Planning Constructs

Strengths of Unit

• Energetic, well-trained, and service-oriented staff
• Active, on-going, oversight of faculty and professional employment process
• Broad range of faculty and staff recruitment and retention activities
• Timely processing of employment materials
• Consultative, timely, effective investigation and resolution of concerns and complaints
• Well- designed training programs that contribute to employee productivity and to limiting legal expenses.
• Campus leadership role in assessing climate and delivering diversity programming
• Creative adopted technologies to improve employment processes and training
• Effective crisis-management skills
• Effectively responsive to emerging campus needs ( e.g ., monitoring H1-B and permanent visa processes for faculty members and administrators)

Weaknesses of Units

• Unit understaffed as a result of administrative cuts and attrition
• Current programming budget inappropriate for scope of services offered and planned initiatives
• Current office space inadequate to conduct business most efficiently

Planning Process

The Office of Civil Rights and Diversity develops plans based upon assessment information, ongoing discussions with faculty, staff, students, chairpersons, and administrators, national "best practices," workforce availability data, comparable peer institution data, annual appraisals of federal and state requirements, and university goals.

Funds are internally reallocated to meet highest annual priorities and needs. New Program Requests reflect this information and also IBHE initiatives.

Short-term Planning Initiatives
In Support of President's FY 05 Goals

1. Ensure that at least 65% of the tenure-track applicant pools will include members of minority groups.
2. Require student employees to complete training on avoiding harassment and discrimination in phased-in program beginning Spring 2005.
3. Require all supervisors to complete training on avoiding harassment and discrimination.
4. Building upon the campus climate surveys, OCR will research and report upon potential climate issues identified by students.

Long-Term Planning Initiatives

$96,000 FY06 Creating A Diverse Learning Environment
(pending Program Priorities Budget Request)

• Longitudinal Campus Climate Assessment
• Customized Unit Recruiting
• Dual Career Network and Transition
• Visiting Distinguished Minority Leaders
• Program for Professional Enrichment Program
• Student Conflict Intervention Teams
• Student Diversity Certificate Program

$140,000 FY07 Creating A Diverse Learning Environment
(in development Program Priorities Budget Request)

Members of minority groups will constitute between 17% and 19% of the tenured/tenure-track faculty (Five-Year Goal).

Women will constitute between 48% and 50% of the tenured/tenure-track faculty (Five-Year Goal).

Members of minority groups will constitute 13% of Administrative and Executive positions (Five-Year Goal).

Women will constitute 44% of the Administrative and Executive positions (Five-Year Goal).

Members of minority groups will continue to reflect the workforce availability data within the seven-county region.

Within the context of civil service guidelines, aggressive recruiting will take place to ensure that members of minority groups are considered for positions in units that extensively interact with students ( i.e., Protective Services, Housing, Financial Assistance, Counseling, Health Service - Five-Year Goal).

Campus Climate Longitudinal Data (race, gender, disability, sexual orientation issues) will be analyzed and forwarded to appropriate academic committees, student affairs and housing administrators, and faculty development (Five-Year Goal).