Table of Contents

Making Excellence Inclusive at UW-Superior

Chancellor’s Inclusive Excellence Task Force (CIETF)

Planning/Implementation Report

Executive Summary1

Overview2

UW-Superior Historyof Inclusion, Diversity & Equity2

CIETF Plan for Making Excellence Inclusive at UW-Superior4

Appendices

  1. Important Milestones and Practices7
  1. Student Interviews & Summer Conversation Themes10
  1. UW-Superior Making Excellence Inclusive Long Term 13

Annual Plan

  1. Chancellor’s Inclusive Excellence Task Force 2010-11 Budget20

Making Excellence at UW-Superior Inclusive: Planning & Implementation Report

Executive Summary

Making Excellence Inclusive (MEI) at UW-Superior

  • Significant work must still be done regarding issues of diversity, inclusion, and equity.
  • Inclusive Excellence (IE) and Making Excellence Inclusive (MEI), a general philosophy and action-oriented planning process respectively, provide a more inclusive path for organizational culture change at UW-Superior.
  • Building a more equitable, inclusive and diverse campus, in part, requires creative collaboration, leveraging of resources, action from all campus community members, and ongoing examination (not just celebration) of cultural issues.
  • Recently collected evidence (e.g., Equity Scorecard, Student Interviews, Summer Conversation feedback)is now available to articulate campus issues and concerns.
  • Chancellor’s Inclusive Excellence Task Force (CITEF)continues to take the leadership in facilitating campus planning and implementation of initiatives and programs that would make excellence inclusive. The team provides basic structures and support; however, all institutional actors (all campus members) are as responsible for making excellence inclusive.
  • MEI must serve as critical filter for decision making. Key questions to ask include:Are we consistently performing everyday campus roles and activities in the most equitable, inclusive and diverse ways possible? What would that look like? How can we get there? What actions can/must be taken now?
  • CIETF Strategic Priorities:(1) MEI will be a filter for all campus planning and decision making; (2) Building and maintaining systematic monitoring and promoting mechanisms for ensuring inclusivity, equity and diversity; (3) Instilling every aspect of MEI will permeate campus culture; and, (4)MEI will encourage collaboration and will require effective leveraging of human and financial resources.
  • Five-Year Goals: (1) Curricular and co-curricular programs utilize diversity as a learning resource; (2) Excellence of equity, inclusion and diversity is evident at all levels of campus operations; (3) A comprehensive framework for assessment of measurable diversity, equity, inclusion and excellence outcomes is articulated, implemented and utilized; and, (4) Campusaggressively addresses student equity gaps as defined by 2009-2010 Equity Scorecard.
  • Outcomes to stem from these goals: (1) Intentional reframing of campus processes, policies and priorities as a means to make excellence inclusive; (2) UW-Superior community shares common understanding of excellence and inclusion, have capacity to perform inclusively and equitably while utilizing diversity as a learning resource; and,(3) Gather, utilize and respond to equity, diversity and climate evidence.
  • Specific, action steps include brown bag lunches, grant program, inventory

process, website and year-end awards. Continued budgetary support is imperative.

Making Excellence Inclusive (MEI) at UW-Superior

Planning/Implementation Report

Presented to Chancellor’s Cabinet, August 24, 2010

Report prepared by Chancellor’s Inclusive Excellence Task Force (CIETF)

Chip Beal

Keith Berry (Co-chair)

Cheri Boreen

Jennifer Christensen

Eri Fujieda

Nancy Kyle

Jill Schoer (Co-chair)

Overview

Recent efforts concerninginstitutional culture of UW-Superior rightfully have suggested campus to be “poised” for action regarding issues of diversity, equity and inclusivity. Thus, comprising the following report enthusiastically and definitively shifts the community from poised to inconcerted and meaningful movement and action. We provide a background of past/current campus efforts, a description of Inclusive Excellence, and, by utilizing the current UW System planning process, a context-specific set of proposed goals, outcomes and action steps necessary for Making Excellence Inclusive at UW-Superior.

Thanks, in advance, for your careful consideration. We look forward to discussing and implementing the plan with you as soon as possible.

