University at Buffalo
PA-5: Assessing Diversity and Equity

The University’s Office of Institutional Analysis currently (as of 2015) conducts regular surveys on campus climate issues such as the Student Opinion Survey (a satisfaction instrument), National Survey of Student Engagement (NSSE), and Senior Exit Survey and provides comparisons by gender and race/ethnicity for regular review by Academic Affairs and Enrollment Management leadership. The surveys suggest that underrepresented minorities are as engaged in campus culture and programming as non-minorities and that the perception of campus diversity and equity has increased significantly in recent years, though some disconnect remains in perceptions of equity between minority and non-minority students.

Perceived opportunity deficits are being addressed through several new learning communities and equal opportunity programs that address individual risks, financial needs, and educational aspirations. In addition, the University has implemented for all students a new General Education curriculum that prioritizes American Pluralism coursework, domestic and global diversity components, and an integrative component that typically touches on diversity issues. It is hoped that this curriculum will further bolster what is perceived as a strong climate of diversity.

The University also administers an entering student survey tailored to our large international student population and identified concerns among these students about communicating in English and adjusting to American educational and social customs. The Office of International Student Services has responded by establishing a mentorship program that pairs each new international student with local faculty and staff to help negotiate the new institutional and cultural landscape and direct mentees to appropriate resources.

The University currently (as of 2015) captures student diversity trends through standard enrollment reporting, exchange of enrollment data with other American Association of Universities (AAU) research institutions, and IPEDS comparisons against other New York State institutions. These trends shows that the University has been among the top institutions nationally in enrolling international students for over 10 years. Our proportion of underrepresented minorities is large relative to other New York institutions and comparable to that of other AAU publics and both the NSSE and Senior Exit Survey have suggested increasing meaningful student engagement with diverse others. The percentage among new freshmen has not grown in recent years, though, and in the interest in growing diversity the Offices of Enrollment Management and Admissions have reprioritized recruitment of qualified minority applicants. By querying the National Student Clearinghouse database, we are able to review alternate destinations for underrepresented minorities who enroll elsewhere and revise recruitment strategies accordingly.

Annual retention reports and analyses indicate somewhat lower retention and graduation rates for underrepresented minorities and economically or educationally disadvantaged students. These figures are provided in support of continued funding for learning communities and equal opportunity programs. We also support these funding efforts with data from our standard climate surveys that identify specific challenges for economically or educationally disadvantaged students – particularly competing demands such as a need to work substantial hours off campus and household duties. These issues are now addressed by the new Student Success Advisory Committee and subcommittee evaluations of programming aimed at the specific concerns of students in various stages of their undergraduate careers, of international students, and of students deemed at risk based on demographic or background factors.

The University’s exchange of employee diversity data with AAU peers (current as of 2015) shows that we are similar to these peers in the representation of women on faculty but low in the proportion of underrepresented minority faculty. Under the auspices of the newly hired Vice Provost for Equity and Inclusion, recruitment of qualified minority faculty has been made a priority. Federal IPEDS data show greater equity numbers wise on the staff side, but female and minority representation differs by appointment type. The Professional Staff Senate’s Diversity Committee provides a forum to negotiate concerns of staff equity, and the Minority Faculty/Staff Association reports annually to leadership on the needs of its membership.

The University administered the Collaborative on Academic Careers in Higher Education (COACHE) survey in 2012 to tenure track faculty to assess satisfaction with their work, with campus culture and climate, and with tenure practices. Its top-quartile rank on several work/home balance items and improving ratings on stop-the-clock policies suggest recent attention to the specific needs of female tenure track faculty, though men were more likely than women to be satisfied with tenure policies and research resources. White and minority faculty did not differ on key climate indicators. However, faculty rated“fit” low relative to peers at other institutions. In response, the Provost’s office endorsed an in-depth study of gender and racial/ethnic equity that focused on progress to tenure. The Office of Faculty Affairs and Deans in the academic units are tracking differential progress to tenure by gender and race/ethnicity, and Faculty Affairs has also established a faculty exit survey to evaluate whether climate contributes to faculty leaving.

In addition, the Office of Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion currently (as of 2015) conducts an annual study of salary equity among female and minority faculty and staff for purposes of federal compliance. None of these studies have indicated systemic salary inequities after accounting for discrepancies based on position, time in position, FTE, and discipline (for faculty).

The Vice Provost for Equity and Inclusion has begun to track diversity data on the representation of women and minorities among University leadership, including those in Dean’s offices in the academic units, on an annual basis (ongoing). In addition, the salary equity studies conducted by Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion extend to senior leadership. Within that category of employee, no systematic salary inequities have been found when controlling for position, time in position, FTE, and educational attainment.

The Community Engagement Task Force established by the Provost (ongoing) has taken a more qualitative approach to assessing whether community-based initiatives address issues of diversity within the community. The Task Force has identified programs that provide insight into poverty and homelessness as well as training opportunities in literacy, leadership, and STEM disciplines. It is developing recommendations on areas not adequately addressed by existing programs. Meanwhile, the University’s Equal Opportunity Center continues to provide similar training opportunities and a bridge to higher education for those in the community that have been identified as educationally or economically disadvantaged according to federal guidelines.