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ACTIVITIES THAT PROMOTE DIVERSITY
The activities that promote
diversity among students, faculty, and staff include but are not limited
to programs, programming, recruiting strategies, types of advertising,
courses, or curriculum characteristics. Qualities of diversity include
but are not limited to race, ethnicity, religion, national origin,
marital status, gender, sexual orientation, age, disability,
socioeconomic status/class, or status as a veteran.
I.
Student Recruitment and
Admissions
Initiatives used to recruit
African American, Latino/a, Asian, Native American (AALANA) students:
1. Brochures and materials
promoting racial and ethnic diversity on campus
2. Spring and Fall bus trips which
bring AALANA students from NYC area to attend campus open houses,
participate in campus activities, and spend the night with student
hosts
3. On-site preliminary acceptance
programs at targeted high schools
4. Letters and surveys to inform
accepted students about the AALANA Mentor Program and to invite their
participation
Initiatives to recruit
economically disadvantaged students:
1. Educational Opportunity
Program (EOP)
a. Printed materials reflecting racial and ethnic diversity and
community
b. Target school districts in economically disadvantaged areas
c. Complete-your-file program in NYC area to assist economically
disadvantaged students who lack support in completing college
applications as well as campus visitation opportunities
d. Anticipate cooperation with NYC Gear-Up program through SUNY Office
of Special Programs.Gear-Up currently serves youths in NYC schools
with elevated numbers of “free-lunch” program students.
2. College Assistance
Migrant Program (CAMP) –
recruits historically
underrepresented and economically disadvantaged students,
specifically children from migrant and seasonal farmworking families.
a. Provide printed materials to prospective
students and families in Spanish and English, including the FAFSA and financial aid
information.
b. Send recruiters to schools in the agricultural areas of the
state.
c. Cooperate with and accept referrals from the
NY State Migrant Education Program and the High School Equivalency program (HEP) which recruit
students from NY, ME, CT, PA
and MA.
Academic Departments
(The activities listed below are illustrative and do not
constitute a complete listing of all diversity activities undertaken by
academic departments.)
1. Infusion of diversity
issues into departmental curricula.*
2. Development of
strategies for recruiting students, faculty, and staff who will help to
diversify departments.**
3. Values statements
related to student development and diversity.***
4. Advise and support
student organizations that promote diversity.****
5. Promote and present
extracurricular programs that promote diversity. *****
6. Gender and Sexuality Resource Center collaborates with student organizations to provide
support for women and the GLBT population.
II.
Student Retention
Services and programs for
retention of African American, Latino/a, Asian, Native American (AALANA)
students:
1. Office of Multicultural
Student Affairs
2. AALANA Mentor
Program
Services and programs for
retention of economically disadvantaged students (EOP):
1. Summer Academy is a
four-week pre-freshmen orientation program with an academic focus and a
key personal adjustment component.
2. Student Opportunities
Committee provides personal development & community building
opportunities to EOP students and the general campus
3. Individualized
counseling
4. Mandatory Freshman
Seminar & Academic Probation courses
5. Free Tutorial Services
by appointment & drop-in
6. Grant award average of about $1000 annually
Services and programs for
retention of students with disabilities:
1. Student Disability
Services Office – assists faculty in providing accommodations for
students.
2. Student Disability
Services Mentor Program
Services and programs for
retention of
historically underrepresented and economically disadvantaged students,
specifically children from migrant and seasonal farmworking families
(CAMP - College Assistance Migrant Program):
1. Students in their freshman year
receive weekly individualized counseling and group meetings
2. Tutorial services
3. A weekly stipend of $25, and a grant award of $1240.
4. They also receive required books and supplies, payment for campus
events and field trips, and transportation to and from home during school
breaks or for special events
5.
CAMP Mentor Program
III. Programming,
organizations, and activities to promote appreciation for diversity and
multiculturalism
1. College Union
Activities Committee (CUAC) Diversity Committee focuses on insuring that
programs that are funded by CUAC represent a broad spectrum of performers
and speakers.
2. Student
Association-funded organizations that support diversity through their
membership, activities, and programs include Open-Minded Unity,
Adult Learners, Students of Color Coalition, Hillel, HOLA, Womyn’s
Alliance, International Student Organization, Newman Club, Campus
Ambassadors.
3. Diversity
Teach-Ins - Initiated by an ad-hoc faculty committee in partnership with
academic departments & CME; three teach-ins have been held and included
lectures and entertainment.
4. Center for
Multicultural Experiences (CME) is charged with planning and funding
events for the campus which represent a broad spectrum of racial,
ethnic, cultural, and international performers and speakers.
5.
Faculty-in-Residence Program: a joint effort by Student Development
(through CME) and Academic Affairs to bring to campus a faculty
member who represents one or more aspects of diversity; current program provides a one-week appointment with multiple
lectures and events.
6. Some programs that are not
specifically targeted to promote diversity attract audiences that
represent diversity among students and employees; the Poetry Slam series
has documented the diversity of its audiences through surveys.
7. All professional
and student staff in Residence Life are subscribed to the Multicultural
Calendar, an online reference calendar. There are also
subscriptions to printed reference materials (Black Issues in Higher Education) which are available to all staff.
8. Residence hall
programming uses the HOUSE model (health/holistic, open-mindedness,
unity/togetherness, service learning, everyday skills) which includes two
categories that promote programming on diversity issues.
