2022 State of Diversity
Marco Barker
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10/27/2022
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Office of Diversity and Inclusion updates for 2021-2022
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- [00:00:12.509]And so, good morning again.
- [00:00:13.500]My name is Marco Barker
- [00:00:14.970]and I have the pleasure of serving as the Vice Chancellor
- [00:00:17.820]for Diversity and Inclusion
- [00:00:18.990]here at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln.
- [00:00:20.880]So I wanna thank you for joining us
- [00:00:22.493]for our fourth annual State of Diversity.
- [00:00:26.423]Yes, yes.
- [00:00:27.802](all clapping)
- [00:00:32.820]I thought it was appropriate
- [00:00:35.280]to begin by honoring and giving respect to
- [00:00:37.797]and recognizing the past, present and future homelands
- [00:00:41.760]on which the University of Nebraska-Lincoln sits
- [00:00:44.370]and engages across its entire state.
- [00:00:46.827]This includes the homelands of the Pawnee, the Ponca,
- [00:00:50.093]the Oto, Missouri, Omaha, Dakota, Lakota, Arapaho,
- [00:00:55.213]Cheyenne, and Kaw peoples,
- [00:00:57.540]as well as the relocated Ho-Chunk, Winnebago, Ioway,
- [00:01:01.440]Sac and Fox people.
- [00:01:03.242]I also wanna recognize native and indigenous peoples
- [00:01:06.240]whose beginnings originate
- [00:01:08.502]outside of our state's current boundaries,
- [00:01:11.550]who may then and now call Nebraska home.
- [00:01:16.140]As a public language institution,
- [00:01:17.640]it is incredibly important that we seek to understand
- [00:01:21.060]how an opportunity to impact
- [00:01:25.320]the state of Nebraska and beyond and occupy these lands
- [00:01:29.040]is a result of a history
- [00:01:30.916]of native and indigenous people's experience
- [00:01:34.050]of displacement and violence, settlement and survival.
- [00:01:38.130]And so as a community,
- [00:01:39.570]I encourage us to increase our knowledge of
- [00:01:42.630]and support towards native and indigenous efforts.
- [00:01:45.630]At UNL, there are several ways that you can support.
- [00:01:48.900]Some include, the Native American Coalition
- [00:01:52.200]in Nebraska Extension,
- [00:01:54.330]the Mid-America Transportation Center projects,
- [00:01:57.750]Indigenous Studies in the Institute for Ethnic Studies,
- [00:02:01.473]Native American Projects,
- [00:02:03.060]and the Center for Great Plains Study,
- [00:02:06.690]the Indigenous Roots Teacher Education Program,
- [00:02:09.090]and the College of Education and Human Sciences,
- [00:02:12.509]and then there are some local or state-based agencies
- [00:02:17.130]like the Nebraska Commission for Indian Affairs
- [00:02:19.490]in the state of Nebraska.
- [00:02:21.030]And also, if you are very interested
- [00:02:22.740]in learning more about native lands
- [00:02:24.870]and where they originate and what they are,
- [00:02:26.740]we certainly, there's a resource of native land
- [00:02:28.980]resource site and map.
- [00:02:31.830]More information can be found at our site,
- [00:02:34.350]diversity.unl.edu as well.
- [00:02:37.500]And so at this time,
- [00:02:39.120]please join me in welcoming our Executive Vice Chancellor,
- [00:02:42.180]Kathy Ankerson to the podium, Kathy.
- [00:02:44.415](audience clapping)
- [00:02:50.040]Well, thank you Marco.
- [00:02:51.889]I know how much the Chancellor
- [00:02:53.910]wanted to be here this morning and sends his deep regrets.
- [00:02:58.695]He and Jane were called away to support a dear friend
- [00:03:01.435]during the passing of their family.
- [00:03:04.230]So, I'm happy to have this opportunity
- [00:03:08.220]to share a few reflections
- [00:03:10.830]on the importance of inclusive excellence
- [00:03:12.660]to the University of Nebraska-Lincoln,
- [00:03:14.730]and to welcome you here this morning,
- [00:03:17.520]whether you're with us in person or virtually.
- [00:03:20.520]So welcome to those who are here in person on East Campus
- [00:03:25.620]and to those who are joining us virtually
- [00:03:27.803]for this fourth annual State of Diversity.
- [00:03:31.410]Thank you for your vested interest
- [00:03:33.450]in this institutional commitment,
- [00:03:36.300]and thank you to the Office of Diversity and Inclusion
- [00:03:39.750]for hosting today's experience.
- [00:03:42.090]These moments of connecting and learning together
- [00:03:45.450]and from one another
- [00:03:47.340]are special and impactful.
- [00:03:50.220]Taking this time to listen and learn is important.
- [00:03:54.210]Excuse me.
- [00:03:55.560]It allows us the space
- [00:03:56.880]to consider and brainstorm new opportunities
- [00:03:59.757]to weave together inclusive excellence
- [00:04:03.000]into and throughout our work.
- [00:04:07.140]Inclusive excellence is more than just a priority.
