2022-2023 Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Action Plan Updates

April 25, 2023

Academic Affairs Division

Faculty Cohort Hire

  • This is the third year in a row in which Ohio Wesleyan has pursued a cohort/cluster hire to enhance the diversity of its faculty and curriculum and to foster innovative approaches to interdisciplinarity and pedagogical flexibility.
  • To date, six faculty have been hired for 2023-2024 in the following areas:
    • Biological Sciences (Microbiology)
    • Economics & Business (Entrepreneurship)
    • Environment and Sustainability (Earth Sciences)
    • Fine Arts (Art History)
    • Journalism & Communication (Mass Communication)
    • Sociology & Anthropology (Criminology/Criminal Justice)
  • Performing Arts (Theatre Performance) campus visits have concluded and the search is wrapping up.
  • Dr. Paul Dean is coordinating the New Faculty Onboarding and mentoring for the third year in a row. He continues to explore ways to better support new international faculty as part of their onboarding.

Moving The Needle (MTN) Holistic Advising Module

Spring 2023 Accomplishment Highlights

  • Accepting applications for the Director of Holistic Advising position.
  • Working to explore peer advising/mentoring models.
  • Continuing work on Starfish, the online student success system.
  • Held a peer-mentoring event with First-Year Experience.
  • Hosted a focus group with current students about the current advising process.

Fall 2023 Aspirational Goals

  • Coordinate transition from current advising oversight and orientation to new Director of Holistic Advising role.
  • Move team to an advisory role with the Director of Admission.
  • Assist with holistic advising training for advisors.
  • Coordinate a peer advising event as part of the OWU Connection Conference.

Faculty Handbook Revision

  • The first comprehensive revision of the entire faculty handbook in over 60 years began in April 2022, following a Board of Trustees mandate in spring 2021 for a "complete review of the Faculty Handbook." This monumental effort was based on the principle that the handbook be strategic, modern, equitable, and clear. Incorporating fairness and equity throughout the handbook in policy has been a consistent practice. A new handbook will be in place as of Aug. 1, 2023.

General Education Curriculum Implementation

  • Major project milestones for the General Education Curriculum Implementation (GECI) are updated on the GECI website. The wicked problems first-year seminar, competencies, and integrated OWU Connection requirement all have been designed with student success and inclusive excellence in mind.

Global Liberal Arts Alliance LAB

  • OWU has received a $50,000 grant, funded by the Mellon Foundation through the GLCA Global Crossroads program, to organize virtual cross-cultural communication and intercultural reconciliation training in summer and fall 2023. This will be followed by a retreat at the Corrymeela Center in Northern Ireland. Leaders Across Borders will bring together students from GLAA member institutions. For questions, contact leadersacrossborders@owu.edu.

Athletics Department

  • OWU Athletics recognized Dr. Harriet Stewart at a ceremony on campus. Dr. Stewart's passion, drive, and relentless pursuit of providing opportunities for women to compete in sports was finally recognized. "Dr. Stu" was honored with a plaque on the Selby Field wall of Athletic Directors for her service as the Director of Women's Athletics from 1965-1977. 
  • The ceremony was followed by a celebration of the 50th anniversary of Title IX and Women in Sports at OWU. The celebration included remarks by OWU Provost Karlyn Crowley and alumna Dr. Robyn Morgan '73, messages from current coaches and student-athletes, and a keynote address by former women's basketball coach and faculty member Nan Carney-DeBord titled "What were the Senators Thinking?"

Council on Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion

  • Helped to plan and hold the inaugural Melvin Van Peebles Symposium to honor and celebrate Van Peebles' life and legacy by providing a platform to review, study, and share the historical and contemporary impact of Van Peebles and how, through this examination, we might gain insights about broader political and cultural dynamics. The symposium also seeks to recognize emerging artists and artistry that extend Van Peebles' radical tradition.
    • $7,000 sponsorship from PNC Bank
    • $3,000 Community Partnerships Sponsor from the Delaware County Foundation
    • $5,000 Ohio Wesleyan University DEI Grant
    • $5,000 Spark Grant through the Ohio Humanities Council
  • The DEI Campus Book Club read There, There by Tommy Orange over the semester. The book was read in concert with watching a number of documentaries on Native American history and activism.
  • Students, faculty, and staff watched the HULU Docuseries on the 1619 project over six weeks during spring semester. This was followed by a discussion on the docuseries.
  • Awarded a number of DEI Grants over the academic year.
    • Grants to students
      • Faith Deschamps to support her travel to South Africa, Lesotho and Eswatini, to study Black women's health activism in Southern Africa.
      • Nuri Craig to support his travel to Southern Africa, where he will observe differences in how food is produced, marketed, and advertised in Lesotho.
      • Meredith Frymyer to support her work with the Fragua Memorial on campus. Once complete, she will bring powwow dancer Larry Yazzie to OWU.
      • Jemimah Chukwuemeka and Anya Robinson to support their travel to the Day of Reckoning Conference in Montgomery, Alabama, to learn about Black Maternal Health.
      • Marquel Henry and Dillon Shelton to support their travel to the National Community Reinvestment Coalition Conference in Washington, D.C.
      • Jada Respress to support her travel to South Africa and London to study Black journalism internationally.
    • Grants to faculty and staff
      • Eva Paris-Huesca, Jason Timpson, Adrian Moran, and Francine Butler to support the Melvin Van Peebles Symposium, exploring the life and legacy of Van Peebles '53 and Black Arts.
  • Participated in the inaugural Delaware Equity Day in partnership with Project DREAMS through The Ohio State University. OWU led a workshop titled "Racial Equity 101."
  • Assisted with the 30th Annual Delaware MLK Breakfast to support the Delaware MLK Scholarship Fund.
  • Participated in the For The Culture event involving the Chief Diversity Office, DEI Council, and Office of Multicultural Student Affairs (OMSA) that centered on Hip Hop and how it can be utilized in teaching and learning today.
  • Provided BIPOC Faculty Development on tenure and promotion with Dr. Valerie Lee.
  • Continued training workshops in collaboration with Destiny Coleman and The Woltemade Center for the center's scholar programs.
  • Continued to coordinate Bishops of Color and Mosaic – faculty and staff affinity groups – which met over the semester. Bishops of Color will meet with President Jones at the end of the semester.
  • The Chief Diversity Officer and the Director of OMSA attended the annual conference of the National Association of Diversity Officers in Higher Education.

