacic

Action

Multi-Year Effort

Advancement University Relations

Provide scholarships to students of color to increase the number of teachers of color in school districts.

October 2021 Updates:

There are no scholarships currently available to increase the number of teachers of color in the immediate school districts. The UW-Whitewater Foundations, Inc. is proud to offer various, established University-wide scholarships which support students of color and underrepresented minorities in a variety of academic programs. Ongoing efforts will include encouragement of applications within the College of Education and Professional Studies - as well as scholarship criteria compliance with UW System policies.

Team Lead: Katie Kuznacic

Action

Just Do It / Multi-Year Effort

Academic Affairs

National Coalition Building Institute (NCBI) participation in all 5 colleges and each major unit in Academic Affairs.

September 2021 Updates:

In-person workshops are being held throughout the semester

Team Lead(s): Julie Minikel-Lacocque and Kristin Plessel

Agency

This Academic Year / Multi-Year Effort

Academic Affairs

Each of the 5 academic colleges shall conduct a meaningful analysis and discussion of equity gaps in DFWI rates in courses, and develop concrete action steps to reduce or eliminate the gaps.

Team Lead(s): Deans

Advocacy / Action

Multi-Year Effort

Academic Affairs

Re-evaluate our curriculum surrounding diversity courses. Review when these courses are taught – should they be incorporated throughout a student’s academic experience or is there a diversity component in a wide-array of courses in a student’s degree?

Team Lead(s): Diversity Curriculum Committee

Agency / Action

This Academic Year / Multi- Year Effort

Academic Affairs and EDI

Close the achievement gap.

Team Lead(s): Matt Aschenbrener and Tricia Clasen
EDI:  Ozalle Toms

Action / Accountability

Multi-Year Effort

Academic Affairs and EDI

Establish a rotating display of multicultural books in both libraries.

Readings on Race, Racism and Resistance: https://libguides.uww.edu/pinterest/race

Team Lead: Paul Waelchli

Agency / Advocacy

Completed / Will Update Periodically

Administrative Affairs

Set up a resource webpage that is for “Self-Learning.”

April 2021 Updates:

The following site has been set up: https://www.uww.edu/adminaffairs/hr/development-training#ResourcesforSelfLearning

Team Lead(s): Janelle Crowley and Gina Elmore

Agency

Just Do It

Administrative Affairs

Improve our focus on macroaggression through videos made available on Canvas and linked from the HR resource page. Other enhanced trainings will be rolled out through professional development.

April 2021 Updates:

Completed and provided a townhall on microaggression with responses to questions. Additional pieces are actively being added including some work with the Associate Provost. We plan to do another round of microaggression trainings – one focused more about stats and one focused on discussion-based training in a few months.

Team Lead(s): Janelle Crowley and Gina Elmore

Advocacy

Just Do It

Administrative Affairs

Increase diversity in our work force, but more specifically our student employees who we hire each semester and year.

April 2021 Updates:

The talent acquisition team is reaching out personally to various institutions where potential candidates might be in the pipeline. The two most recent high-level recruitments demonstrate the success in attracting individuals from marginalized groups.

Team Lead(s): Janelle Crowley

Advocacy / Action

Just Do It

Administrative Affairs and EDI

More representation of people of color on building names by naming a building after Roger Pulliam

Team Lead(s): Kenny Yarbrough and Taryn Carothers

BSU-WSG Demand

End of the Academic Year 2020-2021

Athletics

Rewrite our mission statement and strategic plan to incorporate diversity and inclusion statements in each of them.

September 2021 Updates:

The revision and re-write of the Athletic Mission statement is complete. 

Team Lead(s): Ryan Callahan and Kenny Yarbrough

Action 

Completed

Athletics

A portion of our eligibility meetings will be set aside for our athletics diversity and inclusion designee.

September 2021 Updates:

The Athletics Department has included the Athletics Diversity and Inclusion Designee in staff meetings starting Spring of 2021.