- [00:04:09.870]It's a mindset that guides us
- [00:04:12.480]towards making every person feel like they matter
- [00:04:15.230]because they do,
- [00:04:17.432]and making every interaction foster a sense of belonging,
- [00:04:21.840]especially among our most vulnerable
- [00:04:24.540]and marginalized communities.
- [00:04:27.570]There are substantial number of efforts
- [00:04:29.760]that are happening across our colleges and units.
- [00:04:33.360]Some you'll hear profiled today.
- [00:04:36.990]In the EVC office,
- [00:04:38.190]I'll tell you about a couple of things that we're doing
- [00:04:41.370]that are new.
- [00:04:42.203]We've just launched two initiatives
- [00:04:44.058]that we hope will expand diversification
- [00:04:46.560]in our enrollment and recruiting efforts.
- [00:04:49.200]We're working to identify key markets for growth
- [00:04:51.720]and opportunities that are unique to Nebraska
- [00:04:54.660]in order to build new pathways
- [00:04:56.250]for international and other students.
- [00:04:58.620]And I'll start with talking
- [00:04:59.580]about our international students.
- [00:05:01.770]It includes pivoting from our reliance on outside agents
- [00:05:05.670]to build an in-house capability
- [00:05:08.370]for international recruitment,
- [00:05:09.900]and updating our approach to scholarships
- [00:05:12.390]for these students,
- [00:05:13.497]adding flexibility to negotiate tuition rates
- [00:05:16.500]for strategic partners in specific countries.
- [00:05:20.370]We're also working on new remissions programs.
- [00:05:22.920]For instance,
- [00:05:23.753]one, we'll expand the number of states
- [00:05:26.100]that we offer qualified students
- [00:05:27.690]an increase from the scholarship level
- [00:05:29.460]of a Leverton to a Beetle.
- [00:05:31.440]As you recall,
- [00:05:32.273]we had a pilot of that last year
- [00:05:34.200]and we'll be continuing with three of those states,
- [00:05:36.669]but also adding another five states to that cadre.
- [00:05:44.310]For these students,
- [00:05:45.180]this brings the tuition to within 80% of resident rates,
- [00:05:49.290]which is pretty important.
- [00:05:51.540]The other will implement a Husker Salute Scholarship
- [00:05:54.570]for non-resident military, their dependents and spouses,
- [00:05:59.677]and whether they're active or veteran status,
- [00:06:04.200]and it will lower their tuition
- [00:06:06.120]regardless of where they are, where they've come from
- [00:06:08.850]to in-state rates.
- [00:06:12.120]This work of diversity is ongoing and continuous.
- [00:06:15.990]I look forward to the future efforts and partnerships
- [00:06:18.870]of Vice Chancellor, Barker
- [00:06:21.720]and his team across campus,
- [00:06:24.090]and the collective advances and inclusive excellence
- [00:06:26.730]within our university's programs and practices.
- [00:06:30.150]I imagine most of you who are here today
- [00:06:33.000]are already actively engaged in these efforts
- [00:06:35.670]through your teaching, research, and or service.
- [00:06:39.270]And I thank you.
- [00:06:41.400]It's your everyday actions that matter
- [00:06:44.280]and make our university better.
- [00:06:47.130]The N2025 Strategic Plan,
- [00:06:49.170]of course, has provided a roadmap for our continued efforts
- [00:06:52.608]and the State of Diversity is our reminder
- [00:06:55.680]that there's much more work to be done.
- [00:06:58.440]So I thank you for this opportunity to welcome you
- [00:07:01.740]and to be with you for today.
- [00:07:04.050]Marco, back to you.
- [00:07:05.970]Thank you.
- [00:07:07.471](audience clapping)
- [00:07:13.276]Something special is happening at Nebraska, right?
- [00:07:20.370]Something special is happening at Nebraska.
- [00:07:24.990]There has always been work happening here.
- [00:07:29.010]Many of our faculty, staff and students
- [00:07:32.012]then and now have been engaged and been investing
- [00:07:36.540]in making diversity, inclusion, equity, and justice
- [00:07:40.710]a priority in their work.
- [00:07:43.650]This has been either a program,
- [00:07:47.010]classrooms engaging with communities,
- [00:07:49.830]projects, speakers, course topics, and the list goes on.
- [00:07:55.740]HALO Learning and Associates
- [00:07:57.150]spoke to these many efforts
- [00:07:58.830]and identified that we had an opportunity at Nebraska
- [00:08:02.220]to build greater synergy and leverage
- [00:08:04.920]across all of these efforts.
- [00:08:07.950]There were also work groups,
- [00:08:09.450]including the N150 Diversity Committee
- [00:08:12.300]that identified starting points
- [00:08:14.010]to advance diversity and inclusion at UNL.
- [00:08:17.068]Many of your efforts, many of you in this very room,
- [00:08:20.130]your efforts and led to the creation
- [00:08:24.259]of our office and my role.
- [00:08:26.850]And I wanna thank you and say that I am grateful
- [00:08:28.770]for all the work that you have done.
- [00:08:33.990]The N150 work also transferred into the N2025.
- [00:08:38.250]You heard EVC Ankerson in reference our strategic plan
- [00:08:41.340]where we were able to make inclusive excellence
- [00:08:43.680]our framework and an institution of priority.
