What is diversity in DEM: Diversity is the combination of all our different identity markers as individuals, our division, our campus and our community. These markers include: race, gender/ gender identity, sexual orientation, age, ability status, socio-economic status, geographic location/origination, religious affiliation, political leanings, education background, job status, etc.
What is equity in DEM: Equity is the desire to breakdown historical, systemic and hierarchal barriers that have limited the ability for certain populations and groups to fully participate in the higher education system as students, employees and administrators. Once the barriers have been broken DEM seeks to achieve full equity by replacing them with systems and services that educate, empower and elevate those from historically marginalized populations to ensure they have every opportunity that is afforded to those who have benefited from the past status quo.
What is inclusion in DEM: Inclusion is the intentional invitation to ensure that all employees, faculty, staff and students have place and space within the division. The invitation allows all to contribute their voice and talents to maximize the division’s ability to serve the university community. Inclusion in DEM means that leadership provides staff the ability to bring their full selves to work and contribute their full talents in a way that inspires creativity and innovation.
As we evolve as an institution, DEM continuously seeks to move beyond diversity, equity, and inclusion for the workforce and student populations they serve. Our goal is to create a culture that also promotes equal access and belonging. We want our staff and all individuals/entities we serve to know that DEM is a division that promotes equal access and it is where they belong regardless of their background and past experiences.
The Division of Enrollment Management understands the diversity, equity, and inclusion may be grounded in our numerical key performance indicators, but is also provides avenues for creating innovation and for employee satisfaction. The more DEM is able to create a strong DEI culture that includes equal access and belonging, the more DEM will be able to become a leader in enrollment management both on campus and nationally.
Diversity indicator I: Institutional viability and vitality
Goal: Proactively integrate diversity and inclusivity principles into the division’s culture, practices and training related to the student enrollment lifecycle, the staff employment lifecycle and campus/community relationships.
Strategies:
- Assist in the creation of strategic enrollment plans (SEP) for school and other enrollment stakeholder's delegation teams that align to the overall campus plan, including recruitment and yield strategies that elevate our pursuit of access and equity among minoritized (i.e. African-American, Latinx, Native American, Asian, and LGBTQ) populations leading to their increased enrollment.
Timeline: August 1, 2021 – June 1, 2026
- Review DEM hiring, onboarding and training practices to acclimate staff to our culture and expectation of diversity, equity, inclusion, innovation, and entrepreneurial mindsets.
Timeline: October 15, 2021 – May 15, 2022
- Coordinate, when possible, pipeline and community outreach efforts within our campus communities, particularly with those whose services focus on marginalized populations, with key stakeholders, such as, the Office of Community Engagement (OCE) and academic schools.
Timeline: July 15, 2021 – July 15, 2026
Metrics:
- Track and highlight initiatives and efforts that DEM supports to assist units realize their own DEI plans.
- Develop post-onboarding survey to be provided to new employees 6 months after hire date and use results to adjust and improve onboarding strategies.
- Track campus pipeline programs through Info Ready Engagement Hub and share inventory with key stakeholders across campus.
Diversity indicator II: Education and scholarship
Goal: Collaborate within Academic Affairs to define how to quantify the presence of diversity-related issues, content and requirements, as well as, measure the extent that courses include diversity issues to create an inventory of courses and programs with these characteristics to determine and meet the demand for these courses. This may have positive future implications on faculty P&T and student, course, and program development.
Strategies:
- Participate on academic program committees (Undergraduate Affairs, Graduate Affairs, etc.) to review potential new degrees and free-standing certificate programs for student demand, potential financial viability, potential conflict with existing programs, and alignment with school and campus strategic plans. Provide relevant feedback on the development of potential new degree programs.
- Share best practices for data collection and benchmarks for programs and courses to establish consistent tracking data points across IN, FW, and CO campuses.
Timeline: July 1, 2021 – June 30, 2026
Metrics:
- ability to tag course and/or programs identified as meeting diversity definitions
- baseline # of courses
- baseline # of programs
- baseline # of students participating in either of the above
Diversity Indicator III: Climate and intergroup relations
Goal: Enhance strategic partnerships across campuses, academic schools, DOSA, DUE, OIA, and DEI to develop strategies that support student recruitment, admission and success, particularly within diverse and marginalized populations.
Strategies:
- Work in coordination with the Beyond Financial Aid Steering Committee (BFA), Student Experience Council (SEC) working group and staff and students from the School of Social Work to enhance education and coordination available to serve special populations, such as students with food and housing insecurities, DACA students, under-served populations, etc. to enhance access and retention. Best practices and lessons-learned will be shared across all campuses of IUPUI.
Timeline: July 15, 2021 – July 15, 2026
- Coordinate professional development training along with the Division of Student Affairs about Cultural Competency, Implicit Bias, and other diversity-based trainings recommended by Spectra Diversity in response to the division-wide diversity awareness employee assessment.
Timeline: August 15, 2021 – May 15, 2023
- Enhance coordination between Admissions Transfer Student Initiatives and the Center for Transfer and Adult Services (CTAS), to continue efforts toward a seamless transfer student experience from initial inquiry, timely course articulation through graduation.
Timeline: August 1, 2021 – May 31, 2026
Metrics:
- Develop publication or seminar that focuses on meeting student needs by sharing the best practices and lessons-learned across all campuses of IUPUI.
- Track number of DEM employees who participate in the various DEI trainings offered.
- Develop best practices guide to IUPUI transfer recruitment.
Diversity indicator IV: Access and success
Goal: Revisit existing/historical policies and practices and align collective resources to remove administrative barriers to student enrollment, persistence and completion and establish consistency across the division and campus that allows us to address systemic barriers for all students’ success and increase opportunities for equitable outcomes.
Strategies:
- Continue to incorporate broad, progressive, innovative management of the admissions funnel from prospect to enrollment by targeting applicants and maximizing matriculation rates.
Timeline: August 1, 2021 – May 31, 2026
- Coordinate the prospective student experience around the affordability conversation through a synergistic partnership between the Office of Admission and Student Financial services, with an emphasis on minimizing handoffs, demystifying the financial aid process, and providing assurances around how affordable (or not) IUPUI will be. Coordinate engagement points with the IUPUI recruitment community.
Timeline: August 1, 2021 – May 31, 2026
- Continue to develop data-driven plans to package financial aid effectively, including institutional aid and scholarships, to enhance the success of all students, particularly those with high levels of unmet need.
Timeline: August 1, 2021 – May 31, 2026
- Explore options related to academic standing (good, probation, dismissal, etc.) to find more efficient way to upload and report across campus. Develop inventory of divergent academic standing policies across campus (focus on probation, dismissal) in an effort to harmonize policies as much as possible.
Timeline: August 1, 2021 – May 31, 2026
Metrics:
- Track each indicator within the admission funnel process and disaggregate data by race, ethnicity, socio-economic background, geographic location, etc. to identify opportunities for recruitment improvement of target populations.
- Track student financial aid unmet need and disaggregate data by race, ethnicity, socio-economic background, geographic location, etc. to identify opportunities for retention improvement of target populations.
- Create inventory of policies; work though each and identify those changed/updated as result of DEI focus.