9. A campus chapter of the
National Coalition Building Institute trains students, staff, and faculty
in conflict resolution and
exploration of issues regarding diversity.
10. Orientation and First
Year Experience programs include skill-building programs to support
students’ adjustment to living in a multicultural environment.
IV. Employee Recruitment and
Retention
1.
The Employee Recruitment and Retention Task Force (ERRTF)
is a committee of faculty and staff. It is
charged with addressing recruitment and retention issues across all
faculty and staff, as
well as addressing issues of gender
equity and the
recruitment of AALANA faculty and staff.
2. The Office of Human
Resources supports campus efforts to recruit, hire, and retain members of
underrepresented populations through the following:
a. Meetings are conducted with
faculty and professional search committees in order to ensure that searches meet affirmative action
guidelines and regulations.
b. Faculty and professional searches
are monitored in relation to the College’s affirmative action goals.
c. The office maintains an
Affirmative Action web page which lists the College’s Affirmative Action Policy, information about the Affirmative Action Office, our
Non-Discrimination Complaint Procedure,
Sexual Harassment Policy, a listing of our Affirmative Action Advisory
Committee (AAAC) members and the charge of
the AAAC.
d. All faculty and professional job
vacancies are posted on the Human Resources Employment web page, along with the America’s Job Bank web site (www.ajb.org).
Our office also lists vacancies on the New York
Times web site (www.nytimes.com).
e. Annual letters are sent to local and
national minority and disability organizations, local and state department of labor offices, veteran’s offices, local schools, employment
and training offices, and career development
organizations. We encourage these organizations to review our web site
for employment opportunities and encourage candidates
to apply to the College.
f. The affirmative action officer and
the assistant affirmative action officer, in conjunction with members of the AAAC, conduct non-discrimination
training with campus faculty and staff. They
also conduct sexual harassment prevention
training.
g. Non-discrimination and sexual
harassment policy brochures are available at the Human Resources Office and other offices throughout campus. Copies of both
policies are distributed to all faculty,
staff, and students at the beginning of each academic year.
h. Provides assistance and guidance for
employees with specific immigration needs.
3. The Affirmative Action Advisory Committee is made
up of faculty and staff and its members are appointed by President Alan
B. Donovan. The current charge to the committee is as follows:
a. The Committee will be advisory to
the President and work closely with the Director of Human Resources/Affirmative Action Officer who is an
ex- officio member of the Committee.
b. The Committee will gather information, review, and
offer input about efforts currently being used on campus in the areas
of recruitment and retention of employees that are designed to
strengthen the cultural diversity of the campus community. The
Committee will invite resource people to present and discuss relevant
matters at committee meetings.
c. The Committee will serve as a sounding board for
ideas, programs, policy proposals, and activities pertaining to
affirmative action.
d. The Committee will continue to gather information
about the College’s success in providing a bias free environment.
e. The Committee will assist the AAO
to produce programming related to the professional development of employees, the role diversity and affirmative action on a
college campus, and promoting a bias free
work environment.
f. The Committee members will work
as reviewers of plans, programs, policy proposals, and activities; as reporters of information
flowing from constituents they represent; and as advocates and promoters of ideas and ideals affecting
affirmative action and cultural diversity.
g. The Committee will communicate
recommendations to the President and AAO in writing for inclusion in the Affirmative Action Plan.
V.
Initiatives for Students and
Employees
1. The Diversity Advisory
Council is a committee of students, faculty, and staff who were appointed
by President Alan B. Donovan. The initial charge to
the Council is as follows:
a. To meet and consult with the President on a
regular basis.
b. To develop and recommend a vision and strategic plan for enhancing the
climate for diversity and fostering a bias-free environment on campus.
c. To maintain a comprehensive record of all activities on campus
dedicated to promoting diversity.
d. To recommend methods for assessing the climate for diversity on campus
and then make recommendations regarding the findings of these
assessments.
e. To aid the President’s Cabinet in working with
outside consultants/organizations who would work with the College in conducting educational seminars and other
developmental programming.
f. To perform other duties as requested by the President.
2.
All offices and programs in the Division of Student Development
participate in an on-going diversity assessment project. This
project includes assessment of services, materials, and programs to
identify any barriers based on race, sexual orientation, gender,
ability, religion, or socioeconomic class. Each office and program
is required to develop plans to eliminate any barriers that are
identified and to address needs for training and staff development.
3.
Oneonta Auxiliary Services supports diversity programming through
financial support for the Office of Multicultural Student Affairs,
Office of International Study, Poetry Slam, EOP, et al.
4.
Sodexho’s Integrated Diversity Strategy is a corporation-wide program
that addresses customer/client needs, provides training for
employees, and develops relationships with partners in the community.
5.
In the University Police Department, the John Jay School of Criminal
Justice provides training on diversity.
6.
Office of Computing and Telecommunications supports economically
disadvantaged students through a loan program of laptop computers.
* Dept. of Business and
Economics, Dept. of Education
** Dept. of Education,
Anthropology
*** Dept. of Human Ecology
**** Dept. of Foreign
Languages & Literature, Africana & Latino Studies
***** Dept. of Foreign
Languages & Literature, Africana & Latino Studies, Music, Religious
Studies, Communication Arts
Page last updated 5/20/04 |