- [00:08:46.651]We are also privileged to have with us
- [00:08:49.650]one of our panel members, Dr. Lynn Pascarella,
- [00:08:52.410]who's actually president of the very association, AAC&U
- [00:08:55.710]that provided this definition for our work.
- [00:08:57.930]So thank you Lynn for your leadership at AAC&U.
- [00:09:00.854](all clapping)
- [00:09:05.370]There has been so much happening in the world around us,
- [00:09:09.420]and we have emphasized inclusive excellence
- [00:09:12.604]as also including examinations of racism
- [00:09:15.884]and facilitation of racial equity.
- [00:09:18.750]This work remains important
- [00:09:20.074]to the Office of Diversity and Inclusion
- [00:09:21.914]and part of our commitment to change.
- [00:09:26.100]As I mentioned earlier,
- [00:09:27.270]the work of inclusive excellence and racial equity
- [00:09:29.430]is happening across our institution and through our mission
- [00:09:32.460]as EVC, Ankerson stated,
- [00:09:34.320]our mission of teaching, research and service.
- [00:09:37.590]And so as part of this year's State of Diversity,
- [00:09:40.020]I wanted to highlight
- [00:09:40.860]examples of inclusive excellence in action.
- [00:09:43.380]These are leaders, faculty, and students
- [00:09:45.973]who are finding inspiration
- [00:09:48.060]and being compelled to increase their understanding,
- [00:09:52.098]set the tone for inclusion,
- [00:09:54.390]give voice to the histories that shape our lives,
- [00:09:57.720]and find ways to support others.
- [00:10:00.450]Please direct your attention to the video
- [00:10:02.430]of inclusive excellence and action.
- [00:10:05.253](bright upbeat music)
- [00:10:10.920]In my college, diversity, equity, and inclusion
- [00:10:13.680]are at the core of our work
- [00:10:15.090]to enhance the lives of individuals,
- [00:10:17.310]family, schools, and communities,
- [00:10:19.350]and strengthen the relationships among them.
- [00:10:22.080]As the college dean,
- [00:10:23.250]my personal journey this past year
- [00:10:25.320]included studying several books,
- [00:10:27.161]engaging in meaningful conversations,
- [00:10:29.611]and participating on the ASPIRE leadership team.
- [00:10:33.390]Over the past year,
- [00:10:34.560]the college has worked to establish and strengthen practices
- [00:10:37.950]that promote and enhance diversity
- [00:10:39.749]through our Teachers of Color Summit,
- [00:10:42.029]professional development
- [00:10:43.770]on inclusive human subjects research,
- [00:10:46.140]and implementing the BRIDGE best practices
- [00:10:48.480]for faculty and staff searches.
- [00:10:50.850]We have much work to do.
- [00:10:52.500]In the words of our own Dr. Gwendolyn Newkirk,
- [00:10:55.237]"We cannot conduct business and program activities
- [00:10:58.177]"following the same procedures of those who came before us.
- [00:11:01.537]"We must become what we want to be
- [00:11:03.757]"and set priorities for action."
- [00:11:06.136](bright upbeat music)
- [00:11:11.130]I am Kwakiutl Dreher,
- [00:11:12.990]the director and co-writer of the Bell Affair,
- [00:11:16.410]a live animation feature film
- [00:11:19.080]that dramatizes the largest escape to freedom
- [00:11:22.020]in our nation's history.
- [00:11:23.860]My work with William Thomas in history
- [00:11:26.610]and Michael Burton in textiles,
- [00:11:28.185]merchandising and fashion design,
- [00:11:30.840]and the Center for Digital Research in the humanities
- [00:11:34.320]are interdisciplinary partnerships.
- [00:11:36.900]The court will now hear the petition for freedom
- [00:11:39.570]for Daniel Bell.
- [00:11:40.770]We are animating history
- [00:11:43.410]whereby we produce unique, compelling, historical,
- [00:11:47.100]dramatic documentaries,
- [00:11:48.670]combining the arts, creative writing, drama, music,
- [00:11:53.210]and generally, the humanities via live animation.
- [00:11:58.890]Our productions allow the viewer
- [00:12:00.870]to find a connection in their own lives
- [00:12:03.570]in the stories we create.
- [00:12:05.260]Currently, Thomas, Burton and I
- [00:12:08.160]are in post production on Michael Shiner,
- [00:12:10.710]an enslaved man whose diary covers 60 years of his life.
- [00:12:15.420]Our team viewed his diary
- [00:12:17.850]at the Library of Congress this summer.
- [00:12:20.370]His daily entries speak to us across centuries.
- [00:12:24.400]Animating history is bringing Shiner's words
- [00:12:27.900]from the page to life.
- [00:12:30.164](bright upbeat music)
- [00:12:34.740]The past couple years,
- [00:12:35.970]I learned that designing for students with disabilities
- [00:12:38.430]benefits all students.
- [00:12:40.140]This design process of reducing barriers to learning
- [00:12:43.080]and serving more diverse needs
- [00:12:44.640]is called Universal Design for Learning or UDL.
