*Updated December 2021
The diversity, equity & inclusion strategic plan for Career & Professional Development ensures our services meet the unique needs of all stakeholder groups. In alignment with the unifying philosophy recently outlined by the Office for Diversity, Equity & Inclusion, we will aim to have a holistic approach in these efforts inclusive of learning differences, sex, gender identity, gender expression, language, race, ethnicity, national origin, citizenship, disability, religion, spirituality, sexual orientation, and socioeconomic status as well as their intersectionalities as we develop this plan.
Through six months of stakeholder listening sessions, surveys, best practices research and data analysis we were able to identify themes for areas of emphasis in the coming three years that centered the voices of our diverse community. These listening sessions and themes have informed the goals outlined below.
Bold Goals to Achieve by 2025
Goal 1: Representation of Staff & Volunteers
Develop tactical strategies to diversify the career staff and career volunteers with the goal to have a staff and volunteer composition that more closely matches the campus demographics by 2025.
Goal 2: Career Staff Training
Create staff onboarding process and ongoing training that builds knowledge and confidence to fully integrate diversity, equity and inclusion principles and topics into all conversations, programs/events, initiatives, as well as career education resources and presentations.
Goal 3: Employer Training Program
Create a comprehensive employer training program regarding diversity, equity & inclusion in recruiting in a campus environment including public recognition for those that meet a set training program and show organizational commitments.
Goal 4: Increase Financial Support for Experiential Learning
In partnership with Advancement and national organizations, develop a strategy for increasing funds available for internships, research, campus employment, and similar high impact experiences.
Goal 5: Campus Integration with Diverse Communities
Ensure a clearly defined liaison model for connecting with diverse campus communities and leverage liaison relationships to co-create tailored programs when appropriate.
Goal 6: Tailored Marketing & Communication
Develop a marketing strategy for communicating to diverse audiences and ensure current marketing and communication efforts are infused with inclusive messages.
The goals outlined above will be addressed in phases over the next three years. On the following page, we have outlined explicit action items for year one, staff owner, and deadline for completion. Staff will integrate the below goals into their annual performance plans as goals for the coming year to ensure accountability and progress toward goals.
| ACTION ITEM | OWNER | DEADLINE |
| Goal 1: Increase Representation of Staff & Volunteers | ||
| Create a hiring plan to diversify student employees. | Rita | March 2022 |
| Create standard language for inclusion in all job descriptions that ensures DEI language and work is covered throughout. | Heidi | October 2021 |
| Create a DEI speakers bureau that includes professional development training for student & alumni volunteers. | Kyle | In Progress |
| Invite Rufina Hernández, Associate Director, Office of Equal Opportunity to a staff meeting to discuss diversifying candidate pools. | Mary Michael | Complete |
| Have a quarterly staff meeting discussion to increase the visibility of our team’s work to the national community. |
Heidi/ New AVC |
Completed 9/21 & Ongoing |
| Ensure all staff attend key campus diversity trainings; create 4 Winds digital screens celebrating the names of staff that have attended. |
Heidi/ New AVC |
June 2022 |
| Investigate relocation expense policy within Advancement & DU to support candidates moving to Colorado. | Heidi | June 2022 |
| Goal 2: Career Staff Training | ||
| Have articles/resources with definitions | Mary Michael | In Progress 12/2021 |
| Diversity, Equity & Inclusion career development guided conversations on specific career topics. | Elise & Mira | In Progress 12/2021 |
| Presentation/Resource/Event guidelines (universal design) | SB & MM | March 2022 |
| Goal 3: Employer Training Program | ||
| Information gathering on best practices around this area within our own campus as well as other schools | Marissa, Stacy, Mira, Richard, Julia | January 2022 |
| Decide on what the structure of these trainings based on research. | TBD | March 2022 |
| Developing content for trainings. | TBD | June 2022 |
| Goal 4: Increase Financial Support for Experiential Learning | ||
| Determine what programs are priority and define purpose and details of each. | TBD | November 2021 |
| Work with Development to identify what can be done currently or what needs to be created for this team to support. | Richard and co-lead/new lead | March 2022 |
| Aggregate funding sources available to students and create funding source list visible to students. | All | November 2021 |
| Goal 5: Campus Integration with Diverse Communities | ||
| Audit/inventory list of diverse student groups and departments on campus | Kyle | October 2021 |
| Define scope of liaison relationship: clarify this goal’s connection to current liaison models in CPD. | Kyle & TBD | TBD |
| Goal 6: Tailored Marketing & Communication | ||
| Audit existing standard messages (i.e. PCO, handouts, overhead slides, email templates, flyer templates, videos) to identify areas for (continuous) improvement. | TBD | December 2021 |
| Centralize resource lists and policies for DEI communications and share with the CPD team. | TBD | December 2021 |
| Aggregate campus communication channels to reach diverse students. | Kyle | October 2021 |
