BFSA Actions Beyond Words

Demographic Information

RAW DATA 

Code: Green

Point Persons: 

• (faculty/student) Emelyn dela Peña, VP for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion
• (staff) Rebecca Chandler, VP for Human Resources
• (admissions) Maureen Weatherall, Vice Provost for Enrollment Management

 Timeline:

• A report based on available information for all data-related demands (e.g., demographics, furloughs) will be provided to BFSA before Thanksgiving.
• Note:  Much of this data is already available through OIA’s Equity Scorecards.

Comments:

• LMU has provided faculty and student data disaggregated by race/ethnicity and gender for LMU overall, as well as by school/college (including LMU Loyola Law School) as part of the 2020-21 Equity Scorecard.   
• LMU has provided a staff equity scorecard disaggregated by race/ethnicity and gender for LMU overall, and by four broad Cabinet-level areas :  President, Provost, Administration, and LMU Loyola Law School.   
• Staff data is reported by type of position, rather than by department and/or supervisor, due to two factors:  (1) sample sizes of 5 or fewer individuals are not reported to protect individual identities, and (2) data are not available by department nor would be appropriate to report by individual supervisors.   
• The university will develop a disaggregated data dashboard that will be accessible by the university community (point person: Jennifer Belichesky-Larson, Assistant Vice Provost for Strategic Initiatives).

Sept 4 Reference:

• Creation of a DEI Data Working Group to provide university leadership with recommendations for the identification, collection, sharing, and dissemination of disaggregated data. This working group will be led by Assistant Vice Provost Jennifer Belichesky-Larson, with recommendations to be provided by February 2021.
• Following the DEI Data Working Group recommendations, a Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) dashboard will be developed to facilitate sharing of DEI information and promote equity-oriented decision-making at LMU.

UPDATE 11/23/20: All data from #1-4 and #8 have been compiled into a report which is available online.  Data related to #5-6 will be made available once the DEI Data Working Group has completed their work. Due to the sensitive nature of #7 scholarship data, particularly given small sample sizes in several areas, BFSA leadership will be verbally briefed on this area.   

The DEI Data Working Group, under the leadership of Assistant Vice Provost Jennifer Belichesky-Larson, has been constituted (scroll to “DEI Committees Across Sectors” for list of members), identified their goals and outcomes, and has initiated their work, meeting on a weekly basis.

UPDATE 3/29/21: Recommendations from the DEI Data Working group (see above) are anticipated at the end of the semester.  This group is using BFSA data demands to help guide their analyses and recommendations. 

UPDATE December 2021: DEI work group recommendations were received in May 2021 and resources committed to develop the DEI disaggregated dashboard in Fall 2021.  The DEI work group recommendations will be used as a guide for the implementation of the dashboards, under the continued leadership of AP Jennifer Belichesky-Larson.   

Summer 2020 Furlough Information

Code:  Green

Point persons: Rebecca Chandler, VP for Human Resources
Timeline:  Completed
Comments:  Furlough information is reported through data provided by Human Resources and is available on the OIA website as a Staff Equity Scorecard: Reduced Hours/Furloughs/Layoffs/Separations Report, January-October 2020.

Salary Information

Code:  Yellow

Point Person: Rebecca Chandler, VP for Human Resources
Timeline:  Post-pandemic:  2021-22 for Faculty Salary Equity Study; 2022-23 for Staff Salary Equity Study
Comments:  

• A faculty equity study will be completed in Fall 2021.   A staff equity study will be completed in Fall 2022.  The cost of these studies and current pandemic-related workload issues precludes these studies to be completed earlier 

Sept 4 Reference: The university will undertake salary equity studies for faculty (2021-22) and staff (2022-23) over the next couple of years.

UPDATE 11/23/20:  No further action at this time, given time frame of salary equity studies.

UPDATE December 2021:  A faculty salary equity study has been initiated by Human Resources and will be completed in April 2022. 

UPDATE August 2022: A staff equity study will be completed in Fall 2022.

UPDATE April 2023: Faculty Salary Study completed and used to inform 2022-2023 faculty merit awards. Typically, conducted every other year so 2024 would be the next Study. Staff Salary Study completed and used to inform Oct. 2022 AMI awards. Tenure Line Faculty Equity Study completed pending communication. In most instances the “n” remains too small to provide this data at this time.  R&T data is managed by the Provost Office (who promotes or not and who is successful in achieving tenure).

1. Support and properly fund (immediately) contemporary and forthcoming demands of BFSA. 

General Code: Yellow

Point Persons:

• John Kiralla, SVP for Marketing, Communications, and External Relations; Interim SVP for University Advancement
• Tom Poon, EVP and Provost

Timeline: Ongoing 

Subcategories and codes: 

1. Incorporate BFSA’s fundraising goals into all capital campaigns (including the  current campaign) to ensure the sustainability of the community (Yellow)
   
   
2. Grant prioritization to these fundraising goals and access to potential donors and  foundations. (Yellow)
   
   
3. Recognize and reward (immediately) the efforts of those who do the work of the  initiative through merit increases; financial stipends; faculty, staff, and student  awards; and rank/tenure/promotion consideration. (Yellow)
   
   
4. Meet with the BFSA every semester to discuss progress on the demands. (Green) 

Comments:  

• LMU commits to featuring anti-racism and DEI initiatives, and specifically Black initiatives, more prominently in its upcoming comprehensive campaign, currently in its “quiet” phase.  Philanthropy is voluntary, so specific areas of focus and target amounts must be aligned with the philanthropic capacity and interests of our donor pool. The university commits to revising campaign goals to prioritize anti-racist, DEI, and Black initiatives with the aim of expanding our pool of potential donors. All specific campaign commitments and revised goal targets  will be evaluated in alignment with feasibility and capacity studies.
• (revised 11/23/20) The sweeping nature of the demand to fund a wide array of current and unknown future initiatives makes this demand a “blank check” that cannot be provided by the university for any constituency.  This area is coded yellow, however, because even though the university cannot fund “immediately all contemporary and forthcoming demands of BFSA” as stated, the subcategories under this demand provide important process-oriented indicators that can guide the university’s work.  LMU supports the underlying principle of this demand and is committed to fundraising to support Black initiatives through its comprehensive campaign.
• There is a limited set of university mechanisms available to support faculty, staff, and students who contribute to BFSA initiatives; however, additional mechanisms are needed.  Progress will be reported. 
• The university will continue to engage in dialogue with BFSA.  President Snyder has met with the BFSA Executive Committee.  On October 22, the university will host a leadership dialogue with the President, as well as other university leaders, and BFSA members.

Sept 4 Reference:  Exploration of the development of a fundraising plan with University Advancement to provide additional support for Black initiatives. 

UPDATE 11/23/20:  

• The Provost is in discussion with the Faculty Senate and the Deans on potential ways to recognize “invisible” service, including DEI contributions, through the Faculty Service Reports and Departmental Standards.  
• The university has placed internal promotional campaigns on hold due to the pandemic and budget reductions. MarComm anticipates resuming an LMYOU-style banner campaign in Fall 2021, budget permitting, that will highlight and celebrate the DEI contributions of staff members, focused on underrepresented community members.
• The university is actively engaging with trustees and donors engaged in campaign planning and are revising the university’s case for support, which serves as the framework for the comprehensive fundraising campaign.  Progress thus far has focused on reformulating the campaign’s themes and prioritizing anti-racist, DEI, and Black community needs. While further discussions and refinements are forthcoming, early progress reveals that student inclusivity is an emerging new theme associated with increased emphasis on making an LMU education more accessible and affordable through DEI-focused scholarship programs. Next Steps:  University Advancement will provide a revised case statement in March 2021, and then work to develop supportive frameworks that detail priorities referenced in the final/approved case.

UPDATE 3/29/21:   UA has been revising its case statement guiding the comprehensive campaign to include DEI as one of three major priority areas for revision, which will assist in efforts to increase fundraising for Black students, as well.

UPDATE 4/27/21: The university has re-evaluated its campaign priorities, putting inclusivity and student scholarships as its first priority and campaign pillar.

UPDATE December 2021: Update for a) and b).  University Advancement, under the leadership of a new Senior VP Peter Wilch,  has hired an Executive Director to focus primarily on DEI fundraising aligned with inclusivity and student support as a top campaign priority. 
Update for c) and d).  The strategic planning implementation of Spotlight Initiative 1 (Learning for Justice Inclusion and Transformation) includes a metric which will include DEI as a dimension for all staff performance reviews beginning in 2023-24. For faculty, all departments will be submitting updated departmental standards to the Provost in March 2022, in alignment with Faculty Senate Recommendations for the Consideration of Systemic Racism in R&T, and under the leadership of their deans.

The outgoing VP for DEI will meet with BFSA in December 2021 to review demand updates. 

2. Increase Black presence and leadership in MarComm and the President’s Cabinet.

Code:  Yellow

Point Person: John Kiralla, SVP for Marketing, Communications, and External Relations; Interim SVP for University Advancement
Timeline: Progress reports each semester
Comments:

• The University commits to increasing the diversity of its leadership, including Board membership, President’s Cabinet and all divisions, including MarComm. Some changes can be done relatively quickly. For instance, the incoming 2020-21 Board of Trustee and Board of Regents members is among the most diverse in LMU history. Other changes will take more time, requiring open positions or the creation of new positions.
• In the meantime, other changes are being made to increase the visibility and priority placed on anti-racism and DEI values in MarComm.  
  • MarComm has recently updated the university’s official style guide, which provides standards for LMU communications, to include additional DEI terminology protocols. (https://brand.lmu.edu/brandbasics/styleguide/)
  • MarComm, working closely with Intercultural Affairs, established communications review and editing protocols in 2005 and continues to update and refine these standards regularly. These protocols require that the university’s strategic communications, social posts, websites, magazines, and other channels that are MarComm-managed undergo rigorous reviews and quality assurance checks to ensure that photography, storytelling, and messaging reflect the university’s mission, diversity, and values. These protocols are currently being updated to reflect additional parameters that support the university’s diversity, equity, and inclusion commitments.

UPDATE 11/23/20: 

• MarComm has established a DEI committee to strengthen efforts to integrate DEI values and perspectives into its marketing and communication activities.
• Board of Trustees and Board of Regents Equity Scorecard Data are now available. 

UPDATE 1/28/21: The Board of Trustees has approved the appointment of a DEI liaison to increase both awareness of and accountability for university DEI goals.

UPDATE 3/29/21:  Honorable Judge Irma Brown, recently retired from the bench after decades of service, was recently appointed as the DEI liaison for the Board of Trustees.  She is a member of the President’s Black Leadership Advisory Council (P.B.L.A.C.) and will also be working closely with the VP for Intercultural Affairs to provide regular updates to the Board on the university’s work in this area.

