UW-Madison implements new initiative to increase faculty diversity
Vice Provost for Faculty and Staff Steve Stern hosted one of five break-out sessions on diversity among faculty at the 2012 Diversity Forum at the University of Wisconsin-Madison.
Stern discussed the university’s current plans to increase diversity among faculty members, which includes bringing in more diverse candidates for jobs, creating better recruitment packages and developing tools to make hiring easier.
Currently, many departments at UW-Madison only provide funds to bring in two candidates to visit campus, according to Stern. He said the new plan allows departments to receive grants for additional candidates to visit, therefore diversifying the pool of contenders.
Additionally, Stern said the key to retaining diverse faculty brought in under the new plan is to offer better recruitment packages that convince them to stay in Madison.
Stern also said UW-Madison developed tools to speed up the hiring process, which will allow departments to remain competitive in markets for quality faculty.
The current plan has brought in numerous new, diverse faculty and has been “really promising,” according to Stern.
-Sam Cusick
Lubar Institute aims to create dialogue about religious diversity
The Lubar Institute hosted one of five break-out sessions Friday during the 2012 Diversity Forum put on by the University of Wisconsin-Madison Vice Provost of Diversity and Climate office.
The session focused on how to create respectful, open dialogue about all religions, especially those UW-Madison students may not be as familiar with, such as Islam and Hinduism.
Academic Program Director of the Lubar Institute Charles Cohen led the session accompanied by a panel of two students involved in the institute.
Cohen advocated for better religious studies programs at the university, stating that the program UW-Madison has now is “great,” but he said he wished it were larger to accommodate more students and religions.
One of the students in the panel, Meghan Walker, said she thinks people are cautious to ask questions about other religions because they were raised to believe asking was offensive. She said the Lubar Institute works to discourage this belief and encourage students to ask questions about other religions.
-Sam Cusick
Human Resources redesign discussion
One breakout session at the 2012 Diversity Forum offered attendees a chance to engage in dialogue with the Diverse Workforce team, one of 11 working groups that made recommendations toward the newly proposed Human Resources redesign at UW-Madison.
According to the presenters, the plan aims to improve university employee recruitment and retainment in response to the recent decline in state support by making changes to employee benefits, compensation and diversity efforts.
Diversity Workforce team members Phil O’Leary, Bonnie Sundal and Ladera Barnes informed the audience of the process the group used in defining diversity, assessing the university’s current issues with climate and culture, and recommending new initiatives for the upcoming personnel system update, which will begin July 1, 2013. The group said its keys to success were increased focus on leadership, resources and accountability.
Many attendees expressed concerns over the make up of the work team and a possible lack of input from diverse sources in the planning process, as well as whether the new system would delineate a more explicit means for addressing grievances over matters of diversity and equality in the workplace.
-Cheyenne Langkamp
Native American Taskforce discusses role on campus
A breakout session at the University of Wisconsin-Madison’s 2012 Diversity Forum discussed how to improve the recruitment and retention of indigenous students at UW-Madison. The Native American Taskforce, which includes recruitment specialists, librarians and scholars in the Department of American Indian Studies, lead the session.
“We need to recognize nationwide that Native American attrition in higher education is 73-93 percent, so students may come to campus, but they do not stay,” Roberta Hill, an English professor in the American Indian Studies Department, said.
There are 402 students on campus who identify themselves as Native American or Alaskan native, of which 275 are undergraduates including 51 entering freshman and 80 with senior standing. Among these students, 10 of the 11 tribes in Wisconsin are represented, with 35 tribes represented in all.
Hill said problems of retention for Native American students coming off reservations include financial aid and social isolation.
“You’re swept into a city where you often feel—unconsciously perhaps—that you really don’t belong, and that someone’s going to find you and kick your [butt] right out of there,” Hill said. “That’s why when I was…going to college as a doctoral student, I found the Indian student center to be absolutely crucial to my mental health. If I felt too much under stress, there’d be somebody [there] laughing at something I’d want to laugh at.”
Hill added that the American Indian Student Cultural Center, located on North Brooks Street, could serve a similar purpose for indigenous students on campus who feel isolated. She also noted that involvement in FIGs, or freshman interest groups, wherein a cohort of students take the same schedule, have an 88% success rate for student retention.
Aaron Bird Bear, a recruitment and retention specialist, said the taskforce is drafting a plan to increase involvement and recruitment of Native American students. He said the group is “mulling over” the idea of creating a tribal liaison position to help better understand the needs of community at large. He said, however, that little research about American Indians in higher education exists.
-Aarushi Agni
LGBT Campus Center leads discussion about climate on campus
At the University of Wisconsin-Madison’s 2012 Diversity Forum, participants in a breakout session lead by the LGBT Campus Center discussed the degree to which UW-Madison creates a safe space for LGBT students.
The campus center lists its activities as policy and advocacy; training and education; leadership programs; online and library resources; identity and community; and outreach and visibility.
“A lot of what we’re doing is letting people know that they don’t know,” Gabe Javier, director of the LGBT Campus Center, said.
Javier asked attendees to rate UW-Madison’s climate with regard to these students. While most of the attendees rated the university’s treatment of LGBT students around 2 or 3 stars out of 5, national indicators of campus climate give UW-Madison a 4.5 out of 5.
Javier stressed that campus should not become complacent.
“Being an ally is not just not beating up gay people,” he said. “Will and Grace was a big deal because it wasn’t just about Will, it was about Grace. Being out as an ally is very important. When we’re talking about diversity, why don’t we talk about LGBT people? We’re everywhere.”
Some of the ways that UW-Madison could improve its climate, as discussed in the session, included using more sensitive language – for example, asking, “Are you seeing someone?” rather than asking if a person is married, or if they have a girlfriend.
The lack of gender-neutral housing at UW-Madison was also discussed as an area for improvement. Gender-neutral housing would not mandate divisions of housing along traditional gender lines.
Pre-business academic advisor Alyssa Geldernicek found the session to be a valuable part of the diversity forum.
“I’ve been made aware that we do still have some serious strides to take in increasing our LGBT awareness and support for students, faculty and staff on campus,” Geldernicek said.
-Aarushi Agni