Enrollment and Communications Division

  • Working with Community-Based Organizations (CBOs)
    • OWU was selected to participate in the I Know I Can (IKIC) "College Readiness Program." This pilot program is designed to expose Columbus City Schools students in grades 9-11 to higher education opportunities and resources, including campus life, academic, and scholarship resources.
    • Marion Franklin's visit to OWU.
    • Africentric Early College's visit to OWU.
    • Walnut Ridge's visit to OWU.
  • Dr. Charles Thomas Scholarship review and selection (larger cohort)
    • 33 winners
    • 17 deposits to date (52% yield)
  • Staff participation in the Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging Certificate (DEIB) Program offered by the Ohio Association for College Admission Counseling (OACAC), including four virtual professional development sessions.
  • Greenlight Match Newsletter sent to CBO counselors in mid-February, highlighting programs designed to support underserved student populations, such as OWU's Summer Bridge Scholars Program and Dr. Charles Thomas Scholarship opportunities.
  • Continued partnership with Greenlight Match's "direct admit" program for applicant batches in February and March, resulting in a review of 82 additional applications that OWU may not have received otherwise.

Finance and Administration Division/Human Resources Office

  • Improved search committee member engagement in DEI online training and modified search tools and processes for OWU Search Committee chairs.
  • Attended DEI virtual training suggested by OWU's Chief Diversity Officer and facilitated by the National Association of Diversity Officers in Higher Education (NADOHE).
  • Attended 504 Coordinator virtual training in spring 2023.
  • Collaborated with Academic Affairs on the revised Faculty Handbook.
  • Partnered with Academic Affairs and International and Off-Campus Programs in creating/implementing a process to assess immigration support needs of faculty cohort candidates; participated in joint meetings to discuss specific needs of top candidates.
  • Worked with the OWU Staff Council on the STAR Award and the new OWU Partners in Service Award for individuals who support University initiatives but who are employed on campus by other partner organizations or are self-employed.
  • Began offering the Strengths Finder assessment tool to OWU staff through new-hire onboarding, Fall Health & Wellness Day, and Winter Professional, Personal Development Day. Seeking ways to expand the use of the information to strengthen the employee's individual sense of belonging.
  • Partnering with the OWU Strengths Finder Strategic Team.
  • Continuing to support and serve on the University's DEI Council. Attend and support DEI Council initiatives.
  • Continuing to collaborate with the Office of Accessibility Services on staff issues; provided support on job skills-related student issues.
  • Continuing to promote and strengthen campus knowledge of OWU Guiding Principles to unify campus work culture and strengthen work connections.

Student Engagement and Success Division

  • The Director of Public Safety is working on a proposal to acquire a paratransit vehicle to assist in transporting students, faculty, and staff with mobility issues around campus. The department is collaborating with University Advancement to research grant possibilities to fund the vehicle. In fall 2023, at least three students will use wheelchairs, including one dependent on a motorized chair.
  • Hired a Director of First-Gen Student Success to lead our new Bishop Elevate program. Thea Smekens will begin her work at OWU on June 1.
  • Established a DEI Committee for the division and launched a "Point to Ponder" poster campaign with DEI-focused messaging.
  • Improved division representation of people of color over the past few years, going from one at one point to six professionals currently.
  • Continuing to provide support and resolution processes related to the Campus Climate reporting system. Students, faculty, and staff are able to raise a campus climate concern through this system when they see or experience an issue or incident that they perceive to have a DEI component. Thirty reports have been filed so far this year, compared to 22 last year.
  • Office of Multicultural Student Affairs initiatives have included:
    • Donuts with OMSA staff
    • Black Magic Drag Show
      • A night of fun, songs, and dancing, hosted by drag queens in celebration of Valentine's Day.
    • Women's Empowerment Coffee Event
      • In celebration of Women's History Month, this event celebrated outstanding women in history and on the OWU campus. Two women leaders at OWU, Dr. Karlyn Crowley and Ms. Tenique Dennis, were invited as keynote speakers to share their journeys to leadership.
      • Guests at this event were able to engage in round table discussions on several topics centering on women in society.
    • Movies in Crider Lounge
      • This is a passive initiative with students watching movies during lunchtime. There is a wide selection of movies to choose from and this leads to discussions afterward, and sometimes nostalgic conversations about their favorite childhood films.
    • Lavender Graduation
      • Held April 23, Lavender Graduation recognizes the achievements of LGBTQ+ students and their allies. It is a time for the LGBTQ+ community to come together to celebrate their successes, honor their struggles, and inspire the next generation of leaders.
      • Graduating students receive Lavender graduation stoles.
      • Delaware Pride, a community organization that supports and advocates for LGBTQ+ rights and issues, attends this event and gives pride tassels to graduating seniors.
    • Multicultural Graduation
      • Held April 23, Multicultural Graduation celebrates the diversity and accomplishments of OWU students and recognizes the challenges they have overcome to achieve success.
      • Students receive graduation stoles and cords.
      • OMSA invites representatives from the community to participate in this event.
    • First-Gen Graduation
      • Held April 12, this event recognizes the unique challenges and celebrates the tenacity and success of first-generation students as they prepare to graduate.

