| Overall Rating | Silver |
|---|---|
| Overall Score | 64.13 |
| Liaison | Michael Kensler |
| Submission Date | Feb. 4, 2022 |
Auburn University
PA-6: Assessing Diversity and Equity
| Status | Score | Responsible Party |
|---|---|---|
|
0.75 / 1.00 |
Taffye
Clayton Vice President & Assoc Provost Inclusion & Diversity Office of Inclusion & Diversity |
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:
Auburn University has engaged in four systematic processes related to the assessment of diversity, equity, and inclusion on campus. The first was the Diversity Action Planning process which was aligned with the Auburn University strategic plan as the framework; this runs until the end of the strategic plan in 2024. The Diversity Action Planning process resulted in each academic college developing a set of diversity goals. The second was a student climate study conducted by Student Affairs in 2021 through the company SoundRocket. Third, the Office of Inclusion and Diversity utilized the Campus Pride Index Effort (CPI), a nationally recognized ranking tool for colleges to create more inclusive communities, to evaluate Auburn University’s current practices related to LGBTQ+ initiatives and support. Last, the Presidential Task Force for Equity and Opportunity has worked on campus-level equity initiatives since summer 2020.
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:
The Campus Pride Index (CPI) working group consisted of campus partners in faculty, staff, and student roles. This working group held discussions on the campus experiences of LGBTQ+ individuals. The campus climate study conducted in spring 2021 focused on capturing student experiences broadly related to their feelings of inclusion and support on Auburn’s campus. The Diversity Action Planning process included stakeholder engagement in each academic college that generated climate related goals in each area. The Presidential Task Force was established by the President of Auburn University and has engaged the broadest set of campus partners in their work.
The Diversity Action Planning process focused on increased academic equity within academic colleges. The Office of Inclusion and Diversity has aligned the CPI effort with the opportunity to create a campus environment conducive to student success. The Office of Inclusion and Diversity partnered with Student Affairs to create goals through data from a campus-wide climate study to generate the most productive, vibrant, collaborative, and welcoming environment for all. Further, there are multiple goals dedicated to fostering student success. The Presidential Task Force looked closely at the recruiting and retention of underrepresented students through a dedicated subcommittee for both graduate and undergraduate students. Outside of the previously named processes, the next QEP at Auburn University is focused on student achievement with a clear eye toward equity in student success.
The Presidential Task Force had a faculty and a staff subcommittee dedicated to examining and setting recommendations for improving outcomes in recruitment and retention efforts for underrepresented minority (URM) candidates. Efforts that have come out of these initiatives includes diversity, equity, and inclusion education efforts that are geared towards both increasing the understanding of equity across the community as a core value on campus as well as specific efforts that are geared towards the recruitment, development, and success of underrepresented faculty. One example of the retention efforts includes Office of Inclusion and Diversity sponsoring underrepresented faculty to participate in a 12-week online program designed to equip tenure-track and tenured faculty with the skills needed to increase research and writing productivity while maintaining a healthy work-life balance. Further, the CPI recommendations includes further community building for LGBTQ+ faculty and staff. This includes creating affinity groups dedicated to these communities.
The CPI assessment set recommendations that resulted in new programs and initiatives being created on our campus, including the ongoing development a dedicated campus pride space. Student Affairs and the Office of Inclusion and Diversity are still analyzing the data from the student campus climate study to determine specific efforts to enhance student inclusion. The campus climate study data and the Presidential Task Force’s efforts have resulted in new diversity education modules being made available for faculty, staff, and students. Recent initiatives have also involved an expansion of the Inclusive Excellence Programming Grant, which seeds funding for new, innovative, and impactful approaches that encourage students, faculty, and staff to create new opportunities and advance topics related to diversity, equity, and inclusion.
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:
A 2016 report on moving Auburn forward in unity and diversity is shared with the campus community. Our committee developed three questions for almost 200 focus groups, open forums, and individual interviews to identify key themes. With more than 2,500 responses to a climate survey that assessed key themes identified, the committee developed a communication plan for sharing the results and created ongoing ways to collect input about student, faculty, and staff experiences, perceptions, and recommendations.
The update and progress for the Presidential Task Force and Diversity Action Plan are available via the Auburn University diversity, equity, and inclusion institutional landing page. Both reports can be found on this webpage, http://www.auburn.edu/inclusion/, which also includes the most recently published progress update from the Presidential Task Force. Based on the recommendations made from the Presidential Task Force to address disparities in recruitment and retention, as well as the implementation of campus-wide diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives, the Task Force shares progress through quarterly progress updates.
Results of the 2016 Diversity and Equity Assessment can be found here, along with the committee’s recommendations. A more recent comprehensive summary is not yet available because of upcoming efforts that will continue to inform the structural assessment of DEI at Auburn University.
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.