Agnes Scott College
PA-6: Assessing Diversity and Equity
| Status | Score | Responsible Party |
|---|---|---|
|
1.00 / 1.00 |
Susan
Kidd Executive Director Center for Sustainability |
Has the institution engaged in a structured assessment process during the previous three years to improve diversity, equity and inclusion on campus?:
A brief description of the assessment process and the framework, scorecard(s) and/or tool(s) used:
In 2016, the Gay Johnson McDougall Center for Global Diversity and Inclusion (the Center) was tasked with developing a multi-year study to complete the campus assessment and diversity audit. The Center held campus-wide forums in 2017 and convened a diversity research team.
In Spring 2018, the president of the college convened a Diversity and Inclusion Task Force made up of students, faculty, and staff from across the college, with a variety of roles and experiences, as listed below. The Task Force was co-chaired by the Center faculty director and staff fellow to carry out the following charge:
1. Review data collected to date, and identify any gaps
2. Review and finalize a community and diversity and inclusion survey
3. Make recommendations for a Diversity Action Plan
The Task Force convened in Fall 2018 and met weekly for the 2018-2019 academic year. Additional campus-wide focus groups were held and the survey questions were finalized in December 2018.
The climate perception surveys for students, faculty, and staff were administered in January 2019. Survey and other data were analyzed by Creative Research Solutions and college researchers in Summer 2019.
In Fall 2019, the co-chairs shared the final report with President Lee Zak and the President’s cabinet to develop next steps. The results were also shared with other offices to address any time-sensitive matters.
In Spring 2020, the final report was presented to the members of the Agnes Scott community in separate forums with the Student Government Association, Faculty Senate, and Staff Council.
Does the assessment process address campus climate by engaging stakeholders to assess the attitudes, perceptions and behaviors of employees and students, including the experiences of underrepresented groups?:
Does the assessment process address student outcomes related to diversity, equity and success?:
Does the assessment process address employee outcomes related to diversity and equity?:
A brief description of the most recent assessment findings and how the results are used in shaping policy, programs, and initiatives:
Major findings are included below:
- There is a perception that the community is more welcoming of a particular student profile.
- Some students perceive an overemphasis on the inclusivity of diverse genders and sexuality, and as a result perceive a lack of support for other marginalized groups.
- More accommodations and support are needed to make our campus more accessible.
- About a third of respondents reported having called someone out. Respondents noted the Agnes Scott community “call-out” culture to be problematic.
- About half of faculty respondents perceive that faculty from underrepresented racial identities and women faculty have a higher workload.
- One-fifth of staff respondents perceive that staff from underrepresented racial identities and women have a lower chance of receiving merit pay increases.
- A majority of respondents believe ideas to improve the institution are sought, while approximately half believe that their insights are used to redefine institutional practices.
Agnes Scott will ensure that appropriate recommendations are implemented and future needs are identified by establishing an Advisory Board of diverse stakeholders, and engaging in ongoing conversations about diversity and inclusion. We expect that the recommendations will be useful to further improve our campus and continue to ensure a more welcoming environment for everyone. Lastly, recommendations are a starting point for conversations on what we are doing well, what changes are needed, and what we should consider when finalizing the college’s next strategic plan.
Are the results of the most recent structured diversity and equity assessment shared with the campus community?:
A brief description of how the assessment results are shared with the campus community:
To inform the work of the Task Force and develop the final report and recommendations, analysts and Task Force members used the results from the following: a) the Diversity and Inclusion Survey, b) the Agnes Scott Student Satisfaction Survey, c) an environmental scan of buildings, physical spaces, and the online environment, d) baseline report based on focus groups, and e) the ECO-Diversity Hiring Report.
The final report is available to members of the Agnes Scott community by emailing diversity@agnesscott.edu. The major findings from the survey are included on the Center’s website.
It is important to remember that qualitative data, such as that obtained in a community survey, indicates the perceptions of participants. In addressing campus climate for diversity, we seek to understand and respond to perceptions, even when the findings are not reflected in more quantitative assessments.
Are the results (or a summary of the results) of the most recent structured diversity and equity assessment publicly posted?:
The diversity and equity assessment report or summary (upload):
Website URL where the diversity and equity assessment report or summary is publicly posted:
Website URL where information about the institution’s diversity and equity assessment efforts is available:
Additional documentation to support the submission:
Data source(s) and notes about the submission:
The information presented here is self-reported. While AASHE staff review portions of all STARS reports and institutions are welcome to seek additional forms of review, the data in STARS reports are not verified by AASHE. If you believe any of this information is erroneous or inconsistent with credit criteria, please review the process for inquiring about the information reported by an institution or simply email your inquiry to stars@aashe.org.