- [00:12:48.187]Part of designing well
- [00:12:49.980]is ensuring the content is accessible.
- [00:12:52.740]All of our technologies have built-in features
- [00:12:54.930]that you can use to make your digital content accessible.
- [00:12:58.440]These features are easy to use but not often taught.
- [00:13:01.680]I was inspired to unite several units across the university
- [00:13:05.070]to create a canvas site and bridge training on these topics
- [00:13:08.310]so you can learn these two.
- [00:13:09.650]The UDL accessibility Canvas site
- [00:13:12.450]provides guides, checklists
- [00:13:14.310]and examples of accommodations, accessibility, and UDL.
- [00:13:18.780]The bridge training helps you attain
- [00:13:20.490]basic digital accessibility skills
- [00:13:22.530]through hands-on activities in one hour.
- [00:13:25.500]Noticing the people most likely to be edged out
- [00:13:27.930]by our current content design
- [00:13:29.670]and designing with them in mind
- [00:13:31.200]is inclusive excellence in action.
- [00:13:33.750]I hope you visit the Canvas site,
- [00:13:35.370]take the training,
- [00:13:36.330]and join in designing our content
- [00:13:38.040]to support all learners through accessibility
- [00:13:40.530]and universal design for learning.
- [00:13:42.347](bright upbeat music)
- [00:13:46.860]As a peer mentor,
- [00:13:47.910]we form relationships with our first year students
- [00:13:50.310]and help keep them on track throughout the semester.
- [00:13:52.920]Many of our students are underrepresented minorities,
- [00:13:55.222]first generation, or Pell Grant eligible,
- [00:13:57.810]and we are their biggest support system at UNL.
- [00:14:00.724]The majority of our peer mentors
- [00:14:02.550]are OASIS Scholars themselves,
- [00:14:04.290]and our students value seeing people like them
- [00:14:06.750]in leadership positions all across campus,
- [00:14:09.300]that's inclusive excellence in action.
- [00:14:11.599]When I was a freshman in the OASIS Scholar Success Program,
- [00:14:14.717]it meant so much to me that my mentor was a woman of color
- [00:14:17.940]who had been through similar experiences,
- [00:14:20.160]and to know that someone out there was rooting for me.
- [00:14:22.950]If you're interested in the work OASIS does,
- [00:14:24.930]I'd really encourage you to come
- [00:14:26.310]to the Jackie Gaughan Multicultural Center
- [00:14:28.110]during the school day.
- [00:14:29.580]Our students take full advantage of the lounge
- [00:14:31.860]and the study spaces, so there's never a dull moment.
- [00:14:34.580]Our peer mentors are always sharing resources
- [00:14:37.080]and opportunities with the students as well.
- [00:14:39.330]So don't be afraid to reach out to the program
- [00:14:41.400]if there's something you think would be really great
- [00:14:43.470]we could collaborate on.
- [00:14:44.879]In the future, I hope to see
- [00:14:46.560]more collaborative events and programs
- [00:14:48.180]between OASIS and other programs on campus.
- [00:14:51.360]I think we could all benefit from shared learning
- [00:14:53.404]and further our campus's inclusive excellence.
- [00:14:55.979](bright upbeat music)
- [00:15:01.400]Something special is happening at Nebraska, right?
- [00:15:06.000]I know that especially those who have been here
- [00:15:08.910]for such a long time,
- [00:15:10.200]it can be extremely frustrating
- [00:15:12.270]because we wanna see progress happen.
- [00:15:14.279]It happened quickly, often.
- [00:15:16.920]And so I recognize and know
- [00:15:18.930]that while we may not be moving at high speeds,
- [00:15:23.127]there's something special still happening at Nebraska.
- [00:15:27.120]And so before I move on, for those that were profiled,
- [00:15:29.940]if you are in the audience,
- [00:15:31.260]will you please stand and be recognized?
- [00:15:32.700]I see Dean Jones, I see Kwakiutl, Mackenzie, Sophia.
- [00:15:38.861](audience clapping)
- [00:15:44.970]Thank you.
- [00:15:45.990]And again, and those are just a few examples.
- [00:15:48.480]We have so many faculty, staff, and students
- [00:15:52.020]who are putting this work into action.
- [00:15:54.960]We could probably spend the whole day
- [00:15:56.289]capturing the experience
- [00:15:58.350]of those who are engaged in this work.
- [00:16:00.060]So again, thank you for all that you do.
- [00:16:05.790]So I wanna move into a bit in talking about
- [00:16:08.880]what we are doing in the Office of Diversity and Inclusion.
- [00:16:14.670]As we first talk about strategy,
- [00:16:17.220]in addition to the N2025 strategic aim
- [00:16:19.860]on inclusive excellence and diversity,
- [00:16:21.750]UNl's academic colleges and administrative units
- [00:16:24.352]have and are developing strategies specific to their areas.
- [00:16:29.700]These strategies are either rolled
- [00:16:31.260]into their existing strategic plans
- [00:16:33.330]or as separate diversity plans.