University Advancement Division

  • Hosted a Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging (DEIB) in Advancement Symposium for GLCA advancement colleagues in February. The symposium was supported by a CASE Venture Fund grant. In follow-up, the division is working to form a cross-institutional group for continued DEIB in Advancement conversations/work.
  • Raised an additional $1,752 for student DEI Grants through February's We Are OWU campaign. Grant projects, such as a recent student project and presentation on Black maternal health, are shared with past grant donors as stewardship.
    • Supported awarding over $45,000 to students who identify as members of an underrepresented community and who participate in career-related activities.
    • Supported the participation of six first-generation students in on-campus first-generation internships, which helps to build close connections to additional resources on campus, expand their social and professional network, provide access to career workshops and programs, and increase their confidence and sense of future growth.
  • In partnership with the Melvin Van Peebles Symposium committee, supported the opportunity for alumni to participate in the symposium virtually as well as promoted the event to alumni, family, and friends community. Also helped underwrite alumni participation for the weekend.
  • In partnership with the Athletics Department, supported the Celebration of Dr. Harriet Stewart & 50 years of Title IX & Women in Sports at OWU. More than 50 alumni returned to campus and over 75 current student-athletes, coaches, and staff attended the April event.
  • Actively seeking grant funding opportunities for a paratransit van for OWU students that would enable students in wheelchairs to roll onto the van without having to transfer to seats. Students with less significant mobility issues or temporary mobility issues (such as athletic injuries) also would benefit from a paratransit van.
  • Utilizing funding provided by the Alumni Board of Directors to support the purchase of laptops to aid participants in the Bridge Program. The Alumni Board also will serve as bridge connectors working with students during the program and guiding them through the transition to college.
  • Working with a committee of alumni to support and facilitate a Black Alumni Reunion at Homecoming and Family Weekend 2023 along with the 50th anniversary Gospel Lyres concert.
  • Partnering with the Offices of Alumni & Family Engagement and Multicultural Student Affairs on an initiative that centers on support for historically marginalized students. The initiative will be piloted by the Alumni Board of Directors and focus on opportunities to provide mentorship, real-life navigation, resources, and real-world connections.

January 20, 2023

Academic Affairs Division

OWU Connection Conference

  • Black Wall Street – "Street Fair" featuring Black and minority-owned businesses in central Ohio. Opportunity for students to shop and network with entrepreneurs from underrepresented and underserved communities. Participants report strong attendance.
  • OWU Does Entrepreneurship – Including Kennedy Watkins '25 presenting on her business, Gilded Teas, and her efforts to use the proceeds to support women and people of color in STEM fields.
  • Strong attendance numbers, especially among first-year students, suggest that OWU Connection opportunities were front and center for members of underrepresented communities. Over 45% of all first-year students attended one or more conference sessions and approximately 25% of the student-presenters were members of underrepresented / underserved / first-generation / BIPOC communities.

Career Connection

  • More than $50,000 in funding to underrepresented and BIPOC students to offset career-related expenses.
  • Successful launch of first-generation on-campus internship program.
  • Extensive roster of alumni partners representing communities.
  • Grant submitted through the Arthur Vining Davis Foundation facilitating career entry for first-generation students.
  • Partnering with JP Morgan Chase on internship program advancing career prospects for Black and Latino/a students.

Service Learning

  • Courses with substantial service learning component tied to issues of equity: Sociology/Anthropology 359: Social Inequality, students complete 35 service hours related to course reading/discussion plus journal entries and presentation required and Social Justice 390: Mentored Activism, students complete an experientially-oriented project under the mentorship of a social justice-affiliated faculty member.
  • 2023 Spring Break Service Programs include disaster recovery with SBP (formerly the St. Bernard Project) in Houston, Texas, and Puerto Rico, and an interfaith mission to the Rosebud Reservation in South Dakota, part of Lakota Nation, with the goal of rebuilding Lakota-Anglo relationships.

International and Off-Campus Programs (IOCP)

  • Staff attended the NAFSA: Association of International Educators Region VI & VIII conference in Pittsburgh, specifically the following sessions:
    • Tackling Racism with International Students
    • Queer in the World: Supporting LGBTQIA+ students abroad
    • Intercultural Development
    • Combating Implicit Bias
    • Refugees & Displaced Persons
    • Refining Education Abroad Scholarships
  • Jeremiah Anderson '23, IOCP mentor and Gilman Scholar, awarded the Fund for Education Abroad's NAFSA Tamara H. Bryant Memorial Scholarship ($5,000).
  • Promotion of CIEE's Fredrick Douglass Fellowship, a four-week summer program with 12 exceptional student leaders of color who conduct a comparative study of social justice leadership in America, South Africa, and Ireland (spring and summer 2023).
  • Hired our fall 2022 Gilman Scholar to work in IOCP as a mentor to support future Gilman applicants.
  • Currently providing immigration/visa services and case support for seven faculty and staff; two other cases have been successfully closed this fiscal year.
  • Hired a new Assistant Director, whose focus will be on international student support and student and institutional immigration regulatory compliance. Vacant since 2020 because of the pandemic, the post was filled by Deanna ("Dede") Shine, who previously served in this role.

