Diversity Initiatives Touch all Levels of RIT

Dr. Alfreda Brown, Chief Diversity Officer

Diversity initiatives have focused on several key areas in the last year - from benchmarking and assessment, to retention efforts and community building among campus peers. The direction has come about with commitment from all levels of RIT.

The senior-level Executive Diversity Council was established recently by President Destler and consists of the president, Janet Sansone, RIT Board of Trustees; Dr. Stanley McKenzie; provost, Dr. James Watters, sr. vice president for Finance & Administration; Dr. Jim Miller, sr. vice president for Enrollment Management & Career Services; and Dr. Mary Beth Cooper, vice president for Student Affairs. The group will monitor RIT's progress in reaching the broad goal of attracting a diverse group of students, faculty, and staff to the RIT community. Also established was the Council on Diversity and Inclusion, consisting of campus-wide representatives charged with developing all resources and data that RIT will benchmark against. Work began by looking at many areas including recruitment and retention, curriculum and career preparation, the administration of a climate study, and preparing a university scorecard.

In 2008 leadership will focus on the development of an Equity Scorecard for RIT. The University's diversity strategic goal states: "RIT will facilitate a campus climate where the value of diversity and its importance in creating a sense of community is recognized and appreciated." There are two diversity strategic objectives that align with the Equity Scorecard Project: "RIT will continue to support and expand the university's programs to diversify and build community," and "RIT will continue to review the status of women." The underrepresented populations of African Americans, Latino Americans, Native Americans and women at RIT are the focus areas of the Equity Scorecard project. We are committed to fostering a campus environment where human differences are not only recognized and appreciated, but leveraged to achieve the highest level of performance.

The scorecard, a diversity assessment tool, is designed for higher education to narrow the achievement gap for specific populations, resulting in equitable outcomes for those historically underrepresented. Baseline data are provided, metrics and timelines are established, and results will be monitored by the leadership of the colleges and divisional units. Individualized improvement goals will be established and each college and division will be held accountable for achieving diversity-based equitable outcomes. Data and information will be shared with campus through forums, meetings with governance groups and college/department meetings. RIT's commitment to diversity is firm as we make an impact on the global economy as well as our more personal global village.