The Diversity Newsletter will pick back up in August. If you find yourself missing our DEI content, be sure to visit our website which will continue to be updated through the summer.
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As we approach the upcoming leadership transition in our office, VPD has worked to identify priority areas for the summer in order to lessen capacity strains on staff after this challenging academic year. While the following 8 priority areas do not encompass all of the work that will continue in our office this summer, our goal is to concentrate energies on these efforts to support one another as we each take time to step away, refocus, and prepare for a new leader.
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DEI Inventory
At the request of the Office of the President and with their support, VPD has been working to gather input from colleges and divisions on diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives and efforts occurring across campus. The data collection phase of the project recently completed and VPD staff are now cleaning up and organizing the raw data and will begin work on a comprehensive report in the coming months, with a goal to provide the report to the new VP and the President's Office in early fall.
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Bias Reporting System
VPD staff support the work of the Bias Reporting System, in partnership with several university colleagues and offices through the Bias Assessment Team. This effort will continue to be a priority for our office as we work to receive bias reports, update semesterly aggregate data, and plan for a communications campaign to be launched in the fall.
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University Diversity Plans and Integration into the Courageous Strategic Transformation
Working in tandem with the Race, Bias, and Equity Initiative Council and the Office of the President, VPD staff are leading efforts to update and bridge the current University Diversity Plans with the planning for the Courageous Strategic Transformation. These comprehensive plans will continue to provide a measurable and cohesive strategy for DEI work at CSU while shifting to meet the needs of a revisioned university community through the CST.
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Diversity Symposium
The 2021 Diversity Symposium will be held virtually October 25 – 29. In partnership with the Diversity Symposium Planning Committee, event work is already well underway and will continue through the summer into the fall. Session proposal applications are now being accepted and the committee is working to also identify CSU Inspire presenters.
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Womxn of Color Network Summit Support
Each summer, the VPD works to support the Womxn of Color Network with their summer retreat planning. While in a virtual setting this year, the 2021 Summit is shaping up to be a half day of engaged dialogue, learning, and support. The keynote speaker portion of the event will also be open to all CSU students and employees. Keep an eye out for more information to be released in the coming week, but for now mark June 3rd on your calendar!
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DEI Trainings
In addition to planning, facilitating, and supporting current VPD diversity, equity, and inclusion trainings such as the Creating Inclusive Excellence Program, VPD staff will be working this summer to support DEI learning efforts across the university and enhance planned fall trainings. With assistance from a team of CSU facilitators, VPD conducts 10-30 trainings each month. VPD will also be offering scholarships to CSU employees interested in attending the NCORE conference to further DEI knowledge and skill building.
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Employee Climate Survey
With support from the Assessment Group for Diversity Issues, the next round of data collection for the Employee Climate Survey is scheduled for fall 2021. Launched in 2012, the survey is administered every three years to all faculty and staff to assess the current working environment at CSU and to inform strategic decisions and investments. The massive scale of the survey requires a concentrated amount of planning and effort and VPD will be prioritizing this work through 2022.
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DEI Collaborations & Committees
VPD supports university-wide diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts through collaborations on a number of committees and groups, including the Commission on Diversity and Inclusion, the Equity and Inclusion Network, and the Race, Bias, and Equity Initiative. The work of each of these committees will continue through the summer and VPD will be focusing on enhancing communications channels to share each groups' progress and efforts in the fall.
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NCORE Scholarship Application Open
NCORE, the National Conference on Race and Ethnicity in American Higher Education, will be virtually hosting its annual conference June 7-11, 2021. NCORE creates opportunities for learning on critical topics related to race, ethnicity, diversity, and inclusion which can directly benefit our university’s efforts toward becoming a community that welcomes, values, and affirms Rams of all backgrounds.
With the uncertain budget situation that the pandemic has created, we know professional development funding may be limited or non-existent for many of our colleagues. In light of this, the Office of the Vice President for Diversity is pleased to announce funding for up to 30 individuals to attend NCORE online again this year. If you are interested in applying for an NCORE registration scholarship, please fill out the application form. We ask that only individuals who otherwise would not have professional development funding apply.
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The Office of the Vice President for Diversity is pleased to announce the 21st annual Diversity Symposium will be held October 25 – 29, 2021. In order to provide the safest and most accessible environment for our attendees, the Symposium 2021 will remain a fully virtual event. Through a variety of live Zoom sessions, prerecorded videos, powerful keynotes, and dozens of opportunities for learning, we look forward to our community coming together once again to engage with the critical topics of diversity, equity, inclusion, and social justice.
We are excited to share that we are now accepting session proposals.
We ask presenters to consider trending topics of diversity in higher education; BIPOC communities and support; anti-racism initiatives and efforts; Trans and Non-Binary communities and support; current national and international dynamics; and topics directly relating to diversity initiatives at Colorado State. Sessions will be selected based on the criteria below:
Session criteria
- Creativity is important in presentation style, format and title. Consider that participants will have a wide variety of learning styles. Highly participatory sessions are generally better received; please remember to include time for discussion.
- Attendees at the conference will consist of traditional and non-traditional age college students, community members, faculty, and staff. Please be sure to designate your target audience.
- Priority consideration will be given to proposals that cite peer-reviewed academic sources in the development of session content.
- Please note, session windows are 90 minutes in length.
For more information, please contact VPD Program Coordinator Alicia Sprague at Alicia.Sprague@colostate.edu.
With excited anticipation for the future,
– The Diversity Symposium Planning Committee and the Office of the Vice President for Diversity
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City of Fort Collins Hiring Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Officer
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The Chief Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Officer is a new role within the City of Fort Collins that will lead the City's Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) efforts. The organization and community are committed to incorporating an equity lens in City services, operational and community aspects. The newly created office will establish a framework to build organizational capacity to advance equity for all, leading with race, a strategic objective in the City Council-adopted City Strategic Plan. The position will be housed in the City Manager's Office and will report to the Deputy City Manager.