Cohort Hire

This academic year marks the third in a row in which Ohio Wesleyan has run a cohort/cluster hire to enhance the diversity of its faculty and curriculum. To date, four faculty have been hired in the following areas: Anthropology and Sociology (Criminology/Criminal Justice), Biological Sciences (Microbiology), Economics and Business (Entrepreneurship), and Environment and Sustainability (Earth Sciences). The Fine Arts (Art History), Journalism and Communication (Mass Communication), and Performing Arts (Theatre Performance) searches are ongoing and will be hosting finalists on campus in spring. The Education and Neuroscience searches have been paused and will resume in 2023-2024.

GLCA Reimagining International Education Summit (RIES)

International & Off-Campus Program (IOCP) staff along with staff from the Career Connection and Professor Vanessa Hildebrand (Sociology and Anthropology) participated in the RIES in Ann Arbor in October. Funded by the Mellon Foundation, the summit engaged GLCA member campuses in visioning exercises for long-term institutional planning with a focus on diversity, equity, and inclusion issues; environmental sustainability; and integration of the student experience into career planning. IOCP staff were part of the GLCA RIES steering committee. Institutional work will continue on the response plan for the RIES experience through summer 2023.

GLCA Global Crossroads Grand Challenge Grant

IOCP has received provisional approval to lead a GLCA program funded through the GLCA Global Crossroads program. Notification of final approval should be received in late January. This program will bring together students from GLCA institutions and members of the Global Liberal Arts Alliance to participate in virtual cross-cultural communication and inter-cultural reconciliation training in summer and fall 2023, followed by a retreat at the Corymeela Center in the United Kingdom, with which OWU has a long-standing relationship.

Collaborative Online International Education (COIL) Initiatives

OWU's exchange relationship with Tohoku Koeki University (Sakata, Japan) continues. Throughout fall semester, students enrolled in Japanese courses taught by Professor Jun Kawabe interacted virtually with students enrolled in international communication courses led by Koeki's Professor Ed Fec. These COIL experiences with Koeki started during summer 2020. OWU faculty also have COIL opportunities through the GLCA's global course connection programs.

Council on Diversity, Equity and Inclusion

  • DEI Campus Book Club read White Rage: The Unspoken Truth of our Racial Divide by Carol Anderson over the course of the semester.
  • Chief Diversity Officer (CDO) Dawn Chisebe coordinated training with Destiny Coleman at The Woltemade Center to provide regular DEI training for their scholar program students.
  • OWU and the Delaware County Fund hosted the official book release and discussion by Kwame Christian on his new book How to Have Difficult Conversations About Race.
  • Collaborated with the Office of Multicultural Student Affairs (OMSA) on the second annual Global Majority Block Party.
  • CDO and Director of OMSA Jason Timpson led training for the Inclusion Advocates sitting on Academic Search Committees for 2022-2023.
  • Bishops of Color and Mosaic – faculty and staff affinity groups – continued to meet over the semester. Bishops of Color met with President Jones at the end of the semester.
  • CDO, Director of OMSA, and Assistant Director of OMSA Sally Aluso continue to be members of the First-Gen Advisory Board.
  • CDO served on the Women of Wesleyan Panel on the Power & Importance of Language.
  • CDO, Director of OMSA, and University Chaplain Chad Johns served on the planning committee for the 30th Annual Delaware County Community MLK Breakfast and Celebration.
  • Global Majority Chess Lunch and Learn on Leadership and Chess in collaboration with OMSA.
  • Lunch & Learn with I Know I Can in collaboration with Admission.
  • All incoming first-year students participated in DEI training prior to the start of fall semester.
  • CDO serving as an Inclusion Advocate on an active academic search.
  • CDO serving as a member of Ohio 5 and GLCA DEI discussion groups.
  • CDO and Director of OMSA serving on the planning committee for the inaugural Melvin Van Peebles: Black Arts Symposium to be held in March and April 2023.
  • Assisting with For The Culture, an interactive program on the elements and history of Hip-Hop (February 2023) in collaboration with OMSA and Black Student Union.
  • Jada Respress '23 received an OWU DEI Student Grant to study Black journalism in South Africa and London.
  • Jemimah Chukwuemeka '26 and Anya Robinson '26 were awarded the OWU DEI Student Grant to attend The Anarcha, Lucy, Betsey Day of Reckoning Conference from Feb. 26 to March 1 in Montgomery, Alabama. The event recognizes the historic inequities in Black women's healthcare, focusing on the legacies of three enslaved women who underwent multiple gynecological surgeries without their consent in the mid-1800s.
  • CDO, Director of OMSA, Dr. Phokeng Dailey, and Dr. Ashley Kennard are leading a session on "Equity 101" at OWU as part of the first annual Day of Equity through Project DREAMS in Delaware County.

