Committee on Institutional Diversity and Equity Report - 6/01
1. Revise the College mission statement to state categorically that diversity is a primary objective and core value of the College.
Given its importance to the future well being of the College, we recommend that Dartmouth's mission statement be revised to speak more directly to the role that diversity plays in the educational experience. For example, the current text of the mission statement articulates a commitment to enrich "the Dartmouth educational and social experience by attracting and retaining gifted and talented students, faculty and staff of diverse backgrounds, experiences, races, and economic circumstances." We are concerned that the current mission statement can be read as suggesting a laissez-faire institutional view about what should happen after a diverse group of people has been brought together to live and study on the same campus; the communal participation and well-being of all members cannot simply be taken for granted. We also believe that the current language of enrichment in the mission statement understates the College's true intentions and aspirations. While we did not attempt to craft new language for the mission statement, our discussions did reflect the view that the College should: provide a learning environment that enables students to pursue their educational goals and reach their full intellectual potential; cultivate interaction and friendship between people from diverse backgrounds, including between women and men, to actively promote learning and deepen understanding of complex social issues; help students consider and decide the direction for their lives; facilitate the development of effective and humane leadership for a diverse society; and contribute to the creation and sharing of knowledge.
We also encourage the President, other senior officers, and other members of the community to speak out on the importance of diversity, interaction and community on a regular basis. We cannot overstate the importance of strong, unequivocal statements of support and visible leadership in signaling Dartmouth's commitment and lending support to those who sometimes need assurance and encouragement, and of greater communication with the campus. Almost every group we met with felt that judicial and other decision-making processes were unnecessarily opaque, and that this opacity made them feel excluded from the working of the College.
2. Appoint a high level officer, reporting to the President or Provost, to advise the President and Provost and other senior officers on matters relating to equity and diversity and to oversee the implementation of adequately funded institutional diversity plans.
The President is the chief executive authority of the College and, together with the Provost, provides academic and administrative leadership for the institution. Institutional progress with respect to diversity and interactive pluralism will require strong senior leadership and steady, ongoing attention across the institution. To ensure effective communication, planning, coordination, collaboration, and assessment the committee recommends that a high level administrative post be created within the offices of the President or Provost. Acting under the authority of the President or Provost, the central purpose of this appointee should be to work closely with the President, Provost and other senior officers to ensure that consideration of diversity is effectively integrated into the daily educational and administrative life and long-term planning of the College.
Members of the committee conferred with Professor Daryl Smith, a scholar who has conducted an extensive, national study of campus diversity efforts, to seek her advice about the effectiveness of such high level administrative positions. She explained that a variety of models exist for this type of position, including those at the rank of vice president or vice provost, associate provost, and senior assistant to the president or provost. Professor Smith noted that title and rank might be important factors to consider, but that effectiveness will have more to do with access, involvement, and authority with respect to strategic planning, coordination of initiatives, and evaluation of performance. Therefore, while the committee offers no definitive advice regarding job title, we do advocate that the appointee report directly to the President or Provost and serve as a member of that officer's senior management team. The committee notes that the scope and complexity of this position will also require the creation of additional administrative and support staff positions as well as the allocation of sufficient operating budget resources.
Our examination of these matters indicated a clear need for institution-wide coordination, not only to assist with the development and implementation of a broad plan for diversity, but also to enhance efficiency and ensure communication between all areas of the College. Later in this report, the committee discusses issues related to faculty and staff retention and professional development. An example of the role that the person in this position could play would be to coordinate these efforts on an institution-wide basis (i.e., including the Arts and Sciences, graduate programs, and administrative areas).
3. Establish a Council on Diversity to set goals, develop strategies, and guide and coordinate institutional progress.
To ensure that diversity receives broad institutional attention, we urge that a Council on Diversity be established under the purview of the President or Provost. Membership on the Council should include the Dean of the Faculty, Deans of the graduate and professional schools, Dean of the College, Vice President and Treasurer, General Counsel, Vice President for Development, Vice President for Alumni Relations, Vice President for Public Affairs, and other senior officers of the institution, including the position we propose above. The Council should focus on strategic planning and policy matters related to diversity, the establishment of long-term objectives, and the coordination, management and monitoring of institutional performance.
The Council should also develop a plan for the coordination, management and monitoring of institutional performance, and provide periodic reports (on an annual or bi-annual basis) to the President and Provost to assess progress and, as necessary, examine and revise institutional goals and strategies.
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