Pennsylvania State University
PA-5: Diversity and Equity Coordination

President Neeli Bendapudi established a vision for Penn State to be a unique source of education, success, and lifelong opportunity for students from all walks of life. One of the five goals and priorities over the next five years is to "Foster Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging" (DEIB). Penn State is committed to advancing DEIB so that faculty, staff, and students can fully realize their potential in an environment of inclusive excellence.

In November 2022, President Bendapudi shared DEIB goals, which include increasing recruitment of underrepresented students, faculty, and staff; closing gaps in graduation rates across backgrounds and identities; diversifying Penn State’s faculty across all ranks and tracks; creating robust communities of support for faculty, staff, and students of all backgrounds; and, creating equitable professional development and advancement opportunities for staff at all levels.

https://www.psu.edu/president/presidential-vision-and-goals/

Penn State has a number of offices, commissions, and committees that support and enhance DEIB priorities and activities on campus:

The Office of the Vice Provost for Educational Equity (OVPEE) is charged with creating a climate of diversity, equity, and inclusion throughout the University’s faculty, staff, leadership, and student body. This mission encompasses leadership for University-wide strategic planning for diversity and inclusion, student academic success services and Federal TRIO Programs for underrepresented students, and support of educational access for targeted groups of low-income, potential first-generation college students at Penn State and at sites throughout the state (http://equity.psu.edu/).
*In fall 2021, a new fellowship in the OVPEE was announced as a way to help faculty members develop as leaders in diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) while creating opportunities to make a positive impact at Penn State.
*The 2021 Colloquium on the Environment, which was co-sponsored by the Institute on Energy and the Environment, Penn State Sustainability (formerly the Sustainability Institute), the Office of Human Resources, Office of Educational Equity, and the Office of Diversity and Inclusion, featured 'father of environmental justice' Dr. Robert Bullard to learn more about his work in the environmental justice movement and activities that may affect the environment and human health.

The Affirmative Action Office is a service organization that supports and enhances the University's commitment to diversity, providing expert advice and leadership to colleges, departments, faculty and staff in their efforts to recruit and retain a diverse workforce and ensure an environment free from discrimination and harassment. https://affirmativeaction.psu.edu/

The Office of Graduate Educational Equity Programs leads the Graduate School's efforts to foster diversity and to provide a welcoming climate for both prospective and current graduate students of underrepresented groups. The office designs and implements mentoring programs; recruitment programs; professional development and retention programs; and conferences, seminars, workshops, and lectures. https://gradschool.psu.edu/diversity/

The Office of Educational Equity supports the following key commissions/committees:

- The President's Commissions for Equity, which include the Commission on Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, and Queer Equity (CLGBTQE); the Commission on Racial/Ethnic Diversity (CORED); and the Commission for Women (CFW), are advisory groups to the President of Penn State.
-- The CLGBTQE released a reflection on Current Campus Climate and Recommendations for Practice on 10.29.2021 (http://equity.psu.edu/pce/clgbtqe-statement) and prepared Updates and Recommendations based upon the Community Survey and Ongoing initiatives (http://equity.psu.edu/pce/clgbtqe-report-10-08-2021).

The Disability Access Initiative is a working group that engages issues particular to access and inclusion for people with (dis)abilities. These groups are charged with providing to the President recommendations on issues relevant to their constituencies.

- The Equal Opportunity Planning Committee (EOPC) promotes greater equity for historically underrepresented groups within the University and/or those groups that have been historical targets of discrimination. The EOPC oversees the allocation of institutional funding to Penn State units for developing and implementing programs and activities intended to advance the diversity mission of the University. http://www.equity.psu.edu/eopc/

- The University Equity Leadership Council is convened by the Vice Provost for Educational Equity and consisting of the multicultural officer from each college as well as representatives from, Graduate Educational Equity, the Schreyer’s Honors College, recruitment centers, Student Affairs, and Penn State Campuses and Colleges at University Park.

The Campus Environment Team is comprised of high-ranking staff representing various offices including Educational Equity, University Strategic Communications, Affirmative Action, Student Affairs, University Police, Undergraduate Education and Human Resources that works to address diversity issues, acts of intolerance, and related issues.

