Board of Trustees December recap

Board of Trustees Recap for Dec. 14 and 15
 

Editor’s Note: After each Board of Trustees meeting, Western Today provides a recap of decisions and discussion.

Trustees Continue Conversation on Campus Diversity

            Western’s Board of Trustees continued their discussion of diversity issues at the university.  On Friday, Sue Guenter-Schlesinger, vice provost for Equal Opportunity and Employment Diversity and Western’s Title IX coordinator, presented the HERI Campus Climate Survey results.

            Late last spring, Western partnered with the UCLA Higher Education Research Institute (HERI) to conduct distinct, anonymous surveys for faculty, students and staff about Western’s campus climate. 

            As noted in a recent message to campus from President Randhawa and Provost Brent Carbajal, the survey findings confirm the university has more work to do in order to create a more inclusive and equitable campus environment. 

            Among faculty, women, people of color and LGBQO (lesbian, gay, bisexual, queer and other) people report experiencing greater stress due to subtle discrimination compared to their male, white and straight colleagues.  Individuals belonging to these identity groups also perceive a significant need to work harder than their counterpart colleagues in order to enjoy the same respect. 

            Similarly, students from these same demographic backgrounds, along with students who identify as GQGND (genderqueer, gender non-conforming, and different gender identities), and students with disabilities, tend to report more frequent experiences with discrimination and harassment, feel more skeptical about Western’s institutional commitment to diversity, and overall report feeling a weaker connection to campus. 

            Guenter-Schlesinger noted that while the faculty and staff response rate to the survey was good, the student response rate was quite low, at 7.5 percent, which does not permit generalizing findings to the entire student body But similar trends were reported by faculty and staff from marginalized identity groups who feel that Western’s efforts aimed at advocating for and improving diversity are inadequate. 

            Guenter-Schlesinger told the trustees the university will be following up the survey result in several ways, including: gathering additional qualitative data through focus groups and additional opt-in interviews; asking the WWU Commission on Gender Equity and the Western Council for Equity, Inclusion and Social Justice to thoroughly review the results and make recommendations in response; conducting periodic follow-up surveys to benchmark results and assess the effectiveness of Western’s response to these survey results going forward; and undertaking more effective advance planning and communication about the next round of surveys to ensure greater participation across all groups, especially students.

            Trustee Karen Lee asked how Western will determine success in improving the campus culture on diversity and inclusion.  

            “What does success look like?’ asked Trustee Chair Sue Sharpe.

            Regina Barber DeGraaff, Western instructor and STEM Inclusion and Outreach specialist, said ways to accurately measure campus diversity success are part of an ongoing dialogue at universities across the nation

            The discussion with the trustees ranged from closing achievement, enrollment and retention gaps, and more intentional mentoring of new faculty members. Dean of Students Ted Pratt noted growing pockets of expertise, training and discussion occurring across campus, such as the Equity and Inclusion Forum.

            But the clear consensus was that much more needed to be done to ensure a more diverse and inclusive climate on campus.

            “We have a lot of work to do,” said Professor Spencer Anthony-Cahill, who said that fundamental change is needed on campus.

In other business, the trustees:

• During a joint session Thursday with the WWU Foundation Board of Directors, heard about the Western Engaged: Advancing Institutional Priorities program.
• Honored retired Western Gallery Director Sarah Clark-Langager and noted arts patron Virginia Wright for their significant contributions to Western’s Outdoor Sculpture Collection. Former Western Trustee and Trustee Chair Phil Sharpe described the history of the sculpture collection, including the prominent roles of Clark-Langager and Wright, during a Thursday night holiday dinner with the trustees, Alumni and Foundation boards, and members of the President’s Cabinet.
• Heard a comprehensive budget overview and financial health report by Linda Teater, Western Budget Office director and Brian Sullivan, associate vice president for the university’s Business and Financial Affairs Division.
• Heard a presentation on Western’s compliance with the Clery Act, a federal act on campus security and crime statistics.
• Heard a report from Becca Kenna-Schenk, executive director of WWU Government Relations, on the upcoming legislative session starting in January.
• Gave final approval of acquisition of the SEA Discovery Center facility. For more information on the facility see their website.
• Approved Board Rules of Operations revisions.
• Approved to amend a Washington Administrative Code to ensure it adheres to legislative changes on public records.

Meeting documents are available at the Board of Trustees website. The dates for the next regular meeting of the Board of Trustees are Feb. 8 and 9.