UPDATE 4/27/21:  MarComm’s DEI committee has revised review processes to ensure that communications are vetted by culturally diverse stakeholders.  In addition, MarComm is establishing a new editorial calendar for the university with content that will celebrate and uplift different groups during specified times of the year in partnership with OIA, Mission and Ministry, and other units (Black History Month, Women’s History Month, AAPI Heritage Month, etc.).

UPDATE December 2021: MarComm has increased staff time and resources to support the DEI office in their communications, particularly on the DEI website, heritage month support, and LMU This Week communications.

Increasing the diversity of the President’s Cabinet, as well as Board of Trustees and Regents represents a key performance indicator  (KPI)  for the university’s strategic plan (see Spotlight Initiative 1, Learning for Justice, Inclusion and Transformation), so that this goal is explicit, public, and highly visible to the entire university.  

3. Increase (immediately) funds for and adequately staff the African American Alumni  Association, which has experienced significant defunding. 

Code:  Yellow

Point Person: Peter Wilch, SVP for University Advancement
Timeline:  Progress report in November  
Comments:

• University Advancement is actively working on the resources, staffing, and organization required to increase support for AAAA

UPDATE 11/23/20:  University Advancement (UA) is exploring support scenarios with AAAA volunteers to align goals with resourcing levels. UA has retained a dedicated resource to support AAAA’s current needs. In Spring 2020, UA anticipates reallocating staffing and budget resources to provide dedicated ongoing resources to AAAA, LAAA, and related programs.

UPDATE 3/29/21: University Advancement will be creating two positions, Director of Black Student Success and Diversity Initiatives and Director of Latinx Student Success and Diversity Initiatives (note titles are not finalized).

UPDATE 4/27/21: MarComm has prioritized resources in advancement communications to work with LAA, AAAA, and API alumni.  MarComm is working with each group to establish content standards for each group’s social media channels to better reflect community sensibilities and concerns. 

UPDATE December 2021: An Executive Director has been hired in UA to oversee DEI fundraising.  This position also has a dotted line relationship with the VP-DEI, to gain a close understanding of DEI initiatives at LMU.  In addition, the Executve Director will supervise two additional staff positions who will focus on diversity initiatives and student success, working closely with the Latino/a Alumni Association and the African American Alumni Association, especially.  The staff positions have been posted and will be open until they are filled. 

UPDATE August 2022: VP dela Pena meets bi-weekly with executive director of Major Gifts to discuss DEI fundraising, with particular focus on LAA and AAAA scholarships. 

 

4. Increase (immediately) funding for and prioritize housing assistance and provisions for all Black faculty and staff regardless of rank to effectively retain Black employees.

Code:  Red

Point Person: Kathleen Weaver, Associate Provost for Research & Professional Development
Timeline: N/A
Comments:

• For legal reasons, LMU cannot reserve or prioritize a financial benefit (housing assistance) for employees based on their race/ethnicity, which is why this area is coded red. LMU’s current housing assistance program does support the recruitment and retention of a diverse faculty through offering rental assistance and interest-free forgivable housing loans to qualifying faculty. LMU does not have housing assistance programs for which staff are eligible.  
• The new rental assistance program provides support for all incoming tenure-line or tenured faculty for their first 3 years.  That is, all incoming faculty that apply for support, receive support, including Black faculty.

UPDATE 11/23/20: Changes to housing policy are not anticipated for the reasons described above.

5. Require all colleges, schools, and divisions to appoint a Diversity and Inclusion Coordinator who serves as a liaison to the Office of Intercultural Affairs. This coordinator is expected to fully participate in the meetings of their college or school's leadership team. There should be a standard compensation for this position across all of the colleges/schools.

Code: Yellow

Point Person: Emelyn dela Peña, VP for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion
Timeline: Progress report November 2020
Comments:

• Colleges and Schools are addressing DEI issues with different organizational configurations, ranging from the appointment of an associate dean for equity and inclusion (e.g., LLS, SCSE), a coordinator (e.g., BCLA, SoE, SFTV), or a DEI committee with a designated chair.   These job titles reflect different levels of responsibility as well.  
• A key point here is that there is a liaison to OIA to support DEI efforts in each college/school.  It is not absolutely necessary for roles to be identical across colleges/schools, however, it is critical that work expectations are commensurate with the defined role.   Titles will be reviewed for appropriateness and potential standardization in relation to job responsibilities.

UPDATE 11/23/20: This review has not yet been initiated.  No further information at this time. 

UPDATE 3/29/21:  The DEI infrastructure is gradually strengthening across colleges/schools and campus units.  One more DEI associate dean was named (Dr. Stefan Bradley, BCLA), joining DEI associate deans in SoE, CSE, and LLS.  Other colleges/schools and campus divisions have DEI liaisons.

UPDATE December 2021:  Five of the seven colleges/schools (including LLS) have DEI associate deans, while two have associate deans who are responsible for DEI work.  The library has converted a DEI working group into a permanent DEI committee.  Student Affairs has formally included DEI liaison responsibilities as part of a staff position and created a permanent DEI committee.   

6. Permanently add Juneteenth to the University Calendar as a paid university holiday. 

Code: Green 

Point Person: Lynne Scarboro, EVP and Chief Administrative Officer
Timeline: Progress report November 2020
Comments:

• The university is actively evaluating whether Juneteenth may be added as a paid holiday on an ongoing basis. There are financial, HR, and academic calendar implications of this decision and the analysis of these elements is not yet complete.  A decision is expected before the end of this semester.

UPDATE 11/23/20: A review of Juneteenth as a paid university holiday is still in progress but, if approved, would not be implemented until 2022.  In the meantime, for summer 2021, LMU will host a university celebration to honor Juneteenth, with a planning team led by BFSA members.

UPDATE 1/28/21: A proposal is in preparation for Cabinet review, pending BFSA feedback on Juneteenth options.

UPDATE 3/29/21: Juneteenth has been approved as a permanent university holiday to be effective immediately. This year, June 19th falls on a Saturday, so the university holiday will be June 18, 2021.

UPDATE December 2021: All university calendars have been updated to reflect Juneteenth as a university holiday. 

7. Hold leadership accountable for the execution of diversity initiatives through a publicly  available evaluation of diversity and inclusion.

The President is ultimately accountable  for the success or failure of LMU’s diversity efforts. Then, at each level, the senior officer  is to be held accountable for diversity efforts. Unit operating budgets and leaders should  be increased or decreased based on their advancement of the demands in this document.  Concerning diversity, blame must go upwards, not downwards. Higher administrators  must deem failure as unacceptable. 

Code: Green

Point Person: Emelyn dela Peña, VP for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion
Timeline:   

• Accountability website page for the Anti-Racism Project will be updated by end of Fall 2020 semester for unit-level progress.
• The Addressing Demands pages will be updated, at minimum, at least once a semester, specifically, each November (Fall) and April (Spring).  
• Progress Report on the Anti-Racism Project will be provided as a public presentation to the entire campus community on April 13, 2020.   

Comments: 

• The Accountability page underscores responsibility for success or failure of DEI and anti-racism efforts, rolled up to the highest levels of university leadership in the Cabinet:  President, Provost, Administration.  For Colleges/Schools, including LMU LLS, the accountability includes deans.  
• Alerts are available whenever an update is made on the Addressing Demands pages (#BlackatLMU and BFSA, respectively).
• DEI dashboards will be available to promote equity-oriented, university decision-making, including at the Cabinet level (note: these will be based on DEI Data Work Group recommendations).  
• Budget decisions are made with a wide range of considerations in mind, including but not limited to DEI issues.  Consequently, this demand is coded yellow, not green.

UPDATE 11/23/20: 

• Progress on all demands has been reviewed and updated for Fall 2020.   
• Systemic Analysis Progress Reports have been received from many campus units. These reports will be reviewed and made available on the Anti-Racism Project Accountability page. The goal is to have them posted by the end of the semester.

UPDATE 1/19/21: DEI and Anti-Racism is an integral feature of the university strategic plan (draft released 1/26/21 for community feedback), as (1) an overall commitment that drives all elements of the university’s strategic plan and (2) as a spotlight initiative, namely, Learning for Justice, Inclusion and Transformation.  DEI and anti-racism commitments are institutionalized as shared university goals that will influence all university efforts, including allocation of resources, fundraising, and institutional priorities.  Once the strategic plan has gone through revision and is approved by the Board of Trustees, this code will be moved from yellow to green.

UPDATE 3/29/21:  The Systemic Analysis progress reports received to date are now posted on the Anti-Racism Project Accountability page

UPDATE December 2021: A green code for this item reflects the fact that the Board of Trustees has approved the strategic plan, including the elevation of anti-racism and DEI commitments. An implementation planning team, with feedback from the LMU community, has developed metrics to ensure accountability for university progress. The green code does NOT mean that the university has completed or succeeded in this area, but that the structures are now in place to track accountability. 

8. Pledge to make anti-racism, especially in its fight against anti-Blackness, an institutional value that governs the evaluation of success or failure of all university projects. 

Code:  Green

Point Person:  Emelyn dela Peña, VP for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion
Timeline:  Beginning June 2020 and ongoing
Comments:  

• The President made an institutional commitment to make anti-racism a defining institutional commitment.  The LMU Anti-Racism Project seeks to embed anti-racist practices in every unit.  This commitment has been lifted up as an institutional priority through its enhanced presence on the front webpage of the university. 
• Anti-racism is a guiding commitment of the university.  In that sense, anti-racism will be an important lens through which we view the success or failure of our work.  However, it will not, and cannot, be the sole lens through which we evaluate our work, so this commitment is coded as yellow rather than green.

UPDATE 11/23/20:  DEI discussions are in progress at all levels of the university, including the Board of Trustees, President’s Cabinet, and Strategic Planning Committee, reflecting the university’s commitment to DEI and anti-racism as central to our mission.  When the university is able to report that there are concrete actions which embody this commitment in specific, measurable ways, the code in this area will be moved from yellow to green. 

UPDATE 1/19/21:  DEI and Anti-Racism is an integral feature of the university strategic plan (draft released 1/26/21 for community feedback), as (1) an overall commitment that drives all elements of the university’s strategic plan and (2) as a spotlight initiative, namely, Learning for Justice, Inclusion, and Transformation.  DEI and anti-racism commitments are institutionalized as shared university goals that will influence all university efforts, including allocation of resources and institutional priorities. (same as response above).  Once the strategic plan has gone revision and is approved by the Board of Trustees, this code will be moved from yellow to green.

UPDATE Dec 2021:  the Board of Trustees approved the strategic plan, including anti-racism and DEI as guiding commitment and as a spotlight initiative. The code has been moved from yellow to green.  Note that the “green” code does NOT mean that the university has completed this task, but signifies a demonstrated commitment to moving forward on this path. 

9. Reject and refute the “Predominantly White Institution” label associated with LMU with the goal of transforming LMU into a known and celebrated anti-racist institution.