Enrollment and Communications Division

DEI Workshops

  • February 2022 – Conducted training with the Admission team on Anti-Racist Institute (OACAC) and led a discussion as it relates to the historical context of systemic racism in higher education. Discussed how to combat traditional ideologies in recruitment and programming to attract and retain a more diverse student population.
  • April 2022 – Organized discussion with current OWU students on how BIPOC students feel about having a sense of belonging at OWU after watching a short documentary created by Anna DuSaire '22 and supported by a DEI Grant.
  • August 2022 – Arranged for guest speaker Dr. Chinwe Okpalaoka to present at Admission retreat regarding successful retention and admission activity programs conducted at The Ohio State University.
  • August 2022 – Presented and conducted group discussion in relation to diversity activities within Admission with SWOT analysis.
  • August 2022 – Admission staff attended GLCA joint DEI Training Session;  commitment by GLCA to continue DEI-focused training twice each year.
  • September 2022 – Facilitated and led group discussion at "How to Have Difficult Conversations About Race" for program sponsored by OMSA and Delaware County Fund.

DEI Admission Recruitment Related Activities

  • Summer 2022 – Became member of Coalition for College, an organization that focuses on providing access to college to marginalized students.
  • August 2022 – Renewed partnership with College Greenlight, an organization that provides direct access to thousands of community-based organizations (CBOs) who primarily serve historically excluded students.
  • August 2022 – Expanded partnership with College Greenlight to include Greenlight Match – a direct admit program for students associated with CBOs, primarily in Chicago and Philadelphia.
  • August 2022 – Organized OWU's first Multicultural Information Session in collaboration with OMSA's Global Majority Block Party.
  • August 2022 – Attended TRIO-Upward Bound College Fair in Detroit, Michigan.
  • August 2022 – Conducted college application readiness sessions with seniors at Cristo Rey High School in Columbus.
  • Fall 2022 – Participated in over seven sponsored I Know I Can (IKIC-CBO) Columbus City Schools Fairs.
  • September 2022 – Attended College Now College Fair in Cleveland, Ohio.
  • November 2022 – Organized meet-and-greet with IKIC Career Navigator, who conducted a session on campus with current OWU students (CCSD alum) to ensure continued success and retention of these students. *This program will be ongoing every semester.
  • November 2022 – Participated in East High School College Fair and conducted college application readiness sessions with juniors and seniors.
  • December 2022 – Organized campus visit by a group of East High School students to participate in OWU Visit Day.
  • December 2022 – Enhanced the Dr. Charles Thomas Scholarship Program. (Refined application process, continued commitment to awarding at least 20 scholarships, modified awarding structure to increase the financial benefit to students.)

Finance and Administration Division/Human Resources Office

Recruitment

  • Continue to assess, modify job ad placements in search of more diverse candidate pools.
  • Implemented enhanced contract with LinkedIn for professional position postings.
  • Modified OWU search committee DEI training requirement to ensure training is completed before committee begins review of applicant materials.

Employee Experience

  • Continue to focus on initiatives to improve the experience of employees in order to strengthen their sense of campus belonging, including enhancing the new hire experience and collaborating with OWU StrengthsFinder Committee:
    • Offering free Strengths assessment to all OWU employees through Fall Health & Wellness Fair; building on employee knowledge through the Spring semester Professional/Personal Development Day info sessions.
    • Planning 1 – Use Strengths in supervisor/leader training during 2023.
    • Planning 2 – Working with StrengthsFinder Committee on OWU Strengths strategic plan.

Additional Initiatives

  • HR Director Imogene Johnson serves as OWU DEI Council member.
  • Participated in the OWU First-Generation event in fall 2022.
  • Serving as an on-campus collaborator on the OWU alumni planning committee for Gospel Lyres 50th reunion event scheduled for fall 2023.
  • Assisting with Jan. 15-16, 2023, Martin Luther King Jr. campus events.

Student Engagement and Success Division

Chaplain's Office

  • Collaborated on an Interfaith Speaker series with Residential Life.
  • Collaborated on a "For God so Loved the Gays" panel with the Interfaith House small living unit.
  • Co-hosted the annual Diwali service with Horizons (international student organization).
  • Attended the Building Interfaith Leaders Fellowship Gathering with a student fellow in, Washington, D.C.
  • Helped plan the 2023 MLK Jr. Celebration.
  • Participated in Culture Fest (display table and attendance).
  • Continued to support student religious life groups from diverse religious traditions (CRU, OMT, Hillel, Tauheed, Newman, Interfaith House) and early conversations about a new Hindu student group.

Student Involvement Office

  • "Leaders in Letters" events (fraternity/sorority life audience) on Oct. 27 and Dec. 1 focused on LGTBQ+ history and the holidays of underrepresented identities.
  • Sponsored Domestic Violence Awareness Month in October involving awareness flags, information tabling events, "Wear Purple Day," and "Take Back the Night" event.
  • Student events planned by cultural organizations:
    • Culture Fest, Horizons
    • Chill in the Cave/ Movie Talk, Black Men of the Future
    • Barbershop Talk, Black Men of the Future
    • Ebony and Ivory: Masquerade Ball, Black Student Union
    • Homecoming House Party, House of Black Culture
    • 2022 BLACK CAUCUS HAUNTED HOUSE, House of Black Culture
    • Speaker Event: Mohawk Nation, We're Still Here, Indigenous Peoples Awareness Club
    • Día De Los Muertos, Spanish Club
    • VIVA Kickstart at La Casa, VIVA