Team Lead(s): Ryan Callahan and Kenny Yarbrough

Action

Completed

Athletics

We will designate at least one out of nine head coaches and compliance meetings for diversity training.

September 2021 Updates:

Athletics compliance meetings are monthly and a plan will be constructed to address equity, diversity and inclusion concerns.

Team Lead(s): Ryan Callahan

Agency / Action

Just Do It / Multi-Year Effort

Athletics

Continue to monitor the retention and graduation rates for our underrepresented populations in athletics.

September 2021 Updates:

As part of the Athletics department’s efforts, the review of retention and graduation rates of athletes of color is on-going as part of the annual report. This report is also shared with the Faculty Academic Intercollegiate Committee. 

Team Lead(s): Ryan Callahan and Kenny Yarbrough

Agency / Action

Just Do It / Multi-Year Effort

Office of the Chancellor

Creation of the Division of Equity, Diversity, Inclusion, and Support Programs and the shepherd of action, agency, and advocacy of this division.

April 2021 Updates:

The EDI&SP Division was created. This announcement caused duress because many felt that the decision was not well vetted amongst the shared governance leaders. The division is operational and all services are continuous and of quality. The division is working on grant proposals, newly funded initiatives (Pre-College Program and Bridge Programs), climate surveying, and enhanced diversity programs.

Team Lead(s): Dwight Watson

Action / Agency / Accountability

Just Do It

Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (EDI)

Commit to doing a climate survey for employees in 2021-2022 and use results to guide our programs and action. 

April 2021 Updates:

Plans are underway to design and implement an employee campus climate survey.

Team Lead(s): Kenny Yarbrough

Agency / Action

End of Academic Year 2020-2021

Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (EDI)

Be intentional about building the skills of students, staff, and faculty to engage in dialogue about race.

April 2021 Updates:

Dr. Toms and Dr. Yarbrough have worked with student, faculty and staff groups to continue training groups to have discussions on race relations.

Team Lead(s): Ozalle Toms

Agency / Advocacy

Just Do It

Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (EDI)

Continue coordinating series of town hall discussions on race and racism. Reconstitute/Re-Imagine the former Hate/Bias Response Team to address issues concerning social justice issues.

April 2021 Updates:

The Town Hall Series was a success.  All discussions are housed in the EDI Library (https://www.uww.edu/division-of-equity-diversity-inclusion-and-support-programs/edi-library).

Team Lead(s): Kenny Yarbrough

Agency /Advocacy

Just Do It / End of Academic Year 2020-2021

Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (EDI)

Institutionalize mandatory training covering diversity and inclusion topics. Create anti-racist reading groups for each of the 5 colleges concentrating on Kendi's work.

April 2021 Updates:

There was a creation of an anti-racist book group done in partnership with the Learn Center in the Fall of 2021.  There are on-going plans to keep faculty engaged in the conversation about anti-racism and having an anti-racist learning environment.

Team Lead(s): Kenny Yarbrough

Agency / Action

End of Academic Year 2020-2021

Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (EDI)

Work with campus ministries (Navigators, Cru, InterVarsity, Fellowship of Christian Athletes, Campus Ministry, and others) to focus on the intersection between the campus ministries’ mission and social justice and race relations.

April 2021 Updates:

There was one meeting held with campus ministries in the Fall of 2020. Additional work is needed.

Team Lead(s): Kenny Yarbrough

Action / Agency

Just Do It

Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (EDI)

Commit to doing a climate survey for students (HERI from UW System) in 2020-2021 and use results to guide our programs and action. 

April 2021 Updates:

Campus Climate Survey was executed 3/1/21 through 4/1/21. Results will be shared in the Fall of 2021.

Team Lead(s): Kenny Yarbrough

Agency / Action

End of  Academic Year 2020-2021

EDI and Academic Affairs

Create physical space for expressing concerns -- Freedom of Expression Space

April 2021 Updates:

After meeting with governance group leaders and student organizations, it was discovered that it would not be feasible to create a physical location for expressing Freedom of Speech/Expression.

