This message was sent to the Cal Poly Pomona on Oct. 22 from Nicole L. Butts, Interim Director, Employee Diversity, Inclusion & Campus Climate.
In follow-up to the video message from President Coley last week, I would like to share further details with you about our institutional commitment to fostering diversity and inclusion at Cal Poly Pomona. Inclusivity is a core value identified in our strategic plan. By fostering inclusion and mutual respect, we create a community in which each of us is empowered to reach our full potential.
I want to remind students of two upcoming opportunities to engage in facilitated conversations toward strengthening our inclusive campus. The intent is to provide supportive space for students to dialogue about their experiences and to recommend ways to continually improve our campus climate. The first student conversation will be held on Wednesday, Oct. 23, at 5 p.m. in Ursa Minor in the BSC. A second student conversation is scheduled for Thursday, Nov. 21, at 5 p.m. in the Andromeda Suite, also in the BSC. Refreshments will be provided at both sessions.
In addition to the student conversations, I am pleased to share other critical steps that the University is taking to foster inclusivity at Cal Poly Pomona. Recent campus measures include:
- Formation of:
- a standing University Inclusive Excellence Council that will develop and recommend proactive strategies for strengthening our inclusive environment, such as campus-wide education and training;
- an administrative Campus Climate Response team charged with responding to campus climate-related concerns in an integrated, timely and transparent manner.
- Review of campus complaint policies and procedures to ensure clarity of reporting pathways, processes, and transparency.
- All new student orientation sessions and all new faculty orientation programs include diversity and inclusion training as essential components of introduction to our campus community.
- Through an institutional membership, all faculty members have access to resources and support through the National Center for Faculty Development & Diversity.
- Through a partnership between the CSU and the UC, a 40-member cohort of faculty, staff, students, and administrators will participate this spring in a systemwide anti-bias training to seed further educational efforts on campus.
- Launch of an inclusivity-themed speakers series co-sponsored by Academic Affairs & Student Affairs.
- Searches to fill three leadership roles dedicated to diversity and inclusion have been launched:
- Presidential Associate for Equity, Diversity & Campus Climate, who will report directly to the President and serve as a member of the President’s Cabinet;
- Executive Director of Student Inclusion and Belonging, reporting to the Vice President for Student Affairs with a secondary reporting line to the Presidential Associate;
- Faculty Diversity Outreach Recruiter charged with working with Academic Affairs and the colleges and departments on extending our outreach efforts to increase awareness of the excellence of Cal Poly Pomona and expand and diversify our candidate pools for new faculty positions. Given our large number of faculty searches and enhanced competition among regional CSU campuses, this recruiter position will further support and amplify the work of our faculty search committees.
These specific measures, combined with existing campus climate and inclusion efforts, such as the annual Cross-Cultural Retreat sponsored by Office of Student Life & Cultural Centers, serve to assure that our practices are aligned with our inclusive values and ideals. Through our engagement across the campus, we will solicit recommendations which can be integrated into our planning and programming.
I look forward to keeping you apprised of our progress and invite you to contact me with your ideas and feedback at campusclimate@cpp.edu.