Office of Multicultural Student Affairs

  • Achievement Mentor Pilot
    • This program provides participants with a built-in supportive community designed to assist their success as a Bishop. It is an additional resource to continue providing support, resources, and advising for Summer Bridge Program Scholars and other OWU students who have demonstrated significant need.
    • Five mentors this spring, involving study hours, syllabus planning, and required meetings with OMSA professional staff.
  • Major Events and Initiatives
    • Global Majority Block Party (September)
    • Drag Show (August)
    • Black Wall Street (co-sponsored with The Woltemade Center & the Office of the Chief Diversity Officer)
    • First-Gen Week (co-sponsored with faculty, Student Engagement and Success Dean, the Office of the Chief Diversity Officer, and OWU Career Connection)
    • Increasing the on-campus food pantry (with the Chaplain's Office, Residential Life, and Community Service Learning)
    • Took a delegation of students to a national LGBTQIA+ conference
  • Updated Campus Climate Process
  • Maintained What's Up Wednesday Weekly Newsletter

Other Division Areas

  • Hiring a Director of First-Generation Student Success through the generous support of Tom and Susan Palmer, and will be creating a more robust array of support services for first-gen students in the coming year.
  • Supported efforts related to a First-Gen Celebration Week in November.
  • Esports program has a diverse array of students, including 51 men and 14 women (a relatively high percentage of women within the esports world), 11 international students, and four students who identify as transgender.

University Advancement Division

Alumni Guides – The Offices of Alumni & Family Engagement and Multicultural Student Affairs are partnering on an initiative that centers on support for historically marginalized students. The initiative will be piloted by the Alumni Board of Directors and focus on opportunities to provide mentorship, real-life navigation, resources, and real-world connections.

First-Gen Student/Alumni Munch & Mingle – In partnership with the First-Generation Advisory Group, supported a new event bringing together First-Gen students and alumni during First-Generation College Day. The event offered students and alumni the opportunity to share stories of difficulties and successes as first-gen students, as well as an opportunity for students to discover and learn about potential career fields.

Development Updates

  • Partnership continues between the Melvin Van Peebles Symposium planning committee and Advancement to secure funding to support the inaugural event, which will serve as the foundation for a biennial Symposium on Black arts and culture. Current funding conversations include the Delaware County Foundation, PNC, and the Ohio Humanities Council, with other potential sponsors.
  • OWU is a finalist under consideration for funding from the Arthur Vining Davis Foundations (AVDF) for a grant in support of First-Gen and other underrepresented students on campus. AVDF meets this spring to review final proposals and issue decisions.
  • The Ohio Wesleyan Fund continues to raise funds for DEI grants to be distributed among the OWU community.
  • OWU's Advancement Office, led by one of our newest staff members and a '22 OWU graduate, secured funding from CASE to bring an expert to campus in February to discuss the intersection of DEIB and Advancement work.  We will invite Advancement colleagues from fellow GLCA schools to join for the interactive training and to share notes.
  • A late '90s graduate is increasing his estate commitment to OWU to support scholarships for LGBTQ+ and/or those with financial need.

September 30, 2022

Academic Affairs Division

  • Faculty Tenure and Promotion and DEI
    • The "Self Report" is the document faculty members prepare to report on their activities as part of Ohio Wesleyan's faculty evaluation process. In the 2021-2022 academic year, the Faculty Personnel Committee revised the report language to include a specific invitation to faculty members to talk about their work on diversity, equity, and inclusion as a valued part of being an OWU faculty member. This language was approved by a vote of the faculty and will be part of the Self Report going forward.
  • Faculty Cohort Hire
    • This academic year marks the third in a row in which Ohio Wesleyan has launched an innovative cohort/cluster hire to enhance the diversity of its faculty and curriculum. As in the 2020-2021 and 2021-2022 cycles, this year's cohort hire emphasizes the three foci of flexibility, interdisciplinarity, and equity, and takes advantage of new systems in Academic Affairs to infuse these foci throughout the search process. This year's cycle features positions in Sociology & Anthropology (Criminology/Criminal Justice), Biological Sciences (Microbiology), Economics & Business (Entrepreneurship), Education (Elementary Literacy), Environment & Sustainability (Earth Sciences), Journalism & Communication (Mass Communication), and Neuroscience. Positions in Fine Arts and Performing Arts will be added to the cohort later this fall.
  • New Faculty Orientation and Mentoring
    • This year's faculty cohort has participated in our newly revised New Faculty Orientation (NFO) and is a part of the second year of our Faculty Mentoring Program (FMP). Both programs have a DEI focus, including NFO sessions with the DEI Council, an introduction to OWU's student population, and teaching-oriented sessions on working with diverse students. The FMP utilizes a team mentoring model that pairs small groups of new faculty with colleagues trained in DEI practices. Each mentoring team has been selected to match mentors and mentees with similar personal and professional interests, but also linking them with faculty that both share backgrounds and are diverse from them.
  • General Education Competencies Implementation
    • The Nine Core Competencies are a key part of the reimagined General Education curriculum, and two of these competencies explicitly foreground DEI issues: "Engage Diversity" and "Examine Power and Inequities." Nine teams of faculty, each with three-five members, worked over the summer to develop a set of shared learning objectives for each competency. This fall, CAP is reviewing and revising draft learning objectives for each competency group, with a focus on defining parameters for requirements and ensuring that competencies are assessable. In spring, faculty will apply to have their courses counted toward the competencies. Beginning in fall 2023, all OWU students will be required to take one course from each of the competency groups. Any course that satisfies a competency requirement will have been vetted by the Committee on Academic Programs (CAP).
  • Study Away External Financial Support for Under-Represented Groups – Access Study Abroad
    • Six of the 37 students studying away during fall 2022 received first-gen/low-income (FGLI) supplemental scholarships/grants from our institutional partners. One student received a U.S. Gilman Scholarship. Of the 37 students studying away, 13 are enrolled in OWU-run programs. Of the remaining 24 students, in total, 11 students received over $35,000 in external additional financial aid. For spring 2023, three students are pursuing Gilmans, and many more applying for other external financial aid supporting under-represented groups. Our Access Study Abroad program provides support programming for FGLI students to improve universal access to study-away opportunities.
  • Former Ohio Senator Nina Turner presents the 2022-23 Butler A. Jones Lecture on Race and Society hosted by the Department of Sociology and Anthropology. Her talk is titled "The Hook-Up: How Race and Class are Soulmates for Life."
  • Jen Miller, executive director of the League of Women Voters of Ohio, presents the 2022-23 Marsh Lecture on Public Affairs hosted by the Department of Politics and Government. Her talk is titled "A Nonpartisan Defense of Democracy."

