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Policy Advocacy Spring 2014 Presented by Students Bridges, Center for Education Policy and Advocacy, Student Government

t Association,& The Student Power Coalition

Diversity vs. Underrepresentation


Diversity and Underrepresentation are terms which are often misconstrued and used interchangeably. While we are by no means downplaying the importance of cultural diversity in higher education, our plan is centered around increasing the number of underrepresented groups i.e. groups who have limited to no access to higher learning institutions as a whole.

Diversity Defined
Ethnic-Cultural-Religious: African, Latino-Hispanic, Asian, Pacific Islander, Middle Eastern, Native American, etc. Social: Students identifying as LGBTQ, First-generation college students Economic: Lower-income families Geographic: International students, Outof-state students

Diversity and the Administration

The Office of Equal Opportunity & Diversity released a 44-page diversity plan in January of 2014

Within the report, the OEOD lists the various diversity initiatives dating back to the creation of the W.E.B. DuBois Department for African-American Studies

Former Chancellor Robert C. Holub arrived on campus in 2008; he made these statements focused on diversity and inclusion at the Faculty Convocation:
With regard to diversity and inclusion...we have done a remarkable job with recent faculty hires, and22% of our incoming class is from minority groups, our undergraduate population is thus approaching in terms of percentages the composition of minorities in the Commonwealth (p.2) Similarly, as the land-grant institution, we must continue our efforts to provide service for the citizens of the Commonwealth. We should pay special attention to the communities in which we reside, and to the region in which we are situated. I am heartened that we already have an entire array of connections with the city of Springfield, and I hope that we can continue to develop initiatives that bring benefit to both the city and the campus. (p.2)

Chancellor Kumble Subbaswamy made these remarks at the 2013 Faculty Convocation:
UMass Amherst has been a wellspring of innovation that has improved the well-being of populations far beyond our campus. From breaking gender, race, and sexual orientation barriers in the academy to delivering solutions to current-day challenges and improving the human condition, we demonstrate the value of engaged scholarship on a daily basis. (p.3) As the University of Massachusetts Amherst commemorates one-hundred fifty yearsthe Commonwealths flagship campus is committed to the original vision of the Morrill Land Grant Act. (p.3)

The Morrill Land Act of 1862

Passed on July 2, 1862, the Morrill Land Act provided each state with 30,000 acres of Federal land for each member in their Congressional delegation. The land was then sold by the states and the proceeds used to fund public colleges that focused on agriculture and the mechanical arts. The Morrill land grants laid the foundation for a national system of state colleges and universities. State colleges brought higher education within the reach of millions of students

The current administration under Chancellor Subbaswamy has taken action in order to create a more diverse campus:
In 2013, Chancellor Subbaswamy appointed Amilcar

Shabazz, professor of Afro-American studies, to serve as his faculty advisor for diversity and excellence. In his role, Shabazz serves as the chancellors representative to all campus groups, committees and councils involved in advancing diversity. In October of 2012, a Joint Task Force on Strategic Oversight (JTFSO) was charged to "make recommendations to the Chancellor with respect to a high-level Strategic Plan" to be submitted to the New England Association of Schools and Colleges (NEASC) as part of the campus's fifth-year interim accreditation report in August 2013.

EOD Vision Statement


Promote a campus that is accepting of all differences Develop a more culturally responsive campus community Improve campus climate Strengthen community connections Increase the recruitment, hiring and retention of a diverse faculty and staff Increase the recruitment, retention and graduation rates of undergraduate and graduate students from diverse backgrounds Strengthen pipeline programs Integrate a curriculum that fosters cultural competencies; Incorporate universal design and universal instructional design concepts Coordinate organizational changes that support diversity goals Increase accountability for the achievement of diversity objectives (p.6)

Black/African American: UMass Amherst: 4%, State: 7.9% Native American/Alaska Native: UMass Amherst: 0%, State: 0.5% Hispanic/Latino: UMass Amherst: 6%, State: 10.1%

Black/African American: UKentucky: 6.8%, State: 8.1% Native American/Alaska Native: UKentucky: 0.2%, State: 0.3 % Hispanic/Latino: UKentucky: 3.0%, State: 3.2%

Our Vision as Students


A redefinition of diversity encapsulating various ethnic- ALANA (African American, Latino-Hispanic, Asian, Pacific Islander, Native American) and socioeconomic students with special attention paid to the citizens of Massachusetts Methods and statistics which accurately report minority presence on campus Enrollment demographics at the University of Massachusetts Amherst which proves our college community serves as adequate representation of the Commonwealth. Significant improvement in recruitment efforts, enrollment and retention for these communities; specifically, an increase of at least 5% of each underrepresented community within the next 3-5 years.

How Do We Achieve Our Goals?


Increased funding for pipeline and retention programs (CMASS, Malcolm X Center, Yuri Kochiyama Center, Stonewall Center, etc.) Communication between RSOs (both cultural and non-cultural) SGA and administration Petition signed by SGA and various RSOs Teach-Ins Student Demonstrations (Sit-in, Rallies, etc.)

Focusing on SMART Goals


Specific Concrete number and time frame Measurable Enrollment demographics will show if we have reached our goal Attainable/Assignable Realistic Time-Related

Questions/Comments/ Concerns?

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