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Framework For System Wide Diversity and Inclusion Initiatives

In support of the Board of Trustees’ strong belief that every Southern Illinois University campus and location reflect a culture which values diversity and inclusivity in all its forms, the Board of Trustees is committed to putting in place a series of system wide initiatives. The intent of these initiatives is neither to simply “check a box” on the issue of diversity in higher education, nor to replace comprehensive diversity plans developed at the campus level--but instead to advance a set of tangible and achievable outcomes to ensure awareness-building and cultural competency for the deep organizational change which must take place across the SIU System.

• Framework For System Wide Diversity and Inclusion Initiatives [pdf]
• SIU System Strategic Plan 2021-2026 [pdf]

Awareness-Building Activities

• Establish a signature Trustees’ lecture focusing exclusively on diversity and inclusion to be rotated among the three campuses on an annual basis
• Establish a system wide diversity or inclusivity excellence award (individual or organizational) to highlight a model of excellence created within an academic or academic support unit
• Create a prominent link to the SIU System webpage to spotlight diversity efforts across all campuses and locations

Student-Focused Initiatives

• Partner with social service agencies, schools, community development groups, and similar organizations (e.g., El Valor, Chicago; Community Builders Network, St. Louis) to support opportunities and events for students around issues of diversity and inclusion
• Sponsor an annual system wide student conference/summit on race, diversity, and inclusion—building on the success of ²ÝÝ®¶ÌÊÓƵapp’s Black Lives Matter conference

Human Resources/Personnel Development

• Following a thorough review in light of recent legal decisions, expand resource support for campus-based strategic hiring programs with the goal of increasing diversity in tenure-track faculty and professional staff hires
• Provide resource support to bolster campus initiatives to host networking, meetings, professional development, mentoring, and related events for faculty and staff—and consider at least one similar event held at the system level
• Provide for a dedicated “chief diversity officer” position at the three campuses that is consistent in overall practice and scope with respect to titles, tasks, duties, initiatives, and placement on each campus’s organizational chart, but without the added responsibilities for administrative management of equal opportunity and Title IX functions
• Develop a resource or provider pool for utilization system wide to provide cultural competency training applicable to all organizational units or groups, incorporating customized professional development sessions, workshops, coaching, and other programs

Organizational Development

• Establish a system wide President’s Advisory Council comprised of the three SIU CDOs as well as representatives from impacted campus constituencies that would meet quarterly and provide advice and counsel on issues of diversity and inclusion (which group would also meet with the BOT on an annual basis)
• Build-out the ²ÝÝ®¶ÌÊÓƵapp Diversity and Inclusion Online Learning Community to provide a system wide clearinghouse for diversity resources and tools
• Undertake a metric and benchmarking process on a system wide basis to better evaluate ongoing progress toward diversity and inclusion indicators utilizing a scorecard, dashboard, or some other measure