EXCELLENCE, INCLUSION, AND THE STAFF EXPERIENCE

CamelWeb

Home
Home
Offices
Division of Equity and Inclusion
Action Plan
Priorities and Progress
EXCELLENCE, INCLUSION, AND THE STAFF EXPERIENCE

EXCELLENCE, INCLUSION, AND THE STAFF EXPERIENCE

Staff are especially important to the life of the campus and the overall success of Connecticut College. All College staff members—from those who serve as student advisers and mentors to those who provide essential operational and support services—enable the College to advance its mission with a standard of excellence. This plan prioritizes diversity and inclusion initiatives that recognize the important role staff play in creating an environment of excellence and that will help staff more fully participate in the intellectual life of the campus.

3.1.

Increase the capacity of the staff to facilitate learning experiences and offer support services that foster full participation

3.1.1.

Establish and incentivize participation in new educational programs on equity, inclusion, full participation, and universal design to be included in new employee training and offered annually

Complete / Ongoing

Implementing mandatory anti-bias training for all staff starting in fall 2020

Revised anti-bias training for Campus Safety department

3.1.2.

Increase the number of employees who participate in Civil Treatment trainings and the frequency of offerings

Complete / Ongoing

Complete annual civility training for supervisors in facilities and dining

DIEI and HR staff earned certification as Civil Treatment facilitators

3.1.3.

Establish fund to offer grants to departments and offices for additional professional development on matters of equity and inclusion

Complete / Ongoing

CCSRE awards grants to academic and administrative departments who successfully propose projects related to the study of race, ethnicity, and social difference

Seven departments or programs received CCSRE grants in the 2019-2020 academic year (Human Development, Public Health pathway, Art History, GSIS, East Asian Studies, Race and Ethnicity Programs, and Theater)

3.1.4.

After broad education on the ways staff contribute to full participation, revise staff performance evaluation process, where feasible, to include review of efforts to advance those goals

In Progress

Reviewing staff performance evaluation processes

3.1.5.

Implement new co-curricular student learning outcomes that promote equity and inclusion (2.1.8.)

Complete / Ongoing

Developed and implemented comprehensive co-curricular learning outcomes called the CORE Student Experience Learning Outcomes

Trained staff across the Student Experience Group (SEG), comprised of the Dean of Students, Dean of the College, and DIEI divisions, to embed the CORE learning outcomes into all major programs and initiatives

Appointed three SEG representatives as a standing committee to receive ongoing training on co-curricular learning outcomes and serve in an advisory capacity to the SEG

Developed assessment planning tools and documents for the SEG staff

3.1.6.

Continue to identify and mitigate inequities in extra compensation for faculty and staff who perform the same duties above their primary responsibilities

Ongoing

Implemented new Human Resources policy for one-time pay in fall 2019.

3.2.

Improve the campus climate for staff and improve the retention of staff from underrepresented groups

3.2.1.

Periodically administer the Higher Education Data Sharing (HEDS) Campus Climate Survey

Complete/Ongoing

Administered the HEDS campus climate survey in Spring 2021.

3.2.2.

Improve and expand on-boarding process for new staff hires emphasizing diversity and community

Complete / Ongoing

Implementing mandatory anti-bias training for all new staff hires

3.2.3. (a)

(a) Create mentoring program for underrepresented staff

Planning

3.2.3. (b)

(b) Create social networks for underrepresented faculty and staff (1.3.6.)

Complete / Ongoing

Established an informal network of Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) faculty and staff

3.2.4.

Enhance and expand faculty and staff ombudsperson resources (1.3.7.)

Complete / Ongoing

Expanded faculty ombudsperson from one to three elected positions

Completed training with the faculty ombudspersons on Title IX and grievance procedures

Hired new staff ombudsperson in spring 2020

3.2.5.

Provide regular communication to employees regarding support services and resources on and off-campus for handling incidents of bias, harassment, and discrimination

Complete / Ongoing

Presented information about on and off-campus resources for resolving workplace conflict during senior directors and administrators meeting

Developing new print materials containing information about handling incidents of bias, harassment, and discrimination

3.3.

Expand opportunities for the staff to participate in the intellectual life of the campus and to pursue professional development

3.3.1.

Expand opportunities for staff to audit or enroll in courses

Planning

3.3.2.

Expand and formalize faculty and staff reading groups with a focus on sharing diverse perspectives

Complete / Ongoing

Established CTL and DIEI sponsored anti-racism faculty and staff reading and discussion group beginning with Mindful of Race

Developed anti-racist learning community for white faculty and staff committed to addressing systemic racism

Established Asian/American and Pan-Ethnic Solidarities reading and discussion group beginning with Third World Studies: Theorizing Liberation

3.3.3.

Create a joint monthly meeting for staff and faculty and work toward equitable engagement and participation

Complete

Implemented joint monthly staff and faculty meetings

3.3.4.

Create opportunities for eligible staff to serve as advisers and collaborative partners with faculty designing and teaching First-Year Seminars

Complete

Designated numerous administrative staff as FYS advisers

3.3.5.

Expand opportunities for internal promotion

Planning

3.4.

Increase the compositional diversity of the staff

3.4.1.

Provide support to hiring managers in developing job postings and ad placement in diverse outlets

Planning

3.4.2.

Develop new training program on implicit bias for staff and require hiring managers and search committees to participate in the program

Planning

3.4.3.

Develop new recruitment strategies for building talented and diverse candidate pools

Complete

The Agnes Gund `60 Dialogue project was launched with a $1 million gift. A significant portion of the annual funds from the endowment are used to support professional development opportunities for staff.

3.4.4.

Revise diversity statement for staff job postings

Planning

Dean of Equity and Inclusion

P: 860-439-2035

Mailing Address

Office of the Dean of Equity and Inclusion
Connecticut College
Unity House
New London, CT 06320-4196

Department Assistant

Lynne McCue, Senior Assistant to the Division of Equity and Inclusion
lemcc@conncoll.edu

Campus Location

Unity House

Office Hours

M-F, 8:30 a.m. - 5 p.m.

Summer Hours

M-F, 8:30 a.m. - 4 p.m.