DEI Strategic Plan: the Highlights

Long-term Goals:
 
Goal 1: Develop shared, School-wide lexicon and practice that prioritizes DEI & justice-centered teaching
Through training, accountability practices, and outfacing programming, SWLF will offer the resources faculty need to engage in justice-centered teaching.
 
  • Continuing education on anti-racist and culturally-aware teaching
  • Action items for 2021-22: Host the Conference for Anti-Racist Teaching, Language, and Assessment; Institute regular DEI-related info-sessions as part of all-school meetings
  • Internal Reporting
    • Action item for 2021-22: Revise DEI portion of FTE on Annual Review
  • Public and Student Engagement
    • Action items for 2021-22: SWLF-wide syllabus statement of resources; Increase website visibility
 
Goal 2: Recruit, mentor, and retain students of color
In connection with Goal #3, this goal aims to de-center whiteness in SWLF and to address the needs of students not yet covered by our current methods of outreach or our curriculum. It also addresses the reality that students of color will not feel fully served by SWLF without a faculty that includes people of color.
 
  • Curriculum
    • Revise in order to de-center whiteness and provide representation across a range of differences
      • Action item for 2021-22: School-wide curriculum audits; Plan to increase the level of support for students who have typically been underrepresented or under-supported
  • Enrollment
    • Action items for 2021-22: Create Transfer Compass program for the Creative Writing to increase pathways to the major; Check SWLF website for accessibility
  • Recognition of students of color
    • Action item for 2021-22: Audit scholarship and awards processes for implicit bias and revise for inclusivity
  • Degree Applications
    • Action item for 2021-22: Develop and publicize internships
  • Mentoring
    • Graduate
      • Action item for 2021-22: Grad directors investigate college- and university-wide mentoring for grad students of color
    • Undergraduate
      • Action items for 2021-22: Annual report/information to faculty on SWLF majors’ demographic information; Determine appropriate mentoring structures for students in need of additional support
 
Goal 3: Create inclusive and supportive work environment for faculty and staff of color
In order to meet Goal #2, SWLF must work with intention to become a School where faculty of color thrive. This includes reviewing our practices of labor distribution and our School climate, and also examining those practices in comparison with other OSU Schools and programs.
 
  • Policies to promote equity
    • Action item for 2021-22: Review position descriptions as necessary to ensure that it accurately identifies research, teaching, and service activities tied to the school’s DEI goals.
  • Tenure and/or promotion
    • Action items for 2021-22: Junior faculty participate in position description audit yearly to ensure that they reflect the most current goals for the job; Review instructor position descriptions to ensure that DEI work is being recognized.
  • Teaching Evaluation
  • Mentoring
  • Hiring
    • Action item for 2021-22: Each area develops a two-year plan that results in having 50% of faculty members trained as search advocates; Annually appointed instructor hiring committee that will review and/or conduct all instructor hires; DEI committee will continue researching on best practices in recruiting and retaining a diverse faculty