DEI Council

DEI Council Summary March 2021

  • DEI
  • 04 March 2021

DEI Council Meeting Summary March 4, 2021

DEI Updates

Faculty Toolkit

  • Developed by SPC 3, shared with Faculty and HR, looking forward to endorsement from Faculty Senate, will be working with department chairs across all three campuses, and will be sharing with Deans
  • Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) addressing diversity in tenure, recontracting, and promotion has been submitted to the Provost, who will be bringing this up in collecting bargaining discussions, for the language of this MOA, please contact lezotte@rowan.edu

Law Enforcement and Community Collaborative Update 

  • There are 3 subcommittees consisting of (1) Professional Development: Chair Scott Thomson – former Camden County Chief of Police and Co-Chair Deputy Chief Ryan Knight (2) Community Engagement – Kevin Brown, Chair, The Perfecting Church (3) Research and Grants – Evan Sorg, Chair
  • If you are interested in serving on a subcommittee or have a student who is interested in serving, please contact shealey@rowan.edu and/or gunn@rowan.edu

Neurodiversity Task Force Update

  • The Taskforce submitted White Paper last year, which identified 3 areas to be addressed at Rowan, including (1) Scorecard – measuring the quality of services being provided (2) Integration and collaboration with RCs and Medical Schools (3) Inclusive Pedagogy and Practices
  • The Inclusive Pedagogy and Practices Certificate launched February 2021, first cohort sold out in nine minutes, the next cohort also already sold out with 20 participants
  • In order to participate in the IPP Certificate, you must complete the DEI Certificate first

DEI Strategic Action Plans 

  • DEI is currently working on displaying department and colleges strategic action plans on the DEI website, available soon!

DEI & Scholarships President’s Committee

  • DEI & Scholarships President’s Committee included three goals (1) increasing recruitment and retention efforts of Black, Latinx, and Indigenous People of Color (2) Generating institutional and philanthropic funding to reduce student debt loads and unmet need gaps (3) Developing and expanding degree to career pathway programs.
  • The recommendations on behalf of the DEI & Scholarships President’s Committee included: (1) finding solutions to reduce the debt load for medical students (2) increasing need based financial aid through reallocation of existing merit funds and/or seeking more donor funds (3) developing a tracking system for internships and job placement (4) increasing support for staff for positions focused on recruitment and retention of underrepresented students (5) consideration of a Race and Ethnic Studies Department (6) increasing institutional support and employee engagement for PATH Program (7) developing a single priced housing lottery system (8) developing undergraduate research opportunities for students. The committee furthermore will be implementing recommendations with the Camden Launchpad and the proposal to better support medical school students from marginalized groups

Neurodiversity Task Force 

  • The Neurodiversity Task Force launched the Inclusive Pedagogy and Practices (IPP) Certificate, which was sold out within 10 minutes. The next IPP cohort will begin in April 2021, and is only available to those people who have completed the DEI Certificate
  • The task force is solidifying the Center for Neurodiversity and Accessibility Services Report this semester to enhance the White Paper
  • The subcommittees within the task force include (1) Professional Development (2) Improving collaboration with the RCs and Medical Schools (3) Scorecard – survey to determine the extent to which we are serving our Neurodivergent populations. To complete the survey, please go to this link:  https://rowan.co1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_5yYrFUfPjVl8cn3

DEI Department Updates

ASCEND AND CHAMP

  • Increased funds have been made available to Educational Opportunity Fund (EOF) throughout the state
  • ASCEND is preparing for the Senior Send-off, virtual ceremony and highlighting students on social media
  • Also holding programming and services to encourage FAFSA completion and panels for juniors and seniors with alumni network
  • Lastly, these will be virtual programming at high schools this summer

OSEC

  • Not Anymore training – new regulations for Title IX, 50% completion rate as of last week – striving for 100% participation among employees – please complete if you have not already, and remind your staff to complete as well no later than the end of this month, need score of at least 80% on final assessment
  • The programming, Ouch! That Stereotype Hurts: Communicating Respectfully in a Diverse World will be released for 1st year students, including graduate students and medical schools
  • The Redefining Title IX Student Summit is taking place April 23, 12 p.m. – 2 p.m., registration is open, register at: https://forms.gle/GgCMynhH3bw14Bqe7

SJICR

  • Kate Bornstein will be speaking on April 1 to kick off Pride Month
  • Lela Lee will be speaking on April 21 about the myth of the model minority and addressing the Asian experience with Covid
  • Virtual Safe Zone training March 16, to register visit:  https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScV50qu6w9GzDV4M8EgYz02mCixIulcpseMNRg_8akNUWLnNQ/viewform
  • Human Library – Be a book! (allow students the opportunity to ask questions), please email Roxie Patton, patton@rowan.edu for more information! 
  • April – Pride Month and APIDA Heritage Month – call for programs will be going out soon, SJICR can also support you in your efforts to offer programming for these months

SOM

  • Expect 30% of class next year to be underrepresented students
  • SOM is looking at faculty/staff hiring and evaluations in regards to how DEI is measured

CMSRU

  • CMSRU is working on efforts to increase the numbers of underrepresented and disadvantaged students who are being brought in for interviews
  • Working on building pathway programs to bring students in to CMSRU, including waiving the MCAT for students with strong academics
  • Continuing unconscious bias training and preparing for LCME accreditation site visits

Wellness Center

  • Seeing an increase in medical students from SOM and CMSRU contacting the Wellness Center for resources and assistance. Also working on adding more diverse staff members to meet the needs of students who are contacting the Wellness Center.