University to extend diversity and inclusion assessment
A diversity and inclusion assessment initially set to conclude by the end of the semester has been extended to give students, faculty and staff more time to participate.
The Barthwell Group, a certified female-owned minority consulting firm from Detroit, is leading the assessment, which hopes to identify effective university inclusion efforts and opportunities to enhance the on-campus learning environment.
Christi Brookes, assessment liaison and Chair of the Foreign Language department, said the assessment was extended because both the group issuing the assessment and faculty liaisons felt more time was needed.
"Because of the timeline, we were having trouble getting full participation from people," she said. "The group liaisons (working with) with the (assessment) group really felt it was a good idea to extend the time so we could get more participation from the voices that we really need to hear from."
Brookes said by extending the assessment through the fall 2016 semester, it will also give incoming freshmen the chance to participate. Their first impressions of the campus are crucial to the data gathering process, she said.
After the report is presented to university officials, Associate Vice President of Student Affairs Tony Voisin said it would take several weeks to go over the data and figure out ways to implement it.
Barthwell was selected due to its "expertise" in the fields of diversity and inclusion. It cost the university $94,000 to hire the firm, said Associate Vice President of University Communications Sherry Knight.
The goal of the assessment is to provide an analysis of the campus's diversity and inclusion efforts. Upon the assessment's conclusion, the university will get a customized strategy from the Barthwell Group as to how CMU can improve in the realms of diversity and inclusion.
"(CMU) wants to run an assessment of the entire campus community: faculty, students, staff and so on and take a look at what the university has done, what have we not done, what we should be doing and what we can be doing (to increase inclusion on campus)," Voisin said.
Upon the assessment's conclusion, the university will receive a customized strategy from the Barthwell Group as to how CMU can improve.
This assessment comes as a result of University President George Ross' CMU Walking Together: A Conversation on Inclusion and Our Community lecture series. The series was started in the fall to create a more inclusive campus.
"I'm proud of our community for continuing tough conversations during and after the (Walking Together lecture)," Ross said in a press release on March 2. "It's our duty to continue to do all that we can to support the most inclusive experience possible for students in and out of the classroom."
Barthwell has worked with other colleges and universities such as Indiana University, Iowa State University, Claremont McKenna College and the University of Texas at El Paso.
Provost Michael Gealt, along with Executive Director of the Office of Civil Rights and Institutional Equity Katherine Lasher, Assistant Vice President of University Recreation, Events and Conferences, Voisin and Stan Shingles will assist in the assessment.
"We have inclusion programs, support and a team of hardworking staff. It is important that we periodically reflect on our ever-changing community and recent efforts," Gealt said in the same press release. "This assessment is a critical next step."