Team Lead(s): Greg Cook and Kenny Yarbrough

Advocacy

Just Do It

EDI and Office of the Chancellor

Review the history of campus monuments and buildings to amplify those names that were supporters of social justice and seeking change of building names or the removal of monuments that are representational of oppressors of social justice.

April 2021 Updates:

Completed. The library archivist, the Director of Library Services, and history department faculty reviewed all monuments and buildings to determine if any were named after people who were racially or socially oppressive. The outcome of the research indicated that there were no monuments or buildings named after anyone who historically oppressed others. The next step is to publicize the findings of this research.

Team Lead(s): Dwight Watson and Kenny Yarbrough

Action / Agency / Accountability

Just Do It

EDI and Office of the Chancellor

Creation of the WOKE (Working on Keeping Engaged) Advisory Team. An advisory of the student organization leaders from under-represented student populations.

April 2021 Updates:

The WOKE Advisory Team was established through the Warhawk Connection Center (WCC). The leaders of the student organizations in the WCC were convened each quarter to advise the Chancellor and Associate Vice Chancellor of Equity, Diversity, Inclusion and Support Programs on the student-based ideas, concerns, and actions pertaining to equity, diversity, and inclusion. This year was the genesis of the WOKE Advisory Team. The hope is that next year there could be some shared initiatives focused on agency, advocacy, action, and accountability.

Team Lead(s): Dwight Watson and Kenny Yarbrough

Advocacy

Just Do It

Student Affairs

Create a strategic plan for the Division of Student Affairs that incorporates goals and priorities focused on equity, diversity and inclusion. Require each director in the division to develop measurable EDI goals in three categories: personal, staff and department. Each director will be evaluated on their progress of those goals in their performance evaluations.

April 2021 Updates:

The Division of Student Affairs is undergoing a two-year strategic planning process. Each director has been evaluated on EDI and will next be assessing each member of each of the departments within the division.

Team Lead(s): Artanya Wesley

Advocacy / Action / Accountability

End of Academic Year 2020-2021

Student Affairs and EDI

Policy for holding people accountable for hate/bias speech with clear expectations for behaviors and a process for remediation and clear consequences. (Comparable to sexual harassment policies).

April 2021 Updates:

Regular meetings are being held with WSG and the AVC of EDI&SP to address accountability for hate/bias incidents and speech. The result is a new Hate/Bias Reporting Website (set to launch Summer 2021). This coincides with the demand for the EDI Office.

BSU-WSG Demand

In-Progress

Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (EDI)

Central location for reporting hate/bias events on campus or in city of Whitewater and transparency in reporting and follow up on decision making or resolutions.

April 2021 Updates:

The AVC of EDI&SP along with members of WSG have held several meetings with city officials. The City of Whitewater will mimic the University’s new Hate/Bias Practice Directives. This should be implemented in the 2021-2022 AY. 

BSU-WSG Demand

In-Progress

Academic Affairs

Freshman training prior to moving to campus that reinforces key knowledge such as how to use Canvas, importance of a syllabus, organization and time management. 

September 2021 Updates:

Focus groups were held to inform from the student perspective and updates were made to messaging and the TechQuest for Summer 2021.

BSU-WSG Demand

Completed

Academic Affairs

More students of color in tutoring and SI positions and increase student access by providing tutoring outreach in the WCC, dorms, or other easy access locations.

April 2021 Updates:

Student feedback has been shared with Tutoring Services for implementation.

BSU-WSG Demand

Completed

Academic Affairs and EDI

Identify the cause for a decline in students of color on campus and determine corrective action plans.

April 2021 Updates: Report of student demographic was made.

Enrollment Management is working with the EDI&SP Division as the University revises the Strategic Enrollment Plan.

BSU-WSG Demand

Completed