Diversity survey shows improvement, but task force launched to assist
Western Washington University has improved aspects of its campus diversity climate, at or above averages among peer institutions. But these levels still are “unacceptable to all of us who care so deeply about fostering Western’s excellence,” said President Bruce Shepard in his recent convocation remarks.
To encourage improvement, Shepard has created a diversity task force, and he's asking every unit on campus to create a simple list of diversity projects and initiatives as a starting point.
A Diversity Climate Report, the result of a recent survey conducted in concert with the Higher Education Research Institute at UCLA, has been published online on the website of the Vice Provost for Undergraduate Education.
According to the report, Western looks like most other universities nationwide in terms of diversity climate.
"There is nothing to be embarrassed about in the data per se," Shepard said in his speech. "The only thing to be embarrassed about when a challenge is documented is to do nothing about it. Just as the hiring data reflect what has to be a campus-wide commitment and campus-wide action, so too must be efforts to address the campus climate issues. We need the help of everyone on campus in figuring out how to improve and in improving this situation."
Results are reported in a summary climate report and in three separate documents summarizing the responses of women faculty, of faculty of color, and of lesbian, gay, bisexual and other non-heterosexual faculty. Additional reports compare the 2011 survey findings with results from Western’s 1999 participation in HERI and include topics such as faculty satisfaction, pedagogy and career-related stress.
The goal of the new diversity task force will be to develop a comprehensive diversity strategic plan for the university, informed by the lists of projects and initiatives from each unit. All units are asked to include a project title and a contact person for each project, and lists should be sent to Paul Dunn in the President’s Office by Nov. 15.
For questions or concerns about the HERI survey or about climate and equal opportunity at Western, please contact Sue Guenter-Schlesinger, vice provost for Equal Opportunity and Employment Diversity, by e-mail or at the Equal Opportunity Office at (360) 650-3307. Questions also may be addressed to Kunle Ojikutu, assistant vice president, Enrollment and Student Services, and special assistant to the president for diversity, at (360) 650-2926; and Paul Dunn, senior executive assistant to the president, at (360) 650-3472.