Strategic Action Plan Theme 4: Infuse

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  3. Strategic Action Plan Theme 4: Infuse

INFUSE diversity and inclusion across curriculum and co-curriculum through pedagogy and programs in unique and creative ways to provide students with a transformative liberal arts learning experience.

Instilling an understanding of, and value for, diversity, equity, and inclusion must take place in both the curriculum and co-curriculum, including coursework, trainings, and programming. “Laurentians will seek to find common ground or, at least, strive together to understand our differences. … We are willing to risk difficulty and discomfort in working towards achieving these goals.”[1]

  • Short-term:
    • Identify courses with significant content focusing on underrepresented identities
      • Summer 2022 update: Faculty invited to respond to survey to identify courses in which significant content on race and LGBTQIA+ identity; results posted on D&I website.
    • Assessment of DIV13 requirement
      • Summer 2022 update: Assessment of DIV13 was completed in Fall 2021; conversations with Academic Affairs and BLI under way to rethink DIV13 to include attention to antiracist practices; discussions with faculty planned for Fall 2022.
    • Continue to develop programming to raise awareness of diversity, equity, and inclusion
      • Summer 2022 update:  Programming by various offices across campus presented, including D&I week events, Martin Luther King Jr. Celebration, National Day of Racial Healing, Transgender Day of Remembrance, D&I Book Club events, RCA 101, etc. (this is just a small sample, see Connect below).
    • Members of the University Diversity Committee will arrange to visit classes to raise awareness of the value of diversity, equity, and inclusion
      • Summer 2022 update: Class visits to FYP and FYS courses continued in 2021-2022 and expect to continue into the next AY.
    • Establish Black Laurentian Initiative Fund[2] to empower students and faculty to engage in research and propose projects around the issues of racial equity and justice
      • Summer 2022 update: BLI Fund established in Spring 2021 and 16 student projects with faculty/staff mentors have been funded. Plans under way to expand fund into an endowment.
    • Continue funding Mid-Career Grant for Building Inclusive Scholarship and Pedagogy
      • Summer 2022 update: After a hiatus, the Mid Career Grant was successfully re-launched in Spring 2022.
    • Task the Thelmo Executive Board to perform a thorough review of procedures governing allocation of funds to student organizations to ensure equitable and inclusive distribution to BIPOC/multicultural  student groups, and appoint a student officer responsible for overseeing D&I engagement throughout the organization
    • Group workshops focusing on program development and budgeting for BIPOC/multicultural student leaders will be coordinated by Thelmo and the Division of Student Life
  • Intermediate:
    • Explore possibilities for developing incentives to create/enhance courses addressing areas where we lack sufficient coursework in diversity, equity, and inclusion, such as grant or fellowship opportunities
    • Establish deeper collaborations with colleagues at the Associated Colleges[3] to offer programming together to our communities
    • Provide professional development opportunities for faculty on pedagogy and student cultures

  • Long-term:
    • Assess and revise actions, programming, and interventions as culture changes
  • Assessment:
    • Track courses with significant content addressing underrepresented identity groups year by year
    • Track numbers of attendees at programming events; provide surveys when possible to determine effectiveness and solicit feedback
    • Work with Thelmo leadership to track effectiveness of training and budget initiatives
    • Via dialogue/partnership with CARE

Return to the Strategic Action Plan for Diversity and Inclusion

[1] From the University Diversity Statement.

[2] President Fox has committed an initial allocation of $100,000 to be divided over 2 years will be made available in FY 21.

[3] The Associated Colleges is a consortium of colleges/universities in the Canton/Potsdam area, including SUNY Canton, St. Lawrence University, SUNY Potsdam, and Clarkson University.