- [00:16:36.150]In addition to finding these plans on their sites,
- [00:16:38.190]we have also created a website hub
- [00:16:40.260]where you can find these strategies
- [00:16:41.736]and a point of contact for DEI within each college and unit.
- [00:16:47.370]In addition to these plans, we have developed toolkits,
- [00:16:50.107]everything from building climate assessments
- [00:16:53.186]to developing a diversity strategic plan.
- [00:16:57.450]Across the institution,
- [00:16:58.601]our office continues to build
- [00:17:00.360]the university's diversity infrastructure
- [00:17:02.387]through the formation
- [00:17:03.840]of committees, councils and work groups
- [00:17:06.750]focused on inclusive excellence.
- [00:17:08.970]We are also providing consultation
- [00:17:10.470]to departments, colleges, and units
- [00:17:12.089]for creating their own committees
- [00:17:14.310]and formulating official roles
- [00:17:15.870]where there is a person that has a title
- [00:17:17.764]and time allocated for DEI.
- [00:17:20.970]One model are our colleges
- [00:17:22.680]who have developed associate deans
- [00:17:24.221]and academic and unit diversity officers
- [00:17:27.810]within administrative units.
- [00:17:30.150]We are also very excited to announce
- [00:17:31.740]the availability of a diversity dashboard
- [00:17:34.450]working with our colleagues
- [00:17:35.837]in the Office of Institutional Effectiveness and Analytics
- [00:17:38.880]in the EVC's office,
- [00:17:40.500]ODI has developed an interactive data charts
- [00:17:43.107]aimed at equipping our campus community and ourselves
- [00:17:46.620]with information that allows us to identify opportunities
- [00:17:49.893]to advance diversity and inclusion.
- [00:17:52.912]Lastly, we have hired Dr. Elvira Abrica
- [00:17:56.310]to serve as a research fellow for ODI,
- [00:18:00.090]where she is assisting our office
- [00:18:01.770]on effective and equity-minded assessment
- [00:18:03.730]and providing guidance
- [00:18:05.050]on how we move the work from our climate survey into action.
- [00:18:11.490]In terms of staffing in this area,
- [00:18:12.990]we have elevated the role of Dr. Nkenge Friday
- [00:18:15.630]to senior Assistant Vice Chancellor
- [00:18:18.120]for strategic initiatives to lead us in these efforts.
- [00:18:21.900]You can certainly find more of these resources
- [00:18:24.229]on diversity.unl.edu,
- [00:18:27.030]and go to Diversity Reports and Analysis.
- [00:18:30.780]Within the area of faculty and staff,
- [00:18:33.360]I wanted to share that we have been working through,
- [00:18:36.600]as you may know,
- [00:18:37.470]we announced a few months ago
- [00:18:39.780]the creation of the BRIDGE Recruitment Guide.
- [00:18:42.900]This is a program
- [00:18:43.740]that began the office of the Executive Vice Chancellor
- [00:18:46.200]as the guide for faculty searches
- [00:18:47.790]and has now been expanded
- [00:18:49.470]to provide a resource for all searches.
- [00:18:52.020]We provided education on how
- [00:18:53.790]you more clearly, appropriately, and effectively
- [00:18:57.300]weave inclusive excellence in the search process.
- [00:19:01.590]In addition to the guide,
- [00:19:03.360]the lunch of the Diversity Ambassadors Program
- [00:19:05.699]has allowed us to help build capacity for search committees
- [00:19:11.490]and to enhance these committees understandings
- [00:19:13.867]of what it means to interweave inclusive excellence
- [00:19:16.860]into the, again, the search committee process.
- [00:19:20.100]Next, we will be working
- [00:19:21.292]with the Office of Institutional Equity and Compliance
- [00:19:23.970]to strengthen this work
- [00:19:24.803]and lay the groundwork to integrating
- [00:19:27.326]the British Recruitment Guide Principles and Strategies
- [00:19:31.230]into the standard search education
- [00:19:32.820]for the entire institution.
- [00:19:35.550]Policy work is another area.
- [00:19:37.470]There have been two particular work groups
- [00:19:39.930]that have emerged out of our Council
- [00:19:41.850]on Inclusive Excellence and Diversity,
- [00:19:43.678]and among our academic diversity officers.
- [00:19:46.800]One includes a work group that is challenged to
- [00:19:49.771]in charge with identifying
- [00:19:52.304]good practices and recommendations
- [00:19:54.672]on how we weave inclusive excellence
- [00:19:57.660]into the promotion and tenure process.
- [00:20:00.870]This group is working with the EVC Office
- [00:20:02.746]Associate Vice Chancellor for Faculty and Academic Affairs,
- [00:20:06.630]and the Faculty Senates Committee
- [00:20:08.190]on Diversity and Inclusion.
- [00:20:09.879]We have another work group that is developing a policy
- [00:20:13.225]that will provide guidance and information
- [00:20:15.466]on religious observances.
- [00:20:18.450]Lastly, we are making progress on our I-Change effort,
- [00:20:21.660]and you heard EVC, Ankerson in reference, I-Change.
- [00:20:24.315]As a reminder, this is our commitment
- [00:20:26.850]to increasing our equity representation and climate,
- [00:20:30.990]and ultimately our retention of STEM faculty
- [00:20:34.080]from underrepresented groups.
