Kansas State University
Equity Assessment Tool Kit
for
Faculty and Unclassified Staff of Color
Many managers in academic institutions have a sincere desire to recruit professionals
from all ethnic, religious and cultural backgrounds; retain the services of
these individuals; and foster the development of their careers. While the
benefits of this kind of leadership are widely understood and appreciated,
these same managers frequently lack the tools to assess their decisions and
actions. For this reason, deans, department heads, and others with supervisory
responsibilities might find useful a set of criteria to evaluate their efforts
and the state of the units they manage. The following self-assessment questions
are intended to be tools in the hands of academic managers who are attempting
to build an inclusive environment within their units.
Recruitment:
- Has a search committee in my unit ever declared or assumed it could find
no qualified applicants of color? (The term “people of color”
will be used throughout to include, African Americans, Asian Americans, Hispanic
Americans, and Native Americans.)
- How does my unit seek out a diverse pool of applicants? (e.g.: On what national
organizations, journals, listservs, and on what campus groups, do we draw?)
- Do we seek more than one candidate who is of an under-represented race or
ethnicity, or do we cease to search when we have identified one applicant of color?
When have we invited colleagues of color to serve on selection committees?
- When I invite faculty and unclassified staff of color to serve on committees, am I at the
same time careful not to overburden them with service assignments?
- How does our percentage of minority hires compare with the availability of
minority Ph.D.’s in the field?
Retention:
- As a benchmark for this unit, what is the percentage of faculty and unclassified
staff who are U.S. citizens of color: African American, American Indian, Asian American,
and Hispanic American?
- As a benchmark, what are the percentages who are international people of
color and what is the country of origin?
- What support do we have in place for new hires in our unit: mentoring, morale
maintenance, leadership training programs, etc.? Are people of color actively engaged in
these programs and do they believe they have benefited from the programs?
- How many faculty and unclassified staff of color has this unit lost in the
last five years? In retrospect, what could have been done to offset this loss?
Salaries:
- Are the salaries of faculty / unclassified staff of color comparable with
their peers of similar credentials?
- In evaluating credentials and experience, does my unit give credit for quality
journal publications, conferences, and service, as well as activities that may be
outside the mainstream or that are controversial?
- Has my unit hired or advanced unclassified staff (including internal promotions)
with less experience over a person of color with more experience? If so, what was the
rationale in doing so, and what is my unit doing to prepare unclassified staff of color in
my unit for promotion and leadership?
Climate:
- Do I know whether or not people of color feel comfortable and at ease in
this unit?
- Have I ever spoken or tolerated another’s speaking pejoratively about
another race or ethnicity? (e.g.: Have I ever tolerated ethnic jokes or complaints
about ethnic holidays, or marveled at unexpected success, even when no one of color was around
to hear?)
- In committee meetings, am I aware of who first offers an opinion or idea
and whether that person is later given credit for that idea? (e.g.: Do I give all people an
opportunity to voice their thoughts and do I send the message, both verbally and nonverbally,
that their thoughts are valued?)
Resources:
- Do both faculty and unclassified staff of color have access to departmental
resources comparable to those of their non-minority peers?
- Are faculty of color encouraged to apply for sabbaticals and funds to attend
conferences at the same rate as other faculty, and are there similar opportunities for unclassified
staff?
- Does the unit provide faculty and unclassified staff of color with professional
development opportunities appropriate to their areas of interest?
Protection:
- Do you know what university procedures are in place for a person of color
to follow when problems with supervisors, colleagues, or other sensitive situations arise?
- How do you keep faculty and staff of color informed about the existence of
these procedures and whom to contact for help?
- Do the faculty and staff of color agree that these are adequate procedures?
Do you know if there is a ”minority advocate” within the university system?)
- How are the rights of faculty and unclassified staff of color in this unit
protected once a concern has been brought to Affirmative Action?
Administration and Leadership Development:
- How many people of color are in leadership positions in this unit? (e.g.:
Deans, department heads, distinguished faculty, directors who control budgets, etc.)
- How do diverse perspectives find inclusion and representation in this unit’s
decision-making processes? Are people of color directly involved?
- What processes are in place, beyond tenure and promotion, to provide opportunities
for people to advance in or beyond the unit? Are people of color encouraged to participate
in these processes?
Follow-Up Discussion Questions
- Campus and community climate are primary concerns for colleagues of color
who may consider coming to K-State. They may question the inclusiveness of the community, the
school system, and the campus. How do you as an individual, and how does the unit,
create a welcoming and inclusive environment?
- How could the learning environment of your unit be challenged, enriched and
expanded by a diversity of ideas and perspectives? Does your management style encourage
contributions to such an environment by all members of your unit including people of color?
- If the assessment of your unit falls short of your desired outcome for diversity
initiatives, who will you contact for help in this area? What are your desired goals and the timeline
for achievement of these goals?