The Council of College Multicultural Leadership (CCML) is comprised of the Multicultural Directors/Deans of the eleven academic colleges and the Senior Director of the Office of Graduate Educational Equity Programs, at University Park. These individuals are primarily responsible for leading the efforts to recruit and retain a diverse student body within the colleges and the Graduate School.

In addition to the groups listed above, the University Faculty Senate Standing Committee on Educational Equity and Campus Environment, in conjunction with other Senate Committees and other bodies outside of the University Faculty Senate, recommends policy and advises the University on activities to improve the campus environment and educational equity across the entire University at all of its campuses.
*In Spring 2023, the Senate Committee on Educational Equity and Campus Environment Recommendations were accepted. These are:
1. Collaborate with Indigenous Faculty and Staff Alliance (IFSA), the Indigenous Peoples Student Association (IPSA), and the Office of Educational Equity to create a special joint task force to implement a truth and reconciliation process regarding Penn State’s original federal endowment under the Morrill Act.
2. As part of this process, identify specific supports for indigenous issues including:
a. support for an Indigenous liaison at the level of senior administration.
b. engage community dialog on decolonized spaces and initiatives for Indigenous studies,
c. recruitment and support for Indigenous students and faculty,
d. acknowledgment and support for Indigenous Peoples Day events,
e. promotion and use of the Acknowledgment of Land and Morrill Act data used in this report to fulfill Penn State’s land-grant mission.

There are several administrative units that support positions within their offices to provide leadership and strategic direction on a wide range of diversity and inclusion initiatives. These units include, for example, the Division of Development and Alumni Relations, the Office of Human Resources, Outreach and Online Education, University Police and Public Safety, and Finance and Business.

While a committee, office and officer are in place at Penn State, along with the myriad of resources and activities listed here, the report "A Foundation for a More Equitable University: Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging (DEIB) — Strengths, Gaps, and Recommendations for Penn State" released by the Special Adviser for Institutional Equity in April 2023 outlines the multitude of actions taken by units, colleges, and campuses for students, faculty, staff, alumni, and the broader Pennsylvania community. More importantly, it identifies the opportunities to improve DEIB across campus.
https://www.dept.psu.edu/ur/newsdocuments/DEIB_executive_summary_April2023.pdf

At University Park, all students attend a session on diversity and inclusion during New Student Orientation. In that session, diversity staff discuss appreciating difference, highlight campus resources, and ask students to share how they will contribute to the diversity of the campus.

At New Faculty Orientation, held annually in the fall, information about diversity, diversity strategic planning, and resources for diversity is shared and discussed.

Information on diversity resources is provided during New Staff Orientation. Some staff take diversity training through programs offered through the Affirmative Action Office and the Office of Human Resources Talent Management.

In Fall 2022, all Penn State employees were encouraged to participate in building a culture of inclusion by participating in University-wide diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging (DEIB) education initiative, BUILD @ Penn State (https://www.psu.edu/news/administration/story/new-build-penn-state-diversity-education-program-now-available/). An online learning program, BUILD (Broadening Understanding and Inclusion though Learning and Dialogue), is now assigned to the learning transcript of every new hire. The BUILD Leader Track is assigned to every individual that moves into a manager role. All staff have completed BUILD and 46% have completed some other online DEIB learning.

The Affirmative Action Office's Diversity Education Services develops and delivers a wide range of educational programming for faculty and staff, designed to promote understanding and support for diversity throughout the University. This office offers over 12 standing diversity trainings available to Penn State departments, teams, and groups upon request at no cost. Examples include:
• Achieving Cultural Agility & Intercultural Competence
• Reducing Workplace Conflict: Promoting a Climate of Respect and Inclusion
• The Relation Between Power and Stereotyping within STEM
The full list can be found at https://affirmativeaction.psu.edu/welcome/diversity-education/.

The Talent Management division of the Office of Human Resources offers a variety of online training, including diversity training: http://ohr.psu.edu/learning/upcoming-programs

The Schreyer Institute for Teaching Excellence designs and delivers customized workshops on a variety of teaching and learning topics including, creating inclusive courses, Universal Design for Learning (UDL); and provides resources for DEI-focused topics. http://www.schreyerinstitute.psu.edu/