Diversity Plan: Academic Year 2017/2018 Status Report

Below are some highlights of IMSA’s Diversity, Equity and Inclusion work, Academic Year 2017-2018: Created Equity and Excellence Policy based on a model of Inclusive Excellence that is now board approved. Developed Diverse Fellows program, to be piloted Academic Year 2018-2019. Created Diversifying STEM Equity Model. Implemented “I am not racist, am I” e-learning curriculum, film and discussion with all juniors, n = 20; 50 faculty/staff were trained to facilitate discussions. Conducted a train-the-trainer Safe Zone workshop for 27 faculty/staff, which led to the creation of 68 safe spaces. Rolled out Live-Safe app, which promotes student safety and can be used to record and report bias incidents. Piloted Courageous Conversation program that created a space for IMSA faculty, staff and students to discuss social issues in society and at IMSA with about 100 participants over 5 sessions. Conducted a Student Diversity Climate Assessment in the Residence Halls examining the issues of race, sexual orientation, sex and gender/gender identity, completed by 487/633 students. Students feeling unsafe at IMSA because of race decreased by 77.8%. Enhanced external community relations by providing Diversity, Equity and Inclusion trainings for Kane County Regional Office of Education, Kane County Sheriff’s Department, Unity Partnerships, CASA-DuPage County, HOPE Fair Housing Center; as well as presented at IAGC, NAGC, NCSSS and UW-Madison Center for Women’s Health Research, Bias Research to promote equity and diversity (BREAD), Athens Institute for Research and Education