- [00:20:35.896]This is a two office collaboration
- [00:20:37.800]between ODI and the EVC office,
- [00:20:40.563]and it's led by myself and Dr. Judy Walker.
- [00:20:44.040]The I-Change team is comprised of a range of leaders,
- [00:20:47.070]and you actually heard from one of those leaders,
- [00:20:48.418]Dr. Sherri Jones,
- [00:20:50.100]Dean of the College of Education and Human Sciences.
- [00:20:53.700]As part of this work,
- [00:20:54.660]we were fortunate this year
- [00:20:55.740]to welcome Dr. Neeta Kantamneni,
- [00:20:57.960]our new Director for Faculty Engagement and Wellbeing,
- [00:21:00.690]who has joined our own Dr. Combs,
- [00:21:02.580]who's our director for Faculty Diversity and Inclusion
- [00:21:05.451]on expending these efforts.
- [00:21:08.610]Our next area, inclusive leadership and learning.
- [00:21:11.970]Our include learning community,
- [00:21:13.410]which is open to everyone,
- [00:21:14.910]both inside and outside the university,
- [00:21:17.280]it's creating new opportunities
- [00:21:18.480]for self-guided smaller and close-knit conversations
- [00:21:21.792]in the form of small and topic
- [00:21:24.420]on specific learning communities.
- [00:21:26.760]This will allow members of the include community
- [00:21:28.972]to have a deeper dive into topics
- [00:21:31.349]that may be of interest to them.
- [00:21:35.970]We welcome individuals to express interest
- [00:21:38.370]if you have a topic or an area
- [00:21:41.100]that you would like to see to be a learning community,
- [00:21:43.410]that is your topic of choice.
- [00:21:46.470]The other area within Inclusive Leadership and Learning
- [00:21:48.900]is capacity building,
- [00:21:50.460]equipping others with the tools they need to be successful
- [00:21:53.460]and contribute to UNL's advancement
- [00:21:54.990]of inclusive excellence.
- [00:21:55.908]I have said this once, I said it a million times,
- [00:21:59.040]this work is all of our work, right?
- [00:22:01.650]And so we wanna be here to be sure
- [00:22:03.300]that we are helping you build your own capacity
- [00:22:05.520]to do this work where you are
- [00:22:07.350]and in the context of where you are.
- [00:22:10.890]But we are doing this in two ways
- [00:22:12.390]to really try and build capacity.
- [00:22:14.250]One is through bringing together UNL faculty and staff
- [00:22:17.070]who are engaging DEI work on an everyday basis
- [00:22:19.753]and bring 'em together
- [00:22:20.850]so that we can support a firm and connect them
- [00:22:23.313]so that they are more sustained
- [00:22:25.043]both physically and emotionally
- [00:22:27.163]and doing DEI work.
- [00:22:29.370]The other way is through social media,
- [00:22:31.033]and we have established social media micro lessons.
- [00:22:35.220]And so if you know of us on social media,
- [00:22:38.010]we invite you to follow us
- [00:22:39.423]so that you have a chance
- [00:22:40.613]to see what information that we are sharing
- [00:22:43.140]and build your own knowledge on the topics presented.
- [00:22:46.353]In terms of staffing,
- [00:22:47.880]this year, we welcome Dr. Jennifer PeeksMease to our team
- [00:22:50.520]as the Assistant Vice Chancellor
- [00:22:51.720]for Inclusive Leadership and Learning.
- [00:22:53.580]And she has been just phenomenal
- [00:22:55.200]in taking a real deliberate approach
- [00:22:58.530]in terms of how we better curate
- [00:23:01.320]and communicate learning opportunities
- [00:23:02.897]across the entire institution
- [00:23:05.400]as opportunities for all at the university.
- [00:23:10.980]Our next area is around inclusive student excellence.
- [00:23:14.250]Our Premier student program
- [00:23:16.230]is our Success Scholars program in OASIS,
- [00:23:18.390]and you heard Sophia reference this earlier
- [00:23:20.340]in the Inclusive Excellence in Action.
- [00:23:22.590]It continues to be our shining program
- [00:23:24.840]where scholarship students in their first year
- [00:23:27.090]connect with resources,
- [00:23:28.155]receive guidance from our staff lecturers
- [00:23:31.050]and are paired with a peer mentor.
- [00:23:34.080]Our very own ASUN President, Jake Drake,
- [00:23:37.470]was once an OASIS Success Scholar.
- [00:23:40.290]And actually I would say, it's forever a success scholar
- [00:23:43.860]as we'd like to consider them.
- [00:23:46.590]And so our Office of Academic Success
- [00:23:48.990]in intercultural services, also known as OASIS,
- [00:23:51.660]is doing a fantastic job in providing our students
- [00:23:54.330]the support, the connection and community,
- [00:23:57.013]and in many cases, the sense of home
- [00:23:58.890]in the Gaughan Multicultural Center.
- [00:24:03.030]Our offices are also providing more high impact practices
- [00:24:05.880]and support for our students.