History of Inclusion and Diversity at UW-Superior

UW-Superior has been committed to areas of diversity for over 30 years. Campus has had a Diversity Office focused on the needs of American Indian, African American, Asian American and Hispanic/Latino students since the mid 1970s. In 1989, the American Indian Studies Centerwas opened (later renamed to the First Nation Studies Center). The Center was permanently supported through state funds. The Center had a threefold mission: academics; student services; and, community outreach. Also, for the past 21 years, University of Wisconsin System has been involved in system-wide diversity efforts including “Design for Diversity” and “Plan 2008.”

Design for Diversity was a 10 year plan developed in 1997 to span the years 1988 to 1998. This UW System-wide plan was to begin the process of increasing faculty, staff and students of color to include African Americans, American Indians, Hispanic/Latino and Asian (with a special emphasis on Southeast Asians). Each campus had its own plan to coincide with the System plan.

Plan 2008 followed Design for Diversity and was also a system-wide endeavor. This planalso defined diversity to mean racial/cultural diversity, and to include the above mentioned groups.

The planning team for Plan 2008 saw the need to widen the definition of diversity in the future to include other groups and included the following statement:

“In addition to launching out with Plan 2008, Phase II, it is the full intention of the University of Wisconsin-Superior to create similar initiatives for both LGBT/Q and Abilities areas. These initiatives will have plans similar to Plan 2008 to give direction for the future. Areas such as age will be considered for the future as the need arises.”

These plans were never developed during the time Plan 2008 was in existence.

Plan 2008 was developed in two phases: Phase I from 1998 to 2003, and Phase II from 2003 to 2008. The Plan was comprised of seven specific goals (available upon request). Each campusdeveloped its own Plan 2008 plan of action. The entire campus was involved in the process. Finalized Plan 2008 documents were sent to the Faculty Senate, Academic Staff Senate and Student Senate for approval. All governmental bodies unanimously approved the final plans.

Inclusive Excellenceand Making Excellence Inclusive

In cooperation with Association of American Colleges and University, University of Wisconsin-System mandated that all campuses align institutional practices with Inclusive Excellence (IE), in part, to widen diversity efforts beyond racial/ethnicity lines of Plan 2008.

IE is a philosophy or worldview requiring major comprehensive organizational change. Therefore, creating and sustaining the UW-Superior campus as a community that personifies inclusion, equity and diversity is a strategic Priority. IE, in effect, is among ‘first breaths’ in all considerations and decision making processes across the UW-Superior campus.

IE seeks to:

  • Establish hallmarks of academic excellence and institutional effectiveness;
  • Operationalize inclusion in campus functioning;
  • Ensure academic freedom responsibilities are understood and practiced; and,
  • Create an educational process that has diversity and inclusion at the center

Four Guiding Principles are critical to IE:

  • Shared responsibility;
  • Diversity sits at the center of institutional life;
  • Different students require different forms of support (as do faculty, staff, etc.); and,
  • Implementation matters as much as strategy

Making Excellence Inclusive (MEI) is the action-oriented process that is intentionally and persistently implemented in every facet of campus culture, and by all community members. Although MEI action seeks to manifest the IE philosophy, the two are distinct ideas. We reframe much of the remaining ideas of this report, and therefore, the proposed goals, outcomes and actionsteps for UW-Superior in terms of MEI.

At UW-Superior, conscientiously creating results that accentuate MEI requires:

  • Engaging sustained, direct, open and honest discussion;
  • Critically examining inclusivity, equity and diversity needs and issues on campus, rather than merely celebrating them and “culture” more generally;
  • Rejecting the natural tendency to over-discuss and over-define concepts, needs and issues;
  • Understanding and utilizing, but not being paralyzed by institutional history; and,
  • Enacting creative, focused and persistent action-taking and implementation.

A campus culture that personifies critical thinking must recognize that even “Making Excellence Inclusive” itself is an abstract phrase and concept. Indeed, it is how we, as a campus community,activelybring to life its mission and spirit—through courageous, creative and sustained planning and action—that matters most.

