| Overall Rating | Gold |
|---|---|
| Overall Score | 73.33 |
| Liaison | Maria Dahmus |
| Submission Date | Nov. 30, 2023 |
University of St. Thomas
PA-6: Assessing Diversity and Equity
| Status | Score | Responsible Party |
|---|---|---|
|
0.88 / 1.00 |
Kha
Yang Associate Vice President for Inclusive Excellence Office for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion |
Has the institution engaged in a structured assessment process during the previous three years to improve diversity, equity and inclusion on campus?:
A brief description of the assessment process and the framework, scorecard(s) and/or tool(s) used:
In 2019, the institution worked with the Higher Education Data Sharing Consortium (HEDS) to launch a Diversity and Equity Campus Climate Survey with students, faculty and staff. The purpose is to understand the extent to which the campus climate supports diversity and equity, and to inform and improve support, policies, and practices related to diversity and equity, including those to prevent or respond to discrimination and harassment. Working with HEDS allows the institution to benchmark itself against other institutions around the US.
The most recent Campus Climate Survey was administered November 3, 2022 - December 22, 2022, with an extension during the first two weeks in February to allow more time to take the survey due to the busy holiday season. All students, faculty, staff and administrators were invited to participate. The survey measured sense of belonging, experiences, perceptions, and behaviors related to the campus climate at St. Thomas.
Does the assessment process address campus climate by engaging stakeholders to assess the attitudes, perceptions and behaviors of employees and students, including the experiences of underrepresented groups?:
Does the assessment process address student outcomes related to diversity, equity and success?:
Does the assessment process address employee outcomes related to diversity and equity?:
A brief description of the most recent assessment findings and how the results are used in shaping policy, programs, and initiatives:
The average score for overall campus climate for diversity and inclusion was 3.68/5.00 (5.00 reflects the most favorable). Satisfaction with overall campus climate has improved since 2020. Employees of every category report increased satisfaction of overall campus climate. Undergraduate and graduate students report decreased dissatisfaction of overall campus climate. Continued effort must be made to address concerns of BIPOC employees and students. There are high levels of satisfaction with sense of belonging for employees and students. Faculty and students who identify as BIPOC are two times as likely to be dissatisfied with sense of belonging on campus. The results have informed academic and administrative departments to inform DEI plans and engagement.
Are the results of the most recent structured diversity and equity assessment shared with the campus community?:
A brief description of how the assessment results are shared with the campus community:
The results of the Diversity and Equity Campus Climate Survey are shared in campus-wide presentations by the Office for Diversity, Equity and Inclusion.
Are the results (or a summary of the results) of the most recent structured diversity and equity assessment publicly posted?:
The diversity and equity assessment report or summary (upload):
Website URL where the diversity and equity assessment report or summary is publicly posted:
Website URL where information about the institution’s diversity and equity assessment efforts is available:
Additional documentation to support the submission:
Data source(s) and notes about the submission:
The information presented here is self-reported. While AASHE staff review portions of all STARS reports and institutions are welcome to seek additional forms of review, the data in STARS reports are not verified by AASHE. If you believe any of this information is erroneous or inconsistent with credit criteria, please review the process for inquiring about the information reported by an institution or simply email your inquiry to stars@aashe.org.