USenate Committee for Diversity

Report to the University Senate (March 7, 2018):

A. Committee’s Title and Focus

B. Recommendations on Free Speech Report and The Humanities Council Concerns about
the Campus Climate Report

C. Committee’s concern about programmatic review

D. University’s support for students affected by recent hurricanes and earthquake

E. Committee’s Assessment Plan

F. Committee Members
 A. Committee’s Title and Focus

Current Title: Senate Committee for Diversity

Proposed Title: Senate Committee on Race and Ethnicity
Rationale: Currently, we have USenate committee for Diversity; USenate Committee on
Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer, and Asexual (LGBTQA) Justice and
Advocacy; and USenate Committee on Women’s Concerns. Each of these committees
identifies, by name, the specific identity group it deals with except USenate Committee
for Diversity.

The University Council on Diversity and Inclusion (CDI) views diversity and inclusion as interconnected
concepts shaped by a social justice framework. “We value individual and group differences and recognize that
identities are varied, complex, and intersecting. We define diversity as the presence and/or representation of
the individual and group differences that make us unique. Diversity is not always noticeable and can be invisible.

We define inclusion as the deliberate and ongoing act of creating and maintaining systems, practices, and
spaces that respect individual and group differences and that systematically address broader issues of
discrimination, oppression, and exclusion.

Diversity (or the lack of diversity) is a fact, while inclusion is a set of dynamic and intentional actions.”

This definition is too broad to be the focus of a sub-committee especially since we have subcommittees focusing
on some of the identities under this broad definition. Therefore, the USenate Committee for Diversity moves to
amend the Bylaws to name “race and ethnicity” in the title of the subcommittee while acknowledging the
intersection of multiple marginalized identities and intentionally collaborating with the other identity-based
Senate committees.

To that end, we propose to amend the charge:

FROM: “There shall be a Committee for Diversity, consisting of faculty, students, staff, and administrators.
The members shall be appointed by the Senate. In addition, the Affirmative Action Officer and the
Director of EEO shall be ex officio members. The Committee for Diversity shall be charged with
reviewing, making recommendations, providing support, leadership and advocacy for University
policies, practices and programs regarding diversity. The Committee shall report regularly to the Senate
on matters of diversity relating to traditionally under-represented groups in enrollment, staffing, equal
opportunity and access, and grievance procedures. ”

(From the BYLAWS OF THE SENATE OF SYRACUSE UNIVERSITY, ARTICLE V. STANDING

COMMITTEES, Section 18, as amended during the 2011-12 session of the University Senate.)
TO: “There shall be a Committee on Race and Ethnicity consisting of faculty, students, staff, and
administrators. The members shall be appointed by the Senate. In addition, the Affirmative Action
Officer and the Director of EEO shall be ex officio members. The Committee on Race and Ethnicity
shall be charged with reviewing, making recommendations, providing support, leadership and advocacy
for University policies, practices and programs regarding race and ethnicity. The Committee shall report
regularly to the Senate on matters of race and ethnicity and associated intersectionalities relating to
traditionally under-represented racial and ethnic groups in enrollment, staffing, equal opportunity and
access, and grievance procedures. The Committee on Race and Ethnicity will acknowledge the
intersection of multiple marginalized identities and will intentionally collaborate with the other identity-
based Senate committees.”

(From the BYLAWS OF THE SENATE OF SYRACUSE UNIVERSITY, ARTICLE V. STANDING

COMMITTEES, Section 18, as amended during the 2011-12 session of the.”
 B. Recommendations on Free Speech Report and The Humanities Council
Concerns about the Campus Climate Report

Committee’s Input on the Free Speech Policy (Stop Bias) and the Campus Climate Study Concerns Raised the
Humanities Council

“I’m writing to you as chairs of Senate Committees for Diversity and Academic Affairs, to refer free speech
policies for your committee’s input. More specifically,… the “Stop-Bias” website and anonymous complaints
and more detailed guidance on the application of the “reasonable person” standard.” (Can Isik)

1. With respect to the Free Speech Policy (Stop Bias), the USenate Committee for Diversity’s
Recommendation is as follows:

a. It is important to underline that one of the main functions of “Stop Bias” is to create a safer campus
culture for students. Students have personally expressed that “Stop Bias” has allowed them to feel
safer.

b. We believe that there is a misperception of the function of “Stop Bias.” Its function needs to be
communicated in a more nuanced way. The overall goal is support and outreach to impacted students,
as well as education and dialogue between involved parties (when known and desired). Only when
there is a violation of the Code of Student Conduct is disciplinary action instituted by Syracuse
University administration.

c. Given the need for greater clarity and understanding regarding the STOP Bias initiative, we recommend:
o The name of STOP Bias initiative be changed to something that is more in-line with the goal of
support and campus conversation about bias and the impact it can have (as opposed to STOP
Bias which implies the removal or absence of bias – which is not possible)
o A re-design of the website to promote clarity and conversation. This should be connected to
other campus initiatives that focus on the creation and support of an inclusive campus
community.

d. It is difficult to apply the “reasonable person” standard in this case, as people can interpret offensive
speech differently; and committee argues that the viewpoint of a person sensitive to offensive speech
should be taken into account.
2. With respect to the Campus Climate, The Humanities Council proposed:
… that the University Senate affirm and recommend the following proposals to the appropriate University
bodies:

a. Educate faculty on the ethics of interaction with students and other University members. We find it
unacceptable that Syracuse University does not have a program in place to oblige ALL faculty and staff
to be informed about sexual misconduct. (SUNY schools use the online tutoring program We Comply,
for example).

b. Educate all faculty about conduct with LGBTQA populations on campus.

c. Educate all faculty about conduct with students, faculty and staff with disabilities as well as training on
unconscious biases (racial and gendered).

d. Educate all faculty about the unique needs of international students.

e. Invest in educating new departmental chairs and administrators on the above-mentioned topics.