Code:  Green

Point Persons:

• John Kiralla, SVP for Marketing, Communications, and External Relations; Interim SVP for University Advancement
• Emelyn dela Peña, VP for Intercultural Affairs

Timeline: Ongoing
Comments: 

• The definition of a predominantly White Institution (PWI) is that 50% or more of its population is White.  This is not true at LMU as a whole, nor among our undergraduate, graduate students, and staff.  Among tenure-track faculty, White faculty do make up more than 50% of all faculty.  Given the diversity of our overall community, however, LMU sheds any PWI label as we seek first to be anti-racist, and then to be known and celebrated as an institution continuing in its anti-racist practices and commitments.   
• Through our actions, commitments, and communications, LMU will continuously work towards being known and celebrated as an anti-racist institution. 
  • The Anti-Racism Project focuses on concrete actions that units will take to identify and eliminate barriers that may impede access, success and thriving of the campus community, including students, staff, and faculty. The systemic analysis and action steps both center the LMU Black community and also includes other communities impacted by these issues.  
  • As an example of external communications-related efforts, since most users find content on the LMU website through searches,  various search keywords have been added to aid visitors in finding anti-racism content (see search engine at www.lmu.edu/search;  additional keywords may be requested at www.lmu.edu/keyword).  We are also exploring search engine optimization options to elevate DEI pages on LMU.edu and external search engines.
  • As an example of internal communications and efforts to increase awareness of anti-racism in the LMU campus community, the LMU Anti-Racism Project includes a monthly series of virtual forums on various topics.   

Sept 4 Reference: A monthly Virtual Forum series is planned for 2020-21 to promote campus-wide dialogue, awareness, and education on issues related to anti-racism.

UPDATE 11/23/20:  

• Three anti-racism virtual forums  were held in Fall 2020, with 100-300 participants for each forum.  The planning and implementation of the forums included students from ASLMU and GSLMU, as well as administrators, faculty and staff.
• 152 individuals representing 66 units participated in the Systemic Analysis consultation workshop; 9 units have reported on their progress thus far (Career and Professional Development; Computer Science; WH Hannon Library; LMU Loyola Law School; BCLA; ITS; Public Safety; CBA; Athletics) and 24 units have submitted their progress reports.

UPDATE 1/28/21:  The prominence of DEI and anti-racism commitments in the strategic plan, which will guide university efforts through 2026, will ensure that LMU is doing all possible to be known and celebrated as an anti-racist institution.  Once the Board of Trustees reviews and approves the strategic plan, this code will be changed from yellow to green.

UPDATE December 2021: The term “PWI” signals more than the demographic composition of an institution, but also the “feel” of the climate, culture, and curriculum.  The shift to green does not signify that this task is completed, but that a demonstrated commitment has been made.  Progress in these areas will be tracked through strategic plan key performance indicators.

10. Require anti-racist and implicit bias training (centering anti-Black racism) of all LMU personnel at all levels. 

Code:  Yellow

Point Person: Emelyn dela Peña, VP for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion
Timeline:

• Implementation of implicit bias training that includes an introduction to anti-racism in 2019-20.
• Consultation, research, and development of dedicated Anti-Racism training in 2019-20.
• Implementation of dedicated Anti-Racism training beginning 2020-21 onwards, including approach that will be used to maximize engagement.

Comments:  

• The Anti-Racism training at LMU is aligned with our mission and emphasizes the intrinsic human dignity and equality of all persons and the need to develop infrastructures, policies, and practices that enable all persons to thrive at LMU in equitable ways.
• Implicit Bias and Anti-Racism training will be widely encouraged, promoted and available for faculty, staff, and administrators, at all levels.  OIA will evaluate research on best practices, consult, and seek input on how the training may best be used to build institutional capacity and effect institutional change, including the pros/cons of mandating the training.  A decision will be made by the time the training module is ready for full implementation.

UPDATE 11/23/20:  OIA is currently in the process of gathering materials and consulting with various individuals on campus to develop an anti-racism training curriculum.

UPDATE 4/27/21:  OIA is piloting a 3-session, anti-racism workshop series with a group of faculty and staff in May 2021.  The workshop will be revised and is scheduled for implementation in Fall 2021.

UPDATE December 2021: OIA has been changed to the office of DEI.  An LMU anti-racism workshop series has been completed with a consistent cohort of approximately 20 members of faculty and staff across the campus community in Fall 2021.  The workshop series consisted of three content sessions interspersed with three community building circles, for a series of 6 sessions.  The workshop series will be offered again in Spring 2022.

UPDATE August 2022: The Anti-Racism Workshop Series continues. DEI will begin campus-wide listening and planning sessions to create the next generation of DEI learning opportunities for students, staff, and faculty. DEI will also create a series of self-study guides to be housed on our website. Target completion Spring 2023. 

11. Create a committee or task force (with compensated members) to research the effects of anti-Black racism and discrimination at LMU.

Code: Yellow

Point Person: Emelyn dela Peña, VP for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion
Timeline: Research items to be administered as part of a climate survey, 2020-21
Comments:

• The university will invite members of the LMU community to consult with DEI on the administration of a climate survey that includes items related to anti-Black racism and experiences of discrimination.  This newly created group will also be included in an analysis of findings to assist with how results are framed and interpreted.  No members will be compensated for this work, which is why this demand is coded as yellow and not green.
• BFSA will be invited to nominate Black faculty and staff to participate as members of the group.
• Note: the development and administration of the LMU climate survey has been postponed from Spring 2020 to 2020-21 due to COVID-19.  Instead, DEI has instituted a longitudinal “Community Check-In” survey for 2019-20 or until the current period of remote work/learning has ended.

Sept 4 Reference: LMU will examine experiences of anti-Black racism and discrimination as part of its next Climate Survey, currently planned for 2021-22.

UPDATE 11/23/20: Although a Climate Survey will not be administered this academic year, due to remote work/learning conditions, results from the October 2020 “Community Check-In” survey are now available. The findings demonstrate the strong impact of the Black Lives Matter movement for racial justice upon Black members of the LMU community across roles (undergraduate, graduate students, staff, and faculty).

UPDATE 4/27/21:  LMU will begin gathering climate survey data in Fall 2021 (with faculty and staff) and in Spring 2022 (with all students) in collaboration with UCLA’s Higher Education Research Institute (HERI).  The climate survey items will include assessing experiences of discrimination, and LMU will add an item related specifically to anti-Black racism.   

UPDATE December 2021:  LMU has launched a climate survey with faculty and staff this semester using UCLA’s HERI survey. An item related specifically to anti-Black racism has been included in the survey.   

UPDATE August 2022: 

• Campus Climate survey has been completed. Preliminary results have been shared and further analysis will be conducted this summer. DEI will reach out to PBLAC and BFSA as part of the analysis process, including inviting members to be part of planned focus groups. 
• Staff and faculty are already seeing organizational culture changes in their department, which have resulted from DEI initiatives at LMU in first year of the strategic plan. We hope to continue this trend through and beyond the current strategic plan

 

 

12. Hire or appoint an Ombudsperson external of Human Resources that focuses on  protecting the labor rights of Black and people of color at LMU. This can also be a team or include a third-party consultant given LMU’s overall size. This position will handle complaints and exit interviews.

Code:  Yellow  

Point Person: Emelyn dela Peña, VP for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion
Timeline:  Already available, but with need to review current position
Comments:

• The VP for DEI has long been designated as the Ombuds for LMU, a position that is external to Human Resources. According to the International Ombudsman Association (see their guide Nuts and Bolts:  Establishing and Operating a College or University Ombuds Office), the Ombuds office provides “confidential, impartial, informal, and independent assistance to individuals and groups who are experiencing conflicts or who have complaints” (p.2).  
• For the principle of independence, the Ombuds should have direct access to the highest levels of university leadership and operate independently of ordinary line and staff structures, including not taking part in any administrative or formal complaint processes. 
• For the principle of impartiality or neutrality, the Ombuds promotes fair processes, but does not advocate for individuals on the basis of affiliation or constituency status.  The VP for DEI fulfills these functions for the LMU community, regardless of role or group affiliation. However, the Ombuds role excludes direct advocacy  based on constituency status and does not include HR functions such as exit interviews.  Further discussion with BFSA is needed to identify how these needs may be best addressed at the university and to clarify what functions the ombuds role can and cannot fulfill.

UPDATE 11/23/20:  In progress. No new information at this time. 

1. Decolonize (especially in terms of race) the LMU curriculum.

Point Persons:

• Anthony Perron, Associate Professor of History, Core Director
• Emelyn dela Peña, VP for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion
• John Sebastian, VP for Mission & Ministry
• Roberta Espinoza, Vice Provost for Global-Local Initiatives

Timeline: Progress reports each semester:  November 2020 and April 2021.

Subcategories and Codes:

1. Move the focus of Studies in American Diversity from “cultural understanding” to  anti-racism. Reevaluate all FDIV proposals for an antiracism focus and remove the  FDIV core attribute from courses that do not have this focus. (Yellow)
   
   
2. Develop and require courses that challenge Eurocentric thought. (Yellow)
   
   
3. Tell the truth about the role of the Catholic Church in colonization and the  teaching of Eurocentric ideology. (Green)
   
   
4. Provide stronger support (including scholarship, grants, and other funds) for  international study, especially in Africa and the African Diaspora. (Green)

Comments:

• The curriculum is the primary responsibility of the faculty and curricular changes require faculty approval to adopt and implement. In fulfilling these educational responsibilities, faculty also exercise their academic freedom “so they can enable students—through whole college programs of study—to acquire the learning they need to contribute to society.” (AACU statement on educational responsibility and academic freedom).  Faculty leaders are committed to anti-racism and will lead efforts to examine curricular implications and opportunities.  At the current time, the University Core Curriculum Committee is exploring a core curricular response to systemic racism.  
• The university will support faculty-led changes through a number of strategies including: (1) Academic Program Review (APR): the APR Committee is  developing an evidence-based, equity-oriented process for including DEI in evaluating and approving departmental curriculum changes.  This is the institutional process through which the faculty regularly update and modify department curriculum. (2) Logistical support and resources to support curricular revisions and pedagogical adaptations will be made available through the Office of Intercultural Affairs.  This support will be developed in collaboration with the Office of the Provost, the Center for Teaching Excellence, and the Intercultural Faculty Committee.
• The Office of Mission and Ministry is offering a Faculty and Staff Learning Community through the Center for Teaching Excellence on Racial Justice and the Catholic Church.  Due to overwhelming demand, the original cap of 10 faculty participants has been lifted to enable over 40 faculty and staff to participate in different sections.    
• The Vice Provost for Global-Local Initiatives will lead intentional conversations with university partners about international study in Africa and the African diaspora and potential links with local immersive engaged learning experiences with Black community-based organizations.  
• The university will include fundraising for Study Abroad endowed scholarships as part of its comprehensive campaign 

Sept 4 Reference: 

• The Academic Program Review Committee and Provost’s Office will collaborate to include an examination of DEI issues in programs and curriculum as part of regular academic program review processes.
• A 10-hour online January workshop series is under development by faculty for faculty, to offer an intensive peer-driven opportunity to delve further into anti-racism and decolonization in the curriculum. 
• Support for faculty in incorporating anti-racism into pedagogy and curriculum has been developed in collaboration with the Center for Teaching Excellence (CTE) and the Office of Mission and Ministry: CTE offers drop-in four-session series for fall 2020, as well as two Faculty Learning Communities (e.g., Racial Justice and the Catholic Church, and Thinking Toward the Third University: Anti-Racist and Anti-Imperialist Pedagogies).
• Vice Provost Roberta Espinoza will facilitate campus conversations on how anti-racism and Global Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (GDEI) values can inform global-local curriculum and co-curriculum educational opportunities.

UPDATE 11/4:  On October 27, 2020, the University Core Curriculum Committee (UCCC) sent a message to the faculty stating that the UCCC will no longer accept proposals for Studies in American Diversity beginning November 1, 2020 in response to #BlackatLMU and BFSA demands to decolonize the core curriculum.  The UCCC has begun a review of this requirement and will bring a set of recommendations to the Faculty Senate, “mapping out concrete steps to decolonize Studies in American Diversity by emphasizing anti-racism.”

UPDATE 11/23/20: The UCCC has submitted recommendations to the Faculty Senate for review.  They are currently engaged in considering how best to include racial justice and its connection to LMU’s mission and identity in the Core Curriculum.  A subcommittee has been formed to work specifically on the recommendations for how to revise the Studies in American Diversity requirement to decolonize the curriculum and to emphasize anti-racism.

• A joint meeting of the Dean’s Council and Associates Deans will be held  in December 2020 to discuss proposed changes and issues related to the LMU Core curriculum.
  • The Spring 2021 workshop series is being developed under the leadership of Professors Jennifer Williams (AFAM) and Mairead Sullivan (WGST).  A pilot workshop will be offered for each college/school during the Spring 2021 semester.

UPDATE 3/29/21:  A “Teaching for Justice” workshop series has been initiated for a small group of faculty in each college and school, including LLS.  A total of 6 workshops (six sessions each) is led by a faculty facilitator between March 19 - April 29, with anti-oppressive pedagogies tailored to content appropriate for each college and school.

UPDATE 4/27/21:  In a report from the University Core Curriculum Committee (UCCC) on the LMU Core Review sent out to LMU faculty on March 29, 2021, the UCCC included a report on steps taken and next steps planned as part of the core review process.  These include steps towards decolonizing the core, suspending proposals for [American Diversity] FDIV courses to review FDIV course descriptions, learning outcomes, and goals, to define characteristics of FDIV courses and approval criteria.  In addition, the next phase of Core curriculum review (Spring 2021-Spring 2022) includes a review of the goals and learning outcomes for the core as a whole including addressing the broader question, “What changes do we need to make to the Core’s overarching goals and learning outcomes in order to call out our commitment to anti-racist approaches to curriculum and pedagogy?” Note that any proposed changes to the core curriculum require continued close collaboration with the Faculty Senate and will go to the full faculty for a vote

Academic Program Review:  Criteria have been revised so that DEI is now included in all academic program document reviews.

The university has funded the implementation of Implementation of seven “Teaching for Justice” college- and school- specific pedagogy workshop series (March-April 2021) led by peer faculty facilitators (BCLA: Julia Lee; SCSE: Brendan Smith; CBA Julian St Clair; SFTV Tara Pixley; CFA Arnab Banerji; SoE Maia Hoskin; LLS Katherine Pratt) under the leadership of Drs. Mairead Sullivan (WGST) and Jennifer Williams (AFAM).

UPDATE December 2021:  The inclusion of learning outcomes related to DEI and anti-racism for the curriculum and co-curriculum are part of the key performance indicators for the Learning for Justice, Inclusion, and Transformation spotlight initiative.  Specifically, the inclusion of a subject/discipline specific learning outcome related to DEI/anti-racism, will begin with the university core curriculum.

UPDATE August 2022: The FDIV proposal, Studies in American Diversity, was approved by 76% of TT faculty. The new Director of the Core hopes to have some programming ahead of the next core application cycle  to make sure folks know about the amended criterion. Further decolonization of the curriculum is planned as part of the strategic plan’s spotlight initiative on Learning for Justice, Inclusion, and Transformation.

UPDATE April 2023: Syllabus audit drop in hours are planned for Spring 2023. A Teaching towards Justice 3 day intensive is planned for Spring  2023.

2. Fully fund and coordinate a “cluster hire” of no fewer than 12 (at least 2 per college) Black tenure-track faculty members of varied ranks and disciplines throughout the university. These hires should be completed by the beginning of the 2022-2023 academic year to immediately improve campus culture. 

Code: Yellow

Point Person: Tom Poon, EVP and Provost
Timeline: Progress report in April 2021
Comments:

• LMU makes a commitment to engage in sustained efforts to significantly increase the ethnic diversity of the faculty, especially Black faculty.  
• LMU has a longer term strategy for hiring more faculty, including Black faculty, within its comprehensive campaign (see above).  For both legal and budgetary reasons, however, the university cannot commit to either the number of Black faculty specified (12 overall or 2 per college) and/or the timeline specified in the demand (within 2 years).
• Deans of all colleges/schools are committed to hiring Black faculty and are already engaged in budgetary analyses and active recruitment efforts in their areas as exceptions to the current hiring freeze.

Sept 4 Reference: 

• During the present hiring freeze, exceptions will be made for opportunity hires on a case-by-case basis.
• Opportunity hire briefings are available for all units with any approved searches through Intercultural Affairs and Human Resources. This briefing includes the legal restrictions that serve as necessary parameters for LMU hiring strategies.
• Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) cluster-hire strategies will be discussed with colleges/schools pending full enrollment and reopening (post COVID-19).
• Our anti-racist commitments will inform our selection of the interdisciplinary faculty clusters as part of the Capital Campaign. This will impact faculty hiring strategies for future interdisciplinary clusters.

UPDATE 11/23/20:  Exceptions to the hiring freeze have been approved in units and colleges/schools where there are vacancies to engage in hiring, including opportunity hiring, using salary savings and other strategies.

UPDATE 4/27/21:  Faculty hires are confirmed after August 15 each year.  Few faculty hires were made during the hiring freeze this academic year.  The 2021-22 Equity Scorecard reports will reflect changes in faculty composition.

UPDATE December 2021: A cluster hire search strategy is being implemented in CFA this year for three positions to begin 2022-23.  Further, a key performance indicator for the Learning for Justice Inclusion and Transformation spotlight initiative includes a commitment to increase the racial/ethnic representation of  “full-time faculty, especially tenure-track faculty, with an emphasis on increases in Latina/o/x, Black, Indigenous, multiracial, and AA/PI faculty from underrepresented groups to better reflect the diversity of the LMU student population and our society beyond.  These increases in faculty are expected to be distributed across all colleges/schools and at all levels of rank and should reflect not only recruitment efforts, but also retention/faculty success initiatives.”   

3. Acknowledge the critical role of the Department of African American Studies as the Black intellectual hub of LMU.

General Code: Green

Point Person: Robbin Crabtree, Dean, BCLA
Timeline: Progress report, April 2021
Subcategories and Codes:

1. Provide funding for 5 additional (and separate from the above mentioned 12  tenure-track faculty lines) faculty lines (as defined by the department) to  accommodate an antiracism curriculum. The department (as do all the  departments in the ethnic studies village) does an abundance of service to the  university’s core curriculum, which can negatively affect the ability of the  department to engage and advance the discipline. The additional faculty lines will  allow the department to cover and move beyond the core. (Yellow)
   
   
2. Retain all current tenure-track and non-tenure track faculty members, and issue  multi-year contracts to non-tenure track faculty. Restore the hours and wages of  the senior administrative coordinator, who will greatly assist the operational  needs of the department. (Yellow)
   
   
3. Increase the departmental operating budget and the professional development  packages of each faculty member to 25 percent more than the 2018-2019 budget allocation to maintain faculty members’ research acumen while assisting with an  antiracism curriculum. (Red)
   

Comments:

• The university recognizes the critical role that the Department of African American Studies (AFAM) plays as the Black intellectual hub for the university and the need to provide additional lines and resources to AFAM to support this work and role.  While the overall goal of increasing the number of Black faculty in BCLA is shared by the College, the proportion of new positions housed in AFAM versus other BCLA departments may vary from the BFSA demands for 5 new additional positions in AFAM. 
• The BCLA Dean has attended to students’ call for more Black faculty “not just in AFAM,” and in the past 4 years, moved 3 tenure-track lines to AFAM, resulting in doubling the size of the AFAM dept in that time. Black faculty members were also hired in three other BCLA departments over the past 3 years. These actions demonstrate a continuing commitment to build the strength of the AFAM dept, its curriculum, and its faculty community. 
• Retention of Black faculty and staff is highly desirable and a goal shared by the university, although not fully within the university’s control.  The institutional membership for the National Center for Faculty Diversity and Development (NCFDD) will assist in faculty retention.  In addition, BCLA has several retention efforts and initiatives, and has built a strong and diverse community of pre-tenure faculty  to attend to the early-career challenges faced by faculty of color and others who are often minoritized in academic contexts.
• BCLA staff who were on reduced hours were all returned to full hours on October 4th.  
•  AFAM faculty and also Black faculty in other departments have received strong offers and start-up funds in support of their professional development and to ensure early-career success. There are additional resources available through the Dean’s Office that prioritize diversity/equity.  
• Contracts for non-tenure track faculty are issued in accordance with university policies. 
• BCLA completed a cross-college budget analysis 4 years ago that resulted in an increase in AFAM budgets (note that budgets are zero-sum, so this increase was carved out from other department budgets). BCLA has tentatively scheduled another routine budget analysis this spring  (depending on pandemic-related staff bandwidth issues, this may be postponed) in order to continue to align operating budgets with academic trends (e.g., size of faculties, student enrollments, growth vs. decline, etc.) and strategic priorities.

UPDATE 11/23/20: Progress report to be provided in April 2021 as originally specified. 

UPDATE 4/27/21:  A new position has been created in AFAM with a search process planned for AY2021-22.    A virtual symposium, “Antiracism in Action:  Combating Racism through Education, Research and Community” featuring the scholarship and leadership of AFAM faculty along with their colleagues from other BCLA departments, was held on 4/23/21.  This event featured the Department of African American Studies as an intellectual hub for the university on anti-racism and racial justice.

4. Acknowledge, celebrate, and fund the work of faculty who are doing research in critical race theory and African American studies as creators of new knowledge that informs and  shapes the future of the academy.

Code: Green

Point Persons:

• Tom Poon, EVP and Provost
• Emelyn dela Peña, VP for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion

Timeline:  Progress report April 2021; Completed May 2021
Comments: 

• The Provost has asked the Faculty Senate to review the process and procedures for the Faculty Hall of Fame and to provide a recommendation going forward.
• As part of the LMU Anti-Racism project, OIA will set aside an additional inclusive excellence research grant to fund research that engages critical race theory and anti-racism.  These research grants will be made available, pending post-pandemic budgetary resources, beginning in Fall 2021.

Sept 4 Reference: The Provost’s Office, in collaboration with the deans and Faculty Senate, will review eligibility criteria and the process for inclusion in the LMU Faculty Hall of Fame with the intent of ensuring that the selection process embraces and appropriately honors LMU faculty of color who have made outstanding, distinguished contributions to the university and society. 

UPDATE 11/23/20:

• The Office of Mission and Ministry will reorient and expand the selection criteria for 10 existing grants of $5000 each, to enable support for research and curriculum efforts that include a focus on DEI and anti-racism.  Specifically, Faith and Justice curriculum (5) and research (5)  grant guidelines will be revised to enable a call for proposals to  be distributed by the end of the Fall 2020 semester.  
•  The Faculty Senate has reviewed the selection process for the LMU Faculty Hall of Fame and has submitted recommendations for revision. These were reviewed by the Dean’s Council.  A new process is being finalized by the Office of the Provost including the selection of additional inductees this Spring 2021, to redress lack of inclusiveness in past selection processes.

UPDATE 1/28/21:  The application for the LMU Faculty Hall of Fame has been revised and is now available online.

UPDATE 3/29/21:  The Faculty Hall of Fame is reviewing applications after extending the deadline for submissions.

UPDATE 4/27/21:  

• Faculty Hall of Fame inductees nominated and selected this year will be announced in May 2021. 
• The Faculty Senate passed a motion (4/15/21) including support for principles identified in BFSA demands:  “In the spirit of Ignatian pedagogy and the care of the whole person, a faculty member’s teaching and mentoring of students, beyond the classroom and often beyond academic matters, will be highlighted and recognized for its vital pedagogical and advising role. Especially in the extended forms that it is undertaken by faculty from historically underrepresented populations, in particular faculty of color and women, this extra burden requires a holistic highlighting and valuing of such work. As an institution committed to addressing systemic racism and oppression, this also requires that evaluating teaching and advising be holistic and draw on the applicant’s full narrative.
• This includes acknowledging, celebrating, and funding the work of faculty who are doing research in critical race theory and ethnic studies, faculty who are exploring issues of inequity and exclusion in multiple fields, faculty who are advancing projects that affect and work with underrepresented groups and all faculty who are producing creative works and scholarship that informs and shapes the future of the academy and of the culture. This means respecting and financially rewarding the innovative, creative, and often unacknowledged and uncompensated teaching, advising, scholarship, and service of faculty from historically underrepresented populations in considerations of merit review and rank and tenure”  (Faculty Senate: Recommendation on the consideration of Systemic Racism in Rank and Tenure. )

UPDATE December 2021:  Five faculty of color were selected by a committee to be included in the LMU Faculty Hall of Fame after a process of nomination and review.  Faculty recognized with this honor in May 2021 included Dr. Ronald Keith Barrett (PSYC); Dr. Robert Singleton (ECON), and; Dr. John Davis (AFAM).

5. Respect and financially reward the (“informal” and uncompensated) work of LMU Black faculty in considerations of merit review and rank and tenure. Additionally, this work  should be considered when an LMU Black faculty member applies for administrative or other leadership positions. 

Code: Yellow

Point Persons: 

• Tom Poon, EVP and Provost
• Emelyn dela Peña, VP for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion

Timeline: Progress Report in April 2021
Comments:  

• The Provost will engage the Deans, Cabinet, and the Faculty Senate to consider mechanisms for recognizing “invisible service” and other equity issues in the merit review and rank and tenure processes.  
• The university will increase its focus on programs for mentoring faculty towards strengthening the pipeline into administrative leadership positions, with particular attention to women, faculty of color, and faculty from other minoritized groups. OIA’s Cabinet Associates Program, for example, which is oriented towards advanced leadership development for faculty and staff who have already demonstrated their leadership skills in executive-level higher education positions, has been recently revised with a stronger DEI focus.  Cabinet Associates spend a year with a Cabinet mentor, learning about a different division/area, and meet monthly to read and discuss higher education literature.  They also engage in a professional self-assessment and complete a project in their mentor’s division/area as part of their commitment.  This year, all five Cabinet Associates are faculty/staff of color and/or women.  

UPDATE 11/23/20:  The university will recognize outstanding DEI contributions made by a faculty member each year as part of its annual faculty awards.  The criteria and process for selection are under development.

UPDATE 1/28/21: The LMU Award for Excellence in Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion has been created as part of the university-wide annual Faculty Awards recognizing outstanding faculty contributions. Specifically, the award recognizes “a trajectory of excellence in community involvement, professional service, teaching and mentoring, and/or scholarship positively impacting intersectional justice and enabling the voices of marginalized communities to be heard. Underscoring that anti-racism is an ongoing process and not an end, the university celebrates work which has created a platform for fostering unity, action, and awareness to overcome bias and/or barriers created by culture, religion, identity, sexual orientation, ability, and/or other intergroup background.”

UPDATE 4/27/21:

• The Provost will direct the Deans to engage all colleges/schools in a comprehensive review of Departmental Standards for AY2021-22 in line with the Faculty Senate Motion (passed on April 15, 2021):  Recommendation on the consideration of Systemic Racism in Rank and Tenure.  
• The Faculty Senate motion (4/15/21) also included support for principles identified in BFSA demands:  “In the spirit of Ignatian pedagogy and the care of the whole person, a faculty member’s teaching and mentoring of students, beyond the classroom and often beyond academic matters, will be highlighted and recognized for its vital pedagogical and advising role. Especially in the extended forms that it is undertaken by faculty from historically underrepresented populations, in particular faculty of color and women, this extra burden requires a holistic highlighting and valuing of such work. As an institution committed to addressing systemic racism and oppression, this also requires that evaluating teaching and advising be holistic and draw on the applicant’s full narrative.
• This includes acknowledging, celebrating, and funding the work of faculty who are doing research in critical race theory and ethnic studies, faculty who are exploring issues of inequity and exclusion in multiple fields, faculty who are advancing projects that affect and work with underrepresented groups and all faculty who are producing creative works and scholarship that informs and shapes the future of the academy and of the culture. This means respecting and financially rewarding the innovative, creative, and often unacknowledged and uncompensated teaching, advising, scholarship, and service of faculty from historically underrepresented populations in considerations of merit review and rank and tenure”  (Faculty Senate: Recommendation on the consideration of Systemic Racism in Rank and Tenure.

UPDATE December 2021:  The Provost, with the leadership of the deans, has instructed departments to provide revised departmental standards in alignment with Faculty Senate recommendations, which are due to the Office of the Provost in March 2022.

UPDATE April 2023:  Mission and diversity were included as part of this year's Faculty Service Report.  

6. Name (immediately) Dr. Cheryl Grills President’s Professor of Psychology in recognition  for her work at LMU, and the Los Angeles Black community, with all the responsibilities  and privileges (especially financial) that correspond to that rank. 

Code:  Green

Point Person: Robbin Crabtree, Dean, BCLA
Timeline:  Call for nominations for the BCLA President’s Professor position is due by January 4, 2021.   
Comments:

• Filling the President’s Professor position requires following the guidelines set for Recruiting and Hiring Endowed Chairs and President’s Professors, issued by the Office of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion. The process is critical to identifying and appointing an individual to this position whose nomination and application has been reviewed and supported by a search committee.  The Dean will provide a recommendation to the EVP and Provost, who will then submit the recommendation to the President.  The President approves the appointment.  
• While it might seem that the President could simply name an individual to the position, such an action would undermine the ultimate credibility of the appointment and subvert the processes developed to support the position.  Nonetheless, the university also recognizes that, too often, outstanding faculty of color are often not sought out for such honored roles in regular search processes.
• For the current process, applications have been limited to internal candidates only.  The dean has disseminated all information related to the nomination process, including the process used to identify search committee members.  The BCLA criteria for the President’s Professor position “will prioritize nominees who advance LMU’s diversity/equity/inclusion and anti-racism initiatives through their teaching, advising/mentoring, scholarship, faculty service, community engagement, and service to the profession” to ensure that outstanding internal candidates of color are given full consideration.  

Sept 4 Reference:  The provost approved Dean Robbin Crabtree’s request to retain the BCLA President’s Professor line and has authorized the initiation of a process for filling that position.

UPDATE 11/4: On October 29, 2020 Dean Crabtree announced the appointment of members of the search committee for the BCLA President’s Professor position:  

• Marne Campbell, Associate Professor and Chair, African American Studies
• Negin Ghavami, Assistant Professor, Psychology
• Roberto Dell’Oro, Professor of Theological Studies and Director of the BioEthics Institute
• Associate Dean Jonathan Rothchild as non-voting Chair/search process steward

UPDATE 11/23/20:  Call for nominations (for internal candidates) is January 4, 2021.  This search will prioritize nominees who advance LMU’s diversity/equity/inclusion and anti-racism initiatives through their teaching, advising/mentoring, scholarship, faculty service, community engagement, and service to the profession.  A record of outstanding achievements in several areas are also highlighted for nominees to be considered competitive.

UPDATE 1/28/21: Applications have been received and reviewed, and have moved on to the next stage involving external feedback.

UPDATE 3/29/21:  Following an open search and rigorous review process led by Dean Robbin Crabtree and a BCLA Search Committee, Professor Cheryl Grills was recommended as the next BCLA President’s Professor and appointed by President Snyder.  An installment ceremony will be held this fall, upon our return to campus.

7. Establish additional named professorships in every college and school to recognize Black academic excellence. 

Code: Red

Point Persons:

• Tom Poon, EVP and Provost
• John Kiralla, SVP for Marketing, Communications & External Relations; Interim SVP for University Advancement

Timeline:  progress update, April 2021
Comments:

• Race/ethnicity cannot be used as a basis of eligibility for a position, including a named professorship, which is why this area is coded red.    However, the university shares the goal of establishing additional endowed chairs and professorships as part of the comprehensive campaign and will seek opportunities to recruit faculty of color, including Black faculty, for these positions.
• The proposed endowed chairs and professorships will be housed in select focus areas of interdisciplinary scholarship and teaching.  One of the intended focus areas, “Promoting Racial Equality,” provides an excellent opportunity for hiring multiple Black faculty members at the endowed chair/endowed professor level.  Each of the other focus areas – “Restoring Civil Discourse,” “Eliminating Homelessness,” “Achieving a Sustainable Future,” “Reducing Income Inequality,” and “Managing Migration’s Impacts” – intersects with questions of diversity, equality, and race in ways that make all of these potentially fertile ground for recruiting more Black faculty.

Sept 4 Reference:  Exploration of the development of a fundraising plan with University Advancement to provide additional support for Black initiatives.

UPDATE 11/23/20: In progress. Progress report in April 2021.

UPDATE 4/27/21:  A new SVP for University Advancement, Peter Wilch, started at LMU in late March, to provide leadership for the comprehensive campaign. #BlackatLMU and Umoja student leaders, along with OBSS and TLC staff, are scheduled to meet Peter Wilch and his UA team on 4/28/21 to discuss strategies, both implemented and planned, for increased DEI-related fundraising activities, including specifically for Black initiatives

UPDATE August 2022: VP dela Pena meets bi-weekly with the executive director of Major Gifts to discuss DEI fundraising, with particular focus on LAA and AAAA scholarships. 

8. Ensure salary equity for all Black faculty by college and school in accordance with the median academic salaries of their fields. 

Code:  Yellow

Point Persons: 

• Tom Poon, EVP and Provost
• Rebecca Chandler, VP for Human Resources

Timeline:  A faculty equity study will be completed at LMU in Fall 2021. Efforts to address salary equity will follow.
Comments:  

• Efforts to address salary equity for all faculty, depending on scope and budget required, may be staggered over time.  
• It is not legally permissible to address salary equity issues for Black faculty without addressing salary inequities for all faculty; consequently, equity issues will be addressed for all faculty.

Sept 4 Reference:  The university will undertake salary equity studies for faculty (2021-22) and staff (2022-23) over the next couple of years.

UPDATE 11/23/20: No further action at this time, given time frame of salary equity studies. 

UPDATE December 2021: A Faculty Salary Equity study has been initiated by HR, with release of findings anticipated in April 2022.

UPDATE August 2022: A staff equity study will be completed in Fall 2022.

9. Strengthen and fund mentoring and retention efforts related to increased numbers of Black faculty. Become (immediately) a member of the National Center for Faculty Development and Diversity to offer services to junior Black faculty members. 

Code:  Green

Point Person:  Kathleen Weaver, Associate Provost for Research & Professional Development
Timeline:  Completed
Comments:  Institutional membership for NCFDD is now available to all LMU faculty, including pre-tenure Black faculty.

UPDATE December 2021: Greater attention to faculty recruitment and retention efforts has been built into Spotlight 1 metrics with this statement: “...increases in faculty are expected to be distributed across all colleges/schools and at all levels of rank and should reflect not only recruitment efforts, but also retention/faculty success initiatives.”    

Sept 4 Reference: The Provost’s Office will provide an institutional membership and develop coordinated programming for all faculty to access programs provided by the National Center for Faculty Diversity and Development.

10. Employ (immediately) a preferably Black therapist who has expertise in trauma related to anti-Black racism who will be available to Black faculty and staff at no cost.

UPDATE 11/23  

• The HR navigation guide has been sent to BFSA leadership and is now available.
• Applications for the 2021-22 culturally-grounded community healing practices mini-grants will be available before the end of the Spring 2021 semester and due at the beginning of the Fall 2021 semester.
• Two clinical psychologists who have been providing wellness support to BFSA this year will be provided with supplemental pay in recognition of their contributions to supporting the psychological well-being of Black faculty and staff at LMU.  

UPDATE December 2021:  An inclusive excellence grant application for a culturally grounded community healing practice was submitted by BFSA in Fall 2021, and approved for funding by the University Intercultural Council (UIC) for 2022.  

Code: Green

Point Person: Rebecca Chandler, VP for Human Resources
Timeline:  Services are immediately available through the Employee Assistance Program (EAP) 
Comments:

• Although Human Resources does not provide direct services in health or mental health services for faculty and staff, it has provided information on available services through LMU-provided insurance.  HR is developing a fact sheet to assist in navigating appropriate websites to identify Black therapists through LMU-provided insurance. This resource will be provided to BFSA leadership as soon as possible.
• OIA and HR will collaborate to create a small grant for culturally grounded community healing practices that will help support and sustain community-driven peer support for the LMU community.

UPDATE 11/23/20:

• The HR navigation guide has been sent to BFSA leadership and is now available.
• Applications for the 2021-22 culturally-grounded community healing practices mini-grants will be available before the end of the Spring 2021 semester and due at the beginning of the Fall 2021 semester.
• Two clinical psychologists who have been providing wellness support to BFSA this year will be provided with supplemental pay in recognition of their contributions to supporting the psychological well-being of Black faculty and staff at LMU.

1. Restore (immediately) the jobs and salaries of all furloughed Black staff so as not to incur further losses to the community. The losses have already significantly and negatively affected the programmatic and cultural life of the Black community.

Code:  Red

Point Person:  Lynne Scarboro, EVP and Chief Administrative Officer
Timeline:  N/A
Comments: 

• Every effort will be made to bring back every furloughed staff member based on the availability of work. However, these decisions are based on work availability under pandemic conditions, not race/ethnicity, so this demand is coded as red. Race/ethnicity cannot be used as the determinant for restoration of salaries for legal reasons, as well.

UPDATE 11/23/20:  No additional comments.

2. DO NOT furlough or lay off another Black employee of LMU.

Code: Red

Point Person:  Lynne Scarboro, EVP and Chief Administrative Officer
Timeline:  N/A
Comments:   

• LMU is unable to commit to never furloughing or laying off Black employees at LMU unless it commits to never furloughing or laying off any staff under any circumstances. This demand cannot be realized as it is written, which is why this demand is coded as red. Furloughs and other budget reduction measures result from declining revenues in a challenging, dynamic, and unpredictable higher education context and are necessary, albeit undesired, avenues to ensure the institution’s financial viability and survival.

UPDATE 11/23/20: No additional comments. 

3. Acknowledge (immediately) the critical role of the Office of Black Student Services as the Black community hub of LMU and increase (immediately) its budget by minimally 25 percent to accommodate programming and resources students will need to navigate an institution evolving toward antiracism.

Code: Yellow

Point Person:  Lane Bove, SVP for Student Affairs
Timeline:  Progress report April 2021  
Comments:   

• The university intends to expand the OBSS budget but does not yet know by what amount. The SVP for the Office of Student Affairs  will discuss enrollment-based needs of Black students with #BlackatLMU and PBLAC as part of the process for making determinations for the appropriate additions to the OBSS budget on an annual basis, consistent with the enrollments and budget for other units within Ethnic and Intercultural Services (EIS).  

Sept 4 Reference: As the enrollment of Black students increases, the Office of Black Student Services’ (OBSS) budget will be increased appropriately.

UPDATE 11/23/20: No further information at this time. 

UPDATE December 2021:  Ethnic and Intercultural Affairs hired a staff member to supervise work-study students and manage the Mbongi Spot at the Bird Nest (Black Student Space), representing an increase in staffing and resources that directly impacts Black students at LMU.  It should also be noted, however, that this position is housed in EIS, not OBSS specifically.

4. Acknowledge, celebrate, and fund the work of staff (particularly Black staff) whose outlook and approach increases diversity and inclusion efforts, especially efforts towards Black empowerment and leadership.

Code: Green

Point Persons:

• John Kiralla, SVP for Marketing, Communications & External Relations; Interim SVP for University Advancement
• Tom Poon, EVP and Provost

Timeline:  Progress update November 2020
Comments:

• MarComm will explore options for acknowledging and celebrating the work of LMU staff for their DEI contributions to the LMU community, including efforts towards Black empowerment and leadership.
• Inclusive Excellence grants are currently available and will be expanded for staff who propose programs or activities that enhance DEI at LMU.  
• The establishment of a Hall of Fame that celebrates Black staff is being explored as part of addressing #BlackatLMU demands.  The university will work with BFSA to identify preferences in this area.  There are three potential options for creating a Black Staff Hall of Fame (or Black Staff and Faculty Hall of Fame) that does not depend on university processes and that could be implemented in a more timely manner: 
  • (1)  work with the Kente graduation ceremony which selects a staff and faculty member to honor each year and induct them into a Black Hall of Fame, 
  • (2) work with BFSA to create a Black Staff Hall of Fame, or
  • (3) create a Bird Nest-based Black Staff Hall of Fame through a process developed by students.  The impact of any of these options may be augmented through collaborations with AAAA, without relying on university-based processes for implementation.

Sept 4 Reference:  The criteria and process for establishing a Black Faculty and Staff Hall of Fame will be developed in close collaboration with the African American Alumni Association (AAAA).

UPDATE 11/23/20:

• BFSA leadership will work with BFSA members to identify the preferred option for creating a Black Staff and Faculty Hall of fame.  These will be shared with the VP for OIA to move the process forward with appropriate units.
• OIA will repurpose its Inclusive Excellence grants program to support 5 co-curricular anti-racism project grants of $3000 each beginning in the 2021-22 academic year.  Applications will be available to staff and faculty at the end of the Spring 2021 semester. 
• The university has placed internal promotional campaigns on hold due to the pandemic and budget reductions. MarComm anticipates resuming an LMYOU-style banner campaign in Fall 2021, budget permitting, that will highlight and celebrate the DEI contributions of staff members, focused on underrepresented community members.

UPDATE December 2021 

• Five project grants of $3000 have been awarded to faculty and staff, after review of applications. These will be announced in January 2022.  Five capacity building grants of varying amounts have also been awarded this year for faculty, staff, and student applicants.  All recipients have been notified.
• No further progress to report at this time.  Note that historical images of Black staff,  faculty, and students are highlighted on the walls of the Mbongi Spot at the Bird Nest (Black Student Space) although this is not equivalent to a Black faculty and staff Hall of Fame.  

5. Respect and financially reward (immediately) the “informal” and uncompensated work of  LMU Black staff in considerations of merit review and promotion. Additionally, this work should be considered when an LMU Black staff member applies for new positions in the  university, especially administrative or other leadership positions.

Code: Yellow

Point Person: Emelyn dela Peña, VP for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion
Timeline:  Progress report November 2020  
Comments:

• With inclusive excellence grants that will be expanded for staff who engage in DEI work, the university seeks to acknowledge, recognize, and support staff work in this area.  While this work should be recognized and considered for how it contributes to the university, it will not necessarily be compensated.  In addition, DEI-related work should be included, in addition to other experience, capacities, and skills, as part of any review or consideration for future leadership positions.
• The university has programs and will continue to find pathways for mentoring staff and building leadership capacity, with particular attention to women, and staff from minoritized groups.  OIA’s Cabinet Associates Program, for example, which is oriented towards advanced leadership development for faculty and staff who have already demonstrated their leadership skills in executive-level higher education positions, has been recently revised with a stronger DEI focus.  Cabinet Associates spend a year with a Cabinet mentor, learning about a different division/area, and meet monthly to read and discuss higher education literature.  They also engage in a professional self-assessment and complete a project in their mentor’s division/area as part of their commitment.  This year, all five Cabinet Associates are faculty/staff of color and/or women. 