Athletics Department

  • Finalizes DEI questions to be added to the post-season survey completed by student-athletes at the end of their competitive seasons.
  • Continues to provide education and resources for student-athletes and staff.

Council on Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion

  • Five-Year DEI Strategic Plan
    • The Bridge Program moves into the active phase of its first-year build-out through the Office of Multicultural Student Affairs. This includes developing an Achievement Mentors Program to provide active wrap-around care for Bridge participants in their first year at the University. Summer Bridge students also are registered for unique sections of UC160 to continue to provide more individualized support in their first semester.
  • Training
    • All incoming first-year students complete DEI training prior to arriving on campus this fall.
    • DEI Council works in partnership with The Woltemade Center for Economics, Business and Entrepreneurship to provide DEI-centered training for the center's scholars programs.
    • OWjL Camp leaders receive training on gender identity and understanding harmful/helpful language.
    • Student Board representatives who participate in annual faculty evaluation processes complete required DEI Training.
  • Programming
    • "How to Have Difficult Conversations about Race" with Kwame Christian, co-sponsored by The Delaware County Foundation; OWU Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Council, and OWU Office of Multicultural Student Affairs.
    • DEI Book Club reads White Rage: The Unspoken Truth of our Racial Divide by Carol Anderson as its book for fall semester.
    • Bishops of Color and Mosaic grow in numbers and hold their first events of the semester in September.
    • Black Wall Street is set for Oct. 6 in partnership with The Woltemade Center, Office of Multicultural Student Affairs, Delaware Entrepreneurial Center at OWU, and OWU Connection. This event brings together local BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, People of Color) businesses and BIPOC student-entrepreneurs.
    • Summer Bridge participants take part in workshops regarding DEI work on campus.
    • First-Gen Advisory Board holds a social to create space to socialize and connect with other first-gen students, staff, and faculty. Participants enjoy meaningful conversations revolving around first-gen experiences.
  • DEI Grants Awarded
    • Jada Respress '23 receives funds for her project "The Global Majority: The Development of Black Journalism." She is currently in South Africa gathering information related to the development of Black journalism and the key role it plays in Cape Town. Afterward, she will travel to London, United Kingdom, to do the same.