This position is currently posted at fcgov.com/jobs and will remain posted until filled. The first review of applications begins May 5, 2021. The City enlisted the support of GovHR to lead the search.
Opportunities to participate and provide feedback will be available as the City narrows the applicant pool to a group of final candidates. Community forums with selected finalists are planned for June. To develop the job description, the City hosted 20 listening sessions with 224 total participants, including multiple Spanish-language sessions.
Apply at fcgov.com/jobs, and visit ourcity.fcgov.com for more information and opportunities to participate in the coming weeks.
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Explore how entrepreneurship can create change in our communities
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With Terrica Smith, founder of Cachet and the State Broker for Real Broker
May 5, 2021, 11:30 AM - 1:00 PM
Join us for a virtual chat with Terrica Smith, a successful entrepreneur who overcame poverty, homelessness and countless other challenges to launch her own real estate development company. She is now pursuing her long-held dream of building more affordable housing in her community, in part through her work championing an ongoing $15 million development project in Lafayette, Louisiana that will offer homes priced at $150,000 and below, as well as a senior living center.
Terrica will share experiences of how she has used real estate to forge a path against all odds and pursue her passion for economic and social change. She is a shining example of how to use business for a better world.
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Celebrating VPD Staff Awards
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Cori Wong Wins Awards
Dr. Cori Wong, VPD Assistant Vice President for Diversity, was awarded the Career Impact Award by the Career Center.
“Cori supported me at a time when no one was around to do so. She held my hand through times when I had self-doubt. She made time for me despite her busy schedule. I would not be where I am today without Cori.”
In addition to the Career Impact Award, Cori was also honored with the PRIDE Resource Center's Morris Price Jr. Outstanding Alumni Award, recognizing her work representing and advocating for the LGBTQIA community. Congrats, Cori!
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FIIE Team Wins Poster Award
Dr. Shannon Archibeque-Engle, Assistant Vice President for Diversity, was awarded a CHHS poster award, along with her colleagues Louise Jennings (Professor, College of Health and Human Sciences and RISE Center Co-Director), Katie Hartmann (Coordinator of Undergraduate Programs, College of Agricultural Sciences and VPD Intern), and Rachel McKinney (former VPD Program Coordinator). The team won the Diversity and Social Justice category award for their work on “Institutional Impacts of the Faculty Institute for Inclusive Excellence.”
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CSU Summer Session is more affordable and flexible for students
Three of five undergraduate students participate in summer session during their CSU journey and experience academic, financial, and time saving benefits. Institutional data indicates positive associations with summer enrollment and student success for all students, and higher retention of first-generation students. Just as in spring and fall, the summer curriculum includes a variety of courses to help expand students’ cultural competency and improve the campus climate of inclusion. A sampling of summer course offerings can be found on the Featured Courses page.
It is a great time for students to participate in summer session. Expanded need-based grants contributed to a nearly 25% increase in students from low-, limited-, and middle- income families in summer 2020. The CSU Tuition Assistance (limited funds available) and Federal Pell grants are available again for summer 2021. A 30% reduction on non-resident undergraduate summer base tuition on all credits and instructional methods extends summer affordability for main campus students.
Accelerated Programs offer a new, flexible degree option allowing students to graduate in 3-3½ years by incorporating summer courses into their academic plan. Summer 2021 students are supported with extended S/U grading and withdrawal deadlines. Students can explore summer options for prorated on-campus housing, off-campus options, student employment and learning resources at summer.colostate.edu.
CSU Summer opportunities for faculty, staff, and dependents
CSU Summer provides education and enrichment for CSU employees, youth, and community members, too. Faculty and staff may use their employee study privilege and tuition scholarship for spouses, domestic partners, and dependent children year-round. Register for face-to-face, hybrid, and online summer courses through RAMweb. CSU Online offers an additional option for those taking only CSU Online courses.
Summer K-12 programs include credit-bearing, sport, and academic programs offered by many CSU departments and organizations in person or virtually. The Black Issues Forum, Native Education Forum, and Lorenzo de Zavala Youth Legislative Session provide unique leadership opportunities for high school students and those entering CSU in Fall 2021. Commitment to Campus offers a discount for children of CSU employees for the Youth Sport Camps. Academic categories include animals and environment, arts and human sciences, industry and leadership, interdisciplinary programs, and STEM.
Please contact Anne Van Arsdall or Ellen Audley in the CSU Summer Office with questions regarding any of these opportunities at CSUSummer@colostate.edu.
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Do you serve on a DEI committee?
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DEI Forums are open to all CSU employees (faculty and staff) who serve on a diversity, equity, and inclusion committee at any level of the university. These virtual meetings are held 1-2 times each semester by the Equity and Inclusion Network to align DEI committee efforts across the university and the next meeting is coming up on April 20th!
Visit the DEI Forum webpage to register for the list serv to receive information about the next meeting and stay in-the-loop on updates.
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Research and Assessment Dialogues Spring 2021
Hosted by the Division of Student Affairs
Mark your calendars for the final research and assessment presentation. All are welcome.
May 5 “Relationships between working-class, first-generation college students and their parent(s)/guardian(s): A phenomenological study on the impacts of middle-class socialization”
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You can also find a variety of books on diversity, ethnicity, culture, feminism, LGBTQ+, privilege, and more at the CSU Bookstore.
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Thank you for staying engaged and making it to the end of another very full issue of the Diversity Newsletter! We appreciate your support.
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Office of the Vice President for Diversity
Colorado State University
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