Plan Stewardship and Sustainability
The Team had many conversations about the best path forward for the successful implementation of the Diversity and Inclusion Plan. The Team recommends: diversity and inclusion planning be a sustained and visible commitment at the highest leadership level; there is ample and ongoing opportunity for all members of the University community to contribute, and be empowered to create and pursue solutions to the areas of focus raised in the plan; planning is well-coordinated, with clear roles and milestones for accountability; assessment of progress and outcomes, and transparency of data and information, are central to the process; and that those leading the process be in a position to identify resource needs, advocate for funding and other priorities, and address potential barriers to progress, as they emerge. A dedicated stewardship structure, including both existing and potentially new personnel resources, will be fundamental to sustaining our efforts.
However, we are also conscious of the need for this process to fit well within the existing planning framework 2, and to not limit the opportunities it presents for individual units to consider and pursue diversity and inclusion goals in their own ways. To start, we may thus consider plan leadership & coordination through the President’s Cabinet. Such an approach will facilitate direct integration of the plan’s objectives into all areas of University life, and concretely anchor this work in existing planning and assessment processes. In addition, it will enable the President to ensure that the goals and objectives of the plan are being coordinated, phased, and progressing in an intentional and thoughtful manner, to monitor ongoing alignment with our Strategic Plan and other institutional planning efforts, and identify the best path for appropriate long-term support. The following diagram describes the position of the Diversity and Inclusion Plan within the planning model:
