University of Vermont
PA-5: Assessing Diversity and Equity

The President's Commission for Inclusive Excellence (PCIE) was formed to better support and sustain strategic diversity engagement at the University of Vermont. The name Inclusive Excellence comes from the Association of American Colleges and Universities, which explored how institutions of higher education could infuse the goal of a more diverse and inclusive campus into their work to achieve excellence in the academic and community experiences within higher education (Williams, Berger, & McClendon, 2005).

Two workgroups were appointed by the (PCIE) to explore current or emerging institutional diversity issues determined by the PCIE. These workgroups will gather information, and help define the questions that need to be answered and issues to be addressed. They created a report called “Inclusive Excellence at the University of Vermont: A Framework for Building a More Diverse, Inclusive, and Multiculturally Competent Campus 2016-2012.

Institutional Assessment for Inclusive Excellence Workgroup:
Support the President’s Commission for Inclusive Excellence‘s work pertaining to the development and coordination of assessment related to inclusive excellence.
—Identify assessment/data needs for UVM and best practices related to inclusive excellence.
Institutional Outreach for Inclusive Excellence Workgroup:
Support the President’s Commission for Inclusive Excellence in communicating the work of the Commission with the broader UVM community.
—Utilize innovative and timely communications mechanisms to publicize UVM’s work and accomplishments regarding inclusive excellence.
—Coordinate community forums regarding UVM’s inclusive excellence work and goals.

“A Framework for Building a More Diverse, Inclusive, and Multiculturally Competent Campus” is the product of intense dialogue, inquiry, campus feedback, and deliberation among many individuals within the UVM community. The University of Vermont has many unique organizational subcultures within our community.

The four pillars (i.e., academics, community, environment, and operations) in “The Framework” emerged from scholarly research on multicultural change in higher education organizations, assessment processes conducted by the University of Vermont, and consultation with campus colleagues who have deep knowledge of diversity and multicultural organizational development. Finally, these pillars, as well as the components and strategic priorities were vetted broadly with members of the UVM community through multiple means, including a series of formal community forums. Feedback and data were gathered at these forums and used to refine “The Framework” and to structure the implementation process. As such, “The Framework” was designed to align with UVM’s Strategic Action Plan and academic excellence goals, and outlines a framework to support strategic diversity planning among all levels, divisions, colleges, and constituent groups.

In addition to being informed by practices, culture, and structures at the University of Vermont, this framework was informed by elements from the “Diversity Scorecard” in Toward a Model of Inclusive Excellence and Change in Postsecondary Institutions (AAC&U, 2005) and the Self-Assessment Rubric for Institutionalization of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion in Higher Education from the New England Resource Center for Higher Education (2013).

The assessment confirmed that we have evolving demographics along many dimensions of diversity (e.g., race, ethnicity, gender identity and expression, sexual orientation, veteran’s status, nationality, socio-economic status, cultural and/or geographic background, religious belief, age, disability, among other identities). The assessment identified a need for...
the various segments of UVM (e.g., academic, administrative, and student services) to actively work together to be successful in becoming an institution of inclusive excellence.
accountability at all levels, including administrative units, academic departments, student support units, as well as individual faculty, staff, students and administrators.
periodic review and updates based on clearly defined outcome measures, utilizing a number of monitoring systems (e.g., climate surveys, institutional data, President’s Commission for Inclusive Excellence, studies, and reports).

This Framework for Inclusive Excellence at the University of Vermont is intended to provide areas of focus to aid colleges, schools, divisions, departments, units, centers, and programs in thinking about and developing action plans to help build and support a more diverse and inclusive campus. The four pillared plan focuses on the areas of academics, community, environment and operations. A booklet reviewing The Framework can be found here: http://www.uvm.edu/president/pcie/IE%20Framework%20Booklet%20Final%204%205%2016%20.pdf

On April 6, 2016, the President of the University of Vermont sent out a communication to the entire UVM community: http://www.uvm.edu/~presdent/pcie/IE%20Memo%20to%20Campus%204.6b.16.pdf
On April 18, 20, and 22 of 2016, the President’s Commission on Inclusive Excellence hosted three community forums. The data/information gathered at the forums was used to inform the implementation of The Framework for Inclusive Excellence, which is a framework that looks comprehensively at inclusive excellence at UVM in academics, community (which includes climate), environment (physical, technological, cognitive), and operations. The implementation planning has been occurring throughout the fall 2016 semester and will be launched in January 2017. Here is a link to a summary of those forums: http://www.uvm.edu/~presdent/pcie/?Page=communityforum.html