UPDATE 11/23/20: OIA will repurpose and expand its Inclusive Excellence grants program to support 5 co-curricular anti-racism project grants of $3000 each.

UPDATE December 2021:  The strategic plan metrics for spotlight initiative 1, include recognition of DEI work as part of faculty review and merit processes, as well as part of staff performance review.  Specifically, DEI will be added as a performance review dimension for all staff, beginning in 2023-24.

UPDATE April 2023:  For staff, DEI is included in the staff annual performance and AMI process. A staff candidate's work and extracurricular activities are considered when reviewing applications. ALL staff acknowledge LMU service guidelines and LMU culture of service standards as noted in workday.

6. Name (immediately) Mr. Charles Mason Associate Director of Admissions in recognition  of his work at LMU and the Los Angeles Black community, with all the responsibilities and  privileges (especially financial) that correspond to that rank.

Code: Green

Subsections and Codes: 

1. Increase (immediately) funding for Black Student Overnight, Black Scholars Day, and other recruitment activities by 40 percent. (Yellow)
2. Provide Mr. Mason with additional staff support to adequately fulfill the increased responsibilities. (Yellow)
3. Funding for 20 internships and work study students. (Green)

Point Person: Maureen Weatherall, Vice Provost for Enrollment Management
Timeline: In progress
Comments:

• An existing  position, in the area of Transfer Admission and Enrollment Services, has been retitled Associate Director for Diversity, Inclusion and Outreach and has been filled.  
• A position for Assistant Director for Diversity,  Inclusion, and Outreach has been approved.  The position will be posted upon approval of the job description.
• Funding levels and number of positions for internships and work-study students assigned to Admission will be evaluated.
• Black Student Overnight will be held pending the university reopening.  Other recruitment activities will be restructured and resourced to support increased effectiveness in recruiting Black students.

Sept 4 Reference:  

• The leadership in Enrollment Management will evaluate the staffing and responsibility levels required for achieving newly set goals for recruiting black students. They will work with Human Resources through the regular processes to make any appropriate adjustments to the positions that are affected.
• The Black Student Overnight, one of our highest yielding Admission programs, will continue in spring 2021 (pending reopening) in addition to other events for Black students through Enrollment Management. 

UPDATE 11/23/20: 

• The Admission team has been reorganized and expanded to address recruitment of Black and students from other underrepresented populations for both first year students and transfer students.  
• The Associate Director for Transfer Admission and Enrollment Services (Diversity, Inclusion, and Outreach) focuses on expanded recruitment and outreach for transfer students, including responsibilities for expanding the Pathway program with local community colleges.  Four work-study students will assist in these efforts.
• The Assistant Director for Diversity, Inclusion, and Outreach position has been created from repurposed funds to focus on recruitment and outreach for first year students.  This position has been approved, a position announcement has been posted, and applications are being received.  Interviews will be scheduled this semester.  Twelve work-study students are currently assigned to assist in these efforts
• Four additional work-study students will be recruited and selected by the new Assistant Director, once the position is filled.  This brings the number of work-study students assigned to assist in outreach and recruitment of diverse student populations to 20 students.

UPDATE 1/28/21: In response to community feedback, the search process has been revised.  A search committee has been constituted, including representation of students from #BlackatLMU, and has completed its training.  Applications have been reviewed and interviews will be scheduled.

UPDATE 3/29/21:  The search for an Assistant Director for Diversity, Inclusion, and Outreach in the Office of Admission has been successfully completed.

UPDATE December 2021:  Efforts by the Admission team have yielded an incoming first year class with significantly more representation of students identifying as African American/Black than in past years. Specifically, using the IPEDS definition for Black or African American, the  entering first year student percentage was 6% for fall 2020 and 9% for fall 2021.  If we include any student that may identify as Black (which will be our internal definition),  the entering first year student percentage was 9% for fall 2020 and 12% for fall 2021.

7. Hire professional staff whose primary responsibility is strategizing and implementing effective retention methods of Black students. 

Code:  Yellow

Point Persons:  

• Tom Poon, EVP and Provost
• Lane Bove, SVP for Student Affairs

Timeline:  N/A
Comments:

• (revised 11/23/20) This demand is coded yellow and not green because the university already has an existing position that is responsible for leading university efforts towards this goal.  The university will use retention metrics for Black students so that year-to-year progress in this area may be observed.  Once the specifics of these metrics are identified and available for review, the code for the demand will be moved from yellow to green.
• The university recently approved a two-year extension for a temporary position in Ethnic and Intercultural Services (EIS) to provide support for students in TLC, OBSS, the Intercultural Facilitator (IF) program and EIS overall.  This position will support implementation of strategies for the retention and thriving of Black students, as well as other students in EIS.   
• The university already has in place a professional staff member whose primary responsibility is strategizing and implementing effective retention methods for students at LMU, including Black students.  There are no plans to expand this office at this time, but there will be increased partnering with other campus units  to increase the retention of Black students.

UPDATE 11/23/20: OIA, through its Academic Community of Excellence (ACE) program, is creating partnerships with the Office of Undergraduate Education, McNair Scholars Program, TLC, OBSS, First to Go, CSSI, and ACCESS to focus on the retention and thriving of Black and other students from underrepresented populations. One initiative, which includes a virtual “hub” of academic programs and co-curricular programs to support students from underrepresented populations, is under development by these partners and will be online at the beginning of Spring 2021.  This hub will provide year-by-year guide to programs available to students from underrepresented populations from pre-college to first year, sophomore, junior, senior, and post-grad opportunities to help their thriving and success.

UPDATE 3/29/21:  An online Academic Resource Hub for students from historically underrepresented populations is now up and running on ODEI’s website.

UPDATE April 2023: Director of Black Student Services already exists within the EIS organization and has existed for over 30 years. Duties of the director include those outlined in this demand. EIS also has a coordinator of the TLC program and Black Space (Mbongi Spot), which are both charged with improving the persistence and success of Black students. if funded, the additional staff person requested as part of the strategic funding request, would also support initiatives for Black students.

8. Ensure (immediately) salary equity for all Black staff in accordance with the professional median salaries of their specialty. 

Code:  Yellow

Point Person:  Rebecca Chandler, VP for Human Resources
Timeline:  A staff equity study will be completed at LMU in Fall 2022.  Efforts to address salary equity will follow.
Comments:

• Efforts to improve salary equity for all staff, depending on scope and budget required may be staggered over time.  
• It is not legally permissible to address salary equity issues for Black staff without addressing inequity issues for all staff. However, salary equity issues that pertain Black staff will be addressed as part of the overall study and process.

Sept 4 Reference:   The university will undertake salary equity studies for faculty (2021-22) and staff (2022-23) over the next couple of years.

UPDATE 11/23/20: No action at this time, given time frame of salary equity studies.

UPDATE April 2023: Staff Salary Study was completed and used to inform October 2022 AMI awards. 

9. Strengthen and adequately fund the recruitment, mentoring, and retention efforts  related to having a more diverse (particularly Black) and inclusive staff. 

Code:  Green

Point Person:  Rebecca Chandler, VP for Human Resources
Timeline:  Position to be in place mid- to late- Spring 2021.
Comments:

• Human Resources in collaboration with Intercultural Affairs is working on a job description for a position dedicated to supporting faculty and staff recruitment and retention.  The position will be submitted for leadership review and approval this semester.

UPDATE 11/23/20: In progress.  Input will be solicited from the Deans and incorporated into the job description and will be submitted for review by university leadership by the end of the Fall 2020 semester.

UPDATE 4/27/21: A job description for a “DEI partner” role in HR has been created and will be posted in summer 2021, with a target start date of August 1, 2021.

UPDATE December 2021:  The DEI partner position has been open for several months, but recruitment will begin anew under reorganized leadership within HR.

10. Employ (immediately) preferably Black therapist who has expertise in trauma related to  anti-Black racism that will be available to Black faculty and staff at no cost. 

(Note: this demand was raised under “Faculty” with response repeated below)

Code: Green

Point Person:  Rebecca Chandler, VP for Human Resources
Timeline:  Services are immediately available through the Employee Assistance Program (EAP)  
Comments:

• Although Human Resources does not provide direct services in health or mental health services for faculty and staff, it has provided information on available services through LMU-provided insurance.  HR is developing a fact sheet to assist in navigating appropriate websites to identify Black therapists through LMU-provided insurance.   This resource will be provided to BFSA leadership as soon as possible.
• OIA and HR will collaborate to create a small grant for culturally grounded community healing practices that will help support and sustain community-driven peer support for the LMU community.

UPDATE 11/23/20: 

• The HR navigation guide has been sent to BFSA leadership and is now available.
• Applications for the 2021-22 culturally-grounded community healing practices mini-grants will be available before the end of the Spring 2021 semester and due at the beginning of the Fall 2021 semester.
• Two clinical psychologists who have been providing wellness support to BFSA this year will be provided with supplemental pay in recognition of their contributions to supporting the psychological well-being of Black faculty and staff at LMU.

UPDATE December 2021:  BFSA has been awarded a cultural healing practice grant for 2022

Each demand that BFSA makes will directly or indirectly affect the experience of Black students.

1. Meet all the demands of #BlackatLMU. 

Please refer to the #BlackatLMU Demand Response Page.

2. Commit to offering an increase in scholarship funding for Black students that will be approved by the BFSA or Office of Black Student Services. 

Code:  Yellow

Point person:  Maureen Weatherall, Vice Provost for Enrollment Management
Timeline:   N/A
Comments: 

• LMU is committed to scholarship support to assist recruitment of an increased number of  Black students. In addition, Admission will review the scholarship strategy and results with the OBSS Director each year.   However, BFSA or OBSS faculty and staff will not participate directly in scholarship decisions because (a) they cannot legally access FERPA-protected, relevant information, and (b) scholarship decisions are made within the context of broader enrollment management goals.   This is why the response is coded as yellow and not green.

UPDATE 11/23/20:  Admission will meet with the newly hired OBSS director to review enrollment goals and scholarship strategy and scholarship data.  Once a process for doing this on an ongoing basis has been created in collaboration with OBSS, the code for this demand will be moved to green.

UPDATE December 2021:  Scholarship strategies for 2021-22 have been successful in recruiting a highly diverse cohort of first year students.  

3. Ensure financial aid packages remain consistent and commensurate with tuition and fee increases after students' first year to ensure better retention rates. 