- [00:24:07.080]So in addition to the many students that we advise
- [00:24:13.020]as part of registered student organizations,
- [00:24:15.870]we are assisting students
- [00:24:17.430]in getting connected with existing resources
- [00:24:19.710]like career services.
- [00:24:21.420]And we are also in the process of developing
- [00:24:24.390]an inclusive innovation institute for upper class students.
- [00:24:28.680]Additionally, I wanted to really highlight
- [00:24:31.350]and certainly recognize
- [00:24:32.183]one of the members of our team, Charlie Foster,
- [00:24:34.308]who in our office is taking on a new role,
- [00:24:36.810]as special assistant to the Vice Chancellor.
- [00:24:38.880]In her new role,
- [00:24:39.870]she will be facilitating and collaborating
- [00:24:42.120]with other units across the entire institution
- [00:24:44.162]on opportunities on how we better support our students
- [00:24:47.220]who are experiencing bias or other climate related issues.
- [00:24:50.902]We are also examining Husker Dialogues
- [00:24:53.054]as even being more student ran
- [00:24:55.260]to provide a way for student voices
- [00:24:57.300]to be even more infused in that process.
- [00:25:00.990]Lastly, external engagement is important to our office.
- [00:25:04.440]And so we have been really fortunate
- [00:25:06.360]to have a great relationship
- [00:25:07.620]with our Nebraska Alumni Association,
- [00:25:09.966]and they are continuously increasing opportunities
- [00:25:13.440]and having events that allow people
- [00:25:15.060]to connect around shared interests.
- [00:25:17.640]Their assistance with our multicultural Hall of Fame
- [00:25:20.310]hosted by OASIS
- [00:25:21.641]has allowed student organizations
- [00:25:24.060]to join in recognizing alums
- [00:25:26.250]who have made an impact for indigenous communities
- [00:25:28.890]and communities of color.
- [00:25:30.930]We are also excited to begin developing
- [00:25:32.640]a National Diversity Advisory Board
- [00:25:34.260]who will advise ODI, lend their expertise,
- [00:25:36.960]and be a resource to students,
- [00:25:38.186]and assist in building UNL's reputation as a leader in DEI.
- [00:25:43.710]This year, we hosted key events across our institution
- [00:25:46.465]like Juneteenth, Fiesta on the Green, and ODI at the union,
- [00:25:51.630]reaching more campus audiences.
- [00:25:53.820]We have also made a concerted effort
- [00:25:55.590]to participate in community events and festivals
- [00:25:57.993]like the Lincoln Juneteenth event,
- [00:26:00.732]the Star City Pride Parade, Jazz in June,
- [00:26:05.730]and the Asian Community and Cultural Center
- [00:26:07.830]Harvest Moon Festival.
- [00:26:10.538]I am just extremely proud of our team.
- [00:26:13.560]And will members of our ODI team
- [00:26:15.232]please stand to be recognized.
- [00:26:17.719]Don't be shy.
- [00:26:19.028](audience clapping)
- [00:26:27.030]I could not do this work without them.
- [00:26:29.580]And those who are actively engaging DEI,
- [00:26:32.010]you know that there are really great days
- [00:26:33.923]but also really tough days,
- [00:26:36.600]when this work can feel so extremely heavy.
- [00:26:39.270]And so to have a team that can joke and laugh
- [00:26:42.270]and keep you lifted, it's so important.
- [00:26:44.640]I often get asked a question in doing this work,
- [00:26:47.315]what sustains me, is the people.
- [00:26:50.400]It's the people who are able to pour back into you.
- [00:26:52.287]And so those who are engaged in this work,
- [00:26:54.170]if you are feeling this sense of exhaustion and fatigue,
- [00:26:56.820]which I know, if again, if you're like me,
- [00:26:58.920]you probably feel it every week, every day,
- [00:27:00.690]every minute in your life,
- [00:27:02.353]that I hope that you do have and find people
- [00:27:04.950]that can pour back into you as you're doing this work.
- [00:27:08.715]And so as you can see, we,
- [00:27:12.390]and this includes all of us,
- [00:27:14.010]all of you, our united inclusive excellence at Nebraska.
- [00:27:18.660]Every person and every interaction has the power.
- [00:27:22.380]But more importantly,
- [00:27:23.213]we have the opportunity to set in motion
- [00:27:25.920]the type of bold innovation and growth that we talk about
- [00:27:28.740]in our strategic plan, the N2025.
- [00:27:33.420]So just returning back to inclusive excellence in action
- [00:27:36.390]for a minute,
- [00:27:37.223]I wanted to reintroduce and congratulate again
- [00:27:39.660]our 2022 DEI Impact Award recipients.
- [00:27:42.878]Each recipient spoke about how they were part
- [00:27:46.470]of a larger effort and that their engagement in the work
- [00:27:49.260]was not merely them, but truly a work of collective action.
- [00:27:54.810]Our recipients not only spoke about
- [00:27:56.957]what it meant to be collaborative and reflective,
- [00:28:00.000]but they also demonstrated
- [00:28:01.170]this amazing power of women, right?
- [00:28:03.570]You can say they're all women behind me.
