Feb. 21, 2022
Presenters: Jamie Parson
Related accountability review points:
- Notify the student body, alumni, faculty, and staff on the current administration’s stance and actions on issues directly affecting marginalized identities.
- Create an accessible and publicly known Bias Incident Reporting Protocol for student complaints about biased comments, attitudes, and actions made by students, staff, faculty, and administrators. Bias Reporting Incident Form be marketed in ALL housing, recruitment/retention initiatives, and programs.
- Re-establish the position of Associate Vice Chancellor of Equity, to report to CDO. Chief Diversity Officer govern the following: The Title IX Office, The Associate Vice-Chancellor of Equity, Diversity, Inclusion & Compliance, and the staff of both offices.
- Appalachian State University adds an initiative to its Strategic Plan that commits the university to make a conscious effort of supporting marginalized black-owned businesses when accepting/negotiating bids and, or negotiating external contracts for university services and needs below or equal to $5,000.
Summary of presentation:
- As a public institution, App State does not take a stance on issues. This does not mean that we don’t care about issues that impact students and marginalized communities and can engage with these issues in other ways.
- A bias reporting working group was commissioned with the support of the chancellor. The group is charged with adopting a bias reporting framework and developing a bias reporting protocol.
- We are able to create spaces and forums for dialogue about difficult issues such as U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan, the Kyle Rittenhouse trial and other social justice related trials in the death of Ahmaud Arbery where we are able to bring different perspectives to the discussion on polarizing topics.
- We are able to engage in one-on-one efforts to support students in navigating issues that disproportionately impact marginalized communities, such as food insecurity and mental health crisis.
- Currently, we do not have a university-wide bias reporting process in place. We have bias reporting protocols in housing and receive requests for conversations about situations sporadically across the divisions.
- We are currently in the process of developing our campus strategic plan that will infuse diversity, equity, inclusion, and inclusive excellence in a specific goal as well as throughout the plan.
- The UPPC subcommittee reviewed all demands, taskforce and working group reports and input the themes from each one of these into our strategic plan draft.
- Strategic plans capture high-level initiatives for the campus. The Office of Diversity will develop action goals and metrics related to each initiative which will re-incorporate some of the above-mentioned petitions
- In the coming year we will focus on a more intentional partnership and relationship building with student stakeholders.
Next steps:
- App State will maintain its commitment to understanding the needs of students, providing services directly or when appropriate, facilitating an efficient and effective referral, developing and modifying policies/processes, being good stewards of student fees, and maintaining honesty and transparency.