Code: Red

Point Person:  Maureen Weatherall, Vice Provost for Enrollment Management
Timeline:  N/A
Comments: 

• Currently, financial aid packages are renewed at a flat rate for all students.  Although it would be ideal to include provisions for returning student financial aid packages that are with commensurate tuition and fee increases, this practice represents a significant budget increase for the university that is not feasible to implement. Further, we cannot legally restrict such financial aid to Black students only. This is why the response is coded as red.
• (revised 11/23/20) The university agrees with the principle that financial aid is a critical component of the university’s overall strategy to increase the retention of Black students.  Although this demand is coded red, scholarship support is a major priority for the university in its comprehensive campaign and will continue to be a focus of attention as it pertains to the recruitment and retention of a diverse student population. 

UPDATE 4/27/21:  The university has re-evaluated its campaign priorities, putting inclusivity and student scholarships as its first priority and campaign pillar.

 

UPDATE December 2021: As part of the metrics for the strategic plan’s spotlight initiative 5 (Access LMU), the university has identified providing increased undergraduate scholarship support for families making $100,000 or less. 

4. Incorporate Black student leadership throughout LMU decision-making processes.

Code:  Yellow

Point Person: Variable, depending on unit
Timeline:  Progress report in November
Comments:

• Student leadership is incorporated at different points in the LMU decision-making process.  At the highest levels, including Board of Trustee and Board of Regents participation, students are represented by the presidents of ASLMU and GSLMU.  
• As a principle, diverse representation of undergraduates, graduate students, faculty, staff, and administrative leadership  is desirable to inform university committees and decision-making structures at all levels.  Students, however, are not engaged in decision-making at all levels.
• #BlackLMU students have been invited to work on existing demands with university leaders, serving as liaisons on specific issues as agreed upon by both student and university leaders.  

UPDATE 11/23/20:  #BlackatLMU students are represented/have been included on the following university-level committees or groups:

• (Dialogues between student and university senior leadership)
• Public Safety Advisory Committee
• Search Advisory Committee for Chief of Public Safety
• Anti-Racism Virtual Forum Planning Committee
• Intercultural Advisory Committee
• Public Arts and Images Committee (anticipated beginning December 2020)

5. Acknowledge, award, and compensate Black student leaders for their anti-racism work at LMU. 

Code:  Green

Point Persons:  

• Lane Bove, SVP for Student Affairs
• Emelyn dela Peña, VP for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion

Timeline:  Progress report in April 2021
Comments:

• Two student awards presented each year as part of the Student Service and Leadership Awards that recognize student leadership in the areas of interculturalism and social justice.  Anti-racism will be discussed as a potential additional criteria for these awards.  Additional awards are given by Ethnic and Intercultural Services.
• OIA will create five paid internships through the Office of Career and Professional Development that will use work-study funds to recognize and support undergraduates in their anti-racism efforts on campus.  

UPDATE 11/23/20:  In progress.  No additional updates at this time.

UPDATE 1/28/21:  A new student award recognizing academic excellence in DEI has been proposed and submitted for inclusion in the 2021 Academic Awards Convocation and beyond.  If approved, applications will be available this semester.

UPDATE 3/29/21:  An Arrupe DEI Award has been established to recognize outstanding undergraduate achievement in academic work explicitly addressing diversity, equity, and inclusion issues.  A committee in Intercultural Affairs reviewed many undergraduate applications and the inaugural award will be presented at the Academic Awards Convocation in April 2021.

6. Respect the intellectual work of Black students in their assignments, especially when they choose to work on questions pertaining to race, Blackness, and issues of importance to their community.

Code:  Yellow

Point Persons: Faculty
Timeline:  Ongoing
Comments:

• As a principle, students who choose to work on questions pertaining to race, Blackness, and issues of importance to their communities absolutely should be supported in these efforts as appropriate to the particular courses, assignments, and specific learning outcomes identified.  
• Faculty are responsible for the course curriculum, including creation of course syllabi, assignments, and grading.  They have the authority and responsibility to evaluate and make decisions about what is appropriate for their courses.  
• The response is coded as yellow and not green because the university supports the demand in principle, but faculty have the educational responsibility and academic freedom to determine their assignments and guidelines for content and evaluation.

UPDATE 11/23/20:  No further comments. 

7. Promote and fund undergraduate and graduate student research for Black LMU Students.

Code:  Green

Point Persons:

• Kathleen Weaver, Associate Provost for Research & Professional Development
• David Sapp, Vice Provost for Academic Affairs and Dean of LMU Graduate Education

Timeline:  Completed and ongoing
Comments:

• Diversity within all Office of Research and Creative Arts  programs as a whole are representative of LMU numbers.  Research opportunities are promoted through programs and events that serve Black LMU undergraduate students, in addition to promotion and recruitment for all LMU students.  
•  Specific opportunities and/or programs include the following:
  • IURP (Independent Undergraduate Research Program) is a small, but very diverse new program. It provides federal work-study for students wishing to work on their own research projects during the academic year. Of the small cohort of students who participated in its inaugural year, over one third were Black. This is the largest percentage of any race/ethnicity in that program. In the future, ORCA is planning to expand IURP to include LMU graduate students, opening up additional support for graduate students with work-study to receive funding for their research. The Spring 2021 deadline for IURP is Friday, January 30th.
    
  • RLC (Research Learning Community) was launched this last year with the goal of increasing access to research, especially for sophomores and juniors who have not had previous research experiences. Data from the completed RLC sessions (Fall 2019) indicates that out of the 22 participants, 22.7% were Black, 31.8% were Latino or Hispanic, and 27.3% were first generation college students (First to Go, or FTG). The Spring 2021 application will open in January and be due in early February.
  • URS (Undergraduate Research Symposium) was migrated online, and 270 students participated from 38 majors, and from all schools and colleges except SOE. 7% of participants were Black. URS 2021 will also be held in a virtual format on March 19th and 20th, 2021. The application will open in January 2021 and be due on Friday, February 5th.
  • SURP (Summer Undergraduate Research Program) was modified this year and ran as a remote program, with almost 7% Black students (n=121). The SURP 2021 application will open in late February 2021 and will be tentatively be due on Friday, March 26th.
  • Rains provided funding for 138 students (111 undergraduates and 24 graduates) before the program's close due to COVID-19.  About 7% of these students were Black. Faculty applications for the 2021-2022 academic year will open in Spring 2021.

• ORCA is in the process of creating a specific page on its website for Graduate student programming, events and opportunities. This resource will utilize both internal programming and efforts as well as LMU's subscription to https://www.facultydiversity.org/gradstudents
• Resources offered to graduate students to support their research and creative work will be reviewed by the Graduate Division, as part of an overall examination of support offered to Black graduate students.
• Graduate students and undergraduates are encouraged to submit proposals to present their research at the annual meeting of the Black Doctoral Network (BDN) each fall semester.  Funds to help support travel expenses are available to students whose research is accepted through the Academic Community of Excellence (ACE).

UPDATE 11/23/20: 2020-21 Deadlines for programs have been added to the comments above.  Three LMU undergraduates participated in online poster sessions at the Fall 2020 Black Doctoral Network (BDN) conference, through OIA’s Academic Community of Excellence (ACE) program.

UPDATE 12/14/20: The Office of Research and Creative Arts (ORCA) has created a permanent website for reporting out participation rates by demographic and institutional indicators as part of their commitment to transparency and inclusive excellence.

UPDATE 4/27/21:  An Arrupe DEI Graduate award for recognizing outstanding academic achievement related to Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) issues is under development for May 2022.  An inaugural Arrupe DEI Undergraduate award was presented in April 2021.

8. Hire (immediately) a Black (preferably male) therapist trained in anti-Black trauma who would be available to students. 

Code:  Yellow

Point Person: Lane Bove, SVP for Student Affairs
Timeline:  Completed and ongoing
Comments: Progress update in November 2020

• A per diem therapist position announcement has been approved by the university and a process to fill the vacant position will commence when an exception to move forward with hiring, during a hiring freeze, is authorized.
• The position announcement will prioritize expertise in racism and trauma, with particular attention to anti-black racism.  

UPDATE 11/23/20:  The position announcement has been created and is under review.  The job will be posted upon approval.  

UPDATE 1/28/21: A full-time position has been posted and applications are being received. The position includes “training and expertise in trauma related to anti-Black racism” as part of the criteria for review.

UPDATE 4/27/21:  Despite concentrated efforts by HR utilizing multiple employment sites, including Association of Black Psychologists, listservs, and engaging the LMU campus network for referrals, there are no applicants for the position meeting requirements for addressing trauma related to racism.  The position posting will be pulled, re-evaluated and revised with community input, before being reposted this summer

UPDATE December 2021:  While one position was vacated, three positions were filled by BIPOC, including LGBTQ+ identified, therapists with expertise in specified areas.  Greater resources have been assigned to supporting Student Psychological Services in their recruitment efforts for staff therapists.

UPDATE April 2023: SPS currently has a diverse staff, including the recent hire of a Black female therapist. All other updates from the last two years still holds true. We have also added a new tele-mental health option – Student Psychological Services (SPS) introduced tele-mental health for all of our undergraduate and graduate and professional students. In addition to the in-person services already provided by SPS, students can now seek virtual services at no additional cost to the student. Students can select a therapist from a diverse pool and schedule an appointment in 48 hours or less. Student can also utilize a Chat Now feature, available 24/7/365 for crisis conversations. Students have been very satisfied with the services they have received from TimelyCare, are able to speak with therapists in the evening and on weekends. We have also been able to reduce the number of students waiting for in-person appointments.

9. Fully fund the Kente Graduation (with LMU Black community retaining exclusive creative control) and create an on-campus site for the celebration. 

Code:  Yellow

Point Persons: 

• John Sebastian, VP for Mission & Ministry
• Lynne Scarboro, EVP & Chief Administrative Officer
• Lane Bove, SVP for Student Affairs

Timeline:  Progress report Spring 2021
Comments:

• The university is open to using an on-campus site for the Kente Graduation as part of Commencement activities.
• Creative control will remain with OBSS, within the parameters established in consultation with Conferences and Events and the Student Affairs Division.
• OBSS and Student Affairs provide funding for the Kente Graduation.

UPDATE 11/23/20:  Discussions in progress.  Update will be provided in Spring 2021, as noted.

UPDATE 4/27/21: The university will put together a Kente working group to be co-led by Jade Smith and Trevor Wiseman.  With BFSA, OBSS, and Black student representation, the group will be charged with working out logistics to host an on-campus Kente graduation event as part of the Spring 2022 commencement activities.   While the university will continue to provide resources and support for the Kente ceremony, associated costs (e.g., student fees for participation) will not be funded through the university.

UPDATE December 2021:  The Kente working group is in progress.

UPDATE April 2023: Kente returned to campus May 2022 and will continue to be held on campus for the forseeable future. Student Affairs has committed to no student having to pay to participate in the Kente ceremony.