- [00:28:06.120]I recognize that too.
- [00:28:07.830]But particularly women ways of leading
- [00:28:09.570]the power of leadership that they have,
- [00:28:11.974]and in that work,
- [00:28:14.370]how they both walk with people and lift people up
- [00:28:17.340]as part of their leadership work.
- [00:28:19.800]So I want to thank them for their leadership.
- [00:28:22.140]Our graduate professional student recipient, Kaitlin,
- [00:28:24.660]our undergraduate recipient, Emily,
- [00:28:26.970]our staff leader, Dr. Yellow Robe,
- [00:28:28.860]who is now at Bishop's University.
- [00:28:30.330]We miss her dearly.
- [00:28:31.531]Our faculty leader, Dr. Willis-Esqueda,
- [00:28:34.267]and our collective Impact Award recipient
- [00:28:36.344]Nebraska Extensions, Reaching One, Reaching All.
- [00:28:39.720]Let's get them a round of applause.
- [00:28:40.861](all clapping)
- [00:28:47.220]Before I present on key data,
- [00:28:48.630]I am pleased to announce
- [00:28:50.040]the release of our Annual Diversity Report.
- [00:28:51.920]You can access the report by visiting our website,
- [00:28:55.400]diversity.unl.edu.
- [00:28:59.100]Go to the menu item, Diversity Reports and Analysis.
- [00:29:01.830]You will find the 2021 Diversity Report
- [00:29:04.950]in the dropdown option.
- [00:29:06.960]Please note that the data and findings
- [00:29:09.229]are based on the 2021 data.
- [00:29:11.940]The annual reporting process
- [00:29:13.469]will be systemized and coincide,
- [00:29:16.231]and the release will coincide
- [00:29:18.720]with the hosting of our State of Diversity in the future.
- [00:29:21.510]And just a special thanks to Dr. Friday, Germán Ávila,
- [00:29:25.800]and Jerri Harner for their work on the report development
- [00:29:28.470]and the Jacht Advertising Agency
- [00:29:30.386]in the College of Journalism and Mass Communication
- [00:29:33.240]who provided the design support.
- [00:29:35.040]So let's please thank them for all their hard work.
- [00:29:36.556](audience clapping)
- [00:29:40.351]Much is happening on our campus.
- [00:29:42.840]When you see the report, it may feel overwhelming
- [00:29:45.090]and that's great
- [00:29:46.020]because so much work is happening
- [00:29:48.146]and there are individuals on our campus
- [00:29:50.893]who are doing work from creating spaces
- [00:29:53.726]to creating partnerships, fostering collaborations
- [00:29:57.056]to studying racism,
- [00:29:58.755]fostering dialogue among our students.
- [00:30:01.791]And so we know that this work
- [00:30:04.500]of advancing inclusive excellence
- [00:30:05.896]that it has also not been easy,
- [00:30:08.610]especially when we think about
- [00:30:09.870]being in the midst of the heighten of the pandemic
- [00:30:12.180]and even what follow that.
- [00:30:13.500]And so again, we truly appreciate
- [00:30:15.270]all those who are recognized in that report.
- [00:30:19.020]Certainly, please do join us
- [00:30:20.150]for some of the upcoming events that we have
- [00:30:22.406]happening in Office of Diversity and Inclusion.
- [00:30:24.570]You can see those here.
- [00:30:26.340]They are also on our calendar at diversity.unl.edu.
- [00:30:31.800]I also wanted to mention,
- [00:30:33.670]as we think about some of our takeaways
- [00:30:36.450]from the data that was shown,
- [00:30:37.470]I think certainly being mindful
- [00:30:39.360]about how we rethink our evaluation systems,
- [00:30:42.960]how do we reframe what we do and how we do it.
- [00:30:45.718]How do we be more deliberate,
- [00:30:47.715]more deliberate about our engagement?
- [00:30:50.550]And also thinking about outreach
- [00:30:52.740]and how that may be substantive in the outreach that we do,
- [00:30:55.980]again, are really valuable points
- [00:30:58.410]from our speakers for today.
- [00:31:00.930]So again, for those that are interested,
- [00:31:04.320]we will have a recording of the State of Diversity
- [00:31:07.140]that will include the captioning as a part of that.
- [00:31:10.350]So we do invite you to certainly reflect back
- [00:31:14.190]on today's experience while also sharing it with others.
- [00:31:17.100]And as always, again, I am just appreciative of all of you
- [00:31:21.510]and what you do.
- [00:31:22.440]You being here,
- [00:31:23.460]those both in person and our virtual audience as well,
- [00:31:26.050]we do have more work to do in Nebraska.
- [00:31:30.570]For me, I have definitely been re-inspired,
- [00:31:33.300]re-sparked by our panel.
- [00:31:35.760]So thank you all, Antonio and Jamal and Carrie and Lynn,
- [00:31:40.440]again, for just your words of wisdom.
- [00:31:43.500]As always, please go forth, do well, be well,
- [00:31:48.480]and let's go be great
- [00:31:49.800]and do the work of inclusive excellence.
- [00:31:51.510]Have a good day.
- [00:31:52.343](audience clapping)
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