Enrollment and Communications Division

  • OWU staff participate in the I Know I Can (IKIC) Founders Scholars Celebration, recognizing the 20 students (1 attending OWU) who earned the IKIC Founders Scholarship. (May 2022)
  • Renews and expands our partnership with College Greenlight, an organization that gives us access to 1,500+ CBO (Community Based Organizations) who work directly with underserved populations. Our expansion includes participating in the Greenlight Match program in Chicago and Philadelphia. This program allows us to offer admission to qualified candidates who might not have otherwise known about OWU. (2022-2023)
  • Becomes a member of Coalition for College, an organization that supports students through the search and enrollment process with a specific and committed focus on working with students from communities that are marginalized and underrepresented in higher education. Being a member gives us opportunities to engage with 500+ CBOs, hundreds of Title 1 high schools, and all students who utilize the SCOIR college search and application platform. (2022-2023)
  • Renews formal partnership with Chicago Scholars, a CBO in Chicago. (2022-2023)
  • Hosts a number of CBO groups for a visit to campus ((summer 2022). Examples include:
    • University of Chicago Woodlawn Charter School
    • Schuler Scholars
    • Cranbrook Upward Bound
  • Staff participate in a webinar sponsored by OACAC called "The Importance of Gender Identity in the Admission Process: Chosen Name, Pronouns and More!" (June 2022)
  • Staff collaborate with OMSA to encourage participation in the Summer Bridge Program (summer 2022)
  • Staff participate in and share notes from sessions they attend as part of the Carnegie Virtual Conference, including sessions dedicated to DEI issues (Reality vs. Aspiration -- Representing Diversity Authentically in Higher Ed Marketing) (July 2022)
  • Our Multicultural Recruitment Coordinator hosts a DEI professional development topic at staff meetings about every 4-6 weeks. (ongoing)
  • Staff hear from guest speaker, Dr. Chinwe Okpalaoka (Assistant Dean, Office of Undergraduate Recruitment, College of Arts and Sciences, The Ohio State University) as a DEI presenter during our annual office retreat. Our Multicultural Recruitment Coordinator leads us in an effective SWAT analysis exercise at the same retreat. (July 2022)
  • Staff participate in a joint Multicultural Diversity Workshop, hosted/sponsored by the GLCA ACAD Committee. (August 2022)
  • In collaboration with OMSA, the Office of Admission hosts a Multicultural Information Session held in conjunction with the Global Majority Block Party. (September 2022)
  • Staff participate in various recruitment activities focused on underrepresented populations (including, but not limited to):
    • TRIO Programs (Michigan) College Block Party (August 2022)
    • I Know I Can Panel/College Fair (August 2022)
    • Black College Football Hall of Fame College Fair (August 2022)
    • Independent Living Class with Delaware County Jobs and Family Services (September 2022)
    • Essay Review Workshop at Cristo Rey Columbus (September 2022)
    • "Say Yes to College" College Fair event (September 2022)
    • Learning Differences College Fair (September 2022)
    • Big Futures Program Event -- Big Brothers/Big Sisters (October 2022)
    • Collegiate Directions CBO "Counselor Collaborative" Panel (October 2022)
    • Southeast Ohio Regional College Fair (October 2022)
    • 100 Black Men of Chicago College Fair (October 2022)
    • Chicago Scholars On-site program (October 2022)
    • Detroit College Access Network College Fair (October 2022)
    • First-Generation Virtual College Fair, hosted by Horatio Alger Association (November 2022)
    • "A Call to College" Application Workshops (November 2022)
  • The Office of Admission re-commits to the expansion of the Dr. Charles Thomas Scholarship that occurred in Spring 2022. The expansion allows us to award at least 20 Thomas Scholarships, which meet a student's full demonstrated need as determined by the FAFSA.
  • The Office of Admission hosts a reception to honor and recognize the eleven 2022 Thomas Scholarship recipients and posts a photo and story of the cohort on social media and website. (Fall 2022)
  • OWU welcomes its largest incoming first-year class in many years, 40 international students (six of whom are exchange students) and eight global nomad students (U.S. citizens whose permanent residence is abroad). In total, students who call 25 countries home arrived this fall. (Fall 2022)

Finance and Administration Division/Human Resources Office

  • Continues to expand recruitment diversity resources, which includes coaching search committee chairs to expand their distribution of job posting resources.
  • Restructures the search process to require all search committee members to complete two online DEI trainings before they obtain access to review candidate information. Search committee chairs must sign off on early communication of this requirement to committee members.
  • Reviews statistics of candidate pools, provides coaching to search committees during the candidate screening process to help ensure a diverse pool among candidates is being considered.
  • Partners with DEI Council on DEI strategic planning work and student DEI initiatives.
  • Partners with Bishops of Color.
  • Partners with OWU alumni, former OWU Gospel Lyres members in planning the group's 50th reunion in fall 2023. Starts liaison with University Advancement and OWU Magazine staff on this project.

Student Engagement and Success Division

The Office of Multicultural Student Affairs

  • Completes Summer Bridge Program 2022 with 23 graduates
  • Events
    • Welcome Week Drag Show
    • Global Majority Block Party (collaboration with Offices of Admission and Financial Aid)
    • Local Global Majority food truck vendor
    • Five Historically Black Fraternities and Sororities present
    • Two campus offices
    • One community organization
  • Recruits for Historically Black Fraternities and Sororities
  • Provides organizational support (meets with presidents; assists with event management; recruitment, etc.); aids with the relaunch of:
    • Prism (LGB+ and Trans Inclusive Organization)
    • Black Men of the Future
    • Black Student Union
    • VIVA Latinx
    • Rafika Wa
  • Hirings
    • Student interns
    • Achievement mentors/li>
  • Trainings
    • Camp Leader and Resident Advisor fall training
    • SIO Club Leader retreat
    • Faculty search inclusive advocate training
  • Hire and Onboard Assistant Director Sally Aluso
  • Develop the Achievement Mentor Program -- Achievement Mentors to help students develop lasting relationships, learn to navigate Ohio Wesleyan, and have access to important tools to realize their personal goals.
  • Student Support
    • Meet with at-risk students
    • Create a wrap-around care plan
    • Referrals

University Advancement Division

  • Inclusion Partners: University Advancement and Multicultural Student Affairs partner on a new initiative that centers support around First-Gen students, black and brown students, international students, and LGBTQIA+ students. Inclusion Partners will be piloted by the Alumni Board of Directors and focus on opportunities to provide mentorship, real-life navigation, resources, and connection to others. The group will meet virtually in November to lay out and identify the ways they can support these students.
  • Women of Ohio Wesleyan (WOW)- November 4 - 5, 2022, owu.edu/WOW
    • The WOW Leadership Committee, in partnership with University Advancement, is excited to bring back WOW Weekend 2022 to campus this November. This biennial event started in 2016 under the leadership and support of trustees Colleen Nissel '72, Kathie Milligan '83, Kara Trott '83, and Tracie Winbigler '87 and has grown to a signature event on campus and virtually.
    • This year's program will feature Brigadier General Deydre S. Teyhen '93 as our keynote speaker on Friday. Personal and professional development sessions will be held around the topics of navigating change, the history of women, empowerment, and small group sessions around burnout and life balance on Saturday.
    • WOW celebrates being in a community with other leading women of Ohio Wesleyan (students, alumni, faculty, staff, and friends) learning and sharing from each other and walking away with fresh perspectives, professional opportunities, life advice, and new (or stronger!) friendships.