Chancellor’s Inclusive Excellence Task Force (CIETF) is a leadership team formed in 2009 by then Chancellor Julius Erlenbach and Provost Christopher Markwood. CIETF leads campus via focused, creative and persistent facilitation, coordination and support. It rejects the common tendency to be “THE” body in charge of “doing all the work.” Consequently, it also resists the unproductive dependency on only certain individuals, who are in particular and confined “silos,” to do the necessary work required of effective organizational change.

Appendix I provides important background information on the developmental milestones at UW-Superior to date regarding IE and MEI.

CIETF Strategic Plan to Make Excellence Inclusive at UW-Superior

CIETF proposes a multidimensional plan that renews and strengthens UW-Superior’s commitment to inclusivity, equity and diversity by all campus constituencies. The plan prioritizes learning as a campus focus and resource, and is driven by four(4) strategic priorities and four (4) long term goals and creative action-oriented outcomes and actions. At the core of this work are increased support, assessment and accountability, as well as the goal of creatively embedding all efforts within campus infrastructure.

CIETF’S Proposed Strategic Priorities

  1. Making excellence inclusive will be a filter for all campus planning and decision making.
  2. Building and maintaining systematic monitoring and promoting mechanisms for ensuring inclusivity, equity and diversity.
  3. Instilling every aspect of making excellence inclusive will permeate campus culture.
  4. Making excellence inclusive will encourage collaboration and will require effective leveraging of human and financial resources.

MEI must serve as the critical filter for planning and decision making. This means that we must persistently ask the following questionsin the decision making process: Are we consistently performing everyday campus roles and activities in the most equitable, inclusive and diverse ways possible? What would that look like? How can we get there? What actions can/must be taken now?

CIETF intends to create an informative, one page document partly comprised of the above five requirements of MEI and above four Strategic Priorities for UW-Superior. This document, much like a document used by Center for Excellence in Teaching and Learning, is recommended to be used in critical campus communication processes (including new hire folders for new staff and faculty hires and future programs and events).

Long Term Goals

CIETF recommends the following long term, five year goals which will move UW-Superior closer to the CEITF strategic priorities:

  • Curricular and co-curricular programs utilize diversity as a learning resource. Student learning outcomes, coursework and the learning environment ensure the educational benefits of diversity and differences are derived through the learning process.
  • Excellence of equity, inclusion and diversity is evident at all levels of campus operations. Campus policies and practices will foster engagement and ensure accountability toward making excellence inclusive.
  • A comprehensive framework for assessment of measurable diversity, equity, inclusion and excellence outcomes is articulated, implemented and utilized. Investments will be made in sound assessment methods of teaching methods, collection of data and evidence to be used for campus planning and decisions.
  • Campus aggressively addresses student equity gaps as defined by 2009-10 Equity Scorecard. Student equity gaps will be addressed by the campus community and behavioral change will have occurred as a result.

Appendix III provides additional information on the above goals.

Academic Year 2010-11 Outcomes and Action Plan

The following narrative descriptions highlight key elements of the action plan. Implementation of the action plan will help achieve the desired outcomes for the year and will move UW-Superior closer to the long term goals. All these actions are proposed to occur this academic yearto further assist the campus community in the process of embedding MEI into the organizational infrastructure. CIETF proposes to:

•Offer regular Brown Bag Lunches during the 2010-2011 academic year. Facilitators will be invited by CIETF from various constituencies. The topics will focus on learning opportunities and diverse needs. The aim is continued campus educationand to help attendees develop useful skills for implementing MEI practices;

•Establish the Making Excellence Inclusive Grant Program. This process will provide financial support to help campus community members (both individuals and groups) further learn about how inclusivity, equity and diversityapply to their professional role(s) at UW-Superior. The program will entail a traditional call for papers, awarding of grants, and a requirement to provide feedback to the community when awardees complete their projects;

•Enact a Sharpening the Saw Process, which aims to more intentionally and creatively (re)visit and revise all aspects of campus functioning. This examination will include both the more significant processes and those more nuanced aspects of these processes that may be easily overlooked. This review will also ensure alignment with the ideals of Making Excellence Inclusive.The first essential step in this process involves embedding MEI within the “Culture of Respect” section in the year-end report process required of all units/programs on campus.

