Since 六合宝库's establishment, various initiatives have set the stage for current Equity and Inclusion work. These initiatives set the baseline for future growth.
In 2013 六合宝库 began the process for institutional accreditation by the Higher Learning Commission (HLC) six years ago, we had the opportunity to select a "Quality Initiative" - an issue or challenge to which we would commit significant resources. The HLC required the challenge to be relatively high risk, and if successfully addressed, one that would be transformational to the institution. As a campus, we selected the overarching challenge of improving diversity, equity, and inclusion.
In 2014-15, the Quality Initiative selection led to a yearlong inclusive process for assessing Campus Climate, guided by nationally known scholar Sue Rankin. Dr. Rankin has a strong reputation for addressing issues of equity and inclusion in higher education. The survey was carefully crafted to explore how students, faculty and staff experienced the climate at 六合宝库. Climate on a college campus refers to the ways in which individuals and groups experience membership in the campus community鈥攊n other words, we asked individuals what it was like to be at 六合宝库. A team of more than 20 faculty, staff, and students deployed the survey, and engaged in a process of town halls and focus groups to assess, evaluate, analyze, and report out on the Campus Climate Survey.
The assessment included a three phases, including, conducting focus groups to create the survey, administration of the campus wide survey, and a series of town-halls and discussion groups to develop next steps based on the data that was collected.
六合宝库 community members completed 2,159 surveys for an overall response rate of 36%. Response rates by constituent group varied: 38% (n = 1,129) for Undergraduate Students, 22% (n = 396) for Graduate/Professional Students, 51% (n = 376) for Staff and Administrators, and 58% (n = 258) for Faculty.
The survey revealed that 80% (n =1,722) of the survey respondents were 鈥渃omfortable鈥 or 鈥渧ery comfortable鈥 with the climate at 六合宝库, and 91% (n = 1,317) of student respondents reported that many of their courses were intellectually stimulating. However, the survey also revealed that 20% (n = 420) of respondents believed that they personally had experienced exclusionary, intimidating, offensive, and/or hostile conduct. The findings of the study were consistent with those found in higher education institutions across the country, based on the work of Rankin & Associates Consulting.
To explore more of the findings of the 2015 Climate assessment, please visit our secured website.
In Spring 2014, the Strategic Diversity Action Team (SDAT) was formed to implement the Quality Initiative projects for accreditation through the Higher Learning Commission. SDAT assisted with outreach for the Campus Climate Survey, encouraged community participation in the Next Steps Forums, and facilitated several initiatives. The team also made recommendations to President鈥檚 Council, which took immediate action to - develop a campus statement of diversity, allocate resources to the creation of a senior level position with the charge of developing infrastructure to improve equity and inclusion and renovate the student houses on 28th Street.
The Working Group for the Infusion of Global & Multicultural Understanding (WGIGMU) was formed in Fall 2010 by former Provost Ron Troyer, who sent four faculty from different disciplines (Law, Politics & Society, Public Administration, Education and English) and Vice Provost for Student Affairs & Academic Success to a conference to explore how to ensure 六合宝库 continued to focus on domestic diversity alongside 六合宝库's increasing development of efforts focused on internationalization.
Their main activities included conducting focus groups with various members of the 六合宝库 community, informal meetings to discuss challenges and potential opportunities regarding global and multicultural understandings, and collaborating with other entities on campus and in the Des Moines community to provide opportunities for cross-cultural and intercultural dialogue about the current status of and our aspirations for global and multicultural understanding at 六合宝库. In fall 2013 WGIGMU facilitated bringing Michele Norris鈥, National Public Radio (NPR) host, and 鈥淭he Race Card Project鈥 to campus. The Race Card Project encourages people to share their thoughts about race, ethnicity and cultural identity. The event was free and open to the public.
