Initiatives for Diversity, Inclusion, and Cultural Humility at Baylor University Progress Report – 2016-2017

May 19, 2017

  • Spring 2016
    • Created President's Advisory Council on Diversity (PACD)
    • Appointed Dr. Elizabeth D. Palacios, Special Assistant to the President on Diversity
  • Summer 2016
  • Fall 2016
    • Integrated affinity group Freshman orientations during Welcome Week for each community: Black Student Union, Latinx Coalition, and Asian Coalition
    • Relocated Multicultural Affairs Department offices to first floor of the Bill Daniel Student Union Building which provided more space for student interaction and higher visibility
    • Established HBCU/PWI Domestic Exchange Program with Xavier University; Currently working on an exchange program with an Hispanic Serving Institution (HSI)
    • Diversified speakers, artists, concerts, and other programming on campus
    • Hosted dialogue and forum experiences- This Matters, Intergroup Dialogue, Public Deliberation Initiatives, Cross Cultural Ministry Dinners, Better Together, BU Borderlands,
    • Implemented Student Life Division-wide cultural humility training
    • Hosted the National Hispanic Education Summit- National Hispanic Christian Leadership Conference
    • Increased Faculty of Color candidate pool by increasing number of faculty candidate interviews; creating search committee funds, and search committee "toolkit"
    • Launched "opportunity hires" program to departments
    • Created a pilot "grow your own" program for students pursuing their doctorate and committed to returning to Baylor to teach for a year
    • Revised and launched online REPORT IT! System
    • Incorporated Bias-Motivated Incident Support Team (BMIST) into University reporting system for data collection and added BMIST Chair to PACD
  • Spring 2017
    • Completed fielding phase of campus-wide Climate Survey (Academic and Work Environment Survey)
    • Submitted the Ronald E. McNair Post-Baccalaureate Achievement Grant Application
    • Launched Diversity 101 for all staff and faculty members; Diversity and Inclusion incorporated into new employee orientation, dean and department chair training, student leader training
    • Established Faculty of Color Alliance
    • Joined American Talent Initiative, an alliance of the nation's top universities focused on increasing enrollment and education of high-achieving, low- and moderate-income students