•Establish Making Excellence Inclusive Awardsthat annually honor community members whose work visibly and impressively embodies effective advocacy of inclusivity, equity and diversity. Awards would be included in the series of awards that end each academic year award, would entail peer nominations, and would be assessed by Provost’s Leadership Team and others in the campus community who are knowledgeable of the issues in the campus context that MEI seeks to address.

•Offer Summer Contracts for CIETF, as a means of continued and intensive reviewing and planning. Summer 2011 shall also serve as a critical opportunity to assess 2010-2011 efforts.

•Create a Making Excellence Inclusive Evidence Teamthatwill closely examine diverse ways of examining diversity, equity and inclusion at UW-Superior. The teamwill seek to identify appropriate quantitative and qualitative ways of examining campus needs concerning gaps in these areas, for more inclusive and comprehensive goal setting.

•Launch theChancellor’s Inclusive Excellence Task Force website as a means of more effectively communicating opportunities, concerns and resources toward MEI with the campus community.

These elements are part of the larger action plan described in Appendix III. In summary, they demonstrate a multilayered approach for making excellence inclusive at UW-Superior. Although the actions are distinct, they are also related in at least two ways: 1) each action seeks to engage all community members in the organizational change process; and,2) each provides specific paths for increasing campus buy-in and learning regarding inclusion, equity and diversity needs and opportunities. Appendix III provides an estimated budget regarding the financial resources necessary for supporting this plan.

Idea for securing financial support: Creating an MEI line item in the campus budget that possibly can be funded through a percent of each unit’s budget would reinforce the imperative nature of MEI and the need for strategic and creative collaboration.

Making Excellence at UW-Superior Inclusive: Planning & Implementation ReportPage 1

Appendix I

Important Milestones and Adopted Practices

The following information documents the development of CIETF and some pertinent processes recently approved regarding IE and MEI. Also highlighted are key evidence-gathering processes, either in progress or recently completed.

Pre-Planning Team

In summer 2009, then Chancellor Julius Erlenbach and Provost Chris Markwood convened the “IE Pre-Planning Team,” and charged it with learning more about the IE philosophy as it relates to issues and opportunities at UW-Superior. This team of campus community members representing a range of campus offices and positions attended a UW System workshop in Summer 2009. There we conceptualized an initial campus plan for creating the organizational cultural change to realize IE. The Chancellor’s Cabinet approved the Pre-Planning Team’s plan in fall 2009. In essence, that plan simultaneously called for long-term planning and “organic spontaneous action-taking.” Planning and taking actionare of equal weight in all IE efforts (a copy of the Pre-Planning Team’sinitial plan is available upon request).

Announcement of Campus IE Priority:

January 2010, Chancellor Erlenbach prioritized work of the Pre-Planning Team. More importantly, he articulated a campus commitment to making Inclusive Excellence a priority, during his opening remarksfor spring 2010 Welcome Week (a copy of Chancellor Erlenbach’s remarks is available upon request).

Chancellor’s Inclusive Excellence Task Force

In October 2009, Chancellor Erlenbach convened the Chancellor’s Inclusive Excellence Task Force (CIETF), as a campus leadership team that will assist in creating and sustaining the organizational cultural change intertwined with Making Excellence Inclusive. CIETF shall move forward with, and further develop, the approved Pre-Planning Team’s plan.

The CIETF 2009/2010 Year-end Report was approved by the Chancellor’s Cabinet, June 2010. This approval launchedthe efforts and framework highlighted below.

Effectively establishing and sustaining effort to make excellence inclusive throughout the UW-Superior campus community requires creative and dedicated action employing four essential principles: (1) IE must serve as a filter through which all planning and decision making on campus gets made and assessed; (2) CIETF must be a part of discussions central to IE matters; (3) IE efforts must be approached, (re)assessed, and enacted creatively through a collaborative, instead of a “silo,” mindset; and, (4) UW-Superior administration must be involved extensively and persistently in these processes.