The USenate Committee for Diversity’s Recommendation is as follows:

The University Senate Committee for Diversity supports the recommendations to educate faculty as listed
above by the Humanities Council (1- 5). However, at this time, the committee strongly recommends a
coordinated effort amongst the various school/college diversity and inclusion initiatives and/or
workgroups/taskforces to develop a comprehensive document that outlines all recommendations that support
streamlined trainings for faculty. Such a comprehensive document will provide an opportunity for members of
each workgroup/taskforce to identify common themes within recommendations in an effort to prioritize
training efforts for faculty, staff and students.
 C. Committee’s Concern

The committee is concerned about the impact of the University’s robust process for programmatic review over
a four year cycle on ethnic studies (“teach and close / improve = closing programs / merging programs?). The
Agenda Committee Liaison is arranging for the appropriate person from either the Agenda Committee or The
College of Arts and Sciences to dialogue with us on the implication of this process on the ethnic studies.

D. University’s support for students affected by recent

hurricanes and earthquake

Some committee members were part of a University-wide group that met via conference call every two weeks
throughout the fall 2017 semester and January 2018. Members would update the committee at our meetings
on the progress made. Updates included efforts made by Office of Admissions, Office of Financial Aid,
Hendricks Chapel, Communications, Office of Student Assistance, Slutzker Center for International Services,
Office of Multicultural Affairs, Disability Cultural Center, Office of the Vice President for Community
Engagement, Community Folk Art Center, and the Office of the Interim Senior Associate Vice President for
Enrollment and the Student Experience and Dean of Students, which facilitated and moderated the
conversations.

E. Committee’s Assessment Plan

The Committee completed Phase I of the Assessment and Action Plan – Functional Area as required by the
Middles State Commission on Higher Education (MSCHE).

(See attached)
 F. Committee Members

As of July 2017

First Name Last Name Constituency

Student (G) (Left the
Adebimpe Adegbite
Committee)
Keith Alford Faculty
Justin Bachman Undergraduate
Harriet Brown Faculty
Lawrence Chua Faculty
Paulina Colon Undergraduate (Left SU)
James Duah-Agyeman Staff (Chair)
Abigail Fite Staff
Bea Gonzalez Ex Officio
Huey Hsiao Staff
Eunjung Kim Faculty
Ebonish Lamar Staff (Left SU)
Joseph Lore Staff
Suzette Melendez Faculty
Terra Peckskamp Staff
Pamela Peter Staff
Lori Pickering Graduate
Radell Roberts Staff
Martin Shanguhyia Faculty
Cecilia Van Hollen Faculty (Left SU)
Cory Wallack Staff
John Yinger Faculty
 Syracuse University

Assessment and Action Plan—Functional Area

Functional Area: University Senate Committee on Diversity

Web Address: http://universitysenate.syr.edu/committees/diversity

Description of Committee: The University Senate Committee on Diversity reviews, makes recommendations, provides support, leadership and advocacy
for University policies, practices and programs regarding diversity and inclusion. The Senate appoints members. The Affirmative Action Officer and the
Director of EEO serves as an ex officio member. The Committee reports regularly to the Senate on matters of diversity and inclusion relating to
traditionally under-represented groups in enrollment, staffing, equal opportunity and access, and grievance procedures.

PHASE 1 PHASE 2 PHASE 3

Goals Objectives Strategies Metric Results Interpretation Action Follow-Up
What does the What objectives will How will the How will success What was learned What do the How will results be How will unit know
Senate Community be measured? objective be be determined? in the assessment results mean to the used to make if change made a
on Diversity strive to (specific, met? process? unit? improvements? difference?
accomplish: measurable,
attainable, results-
oriented, time-bound)
Determine the Develop new Research peer Present new
direction and committee charge institutions’ charge to University
purpose for the governing Senate
committee on bodies
diversity as related Gain Senate
to identity focus area Form two approval of new
subcommittees: charge
one to review
aspirational
institutions, the
other to review
University
Senate
representation
and advocacy in
identity areas

Revise
committee
charge
Prepared by: Date:
 Syracuse University
Improve policy and Create a D&I Policy Research and Develop D&I Policy
program review Review Rubric to review existing Review Rubric for
process related to guide the review of rubrics approval by
diversity and University policies, University Senate
inclusion practices, and and use by the
programs on diversity University
and inclusion community in the
review and
development of
policies and
programs

Improve one existing Using the D&I rubric, Two All work related to
policy or program as review one existing subcommittees reviewing will be
related to diversity policy on diversity of the Diversity completed by the
and inclusion and inclusion related committee will assigned deadline.
to (enrollment, review an
staffing, access and assigned policy Presentation of
grievance each in one of recommendations
procedures, and the areas. Each for improvement to
equal opportunity) for subcommittee the policy/program
the academic year. will report its to the USenate in
findings to the collaboration with
Diversity the Senate Agenda
Committee for Committee
deliberations
and approval.

Committee will
hold regular
monthly
meetings

Monthly
progress reports
of policy
reviews from
assigned
subcommittee
will be
presented to the
bigger group

Committee will
have ongoing
communication
via email.

Prepared by: Date:

 Syracuse University
Committee will
consult with
relevant
constituents
(students,
administrators,
staff, etc) as
needed

Recommendations for improving the unit assessment processes:

Prepared by: Date: